Techniques

Drumming techniques have evolved from basic rhythms on primitive drums into the complex and versatile styles that are seen in todays "modern" drumming.

The First Styles - 1800

Drummer’s Roll: Integral part of military life, signaling commands and sounding routine calls.
Musicians in the Field: Fifers and drummers, aged 12-16, were attached to each company, signaling officer commands.
Musical Performances: Skilled musicians provided music for parades, and ceremonies, while individual musicians entertained with formal and informal music.

Moving Forward - 1900

Drum Kit Origin: The modern drum kit emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by African American jazz musicians.
Drum Kit Components: The drum kit typically includes a bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals, and hi-hats.
Drum Kit Impact: The drum kit became central to popular music genres like rock, blues, and funk, showcasing its versatility and expressive potential.
Double Drumming Technique: A technique allowing drummers to play bass drum and snare with sticks while using a pedal to control cymbals.
Bass Drum Pedal Development: Allowed drummers to play the bass drum with their feet, freeing their hands for other instruments.
Drum Set Evolution: Companies like Gretsch, Ludwig, and Slingerland developed commercially marketable drum set equipment, influencing the evolution of music.

Modern

Today, what constitutes professional technique in percussion as a whole incorporates many specifics, some being, but not limited to...

Posture
Varying Grip Styles
1. German
2. French
3. American
Basic Strokes
Wrist Control
Finger Control
Varying Stroke Styles
1. Piston Stroke
2. Full Stroke
3. Tap Stroke
Foot Technique
Rudiments
Drum Fills
Coordination
Dynamics
Breath Control
Counting

Traditional v.s. Experimental

Some Traditional Techniques...

Stick Grip: Make a gun shape with your hand, balance the stick on your index finger, place your thumb on top, and wrap your remaining fingers around it.
Playing Technique: Play from your wrists, not your shoulders, to conserve energy and maintain control.
Medium Full Stroke Roll: Achieve a consistent volume by keeping your stick heights even and ensuring the tips meet an imaginary horizontal line.

Double Stroke Technique: Play two strokes with each hand (RRLL), using wrist motion for the first stroke and finger motion for the rebound stroke.
Rebound Control: Focus on achieving an even sound between the wrist stroke and the rebound stroke, allowing the stick to bounce naturally.
Exercise for Transitioning: Practice alternating between single and double strokes, focusing on maintaining a consistent wrist motion and controlling the rebound.

Prepared Piano?

Safe Materials for Preparations: Cloth, paper, cardboard, rubber, plastic, wood, and thin bits of bamboo.
Least Delicate Strings: Steel strings of the middle and high register.
First Preparation to Try: Rest a piece of letter-sized paper on top of some middle register strings, away from the dampers.

Sticks!

Drumsticks, originating in 7th-century Asia, have evolved from mallet, wooden, and brush forms to modern designs with beads, shafts, and butts. Joe Calato’s 1958 invention of the nylon-tipped drumstick enhanced durability and sound quality.

Early 20th-century drumstick sizes ranged from 2 to 9, with the number representing diameter and a letter designating application. While most companies use a standard system, others have their own coding.

Not For Your Hair...

Percussion mallets and sticks come in various forms and sizes, being made from materials like brass, nylon, wood, felt, and more. Brushes however, are used for unconventional drumming techniques, have wires, retractable features, handles, and heads that affect sound.

Wires: Common brushes with a bright sound and crisp, soft timbre.
Retractable: Brushes with a metal rod at the end that allows you to control the width and amount of fan used with each stroke, creating different sounds.
Handles: These brushes affect how you feel while playing and ca influence the sound. Common materials include rubber, plastic, wood, and aluminum.
Heads: Heads vary in the fan size and density of wires.

Pitched Percussion!?

An ever-growing selection of pithced percussion instreumetns, each with unique mallets, uses, and techniques

Timpani (Kettle Drums)

Instrument Type: Pitched drums used in orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, and percussion ensembles.
Common Sizes: 32″, 29″, 26″, 23″, and 20″, typically played in sets of two, three, four, and five.
Mallet Recommendation: General-purpose felt-covered mallet for beginners, with harder and softer versions for advanced players.

Xylophone

Instrument Description: A tuned keyboard percussion instrument with a bright sound, typically ranging three and a half to four octaves.
Material: Keys can be made from fiberglass or wood.
Mallet Selection: Choose mallets based on bar material and playing style, with a range of hardnesses available.

Marimba

Instrument Description: A tuned keyboard percussion instrument with a range of four to five octaves, characterized by a warmer sound than a xylophone.
Mallet Selection: Considerations include solo or ensemble playing, the need for a single pair or a set of four, and the type of mallet (matching set, graded set, or single mallet).
Mallet Characteristics: Typically feature a yarn wrapping over a hard plastic core, often with a latex covering, and use birch shafts.

Vibraphone (Vibes)

Instrument Description: A tuned keyboard percussion instrument with metal bars, a pedal-operated damper system, and a vibrato sound through attached rotors.
Mallet Characteristics: Rattan shafts, cord wrapping for a pronounced attack sound, and typically sold in sets of four.
Mallet Usage: Primarily used for vibraphones, but also suitable for marimbas depending on the scenario (e.g. jazz, marching percussion).

Glockenspiel (Glock)

Instrument Description: A tuned keyboard percussion instrument with metal bars, producing a bright, piercing timbre.
Mallet Types: Typically unwrapped hard nylon, PVC, or rubber, but metal mallets are also used for a brighter sound.
Range: Standard range of two and a half to three octaves.

Chimes (Tubular Bells)

Instrument Description: A tuned instrument with long metal tubes hung in a frame, struck by hammers, and featuring a pedal-operated damper system.
Instrument Range: Typically spans one and a half octaves.
Hammer Material: Plastic hammers are preferred over rawhide due to durability and performance in damp conditions.

Shafts and Other Thoughts...

Mallet Shaft Materials: Fiberglass, plastic, birch, and rattan are common materials, each with its own flexibility and suitability for different playing techniques.
Mallet Selection for Instruments: Concert toms, bass drums, gongs, and other percussion instruments require specific mallets, often specified in scores.
Additional Considerations: Factors like playing setting, preferred brands, and add-ons like carrying bags and practice pads should be considered when choosing mallets.

Where to Next?

Sources

“A Brief(ish) History of the Drum Kit.” Flypaper – Soundfly. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/a-brief-ish-history-of-the-drum-kit/#:~:text=A%20technique%20known%20as%20double,of%20African%20and%20Caribbean%20rhythms.

“Beyond the 88: A No-Fear Beginner’s Guide.” New Music USA. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://newmusicusa.org/nmbx/beyond-the-88-a-no-fear-beginners-guide/#:~:text=Surface%20Preparations,the%20keys%20for%20that%20register.

“Beginner Drum Techniques.” Drumeo. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.drumeo.com/beat/beginner-drum-techniques/?srsltid=AfmBOooCQE33uZw2DdtLmc-z9LvGnou8EqgBgtLRltAXZ3ogq9gVqfE9.

“Drum Technique.” DRUM! Magazine. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://drummagazine.com/drum-technique/.

“Everything You Need to Know About Drumsticks.” The Vault – Music & Arts. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://thevault.musicarts.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-drumsticks/.

“Lesson 2: Stick Grip and Rebound.” The Percussion Clinic. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.percussionclinic.com/lessons/02lesson.htm.

“Musical Instruments.” U.S. Hist.com – American History Props and Replicas. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.ushist.com/props/musical_instruments.shtml.

“The Evolution and History of the Drum: Unleashing the Rhythm Within.” Furtados School of Music. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://furtadosschoolofmusic.com/blog/the-evolution-and-history-of-the-drum-unleashing-the-rhythm-within/#:~:text=The%20late%2019th%20and%20early,immense%20versatility%20and%20expressive%20potential.

“What You Need to Know About Mallets for Percussion.” Modern Drummer, February 2015. https://www.moderndrummer.com/2015/02/need-know-mallets-percussion/?srsltid=AfmBOorcWbWY05u_T0h04PFhOCGmn5TJ9J1cEYY_6pvtkvxrCxa0ye8D.

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