We're including no less than 15 current models in our round up and there are plenty of new machines set to hit the market including Behringer's long-awaited RD-9, Korg’s Drumlogue, Modor’s DR-2 and Koka’s Pocket Beatbox, a portable multisampling drum machine that looks very interesting indeed. You can get a measure of just how popular the drum machine market is by how many new machines are available or set to be released over coming months. They come in all shapes and sizes: from cheaper beat makers that provide great, workhorse sounds for many genres, right up to full-blown grooveboxes that will add bass and lead synth and sample parts to those beats. Each one of the best drum machines in our round-up works as a standalone unit without the need for any other gear. If you find some success consider adapting these concepts to the other areas of your music program.Drum machines are therefore in demand for everything from live performances to adding that elusive analogue clout to a computer-based mix. Try this system with your percussionists first. The one common denominator for all performers is rhythm.
With consistent practice all syncopation should feel natural. Go slow at first! Tap your foot and feel solid downbeats. Make certain the student understands this concept and applies it to all the following variations. For eighth notes, the downbeat is always a (R)ight and the upbeat a (L)eft. With the natural sticking method every lst and 3rd sixteenth note is played on the (R)ight hand, and every 2nd and 4th sixteenth note is played on the (L)eft hand. These one-beat patterns are grouped according to 3 note variations (1-4), two note variations (5-10), and one note variations (11-14). The discipline of consistent sticking will also help to develop better rhythmic skills (tempo control and accuracy). Although convenient, it may not be the best way of achieving a good sound, or improving technically. They tend to choose sticking patterns based on ease and comfort. Generally these students are more talented melodically but in need of developing hand coordination skills. Often mallet players are drawn from other instruments like piano, double reed, guitar, etc. For now though, let’s keep it simple.Īlthough some of the sticking combinations may seem a bit awkward for the mallet percussionist the discipline of standardized sticking is important.
A foundation to build on! As the student gains experience the sticking combinations will vary to improve control or lend expressive qualities to the music. Go slow at first! Tap your foot, and feel solid downbeats.Įstablishing a consistent method for sticking rhythm patterns is equivalent to learning fingerings for the brass and woodwind player, or defining bowing for string instruments. Use the “natural sticking” method (RLRL) to learn the following Check Pattern. All examples are written for non-pitched instruments and keyboard percussion. Let’s focus on the sixteenth note subdivision, a common unit in much of the percussion repertoire.
These building blocks are one-beat rhythm patterns. This article aims to assist band directors & educators in helping the percussionist by using rhythmic building blocks as a means of improving music reading skills. At the same time pattern recognition helps to improve technical facility since the player now concentrates on a unit larger than a single note value. For the student, learning to recognize and respond to patterns gets them beyond the note-by-note stage of reading music. We’d all agree a solid rhythmic foundation is necessary for good sight reading and consistency in any musical performance. Music is our universal language and building a vocabulary to communicate our ideas is an essential step for all musicians.