Author: James Christian

James Christian has been a percussionist for over 20 years. He has performed with many types of groups, including drum corps, concert bands, orchestras, jazz combos, military bands, and percussion ensembles. He has marched with two senior drum & bugle corps—Bayou City Blues and Gulf Coast Sound (both from Houston, Texas)—and spent four years as a percussionist in the United States Marine Corps Band at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. James Christian has won 16 local, state, and national percussion competitions. He was the 1998 Texas Percussive Arts Society (PAS) high school multi-tenor drum champion, and he is the seven-time winner of the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) multi-tenor drum competition (2001-2007). He has taught several schools, including Centennial High School in Burleson, Texas and Paris High School in Paris, Texas. He is the author of "The Art of Multi-Tenor Drumming," and he has composed and arranged music for several different ensembles. In 2016, he created RudimentalUniversity.com as an online resource for percussionists and percussion instructors, and he now edits The Percussion Circle magazine.

A New Focus (or What Happened to The Percussion Circle?)

James Christian

Wondering what’s been going on with the site lately? James gives you the latest update. This covers a wide range of topics—the effects of COVID on the music education industry, composing & arranging, James’ personal story of recent events, and a new focus for Rudimental University. You can watch the video or read the transcript below.

 

TRANSCRIPT

Hello, everybody. This is James Christian with RudimentalUniversity.com. And this video is entitled: “A New Focus (or What Happened to The Percussion Circle?)”

The Percussion Circle No Longer Being Made

Well, if you have followed this channel, you know that the videos more recently have corresponded with an online publication called The Percussion Circle magazine. And unfortunately, that magazine is currently not being released anymore.

And I’ll go into more on that in a little while. But basically, it was Read more “A New Focus (or What Happened to The Percussion Circle?)”

The Percussion Circle – Issue #4: All Paradiddle Issue!

James Christian

 

Paradiddles abound in issue #4! Scroll down to read.

This is our summer issue, and it’s all about the paradiddles! As always, the music and articles are free to print and copy. (If you missed previous issues, you can read them here.)

In this issue, every article contains exercises—all centered around the paradiddle family—that can be played individually or as an entire drum line. If you practice diligently, you’ll find that these doing a great job of building your coordination and chops. These would be great for your entire section to practice during the summer.

Be sure to share this issue with students, percussion teachers, and anyone you know who might find it helpful. Enjoy!

Here is issue #4 of The Percussion Circle:

Read more “The Percussion Circle – Issue #4: All Paradiddle Issue!”

The Percussion Circle – Issue #3

James Christian

Spring percussion is in the air!
     The Percussion Circle #3 is in your care.
Enjoy music for marimba and snare;
     If you like it, be sure to share!

It’s our spring percussion issue! (Read previous issues here.) We have some great articles, exercises, and music prepared for you—with some new twists. As always, the music and articles are free to print and copy. Be sure to spread the word far and wide. Share it with students, friends, music teachers, and fellow percussionists!

Please let us know your thoughts on this issue, and don’t forget to order your t-shirt of this issue’s cover! Enjoy!

Here is issue #3 of The Percussion Circle:

Read more “The Percussion Circle – Issue #3”

The Percussion Circle – Issue #2

James Christian1 Comment

 

The second issue of The Percussion Circle is here! (If you missed issue #1, check it out here.) As always, this is free to copy and print. Please share with students, friends, and complete strangers. (Trust us. They’ll appreciate it.) Check out the “Name the Letter Column Contest.” Be sure to order your t-shirt of this issue’s cover. And write to us and let us know what you like, what we can improve, and what you’d like to see in the future.

Last but not least, we wish you a very happy New Year!

Here is issue #2 of The Percussion Circle:

Read more “The Percussion Circle – Issue #2”

Percussion Magazine: The Percussion Circle – Issue #1

James Christian2 Comments

We have been promising some big things for a while now. Well, this one is pretty exciting! We are now regularly publishing a percussion magazine. Allow us to introduce… (drum roll, please)… The Percussion Circle!

Each issue is full of sheet music, exercises, practice tips, contests, and more! This magazine is being released completely free to the entire percussion world. It is especially designed as a resource for percussion instructors and their students, but there is enough material to keep any percussionist happy for many hours.

Videos of the exercises in the articles will gradually be released after publication, so check back frequently. Better yet, subscribe to our e-mail list and follow our social media channels to make sure you never miss any updates.

To view the magazine in full screen, use the viewer below. Click on the square in the bottom right corner. You can zoom in and out from there. You can also print copies for your convenience. (This feature is currently only available on Chrome browsers. We are looking to expand this option.)

Finally, we want to give a special thank you to Keiser Southern Music and HingeStix for their efforts in making this first issue possible. Please show them some appreciation and visit their sites. (If you want to advertise with us, send an e-mail to advertise@rudimentaluniversity.com, and we will send you the details.)

Without further ado, here is the very first issue of The Percussion Circle: Read more “Percussion Magazine: The Percussion Circle – Issue #1”

“Auld Lang Syne” for Marimba Vibraphone, or Xylophone

James Christian

Enjoy the holidays with a short four-mallet keyboard percussion solo. It can be performed on marimba, vibraphone, or xylophone.

To celebrate the New Year, we often hear people sing the traditional Scottish folk tune “Auld Lang Syne.” What better way to commemorate the occasion than with a new four-mallet arrangement for marimba? (It can also be played on xylophone or vibraphone by taking it up an octave.) The sheet music can be downloaded at the link below.

The primary techniques utilized are double vertical strokes and single independent strokes. Additionally, a few simple rolls are used throughout. This arrangement is loosely inspired by Charles Grobe’s Melodies of the People: New Variations on Old Tunes No. 7—”Auld Lang Syne” with Brilliant Variations, Op. 412, published in 1854.

Enjoy! Happy New Year!

 

Audio only:

Read more ““Auld Lang Syne” for Marimba Vibraphone, or Xylophone”

Learn the Parabuzzle Exercise!

James Christian

Here is a new snare drum exercise that utilizes the buzz, buzzle, parabuzzle, and several variations.

Click “Read More” to watch the video and download the sheet music.

Here is a new snare drum exercise that utilizes the buzz, buzzle, parabuzzle, and several variations. Watch the video to learn the exercise.

You can download the sheet music below. A full transcript of the video follows.

Click on the image to enlarge or click here to download in PDF format.

TRANSCRIPT

Introduction

Hello, everyone. This is James Christian with Read more “Learn the Parabuzzle Exercise!”

Cobalt – Drum Line Cadence

James Christian

CADENCE WEEK, DAY #5

Here is the fifth and final cadence as promised!

Click “Read More” to listen and download!

CADENCE WEEK, DAY #5

Today is the fifth and final day of Cadence Week! Enjoy!

Cobalt cadence 1st page


Difficulty: 4.0 – This cadence has a laid-back funk groove spiced up with a lot of rolls and other rudiments. It will require some decent chops, but if you’ve got ’em, audiences will enjoy watching you strut!

Click here to download the score and individual parts.

Read more “Cobalt – Drum Line Cadence”