Transcript Snare - GS Bands

Snare Drum Master Class
Norwin Percussion
What’s wrong with this
picture…
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The Snare Drum
Batter head
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Usually wood or metal
shell
Tension rods used to
tighten the batter
head and snare head
Snares are stretched
across the bottom
snare head.
Counterhoop
Lug
Snare head
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Types of snare drums…
Piccolo
5 inch concert
6 inch concert
Field drum
Rope tension
Marching
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Setting up the drum to play
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Make sure to use a concert snare drum stand. Drumset snare
stands do not reach the appropriate height for concert playing.
Position the legs so the 3rd leg points away from you.
To find your comfortable height, stand with your legs shoulder
width apart. Close your eyes, lift your sticks from your elbows
to playing position and then open your eyes. This will give you
an accurate height at which you should play.
The on/off mechanism should ALWAYS be at your stomach.
This allows for easy on and off and also assures you are
playing over the snares.
If needed, put the muffle in a place that will not interfere with
your playing. It may start in one place, but if not affixed to the
drum could drift one way or the other.
Keep your music stand low. The music stand also,
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unfortunately, acts as a shield for the sound.
Sticks
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Snare sticks are generally made of wood. Wooden
tips have a better sound and are more authentic.
When picking out sticks at a music store:
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1. Roll them on a flat surface to find a pair that is straight.
2. Drop the sticks on a hard floor or tap them on a hard
surface to match their pitch. Choose the pair with the
highest matched pitch. *Pro-Mark and Vic Firth do this
for you
3. Inspect the sticks to be certain the weights and
diameters are closely matched and general finishes are
smooth and free of flaws.
Thinner sticks are meant for drumset while
thicker/weightier sticks are meant for concert and
marching.
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Appropriate playing area
X
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Avoid the middle, “deadest” part of the drum.
Usually 4-5 inches from the rim is the most resonant part of
the drum.
EVERYTHING you play needs to be in this area. The same
timbre should be used when approaching every passage.
Avoid the edge of the head near the rim. This creates a
very thin sound and changes the tone completely. Do not
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use the edge as a crutch for playing softly.
Grips
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Matched
The hands mirror each other
Carries over to all other
percussion instruments
Provides the most logical
approach to evenness
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Traditional
Originally designed for a tilted
drum with a shoulder strap or
leg strap
Carries over to a very limited
number of percussion
instruments
More difficult to produce like
tones and dynamics between
the two hands
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Musical
example #1
Rope drum
music
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Match Grip
The match grip is a culmination of many
different elements.
 Fulcrum: the most important element of the grip
 Back fingers: should remain lose but stay in contact with
the stick
 Back of the hand: flat and facing upward
 Wrist: combined with the fulcrum used as pivot points
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Things to remember about the Stroke
• Lift the stick by pulling up the tip of the stick
as if a string were tied to the end
• Use the back fingers to help with expanded
range of motion
• Use a nice legato, marcato, or staccato
stroke when necessary. Legato is an
appropriate default stroke.
• Throw through the drum to create a
rebound.
• Never tense up your muscles
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Rudiments
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Rudiments are like our
scales on the snare drum.
They are a collection of
stickings in specific
patterns.
There were originally 13
rudiments, which then
expanded to 26, then 40,
and now there are over 80
thanks to drum corps.
Rudiments help to develop
dexterity and “chops”
They should be performed
slow to fast to slow.
When practicing for speed,
you should play for 2
minutes without stopping.
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Indications of rudimental style
 Many flams and
drags/ruffs
 Many stickings
written
 Stroked rolls
sometimes
indicated
 Noticeable
rudiments
 Repetitive rhythms
and visual
appearance. 12
Music
example #2Rudimental
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Indications of Concert Snare Style
 More
sophisticated
rhythms.
 Little or no
stickings
written.
 More varying
dynamics.
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Music example #3-concert/orchestral
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Rudimental
or Concert
Style?
Example #1
…rudimental
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Rudimental
or Concert
Style?
Example #2
…concert
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Rudimental
or Concert
Style?
Example #3
…concert
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Rolls
The ultimate goal of our rolls is to create a
seamless sound from the drum.
 The only way to do so is to match exactly the
sounds coming from each hand.
 Too many times we try to roll too fast and do
not let the tip of the stick bounce enough.
 Practice triple, quadruple, quintuple, and
sextuple bounces in each hand.
 If you think of a sloppy open roll, it will draw
you away from a roll that is too pressed.
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Rolls continued…
When we initially learn how to count rolls, we start by
filling the length of the note with 16th notes, double
the number and add the tail.
For example:
A quarter note contains (4)-16th notes. Double the
(4)–16th notes which equals 8 plus a tail is 9. This roll
is performed by buzzing each of the four 16th notes
and then playing the tail. (rrllrrllr) i.e. 1 e & a 2
What would a half note roll tied to a quarter note be?
What about a dotted half note tied to a quarter note be?
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Sticking
When performing quicker passages, try not to
use more than two hands in a row.
 Try to always use right hand lead
 Look ahead and prepare your sticking for the
next measure to start with the correct hand.
 Always write in stickings on hard passages
that require doubled hands.
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Last but not least…
Practice and exposure makes you
better…not wishing.
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