Sleight of And Evil Hand by Casey Cangelosi
Sleight of And Evil Hand (2013) was commissioned by Tom Sherwood for the 2013 Atlanta Symphony Modern Snare Drum Competition. For information, visit CaseyCangelosi.com
Bill Bachman Lesson Series: Not Quite Matched Grip
Bill Bachman has amazing technique and has been talking about proper technique for years. In 2009, he wrote a series of articles about technique and rudiments for Modern Drummer. In this video he talks about the different grips (French, American, and German) and talks about common problems with “matched grip that’s not quite matched.’
For more videos by Bill Bachman, check out Drumworkout.com.
Episode 028: Geometry Can Help Your Snare Drum Technique
We have all heard about the connections between music and mathematics, but did you ever think it would improve your sound on the snare drum? In this video, I talk about playing zones on the drumhead and angle on your drum sticks in relationship to the drum. Remember to think about the sound you are creating on every instrument you play. If you pay attention to your zones as well as your angles, you will dramatically improve your sound.
Episode 027: The Secret Behind Great 4 Stroke Ruffs
As a young percussionist, we all learn the rudiments. For us, the rudiments are our scales and it is how we learn about technique on a single surface (aka a snare drum). In the concert snare drum repertoire, the 4 stroke ruff doesn’t usually occur until somewhere in the Advanced Snare Drum Studies book by Mitchell Peters, Delécluse’s 12 Etudes or later in Anthony Cirone’s Portrait in Rhythm. It also shows up in the orchestral excerpts (Lieutenant Kijé). Because it is not officially part of the 40 Standard American Rudiments, it is not something we practice at a young age. (more…)
Episode 026: Composing using the Rudiments
I am a strong believer that we can and should all try to compose music. Composing is a skill that can be learned. Over time you continue to develop this skill with regular practice. (Sound familiar?) There are a lot of great resources on the internet, including The Art of Composing which includes articles, blog posts and a podcast about composing.
So how can you get started? The first place I recommend is to start with the snare drum rudiments. I have used this process with my middle school students as well as my college students in my percussion methods course. Here’s a step-by-step process to help you compose a new piece for snare drum. (more…)
SKYPE LESSONS
Skype Lessons with Dr. Gerhart