Starting Beginner

Percussion
Clini c ian:

Michael Dick
S p o ns o r s : TEXAS B AN DM A STER S ASSOC IATION/
m a r chi ng show concept s

Texas Bandmasters Association

2010 Convention/Clinic
2010 Patron Sponsor

MARCHING SHOW
CONCEPTS

j u ly 2 5 - 2 8 , 2 0 1 0
H e n ry B . G o n zalez Convention Center
S a n Antonio, Texas
 Starting Beginner Percussion
Texas Bandmasters Association Convention
July 26, 2010, Room CC206
Clinician: Michael Dick
Director of Bands, Cook Middle School, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
[email protected]

Choosing the Beginning Percussionist

I like to start approximately 12 beginning percussionists a year. By starting this many, you
can make sure there are plenty to outfit 2-3 MS/JH Bands and send 6-8 to high school every
year.
Make sure that from the beginning the students and parents understand that this is not a
“drum” class. Be up front with them so they know what they are actually getting into –
learning snare drum, keyboards, timpani, accessories, etc.
I use the following rhythm/coordination test to choose my percussionists:
• Sit in a chair and face me
• Turn a metronome on 72 with quarter notes
• Have the students tap their right foot with you mirroring (left foot)
• While tapping the foot, clap your hands with the beat
• They will probably get this – ask them is it easy, which directions did your foot go,
what part of the beat were you clapping on, etc.
• Then have them tap their foot and clap on the up-beat (this will show a lot)
• Clap/Count Procedure
o In 4/4 time
o Clap/Count Random
 You count 1,2,3,4
 Clap on 1,2,3 or 4 – change this up
o Clap/Count Sequential
 You count 1,2,3,4
 Clap on 1 in 1st measure, 2 in 2nd measure, 3 in 3rd measure and 4 in
4th measure
 This makes them think!
• Have them tap their right foot, then tap their right leg, then add tapping their left leg
in an alternating motion in eighth notes (right, left, right, left, etc.)
• Go to a table and play some simple-to-hard rhythms for them to play back to you
• Have them sing/hum a couple of pitches to you (F, Bb)
I also prefer students with piano background (though not required). Piano background
usually helps the students grasp the concepts more quickly.

General Overview
I like to spend a majority of the year (around 60%) on practice pad. I believe that proper
development on the practice pad sets the basis for all playing on percussion. On the practice
pad, you are able to develop the correct grip and wrist stroke that is needed to play most
percussion instruments. Once the student has correctly developed this stroke, you can then
apply it to keyboards and timpani.
I begin the school year by spending several weeks on the practice pad. Through these first
several weeks, I am able to develop the stroke through single-handed exercises, stick control
patterns, and sixteenth note exercises. I also begin doing reading of simple rhythms (quarter
notes and eighth notes) during this time. I introduce all exercises in a very simple form. In

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

the past, as the first semester progresses, I make these exercises more advanced to challenge
the students. For example, I take a double beat exercise and start by teaching it in quarter
notes. Once the students understand this, then I change it to eighth notes. After they
understand the eighth notes, I change it to sixteenth notes.
I would also suggest spending parts of the first few weeks showing them the various things
they need to know about percussion….where all the equipment goes, always cover the
instruments when you are finished playing, how to take care of their instrument, labeling
their equipment, etc. By doing lots of “things” during class, the students feel like they are
accomplishing a lot!
I begin keyboards around the beginning of the 2nd Six-Weeks. I would spend a 2-4 weeks on
keyboards, and then review practice pad before getting to the Winter Concert music. As they
need, intersperse days of timpani or accessories that they will need to know for the upcoming
concerts/performances.

Equipment
• Remo Practice Pad and Stand (brought back and forth everyday)
o Practice Pad vs. Snare Drum
 Practice Pad is transportable so they play on the same instrument in class
and at home
 Practice Pad is more affordable
 Practice Pad is a lot softer 
• At home for mom and dad
• At school with 8-12 “drummers” in class
o Practice Pad Stand
 All students need to purchase a practice pad stand. Having the practice
pad stand allows them to practice with the same setup and grip that you
have taught them during class.
 I like for students to bring their practice pad stand to school each day.
The stand does fit inside the large stick bags with the top sticking out of
the bag. If you have enough snare drum stands at your school, you can
have the students keep their stand at home and use the school stands
during class.
• Keyboard Instrument
o Practice Keyboards – these are great and will last through high school, but are
expensive.
 You will need to have enough keyboard instruments at school for your
students to play on during class.
• Cadence Practice Marimba – C600
• Ross Practice Marimba – R409
• Musser Practice Xylophone – M41
o Bell Kit
 These are cheaper and work fine, but are not as realistic as the practice
keyboard.
 If you do not have enough keyboard instruments at your school for
students to use during class, have them obtain a bell set and they can take
it back and forth from home and school.
• Innovative Stick Bag
o This is a large bag that the practice pad will fit easily into
• Innovative IP-LD Snare Drum Sticks
• *Mike Balter 04R Light Green Rubber Mallets
o I like the rattan handles as they do not break as easily
• *Mike Balter 23R Blue Cord Mallets
• *Vic Firth T3 Staccato Timpani Mallets
• Snare Drum Book
TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010
 o Simple Steps to Successful Snare Drumming – Keenan Wylie
o A Fresh Approach to Snare Drum – Mark Wessels
• Mallet Book
o Simple Steps to Mallets and Other Percussion – Keenan Wylie
o A Fresh Approach to Mallet Percussion – Mark Wessels
• Pocket Metronome
• Folder for any exercises/music I hand out
• Pencil
• ***Always keep keyboard and timpani mallets in the plastic bags they come in so the
mallets last longer

Classroom Setup
• Try to have a class that is only beginning percussion. Beginning Percussionists need a
class to themselves because there are so many special things they need to be taught that
do not relate to the beginning woodwind/brass classes
• I have the students stand in a semi-circle. This way I can stand in the middle of the circle
and can easily view and assess all students. Students are also very easily able to see any
demonstrations I need to make

Practice Pad
• Proper Setup
o The pad should be approximately 1-2 inches below the student’s waist. You will
want to check with each individual student to make sure their elbows are not in
or out too much.
o Make sure the legs at the bottom are spread out correctly…mainly look for not
spread out enough
• Proper Grip
o Steps to the Proper Snare Drum Grip
 Sticks should be at a 90 degree angle
 Sticks should be approximately one inch apart and one inch off the top of
the drum head
 “Windows” Closed
 Wrists Flat (should be able to keep a quarter on top)
 See the butt ends of the stick out of the corner of your eye
 Fulcrum should be firm
 Fingers around the stick
 No gaps in the fingers
***If you do all these things correctly, the stick should move straight up and
down.
• Levers
o Lever 1 – Arm – Only a day or two at the beginning – they will use this later for
buzz rolls
o Lever 2 – Wrist – This is what they will use once you teach it for the rest of the
year. Teach this in a down/up pattern so they begin feeling the subdivision – lift
up on the & or te and down on the downbeat
o Lever 3 – Finger – for very high level playing (rarely used in middle school)
• Exercises
o *Do all exercises with a “right hand lead”. This is what we will begin most
practice pad/snare drum pieces with. However, once students become
comfortable with the various exercises, it is a good idea to do a “left hand lead”
to help the students become more comfortable with the left hand and not
completely dependent on the right hand
o Eight on a Hand
o 8s and 16s
o Single-Beat Combinations/Stick Control (Lesson 1in your book)

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 o Double Beat
o Upstroke/Downstroke Exercise
o Double-Bounces
 As you speed up the Double Beat exercise, this leads into the Double-
Bounce.
 Begin by teaching the double-bounce in each hand separately
• Squeeze the fulcrum firmer
• Let the back fingers relax and come off the stick a little
• Use a combination of Lever 1 and 2
• Lift with your arm, and drop into a double stroke/bounce – make
sure there are only 2 Bounces!
 Diddles Exercise
 Chicken and a Roll Exercise
o Buzz Rolls
 Begin by teaching the buzz in each hand separately
• Squeeze your fulcrum firmer
• Let the back fingers relax and come off the stick a little
• Use Lever 1 (arm)
• Lift with your arm, and press down into the pad
• Let the stick vibrate for as long as possible
 Single-Handed Buzz Exercise
 Once you have mastered the single-hand buzz, then move to slowly
alternating back and forth. Start with slow alternating and then speed up
until a smooth and calm buzz roll is achieved
 Buzz Roll Exercise
 Students will need to build into a 16th note roll base
o Rudiments – Learn these in groups of 8
 Paradiddles
 Double Paradiddles
 Triple Paradiddles
 Paradiddle-diddles
 Flams
 Flam Accents
 Flamadiddles
 Flam Taps
 Ruff
 5-Stroke Roll
 7-Stroke Roll
 9-Stroke Roll
 13-Stroke Roll
 17-Stroke Roll
• Lines out the Book/Solos
o I would suggest working on lines out of the book that correspond with what
fundamentals you are teaching
o Try to do at least one line out of the book each day
• After Spring Break, I would hand out some easy solos to give them some different
literature
o Rudimental Cookbook – Edward Freytag
 There are several solos at the beginning of the book that students can
learn quickly
o Shazaam – John Pollard
 This book has simple, yet “cool-sounding” solos that students will love
playing!

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

Keyboards
• When do I start keyboards?
o I like to start keyboards around the beginning of the second six-weeks or when
they start to get bored with the practice pad
o The stroke is a fluid stroke while trying to achieve even stick heights – this is the
same thing we address when playing the practice pad
• Scales/Patterns
o Students should know at least the Region Band Tryout scales for your region – if
you have time, do not hesitate to learn all 12 Major Scales
o If there is time, I would suggest learning the Green Pattern, Thirds and Arpeggios
because that will enhance their musical knowledge and they will be able to play
more advanced literature easier and quicker
o Learn the Chromatic Scale – Two Octaves – C-C or F-F – teach them what they
need to know for Region Band Tryouts
 I like starting with the left hand and alternating while trying to achieve a
smooth motion
• Rolls
o Single-Stroke Rolls
o Have them play straight sixteenth notes, then just relax their hands/fingers and
speed their hands up a little
• Reading
o Students should be able to read music without writing in note names
o Students should be able to play a new piece of music while looking at the music
and not looking at the keyboard
o Start by reading pieces with just 2-3 notes, and start reading pieces that gradually
add more notes
• 4-Mallets
o I use the Stevens Grip
o It is a good thing to show the kids how to hold 4-mallets at the end of the year.
This way they can begin working on the proper technique in 7th grade
o Bring in a percussionist to teach and demonstrate this skill

Timpani
• Amount of instruction time
o I do not spend a lot of time on timpani – I feel they just need to know the
“basics” of playing timpani
o They need to know the proper up-stroke
 Teach the students to use an up-stroke because you want them to pull the
sound out of the drum. Keep your wrist down and close to the drum and
keep the head of the mallet about nine inches above the head – do a
quick wrist stroke to strike the drum and quickly bring the mallet back to
where you started while keeping the wrist down
 This up-stroke will give you a clearer, more resonant sound. Using a
downstroke or pounding will give you a much harsher and duller sound
o They need to know the proper playing zones (2-3 inches from the edge between
the lugs)
o Teach them the sizes (32, 29, 26, 23 – moves by 3 inches)
• Grip
o American Grip (what I use in MS/JH)
 Same as the matched grip for snare drum
o French Grip
 Thumb is facing directly up. I do not teach this in MS/JH
• Sample Exercises/Songs
o I like to have students do an 8s and 16s exercise on timpani to work the proper
timpani stroke – the sixteenths build into the “roll”

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 o Any songs out of your method book or the Modern Method for Timpani by Saul
Goodman that are 2-3 drums with simple rhythms (quarter, eighth and basic
sixteenth)
• Rolls
o Single-Stroke Rolls
o Have them play straight sixteenth notes, then just relax their hands/fingers and
speed up a little
• Tuning
o Have the students sing pitches you play on a keyboard instrument – you can even
start this at the beginning of the year while they are still real excited – then as the
year progresses, they don’t think singing is weird
o Once they can sing a pitch, they can try to tune the timpani
o Start with the pedal to the floor, have the pitch in your head, tap the drum with a
mallet and slowly glissando up to the pitch
o You can even have the students sing the pitch, and while you glissando up, have
them raise their hand when they think you get to the correct pitch
• Moving the Timpani
o Students need to know the proper way to transport timpani from one place or
room to another. They need to grab the timpani by the legs opposite the pedal,
place one foot on the bottom dome of the timpani, and pull the timpani back onto
the wheels for easier transport.
Accessories
• Bass Drum
o Tilt the bass drum at a 30-45 degree angle to the floor
o Play on the higher pitched head
o Place your left hand on the top of the batter head and press lightly to dampen the
excess ring
o Play with the mallet in your right hand, and use no more than a 2-inch stick
height either right above or below the center of the head
o Rolls: use two identical bass drum roller mallets and play at a 180 degree angle
about 4-6 inches from the edges of the drum
 Use a single stroke roll
• Crash Cymbals
o Do not put your hands through the straps – this is only for marching band!
o Hold one cymbal in your left hand at a 30-45 degree angle and hold it still (think
of it as a table)
o You will do all work with the right hand: lift and drop into the left hand cymbal
with a flam motion – this allows any air collected to escape out either side of the
cymbals
o For the flam motion, you can hit the bottom or top first – your preference – then
bring the top cymbal back up to allow for as much ringing and resonance as
possible
• Suspended Cymbal
o Play all single notes with your mallets at a 180 degree angle, and strike both
mallets at the same time with an upstroke
o Rolls are single-stroke at a 180 degree angle – start rolling at 1 inch and then
grow to 4-6 inches depending on the dynamic level of the music
o Ride Cymbal Music – play with a snare drum stick about 1-2 inches from the
edge
• Triangle
o Have your left hand form a “C” and let the clip rest on top of the “C”
o Hold the beater with two fingers and a thumb in your right hand and play at a 45
degree angle to the triangle in the bottom right corner
o The opening of the triangle should go to your left
o Hold the triangle high enough so you can look through the triangle at the
conductor
TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010
 o Rolls can be done at the top or bottom rounded corner of the triangle by striking
both sides of the triangle in an even back-and-forth motion
• Tambourine
o Hold the tambourine in your left hand where there are no jingles with the head
facing up
o Hold it up at a 45 degree angle
o Use your right hand to strike the tambourine
 Soft Playing – use two or three fingers to tap the edge of the tambourine
 Medium Playing – bunch your fingers together and use a wrist stroke to
tap the tambourine
 Loud Playing – Use a fist and play with an arm motion
o Rolls – Have them learn a shake roll by rotating the tambourine at a slight angle
back and forth as quick as possible with a good sound. Have the students try the
shake roll in each hand and see which one is better

Band Music
• Setup
o If the percussion are in the back, use this order from left-to-right: Timpani, Bass
Drum, Snare Drums, Accessories, Keyboards
o If the percussion are on either side, use this order from front-to-back:
Keyboards, Bass Drum, Snare Drums, Timpani, Accessories behind the Bass
Drum and Snare Drums
• Distribution of Parts
o For three band pieces, I try to have each student play snare drum, mallets, and
one accessory part
o I typically use no more than 4 snare drummers and 4 mallet players in a single
piece
o Always put a strong person on snare drum and a strong person on mallets to lead
the other students
• Rewriting/Adding Parts
o Feel free to rewrite or add parts to make the music more interesting to play.
Many times beginning band percussion parts are very easy and boring, and
rewriting or adding parts can keep the students more interested and engaged
o I would suggest adding additional accessory parts, congas, bongos and/or tom-
toms and timpani
• Ensemble Skills
o Because the band music is easy, you can use this time to begin teaching ensemble
skills while playing with the band
 Watch the conductor every 1-2 measures
 Listen to who has the melody and not play louder than them
 Play “tastefully”

Ensemble Music
• I think that beginning percussionists should learn and perform 2-3 percussion ensembles.
They will think it is extremely cool to play a piece on the concert by themselves! There
are many great easy pieces that are fun to learn that get the students excited
• Ensembles I use
o Jingle Bells by Mark Wessels
o William Tell Overture arranged by Keenan Wylie
o Parade of the Wooden Soldiers – Leon Jessel/John Willmarth
o Other good ensembles:
 Oriental Mambo by Thomas Brown
 Other easy ensembles arranged by Keenan Wylie
 Rhythmsicles by Row-Loff Productions
 Groovesicles by Row-Loff Productions
 Orientale by O’Connor

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

Various Tips
• Try to play at least one line/song out of the book each day – they will feel like they are
moving forward more quickly than they actually are.
• Have a 6th Grade Solo and Ensemble Contest at the end of the year to get feedback on
what they have learned and motivate them to stick with it by earning a ribbon or medal.
• School or Cluster Percussion Concert
• Private Lessons – these should be highly recommended due to the large number of
instruments and techniques the students need to know. While the band director is
working on one skill, the private lesson teacher can either work on that skill or continue
helping the student master previously taught skills.
• Don’t hesitate to bring in actual percussionists to demonstrate or teach new techniques or
accessories.
• Give the students various websites of percussion manufacturers as they have many
podcasts and videos demonstrating cool percussion stuff!
• Promote your high school marching band and DCI. These are additional venues that
excite percussionists!

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

Year at a Glance
o Learn the Ab and Db Scales
First Six-Weeks
o Proceed to reading quarter note and
• Music Theory
simple eighth note lines out of the
o Approximately Two Weeks
book
o Begin interspersing things such as how
• Timpani/Accessories
to hold the stick, how to set up the pad,
o Prior to working on Concert Music, I
labeling equipment, etc. to help the
would spend two or three days
time go by faster
learning timpani and the most-
• Practice Pad
commonly used accessories
o Lever 1
• Winter Concert Music
o Lever 2
• Winter Percussion Ensemble
o Exercises
Fourth Six-Weeks
 4/8 on a Hand
• Practice Pad
 8s and 16s
o Continue doing the previous exercises
 Single Beat
while continuing to build speed
Combinations/Stick
o Add Flam Accents, Flamadiddles,
Control (Lesson 1 in your
Flam Taps
book)
o Start applying the Double-Bounce Roll
 Sixteenth Note Timing
to the 5-Stroke Roll, 9-Stroke Roll and
Patterns (Begin with
17-Stroke Roll
Quarter Note, then move to
o Add lines 5,6,7 of the Sixteenth Note
Eighth Note)
Timing Patterns
 Upstroke/Downstroke
o Add complex sixteenth note rhythms
Exercise
to songs out of the book you play
 Double Beat (Begin with
• Keyboards
Quarter Note, then move to
o Review Previous Scales – Learn Green
Eighth Note)
Pattern and Thirds
o Begin reading simple rhythms (quarter
o Learn the G, D, A Scales
notes, eighth notes)
o Continue reading more songs/exercises
Second Six-Weeks
that challenge the students
• Begin Keyboards – Have them learn C, F, Bb and
• Timpani/Accessories
Eb Scales (2 Octaves if possible)
o Intersperse as you feel necessary
o Begin reading whole note and half
• Percussion Ensemble
note lines out the book that only use up
o Learn another easy ensemble that you
to 5 notes
can perform on a band concert or
o Speed on keyboards is not important at
percussion concert
this time – it is imperative that they
Fifth Six-Weeks
learn to play with a fluid/smooth
• Practice Pad
stroke
o Continue developing and speeding up
• Practice Pad
the exercises you have learned and
o Continue working on the same
learn anything that you may have
exercises that you have started, and
skipped earlier in the year
begin working them into more
o Add lines 8,9 of Sixteenth Note
advanced stages (i.e. quarter note
Timing Patterns
exercises into eighth note exercises)
o Continue playing songs out of the
 Double Beat into Sixteenth
book
Notes
o Pass out simple solos
 Sixteenth Note Timing
• Keyboards
Patterns into Sixteenth
o Review Previous Scales – Learn Green
Notes
Pattern and Thirds
o Add Flams and Buzz Rolls (near the
o Learn the E, B, Gb Scales
end of the six-weeks)
o Learn the Chromatic Scale
o Read more difficult quarter note and
o Continue playing songs out of the
eighth note songs/exercises out of the
book
book
o Pass out simple solos
Third Six-Weeks
• Timpani/Accessories
• Practice Pad
o Intersperse as you feel necessary
o All previous exercises should be in
• Percussion Ensemble – Continue to work if
their most advanced stages (slow
necessary or if time
sixteenths)
Sixth Six-Weeks
 Double Beat into Sixteenth
• Continue developing and speeding up any
Notes
exercises/scales you have learned in previous six-
 Sixteenth Note Timing
weeks on all instruments
Patterns into Sixteenth
• Add arpeggios to the major scales
Notes
• Music for Final Concert
o Add Double-Bounce Roll/Chicken and
• Percussion Ensemble
a Roll Exercise
• Tryout Music for Next Year’s Bands
o Begin working on songs/exercises that
o Students should have to play a
use basic sixteenth note rhythms out of
“Concert” snare piece (uses buzz
the book
rolls), a mallet piece, and a timpani
• Keyboards
piece along with playing scales and
o Review C, F, Bb and Eb Scales, Add
rudiments
Green Pattern and Thirds

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Recommended Sticks and Mallets
Snare Drum Sticks
• Cooperman 01 – Graham C John
• Cooperman 05 – Nick Petrella
• Innovative Percussion – IP-BK – Bret Kuhn (marching)
Keyboard Mallets
• Xylophone/Bells
o Malletech BB34
o Malletech ORR39
o Malletech ORR45
• Marimba
o Deschler W-116
o Malletech CN14
o Innovative Percussion IP240
• Vibraphone
o Malletech DS18
o Innovative Percussion RS301
Timpani Mallets
• Black Swamp 1B – Staccato
• Black Swamp 2B – Medium Hard
• Holmes #3 – Ultra Staccato
Additional Stuff
• Large Stick Bag (Yamaha, Innovative, etc.)
• Black Hand Towel
• Kratt Pitch Pipe
• Tuning Fork
Lone Star Percussion – Dallas, Texas
www.lonestarpercussion.com
Steve Weiss Music – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
www.steveweissmusic.com
The Percussion Source – Coralville, Iowa
www.percussionsource.com
Houston Percussion Center – Houston, Texas
www.percussiononline.com

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

Percussion Websites!!!!!
Vic Firth Percussion
www.vicfirth.com
Promark Percussion
www.promark.com
Innovative Percussion
www.innovativepercussion.com
Zildjian Cymbals
www.zildjian.com
Drum Corps International
www.dci.org
Pearl/Adams Percussion
www.pearldrum.com
Winter Guard International
www.wgi.org

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

Cook MS Beginning Percussion

Mr. Dick
Quarter Notes Exercises

Percussion ÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R R R R L L L L R R R R L L L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ
R L R L R L R L R L R R L R

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R R L R R L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L L R L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L L R L L R L
 Cook MS Beginning Percussion
Mr. Dick
Quarter Notes Exercises No. 2

÷ 44 œ
Stick Control

Percussion œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R R R L R R R L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L L L R L L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R R R R L L L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R R L L R R L L

Double Beat

÷œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ ˙ ˙
R R R R R R R R R R

÷œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ œ Œ ˙ ˙
L L L L L L L L L L

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Cook MS Beginning Percussion Eighth Note Exercises #2
Mr. Dick
Eight on a Hand

Percussion ÷c œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L
Stick Control

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R R L R R R L R R R L R R R L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L L R L L L R L L L R L L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R R R L L L L R R R R L L L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
16th Note Timing Patterns

œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R R L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L L R L L

÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L L R L L R L

÷œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ
Double Beat

R R R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L L L
TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010
 Cook MS Sixteenth Note Exercises
Mr. Dick

Percussion ÷ 44 œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL

8s and 16s

÷ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ
R RR RR RR R L L L LL L L L RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL
8s and 16s (Doubles)

÷ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ
R RR RR RR R L L L LL L L L RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL RR LL R R LL R RLL R RLL

Double Beat (Advanced)

÷ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œœ œ œ œœ≈œœ œœ œœ œ

R R R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L L L R R RR R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

÷ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ≈œœ œœ œ œ œœ≈œœ œœ œœ œ

LL LL LL LL LL R R RR R R R R R R LL LL LL LL LL L L LL LL LL LL L

Sixteenth Note Timing Exercises (Advanced)

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ

RLRL RLRL RLR RLR RLRL RLRL R RLR RL RLRL RLRL R L LRL L RLRL RLRL L R L L R L

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œœœ

RLRL RLR RLRLR RL RLRL RL L RLRL LRL RLRL RLR RLRLR RL RLRL RL L RLRL LRL
TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010
 Cook MS Practice Pad Exercises
Upstroke/Downstroke Exercise (Quarter Notes)

Snare Drum ã c >œ œ >œ œ œ œ œ œ

> >
œ œ œ œ
> >
œ œ œ œ
> >
R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L
5

ã >œ œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ œ
>
œ
R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L
Upstroke/Downstroke Exercise (Eighth Notes)
9

ã >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ >œ œ
R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L R R R R R R R R L L L L L L L L

ã œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœz
Single-Handed Buzz Exercise
13

R_______________ L________________ T_______________ R L R L______________________

ã .. œzœzœzœzœ œ œzœzœzœzœ œ œzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœœ œzœzœzœzœ œ œzœzœzœzœ œ œzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœzœœ ..

Fine
Buzz Roll Exercise
17

RLRL R L RLRL R L RLRL RLRL RLRL RL...

ã œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œ œ œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œz œ œ
D.C. al Fine
21

Diddle Exercise

ã œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœ

23

RLRL...

ã œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!œœœœ!

27

Chicken and a Roll

ã .. œ œ œ œ œ! œ! œ! œ! œ œ œ œ œ! œ! œ! œ! œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ! œ! œ! œ! œ! œ! œ! œ! ..
31

R L R L R L R L...

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Sixteenth Note Timing Exercises

Percussion ÷ 44 œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœ

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ ≈ œœœ

÷ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ.

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ

÷ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ œ. œ

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ

÷ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ œ œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ ≈ œœ ≈ œœ ≈ œœ ≈ œ œ

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Cook MS Beginning Percussion Mallet Exercises #1
Mr. Dick

& 44 œœœœ œœœœ

Eights Exercise

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœœœ œœœœ
Mallets

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
C Major Scale

& œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
˙ œ œ œ œ
Green Pattern

&œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ w

Note Reading Exercise #1

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
Note Reading Exercise #2

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
Note Reading Exercise #3

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Mary Had a Little Lamb

&œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ w

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Cook MS Beginning Mallet Exercises - F Major
Mr. Dick

˙
œ œ œ œ œ
F Scale

Marimba & b 44 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œœœœ œœœœ œœœœ œœ

Green Pattern

b
& œœœ œ œ œ œœ œœœ œ œ œ œœ w

Roll Exercise

& b œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ

Note Reading Exercise #1

&b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

Note Reading Exercise #2

&b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

Note Reading Exercise #3

&b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

Note Reading Exercise #4

&b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010

 Scale Pattern
Applies to all 12 Major Scales

œ œ œ œœœ
This exercise should begin with the left hand and alternate unless otherwise notated

œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ
& c œ œ œ œ œœœœ
œ œœœ

&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ
œ œ
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ
9

L R R L R L

œœœœœœœ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ
13

& œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ

RL R L
œ
œ œœ
L L R L R

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœ œœ
œœœœœœ œ Œ Ó
17

&œœœ œœ œ œ
L R L R LRLR R LR L

TEXAS BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION • CONVENTION/CLINIC 2010