Worship Musician January 2020

PERCUSSION A SUPERB CYMBAL ROLL | Mark Shelton Composers, arrangers, and producers have Drum sticks, wire brushes, and bundled rods sound must be stopped suddenly. The long understood the power of a suspended may be used for cymbal rolls, but the more ‘choke’ can be accomplished by grabbing cymbal roll. A cymbal roll is equally at home common implement is a soft-headed mallet. the plate between the thumb and fingers swelling to a climax in Percy Grainger's "Irish Specially designed mallets for suspended to stop vibrations or by gently leaning your Tune from County Derry" or smoothing a cymbal performance are available for purchase, abdomen into the edge of the cymbal. transition in a Chris Tomlin song. or yarn-wrapped marimba mallets (my go-to) are another option. APPLICATIONS TECHNIQUE TIPS In notated scores, the placement of cymbal THE RIGHT GEAR A superb cymbal roll starts with the right gear— especially the cymbal itself. For suspended rolls is determined by the composer or arranger. Double stroke and buzz rolls on a When the performer is expected to create a cymbal work, choose a plate that is relatively cymbal are possible using drum sticks, percussion part, the decision to insert rolls is thin so that the instrument can easily vibrate but the single stroke roll is the standard part of the assignment. Transition points such and ‘speak’ at a very soft volume level. Some performance practice. as meter changes, modulations, or changes Roll with one mallet positioned at 3:00 and between song sections are worthy candidates the other at 9:00 on the cymbal. for a cymbal roll. A crescendo roll can lead up Both mallets should be near the cymbal’s to a climax while a decrescendo roll can assist edge for general playing. in reducing the energy level in a song. When Practice your single stroke roll on a low- creating ambient or ethereal textures, consider sustaining surface to check for evenness a well-placed roll. With all the possibilities, resist between the hands. the urge to overuse the effect. manufacturers produce cymbals that are • • specifically designed for suspended cymbal performance. (Those are easy to identify • because the word 'suspended' is stamped on the plate.) A thin crash cymbal designed • for use with a drum set will also function as a suspended cymbal. For general performance, I recommend plates between 16-19 inches in • diameter. You may observe orchestral percussionists • hanging a cymbal with a leather strap from a ‘gooseneck’ stand. I prefer the stability and sonority. Let your ear guide your hands for Countless examples of cymbal rolls are heard in the correct rate of motion. musical styles ranging from classical to rock to Explore each cymbal to learn its response modern worship. Along with investing in proper and volume peak. gear and developing a beautiful-sounding roll, Practice rolls that begin very softly and study a variety of music to develop concepts convenience of a conventional center-post crescendo, as well as rolls that start for applying this important percussion effect. stand. Prevent buzzes and extraneous noises at a loud dynamic level followed by a by equipping the post with a plastic sleeve decrescendo. and felt washer. Check out this short video for another method of suspending a cymbal. • Monitor your roll speed for a smooth • © 2019 Mark Shelton Productions / Percussion For Worship The sound of a cymbal roll is often allowed to naturally dissipate, but sometimes the Mark Shelton Freelance musician and educational consultant based in Dallas/Ft.Worth, TX Performance credits include North Carolina Symphony, Tin Roof Tango, Dallas Winds, Daystar Singers & Band, Shreveport Symphony, Wichita Falls Orchestra, Strata Big Band, TALEA, and Gateway Worship . www.marksheltonmusic.com percussionforworship.blogspot.com January 2020 Subscribe for Free... 127

Worship Musician January 2020 | Page 127