PERCUSSION
BIG SIX FOR STICKS | Mark Shelton
What are the basic elements for stick-played As the stick makes contact, exert downward the fingers to bring the stick to the playing
percussion? Percussionists keep trying to boil pressure so that the implement does not surface twice. I recommend developing both
it down to the bare necessities. You might hear rebound. With the stick maintaining momentary methods.
those building blocks referred to as ‘primitives’ contact, many of the potential vibrations are or ‘atoms.’ After mere minutes of thought, stopped. The dead stroke can be used to 6. BUZZ STROKE
I have compiled my list of stick-percussion produce a short sound with a slightly different Using a loose grip, drop the bead of a drumstick
fundamentals. Three of the techniques are tone color than ‘free-ringing’ strokes. onto the playing surface and allow the stick to
types of single strokes while the others contain
multiple strokes (and the first five also apply to
hand drumming).
In the interest of brevity and simplicity, only
elementary methods of execution are included
in the descriptions of Mark’s Big Six for Sticks.
bounce freely. That is the most basic form of
Flam Notation -- Just this single measure
4. FLAM the buzz stroke. With practice, a player is able
Take a look at the notation for a flam: to harness the rebounds and shape them into
« « « «
« ˆ«
j
/
=======
= l
1
a buzz roll or apply the buzz effect into other
playing situations.
The flam sounds like it looks on paper: a small
1. FULL STROKE note followed by a big note. The small note is
Arguably the most basic and easily performed a grace note and carries no actual rhythmic
of the techniques, the full stroke starts from an value. The grace note is played with a tap
extension* of the wrist. Bring the stick down to stroke and occurs right before the primary
strike the playing surface and immediately move note (the big note). A full stroke is used for the
the stick off the surface so that the instrument primary note (with the opposite stick). When
can vibrate. A large portion of stick-percussion learning a flam, work on your ability to increase
contains this very intuitive stroke.
Any stick-played rudiment or groove rhythm
or decrease the space between the grace note
/
items l from Mark’s Big Six. Make sure all are in
========================
l
and primary note. In some l musical situations,
that you encounter will include one or more
* When using traditional grip, the left-handed a tight flam is preferred while a more open your skill set! Do you have a different opinion
full stroke starts from an outward rotation of spacing is desirable in other settings. that might amend my list? Please contact me
at [email protected].
the wrist.
2. TAP STROKE
Living up to its name, the tap stroke is merely a
tap delivered from about half an inch above the
playing surface. Little or no upward extension
/
===================
= l
of the wrist is involved. The tap stroke comes
in handy for playing soft dynamic levels and
grace notes.
3. DEAD STROKE 5. DOUBLE STROKE
After striking the playing surface, a percussionist The ability to produce two sounds in rapid
normally the succession with the same stick is fundamental
instrument immediately to allow free vibrations. for performing both a double stroke roll and
The dead stroke delivers the opposite effect by rapid diddle figures. A double stroke can be
restraining vibrations. executed with a controlled rebound or by using
brings
the
implement
off
Mark Shelton
Mark is a freelance musician and educational
consultant based in Dallas/Fort Worth. Performance
credits include North Carolina Symphony, Tin Roof
Tango, Daystar Singers & Band, Gateway Worship,
Dallas Wind Symphony, TALEA, and Strata Big
Band.
www.marksheltonmusic.com
percussionforworship.blogspot.com
4
/ ========================
l
l
l
April 2019
Subscribe for Free...
171