How to Read Drum Lesson Sheet Music

Want to be able to play drum beats and fills from standard drum notation? You need to learn
the art of reading sheet music. Let's start by reviewing the different symbols used to indicate
the various elements of the drum set.
Playing the Hi-hats
The hi-hats are marked ust above the top line of the measure with a simple !"! symbol. The
image below shows four hi-hat strokes. These are to be played with a drumstick while the hi-
hats are closed the entire time #using your left foot on the hi-hats pedal$.
You can also play the hi-hats with the foot alone. %n other words& instead of hitting them with
a drumstick - you use your foot to open and close the hi-hats. This is marked on sheet music
with the following !"! symbols below the last line of the measure.
Playing the Ride Cymbal
The ride cymbal is similar to the hi-hats in that it is often used in drum beats as a method of
keeping steady time. %n fact& most all beginner-to-intermediate rock beats have steady strokes
on either the hi-hats or the ride. 'o& with that in mind - you'll notice that the ride also uses an
!"! symbol for drum notation.
(bove you can see that the ride cymbal is actually played on an imaginary line above the
measure. The small line segments in the middle of the !"! make the symbol look like a star&
but mentally you should see this as an !"! sitting on a line.
These stokes would be played with a drumstick on the !bow! of the ride cymbal. This is the
part between the edge and the bell - the largest surface. While some heavy rock tunes may
re)uire you to crash the ride cymbal #by playing the edge$ - you will find that it typically
sounds better to play the bow.
Playing the Snare Drum
The snare drum is the most important part of any drum set. %t is a vital part of virtually any
drum beat& and is the foundation of the rock back-beat. *ere is how drum sheet music
indicates a regular snare drum stroke #played with a stick hitting the middle of the drum$.
(s you can see& the snare drum is marked with a simple note on the middle line of the staff.
'ome books will put this in the second space& but this simpler system makes it easier to
differentiate the snare drum from other tom toms #as you will soon see$. +or now& ust keep in
mind that the snare drum is in on the middle line.
The snare can also be played using cross-sticking. This techni)ue will be e"plained in a
future lesson& but here is how it is indicated in drum notation.
This is the last of the drum symbols that uses an !"!& and unlike the hi-hats or ride cymbal
notation - it is circled.
Playing the Bass Drum
The bass drum is played with the right foot on the bass drum pedal. *ere is how four strokes
are displayed on drum sheet music.
Like the snare drum& this notation shows a simple note. *owever& the position is in the
bottom space of the measure. That is what indicates this note is to be played with on the bass
drum.
'ome drum sets include two bass drums& or double pedals that allow for both feet to operate
the same bass drum. %n either case& drum notation has a way of indicating a note that is to be
played with the !left! foot on a second bass drum pedal.
(s you can see& this second bass drum cymbal is on an imaginary line below the measure. %t
may seem a little confusion& but don't worry - this is very rarely seen in beginner to
intermediate drum lesson material. ,y the time you need to use it - reading most drum sheet
music will be second nature to you.
-laying the Tom Toms
-laying the toms is probably the most difficult part of drum notation to sight read. *owever&
once you understand the three simple symbols& you will be well on your way to developing
this important ability. The smallest tom #aka !hi-tom!$ is indicated with this symbol.
(ll the tom toms are to be played with a drumstick hitting the center of the drumhead. This
produces the clearest tone from the drum& and with practice& will ensure you don't hit the rim
of the drum.
The second tom #aka !mid-tom!$ is marked with the same note& but in the second gap.
(nd finally& the last tom #aka !low-tom!$ is indicated with a note in the third gap.
.emember& the snare is on the middle line& and then (LL toms are in gaps between lines.
This is what makes it easier to differentiate between playing the snare or toms. /eep that in
mind when playing fills& and you will have a much easier time sight reading.
0ote1 'ome drum sets have more than three toms. 2nfortunately& standard drum notation
does not have symbols for these additional drums. *owever& you can feel free to be creative
with most tom tom patterns& and break them up over whatever drums you want. -erhaps for
one fill you can use the symbols to indicate toms one& two& and three. Then& for a second fill -
use them to indicate toms one& three& and five #all depending on your set$.
Final Thoughts
.eview the sheet music symbols in this article whenever you have difficulty understanding a
drum beat or fill. (lthough you may see some different notation from time to time& this
material is the foundation with which you can confidently learn the drums.
0e"t& you will want to learn how to count time as a drummer. This will enable you to play
notes you see on sheet music in the correct way.
3o you want to take you drumming to the ne"t level& but are unsure how to go about it? %f
this is you& be sure to check out these new drum lessons4 With these uni)ue lessons& you will
be given the tools needed to reach all of your drumming goals4
Reading Drum otation
This lesson is intended to give you a )uick-overview of all the drum notation symbols used
on this website. You can think of this page as a drum-key or legend for all the different drum
set voices that you play within beats& fills& and solo patterns. You can refer back to this page
if you are ever uncertain about what is to be played within certain sheet music e"ercises.
Note: 5ach measure includes four )uarter notes that repeat the symbol used to notate various
drum set voices. /eep an eye on the vertical position and note-shapes. They are the main
differences between symbols.
2se this lesson in conuction with the lessons on counting )uarter notes& eighth notes&
si"teenth notes& eighth note triplets& si"teenth note triplets& thirty-second notes& and rests if
you want to master the ability to sight-read drum notation. %t's an e"tremely valuable skill to
have as a drummer4
More !nline Resources
%f you struggle with reading drum notation& you should consider investing in a 363-based
training system such as The 7obus 8ethod or the 3rumming 'ystem.
Drumeo Edge is the ultimate online drum lessons e"perience& where you'll get a new drum
lesson every day& goal-oriented student plans& video hangouts and reviews& and much more.
With 9:; instructors and thousands of students from around the world& you'll always get the
motivation and support you need to reach your drumming goals. 6isit www.3rumeo.com for
more information
The Cobus Method will help you learn to play the drums completely by ear - with 0< sheet
music and 0< music theory. 6isit www.7obus8ethod.com for more details.
The Drumming System includes the cutting-edge !'mart-,eat Technology!& which
essentially reads the sheet music for you on-screen. You'll still be following sheet music& but
it will be much easier to understand. 6isit www.3rumming'ystem.com to watch the preview
video.
Percussion notation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this
article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (December 2009)
Percussion notation is a type of musical notation indicating notes to be played by percussion
instruments. (s with other forms of musical notation& sounds are represented by symbols
which are usually written onto a musical staff #or stave$.
-ercussion instruments are generally grouped into two categories1 pitched and non-pitched.
The notation of non-pitched percussion instruments is less standardi=ed. 7ymbals are usually
notated with '"' note heads& drums with normal elliptical note heads and au"iliary percussion
with alternative note heads.
>?@
0on-pitched percussion notation on a conventional staff once
commonly employed the bass clef& but the neutral clef #or !percussion clef!$& consisting of
two parallel vertical lines& is usually preferred now. %t is usual to label each instrument and
techni)ue the first time it is introduced& or to add an e"planatory footnote& to clarify this.
,elow is an e"ample of drum set notation.
Contents
hide!
" #ey or legend
$ %rums
& 'ymbals
( )ther
* Techni+ues
, %ynamic accents
- .nti/accents
0 1ee also
2 1ources
"ey or legend#edit$
5ach line and space of the staff is assigned a different part or !voice! of the drum kit and
these are often laid out at the beginning of a piece of music in what is known as a key or
legend or occasionally labeled when initially appear in the piece.
>9@
,elow are two e"amples of 3rum Legends as they would appear in the music1
5"ample ?1 #Less common$
%rum legend e3ample
$!
5"ample 91
1ibelius drum legend. play 4help5info6
The notation program 'ibelius #as seen in e"ample 9$ uses a system based on the
recommendations of the -ercussive (rts 'ociety found in 0orman WeinbergAs Guide To
Standardized Drumset Notation #9::9& %',0 :-BCCDB9E-?-?$.$
Drums#edit$
'tandard1
5"tended to si" toms1
Cymbals#edit$
!ther#edit$
8ounted triangle1 ledger-line high 7 with !F! replacing notehead. 8araca1 high-, with !;!
replacing notehead. 8ounted tambourine1 high-, with !F! through conventional notehead.
Techni%ues#edit$
(ll note letter-names in this section refer to the bass clef.
.olls1 3iagonal lines across stem #or above whole note$. <pen hi-hat1 o above high-G F.
7losed hi-hat1 ; above high-G F. 7ross 'tick1 F in 5 snare space. .im 'hot1 diagonal slash
through note head. ,rush sweep1 hori=ontal line #replacing note head$ in 5 snare space with
slur to show brush is not lifted. #With stem this looks rather like a long !T! or a long inverted
!T!& depending which way the stem is going.$
Dynamic accents#edit$
%n percussion notation& accents are almost always to be interpreted as dynamic accents.
Typically this involves emphasi=ing the accented note simply by raising the dynamic level.
The meanings of the different types of accents are not entirely standard. The image above
shows the accent notations most commonly used by composers of percussion music. The
tenuto articulation is often used to indicate a slight raise in dynamic& less than a normal
accent. 8arcato markings typically indicate a more dramatic dynamic change. %t is important
to note that these markings have different meanings in traditional musical notation for other
instruments.
&nti-accents#edit$
". slightly softer than surrounding notes: 7 4breve above or belo89inverted9notehead6
$. significantly softer than surrounding notes: 4 6 4note head in parentheses6
&. much softer than surrounding notes: ! 4note head in brackets6
#Ghost note is a less formal alternative term which may refer either to anti-accentuation in
general or to a particular degree of anti-accentuation. Ghost notes are often considered to be
especially faint.$
See also#edit$
Percussion
portal
Music portal
%rum tablature
Sources#edit$
". Jump up ^ %rum :otation / %rumbook.org
$. ; Jump up to:
a

b
Peckman, Jonathan 4$<<-6. Picture Yourself Drumming,
p.(,. =1>: "/*20,&/&&</2.
hide!
v
t
e
Drum beats and
strokes
>ack beat
>last beat
>reak
'ymbal choke
%/beat
%ouble/time
%rum cadence
%rum tablature
Fill
?allop
?host note
?ravity roll
?roove
)ne drop
Percussion notation
Purdie shuffle
@uadruplet
Ahythm section
Aimshot
Aoll
Aide pattern
Aosanna shuffle
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'ategories:
Percussion notation
Marching 'ercussion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Marching percussion instruments are specially designed to be played while moving. This is
achieved by attaching the drum#s$ to a special harness #also called a carrier or rack$ worn by
the drummer& although not all marching bands use such harnesses and instead use traditional
baldrics to sling their drums #the ,ritish (rmed +orces& for instance& still use the old style of
slung drums$. The drums are designed and tuned for ma"imum articulation and proection of
sound& as marching activities are almost always outdoors or in large interior spaces.
(rticulation is paramount to producing a !clean! sound from all the drummers in the line.
These instruments are used by marching bands& drum and bugle corps& indoor percussion
ensembles& and pipe bands. ( marching percussion ensemble is fre)uently known as a
drumline or battery.
Contents
hide!
" 1nare drums
$ Tenor drums
& >ass drums
( 1tick heights
o (." 1nares and tenors
o (.$ >ass drums
* 'ymbals
, Lallet percussion
- Timpani
0 Ledia
2 1ee also
"< Aeferences
"" M3ternal links
Snare drums#edit$
Main article: Snare drum
8arching snare drums are deeper in si=e than snares normally used for orchestral or drum kit
purposes. This gives the drum the big& full sound necessary for outdoor use. 'tandard si=es
#listed as diameter " depth$ are ?H"?? and ?D"?9 inches. They can weigh anywhere from ?C-
DI lb. 'maller si=es such as ?H"B have become increasingly popular in recent times with the
proliferation of indoor drum lines.
The modern !high tension! snare was developed in response to the higher head tensions made
possible with the development of /evlar and other high strength fibers bonded into the drum
head. These high tension drums were first developed by Legato of (ustralia
>citation needed@
for
pipe band snare drums. *igh tension drums began and were perfected in the pipe band market
and later moved into the marching band and drum corps areas. The bottom #or resonant$ side
of the drum has a tightly tuned head and synthetic gut or metal snare wires& which are often
secured to the drum using a strainer to limit their movement and make the sound more
staccato. +or outdoor use& a proector or !scoop! - a piece of curved plastic - may be attached
to the back of the bottom hoop to help proect the sound forward to the audience.
'nare lines vary in si=e from as few as 9 or H drummers in small high school marching bands
to as many as ?9 or more in very large college marching bands. Lines of DJI are common in
high school marching bandsK LJ?: is most common in drum corps and college marching
bands. The snare drum section is part of the !upper battery! or !flat battery!& which refers to
the snare drums and tenor drums.
The lead snare player in a battery is almost universally referred to as the !center snare! and is
often the drum captain #leader of the battery and sometimes the front ensemble$ and the snare
!section leader.! %n modern competitive drum lines& the center snare has many duties to keep
the musical aspect running smoothly during a performance. The other members of the snare
section will !listen in! to the center for dynamic and timing interpretation of their parts. They
are instructed to play !like your center!. 7enter snare will determine stick heights #which
affect dynamics$ as well as actual stickings of patterns that are unclear& #much like the
concertmaster in an orchestra determines bowings$.
(nother element the center snare is part of is the control and determination of on-field and
parade tempos for the whole corps or band. This is done by having certain communications
with the drum maor. %n this situation& the drum maor will watch the feet of the center snare&
and get their tempo from this. The rest of the corps is listening back to the group furthest
back #andMor the battery$ and watching the drum maor for the tempo.
While marching on and off of the field& and while marching in a parade& the center snare will
play on beats ?& H& and I and will often invent a comple"-sounding yet simple !tap-off! to
signal the battery to play the cadence& or street beat. The other members of the battery are
listening into their !centers!& #there is also a center tenor$& with the bass drums sometimes
getting tempo from the feet of the group immediately in front of them.
'nare drums used in pipe bands are similar in construction to standard marching snare drums&
with two key differences. +irst& the drum has an additional set of snares& directly under the
batter #top$ head. 'econd& the snares under the bottom head are made of coiled steel wires&
similar to a drumset #as opposed to the synthetic !gut! snares on a corps-style drum$. These
differences tend to give the pipe drums a !snappier! snare sound& emphasi=ing the higher
fre)uencies of the drum. .ecently& corps-style drums have been produced with steel wire
snares underneath the batter head #while remaining the gut snares under the bottom head$.
These snares are able to be switched on and off separate from the bottom snares& which
allows units to use the second snares as a specific effect or as a permanent modification to the
sound of the drum.
The head of the snare drum can also be varied to give the drum a different sound. 3epending
on the music or style that the drumline plays& different brands and types of heads may be
used. +or ma"imum volume and stick articulation& a head made of woven /evlar fibers is
used and usually tuned to a very high tension. %f the player desires a slightly !softer! feel&
then an aramid fiber head #such as .emo's ,lack 8a"$ is a good choice. +inally& if more
overtones and the softest head-feel are desired& the player may want to consider a heavy clear
head with a center reinforcement dot #such as a .emo -owerstroke LL$. This type of head is
rarely used today among competitive drumlines& mostly owing to its lack of outdoor
proection in comparison with /evlar& but nonetheless it may still be used if a uni)ue timbre
is desired. <ne of the most famous marching bands utili=ing this head is the <hio 'tate
2niversity 8arching ,and. Though they play difficult cadences and drum features& they still
use the sling drum and .emo -owerstroke LL head to remain as traditional and formal as
possible.
'ticks used for marching snare drums are almost always very thick and long with large tips
#if they have shaped tips at all$ when compared with sticks used for drum kit or concert
percussion. +or e"ample& a standard I( drumstick used for the drum set and orchestral snare
drum is about ?C inches in length and .ICI inches #?D.D mm$ in diameter. %n comparison& a
marching snare drum stick will be up to ?L inches #DH: mm$ long& with a diameter of .L9:
inches #?E.H mm$. The si=e and weight of marching sticks were designed for ma"imum sound
proection in outdoor environments. %n the outdoors& sound emanating from a given source
will dissipate more )uickly& since there is no enclosed space #i.e. walls and ceiling$ to reflect
it. +or that reason& the initial volume of sound produced from the drum must be greater.
,ecause a thicker& longer stick will have greater leverage& it will come down on the drum
with greater force and hence produce a louder sound than a small& thin stick. *owever& drum
companies have recently been designing smaller marching sticks specifically for indoor
drumlines& where performances take place in enclosed spaces and volume does not need to be
as high.
There are two common types of grips for holding the sticks used to play a marching snareK
traditional and matched. When playing matched grip& both hands of the drummer hold their
respective stick in the same way& thus the name !matched grip.! The stick is held between the
thumb and inde" finger to form a fulcrum. The rest of the fingers loosely wrap around the rest
of the stick. Traditional grip is& of course& the traditional grip for snare drum. 'nare drums
were traditionally slung around the drummer in a way so that the left side of the drum was
tilted much higher than the right side. %n order to play in a comfortable position& the drummer
flipped his left hand over so that his palm faced upward. The traditional grip involves holding
the stick in the left hand between the thumb and inde" finger and resting the stick on the ring
finger. The right hand is held in the same way as the matched grip.
Tenor drums#edit$
Main article: Tenor drum
8odern marching bands and drum corps use multi-tenors& which consist of several single-
headed tom-toms played by a single drummer. The bottoms of the shells are open and
beveled to proect the sound of the drum forward. 3ouble-ply -5T film heads are typically
used for increased sound proection and durability. They are typically played with wooden- or
aluminum-shafted mallets that have disc-shaped heads made of nylon. 8allets with felt or
fleece heads& drum sticks& drum brushes& and other implements are occasionally used to
achieve different timbres. The playing techni)ue used for multi-tenors is somewhat different
from that of a snare drum& and more like that of a timpani because the drumhead is struck
closer to the edge instead of in the center. This creates a sound with more overtone& as
opposed to striking the drumhead in the center& which produces a very short& dull sound with
few overtones that is considered undesirable for multi-tenors.
( full-si=e set of tenors consists of ?:& ?9& ?H& and ?D-inch #HC: mm$ toms arranged in an arc&
often with an additional one or two smaller #C or E-inch$ toms called !gock!& !spook!& !shot!&
!spock!& or !sprock! drums inside of the arc. ,ecause a full-si=ed set of tenors with a carrier
can e"ceed II pounds& smaller and lighter versions of tenors outfitted with E& ?:& ?9& and ?H-
inch #HH: mm$ toms are often used by lines with smaller or younger players. (ll multi-tenors
based on the four-drum configuration are called quads despite the fact that there may be a
total of five or si" drums counting the shot drums. 'ets with one gock drum are called quints&
and sets with two gock drums are called sextets&!s)uints!& hexes& or sixpacks. To produce
different sounds between gock drums with the same diameter& the head type& shell depth&
andMor tuning between the two drums may vary. ( common name for all multi-tenors is
simply& 'Tenors'. Tenor drums have often been compared to the Latin percussion Timbales& as
many musicians& including Tito -uente use a setup similar to modern marching tenors.
Lines of as few as ? or 9 tenor drummers are common in high schools and unior high
schools. 8any large college marching bands have I or more. 8ost drum corps consider D or
I tenors to be optimal.
8odern multi-tenors evolved from hori=ontally mounted dual single-headed bass drums first
used by the ,oston 7rusaders 3rum and ,ugle 7orps in the late ?BC:s. 5arly multi-tenors
had shells with a flat bottom. These drums sounded a lot like timpani& so they were called
timp-toms. (s drum si=es got smaller& more drums began to be added to multi-tenor
configurations. The largest sets of multi-tenors had L drums and were carried by both the
?BLL and ?BB9 'pirit of (tlanta 3rum and ,ugle 7orps tenor lines.
'cottish pipe bands use a single tenor drum as part of their drum corps. Traditional marching
bands and drum corps may also use single tenors& which are double-headed drums much like
snare drums without snares. 'ome show bands such as those at historically black colleges and
universities use both single tenors and multi-tenors.
Bass drums#edit$
Main article: Bass drum
,ass drums used by modern ensembles come in a variety of si=es& with a ?D-inch #HC: mm$
!universal! depth& and diameter measured in 9-inch #I? mm$ increments from ?D to HC inches
#B?: mm$. The heads of these drums are usually made of a smooth white -5T film& which
gives a tonality that is mid-way between clear and coated heads. 2nlike tenors and snares&
bass drums are mounted so that the cylindrical shell of the drum is mounted on the player's
harness and the two drum heads of the drum face out sideways. The player can then play on
both heads& one arm for a drum head on either side. 5ach drummer plays and carries one
drum& and a line is created by having several people carry different-si=ed drums. 'uch drums
are called tonal bass drums. The lowest drum in a line& however& is often tuned to have a low
!thump! like a traditional bass drum rather than a tone. The 7avaliers 3rum and ,ugle 7orps
were the first marching unit to use and standardi=e tonal bass drum tuning. 8any groups try
to use the largest si=e bass drum that is comfortable for the physically largest bass drummer
to carry as the bottom bass drum& as larger people are generally better able to carry a bigger
drum for long periods of time.
%n corps-style bands& each bass drummer only plays one segment of the entire bass drum part&
unlike the snares and tenors. This is known as a split part. ( unison refers to when all or
some bass drummers play together at the same time. Lines can vary in si=e from as few as H
players in small high schools to as many as B in very large college marching bands. ( line of
I #with individual drum si=es ranging from ?E! to H9!$ is the most common in a drum corps.
'ome traditional groups& such as some show-style marching bands from historically black
colleges and universities continue to use a non-tonal bass line& where each drum is roughly
the same si=e and each drummer plays the same part.
-ipe bands and some traditional groups use a single bass drummer& who typically carries the
pulse of the group. The bass drums used by pipe bands have seen an increase in si=e and
more of a focus on tone in recent times. Typical si=es range from ?9 to ?E inches #DC: mm$
deep by 9E inches #L?: mm$ in diameter. The goal is to produced a subtle deep tone which is
usually in tune with the drones of the bagpipe. 6arious muffling techni)ues #sometimes
referred to as !treatments!$ can be used on bass drums to achieve a desired sound. The most
common of these involve applying foam weatherstripping& either on the head directly or on
the shell of the drum. 'ome drumhead manufacturers make heads that are !pre-muffled.!
These heads usually have separate pieces of -5T film or other material which are set into the
head's flesh hoop and touch the head to control overtones.
Stic( heights#edit$
Snares and tenors[edit]
8arching bands in general and especially marching drum lines emphasi=e uniformity. To
achieve absolute uniformity& every member of the drumline must play with proper stick
heights. ( stick height is an appro"imate measurement of how high the bead of the stick
comes off the drum head on any given note. .egularly used heights range from H! to ?9!&
with ?! and ?I! being used mostly for visual effect. 'nares and tenors can use this chart to
establish guidelines for stick heights& but techni)ues and specifications may vary between
lines and can be changed depending on what the music calls for.
Bass drums[edit]
,ass drums do not use the same guidelines as snares and tenors. They are grouped in a
different section of the battery. The most important thing to remember is that when playing at
a higher dynamic level& one is not to attempt to play with more height but with more force
and through the head to get more tone and more sound. -laying correct heights is important&
but if you're not getting correct sound )uality this means nothing. This will naturally proect
the sound. ,elow are the guidelines for bass drum heights. (gain& techni)ues and
specifications vary between drumlines. #(ll fractions are based on the +orte M perpendicular
height. 5stablish this height first and then work the others around it.$ 'tart in NsetO position
with the mallets about ? inch away from the head.
'tick heights are not only important for visual reasons but they also strongly affect the sound
)uality. To get a uniform and consistent sound& one must play with even stick heights on the
right and left hand. To practice playing with accurate stick heights& set up your drum or pad
in front of a mirror. 'tart with a simple e"ercise and watch to see if your left heights are even
with your right. %f you have access to a video camera& you can record yourself and watch it
later. %t is easier to watch your heights and criti)ue your performance when you are not
focusing on playing.
Cymbals#edit$
Main article: Clas c!mbals
7ymbals are not played in the same manner as orchestral crash cymbals& as there is a change
in the grip of the straps. The hand goes through the hoop and twists& causing the hand to be
flat against the bell of the cymbal& although variations are sometimes used for effect. 5ach
player carries two cymbals of identical si=e and crashes them together& in addition to
producing other sound effects by striking or rubbing the cymbals together. 7ymbal players
often perform visuals J movements such as twirls and flips that are eye-pleasing and boost
the general effect of the group. There is generally a ?-to-? or ?-to-9 ratio of cymbal players to
snares& as snare drummers sometimes play on the cymbals at some point during the
performance& much in the manner that hi-hat cymbals are used on a drum set. The number of
cymbal players can vary according to their use. 7ymbal parts are often split in the same
manner as bass drum parts J each cymbalist plays one component of a larger part. 'ome
drum corps #or less often& marching bands$ do not have marching cymbal players at all&
instead choosing to march additional hornline or color guard members& or other percussion
instruments. %n indoor percussion ensembles& the trend seems to be towards keeping or
e"panding cymbal sections.
(mong many differences between marching and orchestral cymbals& there are many types of
crashes. 7rash-chokes are played beginning with a normal crash& but pulled into the body at
the shoulders or stomach so as to effectively stop the sound after attaining the desired crash.
'lides are played using the right cymbal to drive into the left& where the outer edge hits ?M9
way between the bell and the edge of the left cymbal. (fter the right cymbal slides up on the
left& it is brought back straight into the body. The cymbal is stopped by catching the air
pocket inside of the cymbals. The cymbals maintain contact at all times. The desired sound is
a !si==le then choke! effect. (s well as different types of crashes& cymbals can use many
types of visuals& which are only limited to the imaginations of those wielding the cymbals.
Mallet 'ercussion#edit$
Main article: Mallet "ercussion
The glockenspiel is the mallet percussion instrument most often used as a part of the battery&
using slingsMharnesses. <ther mallet instruments have been marched& also. %n the early ?BL:s&
mallet percussion was first allowed into drum corps in competitive circuits& such as 3rum
7orps %nternational. (t first& only glockenspiels and "ylophones were allowed. *owever&
around ?BLC& marimbas and vibraphones were also allowed. ( few years in 3rum 7orps
%nternational& drum corps have rigged up home-made racks to march tubular bells.
5ventually& around ?BE?& mallet instruments were allowed to be grounded& because people
reali=ed the folly of carrying the heavy instruments. There on& mallet instruments were kept
in the front& as part of the front ensemble. 'ome corps have e"perimented with the idea of
front ensemble a few times before though& sometimes grounding concert timpani and drum
sets #which had to be carried onto the field by a person& then grounded$. *owever& some
corps didn't actually use concert instruments immediately after grounding was allowed. 'ome
corps ust used the old marching keyboards& using homemade stands.
The original harnesses for the marching glockenspiel and "ylophone were made of straps&
which sometimes interfered with playing on the high end of the instrument or interfered with
four-mallet playing. There were poles on the high and low ends of the keyboards sticking up
a few inches& with straps going around the player's neck& making himMher look similar to a
peanut vendor.
5ventually& before the use of marching marimbas and vibraphones& a new style of harness
was made. The new harness was a vest& similar to what is usually used today for marching
percussion.
Tim'ani#edit$
Main article: Tim"ani
Like the marching mallet percussion& timpani were marched first when drum corps re)uired
everything to be marched. *owever& the timpani were used prior to mallets.
The marching timpani were made of fiberglass& and were played by a four or five man line
#similar to a modern day bass drum line$. The timpani were cranked by a handle sticking up
on the side of the drum. 'ometimes intricate& comple" music was made using the possibilities
of D or I players. While one man was crankingMtuning& another was playing. To help tuning
problems #which some corps had$& corps sometimes used tuning gauges.
3uring concert pieces& timpani were often grounded momentarily& using a ti-pod leg system.
5ventually around ?BE?& timpani and mallet instruments were allowed to be grounded in the
front& paving the way to the modern day front ensemble. +or a few years& corps still marched
timpani. 'ome corps took advantage of the new rule& and grounded their timpani. *owever&
some corps couldn't afford a new set of concert timpani& so they ust grounded their marching
timpani.
*arnesses for the timpani were originally ust slings. 7orps usually used 9 snare slings and
hook them around the player& and onto his timpani. 'ome corps rigged wooden blocks
between the drum and the player& to help balance issues& as the drums were carried high on
the body. 'ome corps used harnesses for a few years& while some continued using slings.