(Percussion). Gary Chester was one of the busiest studio drummers of the '60s and '70s and played on hundreds of hit records. His systems have been used and endorsed by drummers such as Kenny Aronoff, Danny Gottlieb, and Dave Weckl. This is not just another drum book, but rather a system that will help you develop the skills needed to master today's studio requirements. By working with this book, you'll improve your reading, concentration, coordination, right and left-hand lead, and awareness of the click. This revised edition contains a CD with an interview with Chester.

An iconic symbol and sound of the Lucumi/Santeria religion, Afro-Cuban bata are talking drums that express the epic mythological narratives of the West African Yoruba deities known as "orisha." By imitating aspects of speech and song, and by metaphorically referencing salient attributes of the deities, bata drummers facilitate the communal praising of "orisha" in a music ritual known as a "toque de santo."

In "The Artistry of Afro-Cuban Bata Drumming," Kenneth Schweitzer blends musical transcription, musical analysis, interviews, ethnographic descriptions, and observations from his own experience as a ritual drummer to highlight the complex variables at work during a live Lucumi performance.

Integral in enabling trance possessions by the "orisha," by far the most dramatic expressions of Lucumi faith, bata drummers are also entrusted with controlling the overall ebb and flow of the four- to six-hour "toque de santo." During these events, bata drummers combine their knowledge of ritual with an extensive repertoire of rhythms and songs. Musicians focus on the many thematic acts that unfold both concurrently and in quick succession. In addition to creating an emotionally charged environment, playing salute rhythms for the "orisha," and supporting the playful song competitions that erupt between singers, bata drummers are equally dedicated to nurturing their own drumming community by creating a variety of opportunities for the musicians to grow artistically and creatively."

Steel Drums and Steelbands: A History is a vivid account of the events that led to the "accidental" invention of the steel drum: the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the 20th century. Angela Smith walks readers through the evolution of the steel drum from an object of scorn and tool of violence to one of the most studied, performed, and appreciated musical instruments today. Smith explores the development of the modern steelband, from its roots in African slavery in early Trinidad to the vast array of experiments in technological innovation and to the current explosion of steelbands in American schools. The book offers insights directly from major contributors of the steelband movement with sections devoted exclusively to pioneers and innovators. Drawing on seven years of research, repeated trips to the birthplace of the steel drum, Trinidad, and interviews with steelband pioneers, Smith takes readers far beyond the sunny associations of the steel drum with island vacations, cruise ships, and multiple encores of "Yellow Bird." Digging deep into Trinidad's history-a tale of indigenous extermination and African slavery, of French settlement and Spanish and British colonialism before mid-century independence-Smith weaves an unforgettable narrative of talking drums, kalinda stick fights, tamboo bamboo bands, iron bands, calypso, Carnival, and the U. S. military. Together, all played major roles in the evolution of today's steelband and in the panman's journey from renegade to hero in the steelband's move from the panyards of Trinidad's poorest neighborhoods to the world's most prestigious concert halls. The reader will discover how an instrument created by teenage boys, descendants of African slaves, became a world musical phenomena. Steel Drums and Steelbands is the ideal introduction to the steel drum, steelbands, and their history.

The second half of the twentieth century saw vast changes in all aspects of percussion - the instruments themselves, playing techniques, and percussion writing - plus the huge influence of pop music, jazz, and film scores. Additionally, the revolution in travel and communications has meant that composers have become much more aware of a seemingly endless variety of ethnic instruments from around the world. Holland aims to show the world of percussion as it is today, and to answer some common questions about it. Today's professional players frequently find themselves performing in many countries where the availability of percussion instruments can vary widely. Practical Percussion contains a section on manufacturers and suppliers all over the world. In addition to this list of manufacturers, the percussion requirements - both instruments and players - for some 1500 works are also listed. The foreword by Pierre Boulez further assists the reader in appreciating and understanding the richness, variety, and function of percussion instruments the world over.

(Drum Instruction). The Absolute Beginners course has been designed to tell you everything you need to know from the very first time you pick up your instrument. With this superb book, you get a comprehensive course featuring step-by-step pictures which take you from first day exercises to playing along with backing tracks which you can access using the download card included with the book.

Despite their central role in many forms of music-making, drummers have been largely neglected in the scholarly literature on music and education. But kit drummers are increasingly difficult to ignore. While exponents of the drum kit are frequently mocked in popular culture, they are also widely acknowledged to be central to the musical success and aesthetic appeal of any musical ensemble in which they are found. Drummers are also making their presence felt in music education, with increasing opportunities to learn their craft in formal contexts. Drawing on data collected from in-depth interviews and questionnaires, Gareth Dylan Smith explores the identities, practices and learning of teenage and adult kit drummers in and around London. As a London-based drummer and teacher of drummers, Smith uses his own identity as participant-researcher to inform and interpret other drummers' accounts of their experiences. Drummers learn in multi-modal ways, usually with a keen awareness of exemplars of their art and craft. The world of kit drumming is highly masculine, which presents opportunities and challenges to drummers of both sexes. Smith proposes a new model of the 'Snowball Self', which incorporates the constructs of identity realization, learning realization, meta-identities and contextual identities. Kit drummers' identities, practices and learning are found to be intertwined, as drummers exist in a web of interdependence. Drummers drum; therefore they are, they do, and they learn - in a rich tapestry of means and contexts.

"Maybe you won't like steel band. It's possible. But it's been said that the Pied Piper had a steel band helping him on his famous visit to Hamelin." When the US Navy distributed this press release, anxieties and tensions of the impending Cold War felt palpable. As President Eisenhower cast his gaze towards Russia, the American people cast their ears to the Atlantic south, infatuated with the international currents of Caribbean music. Today, steelbands have become a global phenomenon; yet, in 1957 the exotic sound and the unique image of the US Navy Steel Band was one-of-a-kind. Could calypso doom rock `n' roll? Band founder Admiral Daniel V. Gallery thought so and envisioned his steelband knocking "rock 'n' roll and Elvis Presley into the ash can." From 1957 until their disbandment in 1999, the US Navy Steel Band performed over 20,000 concerts worldwide. In 1973, the band officially moved headquarters from Puerto Rico to New Orleans and found the city and annual Mardi Gras tradition an aptmusical and cultural fit. The band brought a significant piece of Caribbean artistic capital-calypso and steelband music-to the American mainstream. Its impact on the growth and development of steelpan music in America is enormous. Steelpan Ambassadors uncovers the lost history of the US Navy Steel Band and provides an in-depth study of its role in the development of the US military's public relations, its promotion of goodwill, its recruitment efforts after the Korean and VietnamWars, its musical and technological innovations, and its percussive propulsion of the American fascination with Latin and Caribbean music over the past century.

SamulNori is a percussion quartet which has given rise to a genre, of the same name, that is arguably Korea's most successful 'traditional' music of recent times. Today, there are dozens of amateur and professional samulnori groups. There is a canon of samulnori pieces, closely associated with the first founding quartet but played by all, and many creative evolutions on the basic themes, made by the rapidly growing number of virtuosic percussionists. And the genre is the focus of an abundance of workshops, festivals and contests. Samulnori is taught in primary and middle schools; it is part of Korea's national education curriculum. It has dedicated institutes, and there are a number of workbooks devoted to helping wannabe 'samulnorians'. It is a familiar part of Korean performance culture, at home and abroad, in concerts but also in films and theatre productions. SamulNori uses four instruments: kkwaenggwari and ching small and large gongs, and changgo and puk drums. These are the instruments of local percussion bands and itinerant troupes that trace back many centuries, but samulnori is a recent development of these older traditions: it was first performed in February 1978. This volume explores this vibrant percussion genre, charting its origins and development, the formation of the canon of pieces, teaching and learning strategies, new evolutions and current questions relating to maintaining, developing, and sustaining samulnori in the future.

In this colorful and descriptive book, you will find a wonderful assortment of bells both functional and decorative, from school bells, cowbells, and bicycle bells to souvenir bells, commemoratives, and figurines. Universally admired for their beauty and tone, bells have been known and used since antiquity. Here, over 590 full color photographs illustrate the incredible diversity of sizes, shapes, styles, colors, and textures which characterize these fascinating collectibles. +Starting with a review of basic bell types, including open mouth bells, crotals, gongs, mechanical bells, and chimes, Collectible Bells: Treasures of Sight and Sound provides separate, informative chapters on materials used to make bells, bells from around the world, bells with a specific purpose, bells of all shapes and styles, and more. Within its pages you'll find antique and contemporary bells, traditional and unusual bells, elegant and humorous bells-bells for every taste and inclination! An index, extensive bibliography, and values are also included in this captivating and enjoyable book.

Despite their central role in many forms of music-making, drummers have been largely neglected in the scholarly literature on music and education. But kit drummers are increasingly difficult to ignore. While exponents of the drum kit are frequently mocked in popular culture, they are also widely acknowledged to be central to the musical success and aesthetic appeal of any musical ensemble in which they are found. Drummers are also making their presence felt in music education, with increasing opportunities to learn their craft in formal contexts. Drawing on data collected from in-depth interviews and questionnaires, Gareth Dylan Smith explores the identities, practices and learning of teenage and adult kit drummers in and around London. As a London-based drummer and teacher of drummers, Smith uses his own identity as participant-researcher to inform and interpret other drummers' accounts of their experiences. Drummers learn in multi-modal ways, usually with a keen awareness of exemplars of their art and craft. The world of kit drumming is highly masculine, which presents opportunities and challenges to drummers of both sexes. Smith proposes a new model of the 'Snowball Self', which incorporates the constructs of identity realization, learning realization, meta-identities and contextual identities. Kit drummers' identities, practices and learning are found to be intertwined, as drummers exist in a web of interdependence. Drummers drum; therefore they are, they do, and they learn - in a rich tapestry of means and contexts.

Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director: Targeting Student Engagement and Comprehension is a resourceful collection of highly effective teaching strategies, solutions, and activities for band directors. Chapters are aligned to cover common topics, presenting several practical lesson ideas for each topic. In most cases, each pedagogical suggestion is supported by excerpts from standard concert band literature. Topics covered include: score study shortcuts; curriculum development; percussion section management; group and individual intonation; effective rehearsal strategies; and much more! This collection of specific concepts, ideas, and reproducible pedagogical methods-not unlike short lesson plans-can be used easily and immediately. Ideal for band directors of students at all levels, Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director is the product of more than three decades of experience, presenting innovative approaches, as well as strategies that have been borrowed, revised, and adapted from scores of successful teachers and clinicians.

While composers and percussionists are working more closely than ever with one another, there are few resources that address this collaborative relationship in depth. However, Samuel Z. Solomon, himself a percussionist and teacher, offers a comprehensive examination of the issues that percussionists and composers encounter in How to Write for Percussion. The first edition, self-published in 2004, provided musicians and music programs the world over with practical and indispensible information about issues of notation, concert production, and much more. This new edition goes even further as Solomon offers more insights derived from his personal experience as a percussionist and teacher and from his collaborations with other musicians. The second edition of How to Write for Percussion expands the survey of behind-the-scenes processes-from instrument choice and notation to logistics, execution, and concert production-to uncover all the tools a composer needs to comfortably create innovative and skilled percussion composition. Solomon also includes more excerpts and performances as well as interviews with famous percussionists and composers that capture the intricacies of percussion composition. Moreover, the second edition features an expanded text with more instruments and more analysis, plus an extensive Online Video Companion containing over nine hours of videos with demonstrations, performances, interviews, and analysis to flesh out and clarify the material in the book. This updated edition of How to Write for Percussion will appeal to a wide swath of musicians including composers, arrangers, and percussionists. Those who have already utilized the first edition will welcome the upgrade, and those who have yet to benefit from Solomon's perspective will likewise find his insights illuminating.

A Drummer's Perspective is a stunning collection of live action photos celebrating the world of drumming. This large format book, with foreword written by renowned Drummer Terry Bozzio, brings together some of the finest unseen photographs of over hundred legendary drummers. It is a unique collection of pictures brought together by the author David Phillips, who has been given rare access on stage and behind the scenes to many of the biggest bands in the world. Drummers featured include photos of Zoro, Dave Grohl, Joey Jordison, Zak Starkey, Ginger Baker, Neil Peart, Nicko McBrain, Mitch Mitchell, Roger Taylor, Dennis Chambers, Mike Portnoy, Nick Mason, Alex Acuna, Dave Weckl, Josh Freese, Chad Smith, Joey Castillo, Thomas Lang and this list goes on and on! The powerful images include almost 200 photos of some of the most amazing rock concerts and give a fascinating insight to drummers, their playing and their world.

First emerging in North America and Europe in the late 1920s, contemporary percussion practices have transitioned from the fringes of contemporary music to the forefront over the past 90 years. In the 1960s contemporary percussion practices reached Australian shores and a new generation of artists added their voices to this narrative. The role of Australian activity is not yet embedded in the wider narrative of international contemporary percussion, nor is the significance of developments in contemporary percussion practices fully realised in the context of Australian music history. In this monograph, political, social and cultural influences on this art form will be examined for the first time in a historical survey of contemporary percussion music in Australia over a 50-year period, from 1960 to 2010. The rise of the percussion ensemble in the twentieth century to a standard chamber music ensemble is now recognised as one of the major advances in western art music practice internationally. A focus will be placed on ensemble activity via definitive documentation and analysis of ensembles that are amongst the most pioneering and longest established of Australian contemporary music organisations, including the Australian Percussion Ensemble, Synergy Percussion, Adelaide Percussions, Nova Ensemble, Tetrafide Percussion, Taikoz, Clocked Out and Speak Percussion amongst others. Closing with a discussion of influences and identity, this historical narrative will expand our understanding of the impact of Australian contributions to the international contemporary music scene while simultaneously examining how developments in contemporary percussion have contributed to Australia's cultural identity.

In 1942, drummer Viola Smith sent shock waves through the jazz world by claiming in Down Beat magazine that "hep girls" could sit in on any jam session and hold their own. In Women Drummers: A History from Rock and Jazz to Blues and Country, Angela Smith takes Viola at her word, offering a comprehensive look at the world of professional drumming and the women who had the courage and chops to break the barriers of this all-too-male field. Combining archival research with personal interviews of more than fifty female drummers representing more than eight decades in music history, Smith paints a vivid picture of their struggles to overcome discrimination-not only as professional musicians but in other parts of their lives. Women Drummers outlines the evolution of female drumming from pre-biblical times when women held important leadership roles to their silencing by the church during the Middle Ages to spearheading the fight for women's rights in the modern era. The stories and personal accounts of female drummers who bucked tradition and societal norms are told against the backdrop of the times in which they performed and the genres they represented, from rock and jazz to blues and country. Although women have proven time and time again that they can more than hold their own against their male counterparts, female drummers not only remain a minority, but their contributions have been obscured by the traditional chauvinistic attitudes in the music business and gender stereotypes that surround the drum itself as a "male" instrument. Women Drummers takes a major step forward in undoing this misconception by acknowledging the talent, contribution, and growing power of women drummers in today's music environment.

Pain and injury are near constant companions for professional musicians. Aching hands, painful joint swelling, back problems, among other ailments were all thought to be part of the price musicians had to pay to be performers. However, thanks to an increasing awareness of both the kinesiology and biology of movement, as well as proper techniques for fostering good performance habits, musicians no longer have to suffer in silence.
Perhaps no group of musicians has been more prone to career-threatening injury than percussionists, and the demands for speed, power, control, and endurance are only increasing. Often musicians wait until an injury is so aggravated that it's too late to be fully treated. In almost every case, if the drummer had done some very simple preventative (or early) care, the injury would never have become a serious issue.
"The Percussionists' Guide to Injury Treatment Prevention" is designed to aid in that early prevention and treatment. Although it is not a substitute for clinical diagnosis or medical care from a trained physician, it can educate the musician as to how the human body works; the role of muscles and skeletal structure in supporting movement; and understanding specifically how to prevent and treat common injuries. The book begins with a general discussion of how the body works and basic prevention concepts. It then covers each specific area of the body (where it hurts), suggesting practical ways to prevent and treat it. Basic anatomy is covered in terms that a musician can understand.
For all percussion students and professionals, "The Percussionists' Guide to Injury Treatment Prevention" will be an indispensable companion.

Pain and injury are near constant companions for professional musicians. Aching hands, painful joint swelling, back problems, among other ailments were all thought to be part of the price musicians had to pay to be performers. However, thanks to an increasing awareness of both the kinesiology and biology of movement, as well as proper techniques for fostering good performance habits, musicians no longer have to suffer in silence.
Perhaps no group of musicians has been more prone to career-threatening injury than percussionists, and the demands for speed, power, control, and endurance are only increasing. Often musicians wait until an injury is so aggravated that it's too late to be fully treated. In almost every case, if the drummer had done some very simple preventative (or early) care, the injury would never have become a serious issue.
"The Percussionists' Guide to Injury Treatment Prevention" is designed to aid in that early prevention and treatment. Although it is not a substitute for clinical diagnosis or medical care from a trained physician, it can educate the musician as to how the human body works; the role of muscles and skeletal structure in supporting movement; and understanding specifically how to prevent and treat common injuries. The book begins with a general discussion of how the body works and basic prevention concepts. It then covers each specific area of the body (where it hurts), suggesting practical ways to prevent and treat it. Basic anatomy is covered in terms that a musician can understand.
For all percussion students and professionals, "The Percussionists' Guide to Injury Treatment Prevention" will be an indispensable companion.

One of the most admired qualities of Claude Debussy's music has been its seemingly effortless evocation and assimilation of exotic musical strains. He was the first great European composer to discern the possibilities inherent in the gamelan, the ensemble consisting mainly of tuned percussion instruments that originated in Java. Echoes from the East: The Javanese Gamelan and its Influence on the Music of Claude Debussy argues Debussy's encounter with the gamelan in 1889 at the Paris Exposition Universelle had a far more profound effect on his work and style than can be grasped by simply looking for passages and pieces in his output that sound "Asian" or "like a gamelan." Kiyoshi Tamagawa recounts Debussy's individual experience with the music of Java and traces its echoes through his entire compositional career. Echoes from the East adds a commentary on the modern-day issue of cultural appropriation and a survey of Debussy's contemporaries and successors who have also attempted to merge the sounds of the gamelan with their own distinctive musical styles.

For over a century, drummers have been turning to a variety of percussive traditions as prompts for the creation of new expressive possibilities on the drumset. In this book, Simon Barker sets out in detail the developmental processes he has followed creating an improvisational language for the drumset utilizing Korean rhythm/sticking cells, aesthetic conceptions, improvisatory codes, and developmental procedures. Barker offers historical overviews of Korean traditional rhythmic forms, analysis of rhythmic structures appearing in a variety of styles, an analysis and chronological account of his development of a 'Koreanized' approach to the drumset, a methodology for performing p'ansori accompaniment on the drumset, an introduction to Korean extended techniques, and a large collection of drumset studies based on Korean traditional forms such as tasA rA m, ch'ilch'ae, and ritual music structures from Korea's East Coast. Barker also explores physical practices employed by Korean musicians which aid in the development of a relaxed, dynamic approach to performance. He creates a framework for creating an alternative approach to drumset education and performance through an engagement with Korea's extraordinary rhythmic and aesthetic traditions. The volume includes accompanying downloadable resources featuring recordings of developmental exercises, solo drumset improvisations, and ensemble performances, each track representing a subject of discussion within the volume.

Bells have played a prominent role in our society since the earliest of civilizations, yet few realize the scope of objects encompassed by this broad heading. While all bells share certain qualities--like the ability to produce sound--they vary amazingly in terms of size, shape, style, and material. A flat round Chinese gong is as much a bell as the graceful figurine hiding a swinging clapper beneath her skirt or a strap of round metal "sleigh bells" from the nineteenth century. Featuring over 620 beautiful color photos, this absorbing and entertaining book showcases the wonderful diversity of collectible bells, from animal bells, call bells, and rattles to commemoratives, figurals, miniatures, and holiday bells. Here you will find bells made of different materials, bells with more than one purpose, bells with common motifs, and much more. Both antique and modern, well-known to unique, one of these bells is sure to grab your fancy! Values, an index, and a bibliography are all included.