Percussion Resources

This page is a references for percussion students. The links and information below should serve as a reference for purchases, ideas, and technique.

We will be working on snare drum and melodic mallet percussion (marimba and xylophone) primarily, although some time will be spent on drumset, timpani and auxillary percussion.  

It is expected that students will own their own drumsticks, brushes, xylophone/marimba mallets in various hardness levels (minimum of medium, hard, and soft), and a set of timpani mallets. A stick bag is also required. Student kits are available through multiple companies.


Specific items students should own

(specific brands are not required, but are provided as examples of what students will need. Items are listed in the order they should be purchased):

Metronome
Drum Pad (for practicing rudiments and snare drum exercises)
Music Stand (any is fine; however, a portable stand will be required at some point in most student's high school career)
1 pair/set of Concert Snare Drum Sticks (not marching sticks) - Vic Firth General SD1
Stick Bag - Steve Weiss pro stick bag – 18" X 22", Promark DSB1 Deluxe-14" X 17" or Promark JSB5 Jumbo – 17" X 19"
Medium Xylophone/Marimba Mallets - Mike Balter Ensemble Series 13 blue yarn (birch handle is recommended)
Rubber Mallets - Malletech Becker BB34
Medium Hard Xylophone/Marimba Mallets - Mike Balter Ensemble Series 14 red yarn (birch handle is recommended)
Medium Soft Xylophone/Marimba Mallets - Mike Balter Ensemble Series 12 green yarn (birch handle is recommended)
Medium Timpani Mallets - Vic Firth T1 general, Mike Balter T3 general mallets
1 pair/set of wire brushes (retractable)


Recommended items (in addition to the above listed):
Soft and Hard Mallets xylophone/marimba mallets - Mike Balter Ensemble Series (birch handle is recommended)
Second pair of Medium Soft, Medium, and Medium Hard mallets listed above (for works requiring four mallets) - Mike Balter Ensemble Series
Triangle Beaters in various thicknesses
Claves
Shaker

Here are some links to some useful resources:
Snare Drum:
Rudiments - these are as essential to snare drum as scales are to pitched instruments. These are short rhythmic exercises that appear throughout music. These are the rudiments as listed by the Percussive Arts Society.
Warm-ups - here is a link to some warm-ups for snare drum.


Mallets:
Article on choosing appropriate mallets
Making your own mallets
Wrapping your own marimba mallets

Timpani:
Beginning Timpani Exercises by Stewart Hoffman
Timpani Exercises by Mark Wessels
Tuning Exercises by Vic Firth

Percussion Links:
Percussive Arts Society
Steve Weiss Music
Vic Firth
Mike Balter