Month: March 2017

2-Mallet Keyboard Exercise: Double Diminished Double Stops

James Christian
Double Diminished Double Stops, page 1
Double Diminished Double Stops
Click on the images to enlarge…
Double Diminished Double Stops, page 2
…or click here to download in PDF format.

This exercise for two-mallet keyboard percussion utilizes double stops with a diminished 7th chord (also known as double diminished). Starting with A, the pattern cycles through all 12 keys, going up by a half step each time.

The goal of this exercise is to build fluidity of movement with double stops around the keyboard. You start by playing three repetitions on each interval, then two, then one. These patterns cycle through 18/8, 12/8, and 6/8 time signatures, respectively.

With all double stops, be careful to strike both notes together. As you get faster, I would recommend striking the upper manual bars on the edge, instead of the center. Strive for accuracy and consistent sound. Stay relaxed, and let the stroke come from the wrists.

As you get more comfortable with this exercise, it can be a good endurance builder. Don’t slow down on the 6/8 measures! Keep a steady pulse throughout the exercise. A metronome will be invaluable for keeping tempo. For added endurance, repeat several times.

Have fun with this one!

Multi-Tenor Drum Etude #19: “Fibonacci”

James Christian

This “nerdy” tenor solo is dedicated to math geeks everywhere! This is multi-tenor drum etude #19 from The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming. The main theme is derived from the Fibonacci sequence, and it focuses on developing sweeps, a.k.a. scrapes, around the drums.

Here are the performance notes from the book:

I originally thought of titling the next three etudes Sweep Fest #1, Sweep Fest #2, and Sweep Fest #3. (I ultimately settled on that title for etude #21 alone.) The idea was that each of the three etudes would focus on sweep patterns, but they would increase in difficulty. This idea still generally holds true, but a few ideas came to me based on mathematics, and they lent themselves to sweeps quite well. I think this gives the following etudes a very interesting structure, much more interesting than what I would have created if I was simply trying to write a sweep etude from scratch.

I was reading how the Fibonacci sequence is used in the music of Bartók, Debussy, Satie, and others. This gave me the idea to do a few experiments. The main theme of this etude, Fibonacci, is derived from the Fibonacci number sequence. In short, Read more “Multi-Tenor Drum Etude #19: “Fibonacci””

2-Mallet Keyboard Exercise: Double Stops Builder

James Christian
Double Stops Builder
Click on the image to enlarge or click here to download in PDF format.

The term double stops refers to striking two mallets at the same time.  They are an incredibly important skill to develop and master, and this exercise is a useful tool for practicing them.

In addition to having good double stop quality, it’s also important to transition smoothly between the upper and lower manuals.  In 16 measures, this exercise covers every possible configuration.

The breakdown is as follows:

  • Measures 1-4: accents with both hands on lower manual
  • Measures 5-8: accents with both hands on upper manual
  • Measures 9-12: accents with left hand on upper manual & right hand on lower manual
  • Measures 13-16:  accents with left hand on lower manual & right hand on upper manual

Within each of these four-measure sets, the non-accented notes (the “inner beats”) follow this configuration:

  • Measure 1:  both hands on lower manual
  • Measure 2:  left hand on upper manual, right hand on lower manual
  • Measure 3:  left hand on lower manual, right hand on upper manual
  • Measure 4:  both hands on upper manual

When playing this exercise, focus on distinct accents and clear (but softer) “inner beats.”  Make sure the double stops strike at exactly the same time.  Each interval should have a clear, blended sound.

Have fun with this exercise!

I also have to point out that this is the 50th post on Rudimental University!  Woo hoo!!!

Multi-Tenor Etude #6: “Double Crossed”

James Christian

Here is a visually exciting tenor solo from The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming. The book contains 33 multi-tenor etudes, and this is etude #6 entitled “Double Crossed.” As the title suggests, the focus is on developing crossovers.

Here are the performance notes from the book:

This flashy etude utilizes an abundance of crossovers. The first half begins with an 8th note pattern. The second half, beginning with measure 16, utilizes the same pattern with doubles on every note. Both halves feature a repeated section—the first time through at mezzo-forte, the second time at fortissimo. Be careful not to play the mezzo-forte section too loudly; otherwise the contrast will be obscured, or you will be forced to overplay the fortissimo section. Stark dynamic contrast will really help to sell the ideas in this solo. There is a more intricate 16th note sweep section during the last two lines. Take care to aim for the proper beating spots to avoid rims. You may want to review the 16th note doubles section in the rudimental exercises [contained in the book].

Thanks for watching. If you enjoy the video, please “like” it and share it with your friends!

Multi-Tenor Etude #7: “The Fool in the Mirror”

James Christian

Bit by bit, I am posting videos of the etudes from my book The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming. This is multi-tenor etude #7 entitled “The Fool in the Mirror.” Its main theme is pretty catchy, and it focuses on developing 16th note patterns around the drums.

Here are the performance notes from the book:

There is nothing in this etude exceptionally flashy from a visual standpoint, but the melody is quite catchy, and this is one of my favorite etudes to play in this book. (Of course, I think all of the etudes are great!) The whole piece gradually moves from playful syncopated rhythms to more intense driving rhythms, but it returns to a light-hearted note at the very end. The first section (mm. 1-5) establishes the playful syncopated main theme. The second section (mm. 6-9) contrasts the first with a slightly less syncopated 8th note double stop quasi-groove pattern. The third section (mm. 10-13) is a more driving segue that reiterates the main ideas of the first section. The fourth section (mm. 14-19) is the longest (with repeats), and it is the most driving; it has very little syncopation, and it focuses on some basic paradiddle patterns mixed with doubles and 16th note singles rhythms. The final section (mm. 20-22) is the shortest, and it caps off everything by quickly highlighting the previous themes.

Enjoy the video!

Three Ways to Use Tempo When Practicing Music

James Christian

 

Struggling with speed, accuracy, or pulse?  James describes three ways you can use different tempos to maximize your practice sessions. The following is a transcript of the video above (slightly reworded for readability):

 

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Hello, everyone.  This is James Christian with RudimentalUniversity.com. Today I would like to talk about three different ways you can use tempo to help you when practicing a piece of music.

I’ve been thinking about this topic for a while, and this last week several ideas came together.  I Read more “Three Ways to Use Tempo When Practicing Music”