UNIVERSITYOFOKLAHOMA

GRADUATECOLLEGE

TRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSINTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHOD

BOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008WITHA

REVIEWOFSELECTEDMATERIAL

ADOCUMENT

SUBMITTEDTOTHEGRADUATEFACULTY

Inpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthe

Degreeof

DOCTOROFMUSICALARTS

By

JoshuaJ.Knight

Norman,Oklahoma

2014

TRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSINTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHODBOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008

WITHAREVIEWOFSELECTEDMATERIAL

ADOCUMENTAPPROVEDFORTHESCHOOLOFMUSIC

BY

_____________________________________Dr.LanceDrege,Chair

_____________________________________Dr.WilliamWakefield

_____________________________________Dr.EugeneEnrico

_____________________________________Dr.RolandBarrett

_____________________________________Dr.MaryJoWatson

©CopyrightbyJOSHUAJ.KNIGHT2014

AllRightsReserved

iv

TABLEOFCONTENTS

CHAPTERI

Introduction ............................................................................................................................1NeedfortheStudy................................................................................................................4

PurposeoftheStudy ............................................................................................................6

LimitationsoftheStudy......................................................................................................7DesignoftheStudy................................................................................................................8

CHAPTERII

SurveyofRelatedLiterature......................................................................................... 10ThesesandDissertations ............................................................................................... 10

Books,Articles,andDataBases .................................................................................... 15ElectronicCatalogs............................................................................................................ 19

CHAPTERIII

REVIEWSOFTHIRTYPROMINENTSNAREDRUMMETHODBOOKSPUBLISHEDINTHEUNITEDSTATESFROM1935TO2008

1.RubankElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder.......................................... 21

2.StickControlbyGeorgeLawrenceStone ............................................................ 223.DrumMethodforBandandOrchestrabyHaskellW.Harr .......................... 24

4.DrumMethod,BookIIbyHaskellW.Harr .......................................................... 255.StandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski ................................. 26

6.DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon....................................................................... 28

7.ModernSchoolforSnareDrum:CombinedwithaGuideBookfortheArtistPercussionistbyMorrisGoldenberg ........................................... 29

8.TheMoellerBook:TheArtofSnareDrummingbySanfordMoeller.........309.TheRollbyEmilSholle................................................................................................ 33

10.Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle............................................................................. 34

11.AccentsandReboundsbyGeorgeStone ............................................................ 35

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12.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns.............................................................37

13.IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns ........................................................ 3814.SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ElementarybyVicFirth.................................. 40

15.SnareDrumMethod:BookII,IntermediatebyVicFirth............................. 4116.DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters ........................................................... 42

17.MethodforSnareDrumbyJacquesDelécluse ................................................ 43

18.OddMeterCalisthenicsbyMitchellPeters ....................................................... 4419.TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeI,byPhilPerkins ............45

20.PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley.......................... 46

21.Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookI,byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein....... 4722.Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2,byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein....... 48

23.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.............................. 4924.ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum,byTomMorgan ... 51

25.MasteringtheRudiments,byAlanKeown......................................................... 53

26.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie................. 5427.SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage................................................ 55

28.RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman...................................................................... 56

29.SnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi ............................................................ 5830.RudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker................................................................ 60

CHAPTERIVTRENDSANDDEVELOPMENTSOFSELECTEDMATERIALS

1.Set‐UpandMaintenance ............................................................................................. 63

2.NoteReadingandMusicFundamentals............................................................... 663.Grip....................................................................................................................................... 69

4.Stroke ................................................................................................................................. 745.Rudimental........................................................................................................................ 82

6.Exercises ........................................................................................................................... 91

7.Etudes,Solos,andExcerpts .....................................................................................101

vi

8.Organization..................................................................................................................110

CHAPTERVIntroduction .......................................................................................................................121

Recommendations...........................................................................................................122NeedforFurtherStudy...................................................................................................127

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................129

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................131

APPENDIXA

CurrentlyPublishedSnareDrumMethodBooks...............................................134

APPENDIXBTop‐SellingSnareDrumMethodBooks..................................................................147

APPENDIXCSnareDrumMethodBookComparisonChart.....................................................149

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ABSTRACT

Thisdocumentexaminesthirtyprominentsnaredrummethodbooks

publishedbetween1935and2008intheUnitedStates.Areviewofeach

methodbookisprovided,followedbyadiscussionoftrendsand

developmentsinindividualcomponentsincludingset‐upandmaintenance,

notereadingandmusicfundamentals,grip,stroke,rudimentalinstruction,

exercises,etudesandsolos,andorganization.Byexhibitingdevelopments

andtrendsthisstudyinformssnaredrumpedagogyandprovidesvaluable

comprehensiveeducationalmaterialforstudentsandeducators.Thestudy

alsoallowsperformerstoefficientlyfilterthroughvariousapproachesto

techniqueandservesasaguideforeffectivemusicalcontextualization.

1

CHAPTERI

Introduction

TheproliferationofsnaredrummethodbookspublishedintheUnited

Statesduringthetwentiethcenturynecessitatesanexaminationaswellasan

analysisoftrendsanddevelopmentsinthesepublications.Inconsistent

instructioninsnaredrummethodbooksisapparentasearlyasthenineteenth

century.CharlesAshworthandSamuelPotter,authorsoftwoearlynineteenth‐

centurysnaredrummethodbooks,presentdifferentexplanationsof

fundamentaltechniques.Forexample,Ashworth(1812)writes,“Theupper,or

left‐handstickmustbefirmlyheldbetweenthethumbandtwomiddlefingers

andrestonthethirdfinger.Thelower,orrightstickmustbeheldfastbetween

thelittlefinger...asamanmayuseastickinfencing.”1Potter(1815)suggests

thattherighthandshouldbecomparedtoholdingaswordandthelefthandlike

holdingapen.2Hewrites,“Therighthandstickistobegrasp’dwiththewhole

handabouttwoinchesandahalffromthetop.Theleftistobeheldbetweenthe

1CharlesStewartAshworth,ANewUsefulAndCompleteSystemofDrumBeating.WashingtonD.C,1812.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“EvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.2SamuelPotter.TheArtofBeatingTheDrum.London:HenryPotter,1815.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“EvolutionofSnareDrumGrips.”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.

2

thumbandforefingerofthelefthandclosetothehollow....”3Subsequent

methodstowardthemiddleofthenineteenthcenturygoontopresentdifferent

analogiesandconflictingdescriptionsofgrip.However,thegripisonlyonefacet

ofsnaredrumpedagogywherechangeisapparent.Becauseofthetransitionof

snaredrumperformancefrommilitarysignalingtoaninstrumentusedfor

accompanimentandthematicrolesinvariousmusicalensembles,other

instructionalcontentchangedaswell.

RudimentaldrummingintheUnitedStatesofficiallybeganduringthe

RevolutionaryWar,andalthoughtheendoftheCivilWarmarkedthelastyear

drumswereusedinbattle,thepopularityofrudimentaldrummingcontinuedto

grow.Asaresult,snaredrummethodbookspublishedintothetwentieth

centurycontinuedfocusingontherudimentalormilitarystyleofplaying.4Inthe

timebetweenWorldWarIandWorldWarII,competitionsbetweendrummers

increased,supplyingevenmoredemandforqualitymethodbooks.5The

rudimentalstyleofteachingandplayingwassoprominentthatin1933agroup

ofdrummersattheAmericanLegionconvention,includingWilliamF.Ludwig

3Strain,60.4DonaldGilbert,“RudimentalDrummingintheUnitedStates,1860‐1900”PASWebsite–ThePercussionist5KenMazur,“ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingFromMilitaryCodetoFieldCompetition,”PercussiveNotes(April2005):10.

3

andGeorgeStone,organizedthestandardlistof26rudiments.6These26

rudimentsconsistedofthosepatternsmostcommonlyusedinmilitarysignaling.

Thegroupofdrummersadoptedthetitle:NationalAssociationofRudimental

Drummers(N.A.R.D.),andwereamajorproponentofsnaredrumeducation.7

SoonaftertheN.A.R.D.wasformed,thenumberofpublishedsnaredrummethod

booksincreasedbecauseofthestandardizationofthe26rudimentsandthe

needfortechnicaladviceonhowtoexecutethem.Influentialsnaredrum

methodbookspublishedatthistimeincludedthosebyHaskellHarr(1935),

BenjaminPodemski(1940),WilliamLudwig(1942),CharleyWilcoxon(1944),

andothers.Theseearlytwentieth‐centurypublicationsseemlimitedinscope

whencomparedwiththoseavailabletoday.Themajoritywerepurely

rudimentalguidesthatlistedthestandard26rudimentsandofferedetudeswith

whichtoexecutethem.8Eventhoughsomeofthesemethodbookswere

publishedoverseventy‐fiveyearsago,manystudentscontinuetorelyonthem.

6WilliamF.Ludwig,“TheDevelopmentofDrumRudiments,“TheLudwigDrummer5,no.1(spring1965):16,quotedinJohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994),2.7JohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994),2.8Ibid,4.

4

Theseearlypublicationsdonotaccuratelyrepresentthepresent‐day

approachtotechniqueormethodology.Descriptionofgripandstrokechanged

significantlybythemiddlepartofthetwentiethcentury.In1942BuddyRich’s

ModernInterpretationofSnareDrumRudimentsbyBuddyRichandHenryAdler

becameoneofthefirsttosuggestplayingmatchedgripasopposedtothe

traditionalgripnormallyillustrated.9Matchedgripnowpredominatesin

private,scholastic,andcollegiateinstructionandinsnaredrummethodbooks.

Duringthemiddlepartofthetwentiethcenturysnaredrumperformance

wasbecomingmorepopularinbandandorchestrasettingsaswell.Thisrisein

thepopularityoftheinstrumentcontributedtosnaredrummethodbooksthat

showedapolarizedapproachtoplaying,offeringbothrudimentalandconcert

styles.10Thesedevelopmentscreatedawidespectrumofavailablemethod

booksthatwouldincreaseduringthefiftiesandsixties.Today,snaredrum

methodbooksexhibitmoredepth,imagination,musicality,andversatility.

NeedfortheStudy

Percussioneducatorsandstudentshavemanypublishedsnaredrum

methodbooksfromwhichtochoose,eachfocusingonanarrayoftechniques

andstyles.Itisdifficultforeducatorstouseandunderstandalloftheavailable

9Strain,66.10Ibid,63.

5

resourcesbecauselittleinformationexistsregardingthecontentsofthese

materials.Theresultisthatstudentsoftenengageinaparticularbookthat,

althoughwell‐suitedforsomesituations,doesnotofferthemethodologyand

technicalinstructionneeded.Instructorsneedamethodbookthatnotonly

providesetudesandexercisesbutalsosupplementsthemusicalmaterialwith

instructionaltextforfacilitatingcomprehensionofbeginningtoadvanced

techniques.Otherinstructorsprefertooffermoreguidancetothestudentand

donotneedafullexplanationofgrip,posture,handposition,andstroke.

Instead,asetofprogressiveexercisesfromwhichthestudentmaygainmastery

overaspecificskillsetisneeded.Somestudentsbenefitfromamethodbook

thatcouldbeusedwithoutaninstructortoguideandcontextualizeexercisesfor

them.Witheachstudentandeducatorrequiringadifferentapproachtovarious

objectives,aguidetosnaredrummethodbooksisvitaltoefficientsnaredrum

studyandinstruction.Theresourcewouldalsoenablestudentsandeducators

tomakeinformeddecisionsandtakeadvantageofdifferingapproachesto

learningandteaching.

Modernsnaredrummethodbookspresentmaterialthatcontrastswith

thatofearlytwentieth‐centurypublications.Exercisesandetudesdesignedto

facilitatenewtechniquesandapplytheauthor’srecommendationshavebecome

morein‐depthandcreative.Theevolutionofthecriticalcontentinmethod

6

books,whichincludesphysiologicalchangesinthewaythesticksareheldand

howstrokesareexecuted,furthernecessitatestheneedforanexaminationof

pedagogicalmaterial.

Overthreehundredsnaredrummethodbooksarecurrentlyavailable,

mostofwhichwerepublishedduringthetwentiethcentury.Duetoincreased

publications,choosingamethodbookisadifficulttask.Thisstudyaddressesthe

needforaresourcethataidsinfilteringandcategorizingsnaredrummethod

books.

Discussingimportantdevelopmentsandtrendsthroughoutthisseventy‐

threeyearperiodwillrevealthedirectionofsnaredrumpedagogyintheUnited

Statesandmayserveasafoundationforfurtherdevelopmentandstudy.

Opinionsconcerningthestatusofsnaredruminstructionhavesurfacedin

articlesandessays,butnoscholarlystudyexiststhatevaluatessnaredrum

methodbookswithanobjectiveviewexists.

PurposeoftheStudy

Thepurposeofthedocumentistodiscoveranddiscusstrendsand

developmentsinsnaredrumpedagogythroughthirtyleadingsnaredrum

methodbookspublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1935to2008,andtoexamine

7

andreviewselectedmaterial.Thedocumentallowsstudentsandeducatorsto

betterunderstandsnaredrumpedagogyintheUnitedStates.

Areviewofleadingmethodbookswascreatedsothatstudentsand

educatorscanbetterselectappropriatematerialsforuseandstudy.Inaddition

tocreatingaresourceforbetterutilizationofavailablematerials,thisdocument

providesinsightregardingthehistoryofsnaredrumpedagogy.Such

information,prevalentinotherinstrumentalfields,isparamounttoproper

snaredruminstructionandvitaltotheadvancingstudent.

LimitationsoftheStudy

Thisresearchwaslimitedtoonlythosepublishedmaterialswiththe

specificgoalofprovidingatechnicalmethodforthesnaredrum.Althoughsolo

materialdoesinherentlyeducatethestudent,thisresearchomitscollectionsof

solos,duets,andetudesthatarecommonlypublishedundertheheadingof

“methodbook.”ThisstudywaslimitedtothosematerialsavailableintheUnited

StatesutilizingtheEnglishlanguage.Althoughobjectivereviewingistheoverall

goalofthisresearch,thereisaneedforqualitativeassessment.Qualityisbased

onwhethertheauthorpresentsstrongtechnicalideas,ascomparedtoother

8

leadingpublications,andiftheideasandphilosophiesoftheauthorareadhered

toandeffectivelydemonstrated.11

DesignoftheStudy

Apreliminarylistof314snaredrummethodbookswasacquiredthrough

publishers,libraries,andpersonalcollections.Theresearcherthenfilteredout

allsolo,duet,andetudebooksthatdonotadheretothedefinitionofamethod.12

Theremainingmethodbookswerenarrowedtorepresentthemost

prominent.Thiswasaccomplishedbycontactingmusicdistributorsandusing

onlineresourcestodiscoversalesinformation.13Alistof30leadingsnaredrum

methodbookswasthencollectedandreviewed.Thebooksfallintooneor

severalcategoriesbasedontheinformationgatheredfromthereview,whichis

exhibitedthroughacomparisonchart.Thecategoriesincludebutarenot

limitedtorudiments,stroke,grip,illustrations,reading,useofmedia,andothers.

Forstylisticcategories,rudimentalandconcert,anapproximatepercentageof

11MarshaChusmir,“AnAnnotatedBibliographyandReviewofCurrentHeterogeneousStringMethodBooks”(MastersThesisFloridaStateUniversity,1973),11.12Method‐Asystematicprocedure,technique,ormodeofinquiryemployedbyorpropertoaparticulardisciplineorart:asystematicplanfollowedinpresentingmaterialforinstruction...away,technique,orprocessoforfordoingsomething:abodyofskillsortechniques.13Threeleadingdistributorsofsnaredrummethodbookswerecontacted,ortheirwebsitesutilized,tocreatealistofapproximatelytwenty‐fivebestsellingmethodbooks.Theselistswerecross‐referencedtocreatealistofthetwenty‐sevenmostprominentmethodbooks.SeeAppendixB.

9

whichstyleisfeaturedinthatmethodbookisprovided.Placementina

particularcategorywasdeterminedbywhatpercentageofthemethodbook’s

exercisesandinstructionfocusoneachcategory.Thiswasaccomplishedby

dividingthenumberofexercisesfocusingonaparticulartechniquebythetotal

numberofexercisesinaparticularmethodbook.Theuseofspecificcategories

willprovideaplatformfororganizationandastatisticforfurtherstudyby

revealingwhichtechniquesarepredominantinthemostpopularsnaredrum

methodbooks.

Inchapterthreeeachsnaredrummethodbookispresentedindividuallyin

chronologicalorderaccordingtothedateeachmethodbookwaspublished.A

briefreviewofthecriticalcontentcontainedineachmethodbook,appropriate

categorization,andabriefqualityassessmentisgiven.Chapterfourfeaturesa

comparativeanalysisofreviewedmaterialanddiscussionofthesimilarities,

differences,trends,developments,andevolutionofalltheelementseachmethod

bookincorporatesintoitsdesignandmethodology.Recommendationsfor

furtherstudyaswellasadditionalinformationgatheredfromexaminationofthe

methodbooksconcludesthestudy.

10

CHAPTERII

ReviewOfRelatedLiterature

Whilethereisnocomprehensiveexaminationofsnaredrummethod

booksavailable,thereareafewarticles,theses,dissertations,publishedbooks,

andelectronicdatabasesthatofferrelatedinformation.Thelimitedinformation

availableregardingsnaredrummethodbooksonlysupportstheneedfora

thoroughexamination,andnecessitateslookingatsimilarstudiesinother

instrumentalfields.

ThesesandDissertations

Severalthesesanddissertationsconcerningthereviewofmethodsinother

fieldsareavailable.MarshaL.Chusmir(1973)writes:

Onemustevaluatealargebodyofavailablematerialsinordertointelligentlychoosethetextsthataremostappropriate.Knowledgeofwhatisavailableinthefieldenhancestheteacher’sutilizationoftheresourcesonhandandbroadenshisscopeofprofessionalunderstanding.14

Chusmirdividesstringmethodbooksintothreebroadcategories.Thefirst

includesearlymethodbooksthatavoidanypre‐notationaltextonhowto

executeaspecifictechnique,onlyprovidingexercisesforthestudent.15These

14MarshaChusmir,“AnAnnotatedBibliographyandReviewofCurrentHeterogeneousStringMethodBooks”(MastersThesisFloridaStateUniversity,1973),4.15Chusmir,1.

11

aresimilartoearlysnaredrummethodsthat,althoughtheyprovidealistof

rudimentsandexercises,donotprovidetextonhowtoexecutethem.The

secondcategoryincludesmethodsmorecommonlyusedinconservatoryand

privateteaching,includingtechniquesspecifictotheinstrument.16Thethird

categoryrepresentsthelatesttrend,whichistodevelopthenecessaryskills

separatefromlearningrepertoire.17Authorsthatusethistypeofmethodology

agreethatthisapproachallowsstudentstoconcentrateonaspecificskill,

isolatingnewtechniquesastheyareapproachedinliterature.18The

polarizationofthosewhobelieveskillsshouldbetaughtthroughrepertoireand

thosethatbelievethetechniqueshouldbemasteredfirstexistsinpercussion

pedagogy,andisprevalentinmanyarticlesonthesubject.Mostsnaredrum

methods,includingthosepublishedintheearlytwentieth‐centurybyHaskell

Harr,CharlesWilcoxonandothers,incorporatethe“techniquefirst”approach.

However,rarelydotwomethodbookspresenttechniquesinthesameorder.

Withdisagreementsandinconsistenciesamongmethods,whatisthedesired

approach?Chusmiragreesthatinstructorsneedtohaveinformationavailablein

ordertoquicklyseethedesignofamethodbookanddecidewhetheritisthe

16Chusmir,1.17Ibid,1.18Ibid,2.

12

bestchoiceforthatsituation.Aswithstringpedagogy,manydifferentwaysto

approachthesameobjectiveexistinsnaredrumpedagogy.

Chusmiralsodiscussesproblemsassociatedwithrelyingonjournalsto

publishreviews.Shefindsthatalthoughtherearereviewsofcurrentliterature

foundinseveraljournals,includingtheInstrumentalistandTheMusicTeacher,

relyingonpublicationsthatarenotsolelyconcernedwithreviewingstring

methodspresentscertainproblems.19Theseincludenotknowingwhen

periodicalswillpublishreviews,havingnostandardcriteriaforevaluation,anda

lackofcomprehensivereviews.20“Informationregardingstringmethodbooksis

difficulttoutilizebecausesourcesareeitheroutdated,inconsistent,non‐

comprehensive,orinaccessible.”21Similarly,reviewsofpercussionmethod

booksaredifficulttoaccessandutilize.Becauseofout‐dated,inconsistent,non‐

comprehensive,orinaccessiblereviews,thereexistsaneedforareviewof

currentsnaredrummethods.

Inkeyboardpedagogy,athesisbyDebraBrubaker(1996)titledAHistory

andCriticalAnalysisofPianoMethodsPublishedinTheUnitedStatesfrom1796­

1995takesahistoricallookatpianopedagogybyreviewingacross‐sectionof

methodbooks.AlthoughthescopeofBrubaker’sdocumentexceedsthe

19Chusmir,5.20Ibid,5.21Ibid,7.

13

objectiveofthisdocument,itpresentsasimilarneedandpurposeforstudy.

Brubakerwrites:

Thepurposeofthisthesisistoanalyzeinnovative,influential,andrepresentativepianomethodspublishedintheUnitedStates…Effortwasmadetolocateasmanyaspossibleofwhatappearedtobethebetter‐knownmethodbooks...theinvestigationisnotexhaustive,butrepresentsarealisticcross‐sectionofpianoteachingmethodswhichrepresentsignificantsocial,cultural,andhistoricaltrendsinAmerica.22

Reviewsofpianomethodbooksareorganizedchronologicallytotracethe

historyofpianopedagogy.Likewise,thehistoryofsnaredrumpedagogycanbe

tracedthroughachronologicalannotationofselectedmaterials.Brubaker’s

thesisalsodiscussesthehistoricalandculturalcontextinwhichaspecific

methodologyexists.Thisisimportanttotheeducatorandstudentwhen

studyingselectedmethods.Aresourceenablinganunderstandingofthecontext

andstateofinstrumentalpedagogyatthetimeamethodwaspublishedisas

importantforthefieldofpercussion.Brubakerwrites:

TodatenosinglesourceattemptstodocumentallofthelandmarkpianomethodsinthecontextoftheUnitedStates’twohundredyearhistory,nortoprovideanextensivelistingofcurrentandout‐of‐printAmericanpianomethods.23

Inthefieldofpercussion,JohnWooton’sdoctoralessay,featuringasurvey

ofsnaredrummanualsandarticlesfrom1930to1993,revealsavoidthatexists

22DebraBrubaker,“AHistoryandCriticalAnalysisofPianoMethodsPublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1796to1999”DoctoralThesisUniversityofMinnesota,1996),ix.23Brubaker,1.

14

inrudimentalsnaredrummingmanuals.Hisresearchseekstocreateatextthat

betterexplainstheinherenttechnicalissuesoneencounterswhenlearning

snaredrumrudiments.24Theauthorreviewsoveronehundredmanualsforhis

research.Thatdoctoralessayisthoroughandrevealstheinconsistenciesamong

prominentrudimentalsnaredrummanuals

CaryDactyl’sresearchrevealstheimportanceofsnaredruminstructionto

non‐percussioniststhroughpercussionmethodclasses.InTheStatusofSnare

DrumInstructioninPercussionMethodsProgramsofSelectedUniversitiesand

CollegesinOhioandContiguousStates,Dactylconcludesthatsnaredrum

instructionisonecommonalitybetweenallmethodsclasses,andsnaredrum

proficiencyisusuallytheprimaryobjective.25

Sixty‐fourpercentoftheinstitutionsstudiedspent50‐100%ofthetimeinclassstudyingsnaredrum.26Ninety‐onepercentofinstructorsteachmatchedgriporacombinationofmatchedandtraditionalgrip...andtheypreferredteachingtheconcertstyleratherthanrudimentalbutmostmajorrudimentswerecovered.27

24JohnAndrewWooton,“ASurveyofRudimentalSnareDrumManualsandArticlesfrom1930to1993WithaResultantTextWhichAddressesContemporarySnareDrummingTechniques”(doctoralessay,TheUniversityofIowa,1994)2.25CaryDachtyl,“TheStatusofSnareDrumInstructionInPercussionMethodsProgramsofSelectedUniversitiesandCollegesinOhioandContiguousStates,”(DoctoralDissertationTheOhioStateUniversity,1992),56.26Ibid.,56.27Ibid.,56.

15

Books,Articles,andDatabases

Onlyonepublishedbookcontainingreviewsandbibliographicinformation

aboutsnaredrummethodsexists.Percussion:AnAnnotatedBibliographywith

specialemphasisoncontemporarynotationandperformancebyDieterBajzek

featuresacomprehensivebibliographycoveringeverypercussioninstrument

includingsnaredrum.28Thebookcoversmanypercussioninstrumentsand

includesseveralmethodsbooksforeach.Italsocoversinstrumentmaintenance,

musictheory,percussionhistory,percussioninjazz,andresearch/technology.

However,regardingsnaredrumpedagogyandperformanceonlyanarrowspan

of20yearsiscovered.Althoughthisbibliographyprovidesvaluable

information,itdoesnotvoidtheneedforabibliographyofsnaredrummethod

bookswithdiscussionaboutsnaredrumpedagogyandtrends.

Therearemanyarticlesthatsupporttheneedforareviewofsnaredrum

methods.TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGripsbyJamesA.Strainexplainshow

snaredrumgripevolvedsincethelatenineteenthcentury.Earlyinstruction

books,suchasthe1815publicationbyPotter,describeagripthatwenowcall

“traditionalgrip.”29Ashworth’spublicationin1812issimilar,butbothofthese,

28DieterBajzek,Percussion:AnAnnotatedBibliographywithSpecialEmphasisonContemporaryNotationandPerformance.Metuchen,N.J.,&London:TheScarecrowPress,Inc.,1988.

29JamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,”PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.

16

amongthefirstsnaredrummethodbookspublishedintheU.S,areinconsistent

intheirdescriptionofhowtogripthesticks.30Differencesinopinionalso

existedregardingtherighthandgrip.Ashworth(1812)writesthatthe“little

fingeristheprimaryfinger.”31Amethodpublishedin1861byEliasHowe

describestheright‐handgripdifferently,statingthat“thelittlefingershouldbe

closedlooselyaroundthestick,”andimpliesthattheforefingeristheprimary

pointofcontrol.32Strain’sarticlelocateseightsnaredrummethodsinthe

nineteenth‐centuryalonethatpresentsconflictinginformation.Snaredrum

methodbooksdisagreeingonapproachtogripcontinuestoday.Throughoutthe

nineteenthandwellintothetwentieth‐century,instructorshavedisagreedon

technique.However,descriptionoftechniqueinsnaredrummethodbookshas

undeniablyevolvedovertime,andourexplanationthroughtheuseofpictorials

hasenhancedourawareness.BytheearlytwentiethcenturyGardner(1919)

begantoexplaindifferentgripsdependingonthestyle(e.g.,rudimental,concert,

swing).33Becauseofincreasinglyconciseinstructionprovidedbysnaredrum

methodbooksasthetwentiethcenturyprogressed,educatorsandperformers30Strain,60.31CharlesStewardAshworth.ANewUsefulandCompleteSystemofDrumBeating.WashingtonD.C.:1812.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,“PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.32EliasHowe.Howe’sUnitedStatesRegulationDrumandFifeInstructor,fortheUseoftheArmyandNavy,Boston:1861.quotedinJamesA.Strain,“TheEvolutionofSnareDrumGrips,“PercussiveNotes(June2002):60.33Strain,63.

17

begantorelyonnumerousbooksinordertofilltherequirementsof

contemporarysnaredrumperformance.Aresourcetoeffectivelysortthrough

manyofthesemethodswillbeinvaluable.Thedevelopmentandtrendsthat

Strainpointsoutinhisarticleaswellashisinformationregardingthe

disagreementofsnaredrumtechniqueamongpopularmethodbooksis

important.However,thissubjectneedsfurtherstudyandfocus.Theutilization

ofthisdocumentwillallowtheacquisitionofinformationregardingthe

differencesintechniquescitedinthesemethodbooks,allowingperformersand

educatorstomakemoreinformeddecisions.

InanarticlebyMichaelMamminga(1967),sixmethodbooksreceive

reviewsbyprovidingnotonlysubjectivecommentaryontheeffectivenessor

valueofthemethodbutalsosubstantialobjectivedescriptionsofeachmethod

book’scontent.Foreachofthesixmethods,rudiments/techniquesthatare

learnedarelistedaswellasabasicreviewofeachmethod.Hisessayrevealsa

numberofinconsistenciesanddifferencesamongjustthesesixbeginning

methods.Forexample,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle(1999)discussesthetap

andstrokedifferentlythanHaskellHarr’spublicationin1937.34Somegive

introductionsandobjectives,whereasothersmoverightintotechnical

34MichaelMamminga,“ATreatiseonSnareDrumPerformanceandPedagogyandanAnalysisofSixBeginningMethods,”(paperprintedatNorthTexasStateUniversity,January11,1967):22

18

exercises.35Themethodsdiscussedaresomeofthemostexemplarymethodsof

theearlyandmidtwentieth‐century.However,severaldifferencesareapparent

andcouldbefurtherexplored.

ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingfromMilitary

CodetoFieldCompetitionbyKenMazurdescribesthefascinatinghistoryof

rudimentalsnaredrummingfromthelatenineteenth‐centurytomidtwentieth‐

century.EmbeddedinMazur’stellingofthehistoryofrudimentalsnare

drummingaremanypedagogicalinconsistenciesamongearlypublications.His

articlestates:“GusMoeller’sstudentsweretaughttheright‐handpinkyfulcrum

describedinCharlesAshworth’smethodfrom1812.”36However,“EarlSturtze’s

studentswereachievinggreaterspeedwithlessarmmotionandaslightly

differentfulcrum”37Hisarticlementionsmanychangesinthegripthat

happenedintheearlypartofthetwentiethcenturyasplayersandinstruments

evolvedfromtheoldnineteenth‐centurymodel.Mr.Mazur’sarticledoesnot

speakofthemethodbooksthemselvesbutinsteadfocusesontheinstructorsof

thetime.Thisleadsonetoinferthatthemethodswrittenbytheseprominent

instructorspresentconflictinginformation.Theneedforclarificationthrough

reviewsofthesemethodsisimportant.35Ibid,22.36KenMazur,“ThePerfectionists:TheHistoryofRudimentalSnareDrummingfromMilitaryCodetoFieldCompetition,”PercussiveNotes(April2005):13.37Mazur,14.

19

ElectronicCatalogs

Catalogsofprintedmusic,includingsnaredrummethods,provideperhaps

themostcomprehensiveresourceforpercussionists.Virtuallyanywell‐known

musicdistributerwillhavealistofsnaredrummethodsavailablewithincluded

descriptions.SteveWeissMusicisapercussioninstrumentandmusic

distributerthatprovidesashortdescriptionofsnaredrummethodbooks

throughitsonlinecatalog.38Foroveradecademanystudentsandeducators

haveusedthisonlinelistasareference.Theauthorsofmethodsarelisted

alphabeticallytofacilitatebrowsingthroughthelistofmethods.However,

utilizingSteveWeissMusicasasourceforreviewsofmethodbooksis

problematic.Amorethoroughlistofpopularsnaredrummethodsisneeded

whichwillenableeducatorsandstudentstomakeinformeddecisionswhen

purchasingamethodbook.

Thereisamplesupportforabibliographyandreviewofpopularsnare

drummethodbooks,aswellasadiscussionofthetrendsanddevelopments

present.Similarstudiesarefoundinseveralotherinstrumentalfields.However,

intheareaofpercussionthereisnoresourcethatadequatelyprovidesthis

essentialinformation.Notonlywillalistofselectedsnaredrummethodbooks

beusefulinguidingstudentsandeducatorstothepropermaterials,itwillalso

38SteveWeissMusic.“SnareDrumMethods.”http://www.steveweissmusic.com/category/snare‐drum‐methods

20

serveasagreatresourceformusicstudentsastheypreparetoespouse

knowledgeoftheleadingmethodbookstotheirfuturestudents.Likewise,the

follow‐updiscussionregardingtrendsanddevelopmentswillgivethe

percussioncommunityknowledgeconcerningthetrajectoryofsnaredrum

pedagogyintheUnitedStates,andasolidplatformfromwhichtoeffectively

instructandlearn.

21

CHAPTERIII

ReviewsofThirtyProminentSnareDrumBooksPublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1935to2008

Eachreviewisfeaturedinchronologicalorderbelowandbeginswiththe

titleandauthorfollowedbyatableexhibitingthedateofpublication,publisher,

andpagecountintheleftcolumn,withstylepercentagesandnumberof

exercises,etudes,andsolosintherightcolumn.

RubankElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder

Date‐1935 Rudimental–64%Publisher–RubankInc.Pages‐40

Concert/General–35%Exercises‐244

RubankElementaryMethodisageneralguidetosnaredrummingthat

balancesrudimentalteachingwithbasicrhythmicandmusicalinstruction.

Yoder’sbookpresentsessentialmaterialthatwasnecessaryatthetimebecause

ofanincreaseinthenumberofpercussionistsandthedevelopmentoftheirrole

inbandsandorchestrasintheearlytwentiethcentury.Adistinguished

bandmasterandconductor,Yoder’sbookalsoservesasaguidetoexecutionof

contemporarybandliterature,literaturethatYoderhimselfwascomposingat

thetime.ObstaclesinachievingYoder’sobjectiveincludelittleinstructionon

gripandstroke.However,manyhigh‐qualityfacets,includingsyllablesandbeat

numbersbelowthestaffthatcontinuallyreinforcethepulsewhileincreasing

22

understandingoftherhythm,existaswell.Additionally,aslowprogressionin

thedifficultyofrhythmsincreasesreadingability.Yoder’smethodbook,first

publishedin1935,hasmanycomponentsthattoday’sstudentsandeducators

mayfindoutdatedandinsufficient.Forexample,theuseof“da”ratherthan“e”

or“ti”indescribingthesecondsixteenthnoteofabeat,andvaguedrawingsof

gripwithoutexplanatorytext.Also,thebandrepertoireandadditional

instrumentsbreakupthecontinuityofsnaredrumstudy.Althoughslightly

outdated,thismethodbookcombinesmusicandsnaredrumfundamentalswith

effectiveexercisesandstudies,providingvaluablematerialfortoday’s

percussionists.

StickControlbyGeorgeLawrenceStone

Date‐1935 Rudimental–56%Publisher–GeorgeB.Stone&Son Concert/General–44%Pages‐46 Exercises‐748

StickControlprovidesrigorousmaterialnotfoundinthelimitedlibraryof

snaredrumrepertoireavailablein1935andfeaturesanabundanceofbeginning

toadvancedexercisesthatmakepracticingsnaredrummoreinterestingand

productive.39Stonewrites,“...ifpracticedregularlyandintelligentlywill

enableonetoacquirecontrol,speed,flexibility,touch,rhythm,lightness,

39GeorgeLawrenceStone,StickControl(Randolph,MA:GeorgeB.Stone&SonInc.,1935),3.

23

delicacy,power,endurance,precisenessofexecution,andmuscularco‐

ordinationtoadegreefarinexcessofhispresentability.”40Basicsticking

patternsmakeupthemajorityofStone’sbook.Theseexercisesaretimelessand

effectiveforbuildingstrengthandendurance.AspresidentoftheNational

AssociationofRudimentalDrummers,Stonevaluedtherudimentsandtheir

potentialforhandstrengthening.Asaresult,severalrudimentsaswellasbuzz

rollsarefeaturedthroughoutthemethodbook.Thebuzzandopen‐strokeroll

exercisesthoroughlyreinforcerollsubdivisionsinmultiplemeters,acomponent

notfoundinmanymethodbooks.Theabsenceofguidanceontempoand

techniquecancauseyoungstudentstobeoverwhelmedwiththenumberof

exercisesavailable.StickControlrequirespatienceandself‐motivationwitha

conscientiousexperientiallearningapproach.However,thecollectionof

exercisesisthoroughandversatile,providingatechnicalworkoutthatis

practicalforpercussionistsofalllevels.

40Ibid,3.

24

DrumMethodforBandandOrchestrabyHaskellW.Harr

Date‐1937 Rudimental–10%Publisher–M.M.ColePublishingCo. Concert/General–90%Pages–58(snaredrumonly) Exercises‐49

HaskellHarr’sDrumMethodforBandandOrchestraprovidesgeneral

instructionforthebeginningsnaredrummerincludingset‐up,maintenance,

grip,andreadingfundamentals.Thegoalofthismethodbookistopreparethe

youngstudentinaschoolbandandorchestrafordrumpartshemayencounter;

therefore,onlyrudimentsthatHarrbelievesarenecessaryfortheaveragedrum

partareincluded.41Clearpictorialsguidethebeginningstudentthroughthe

processofstickgripfollowedbysimplehand‐to‐handexercisesusinglarge

strokemotions.Fiftylessons,eachonepageinlength,slowlyprogressthrough

basictechniques,note‐values,andmore.Alsoincludedarecountsabovethe

staff,anoccasionalbassdrumpartwritteninconjunctionwiththesnarepart,

andstickingsuggestions.Textualcontentbeforeeachexerciseprovidestipsfor

executionofnewtechniques,andanexplanationofnewsymbolsandtime

signatures.Harr’sbookisanexcellentbeginningmethodbookthatcreatesa

soundfoundationthroughbasicelements.However,instructionofthesebasic

elementsshouldbefollowedbyDrumMethodBookTwo,whichprovides

41HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),1.

25

opportunitiesforfurtherstudyanddevelopmentbyintroducingintermediateto

advancetechniquesandrudiments.

DrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellW.Harr

Date‐1938 Rudimental–90%Publisher–M.M.ColePublishingCo. Concert/General–10%Pages‐128 EtudesandSolos‐36

DrumMethod,BookTwo,byHaskellHarrisdevotedtothe“explanationand

execution”ofthestandard26drumrudiments.42Instructionofeachrudimentis

enhancedthroughtext,illustrations,exercises,andanetude.Byorganizingthe

instructionintoindividuallessons,onepageinlength,Harrremainsconsistent

withtheorganizationfeaturedinbookone,withtheadditionofa

comprehensiveapproachtoallofthedrumrudiments.Uniqueandadvanced

componentsofthisbookincludetheincorporationofcompoundstrokes,

commoncombinationpatternsfoundinsolopieces,andinterpretationof

contemporarydrummusicthroughtheadditionofembellishmentsand

rudimentalstickingpatternstobasicnotation.Harrcallsthis“judgmentin

applyingtherudiments”43,anditisparticularlyhelpfulinexplaininghowthe

rudimentscanbeusedwhenexecutingadrumpartthatdoesnotprovide

42HaskellHarr,DrumMethod,bookII(Chicago:M.M.ColePublishingCompany,1938),65.43Ibid.,100.

26

sticking.Thelasttwenty‐threepagesofthemethodbookaredevotedto

rudimentaletudesandprovidecontestsolospopularintheearlytwentieth

centurysuchasTheDownfallofParis.Harreffectivelycreatesasystematicand

logicalapproachthatincludestheuseofshortexercisesembeddedintothe

explanationofnewrudiments,lengthieretudesfocusingononeparticular

rudiment,comprehensiveetudes,andseveralsolopieces.Thismethodbook,

coupledwiththefoundationalknowledgethathispreviousmethodbook

provides,createsoneofthemostthorough,precise,andeffectivesnaredrum

methodologiesavailable.

StandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski

Date‐1940 Rudimental–25%Publisher–MillsMusicInc. Concert/General–75%Pages–87(snaredrum) Exercises‐76 EtudesandSolos―63

Inhisforwardtothebook,Podemskiwrites,

Thismethodbookwillgivestudentsthebasicfundamentalsnecessaryforthemasteryoftherudimentsandtechniqueofdrummingplusageneralknowledgeofmusicreading,aswellasorchestraandconcertbanddrumming44.

StandardSnareDrumMethodisinspiredbyMr.Podemski’sexperienceas

anorchestralpercussionist.Whilefocusingonreading,syncopation,and

44BenjaminPodemski,StandardSnareDrumMethod(Miami,MillsMusicInc.,1940),2.

27

embellishments,thismethodbookalsoincludesseveralexcerptsforbandand

orchestraaswellasbasicrudimentalinstruction.Podemski’smethodbook

beginswithpictorialsofstickgripfeaturinganopenhand,spacebetweenthe

stickandpalm,enablingalightertouchinboththerighthandandtraditionalleft

hand.Thisgivesimmediateinsightintotheapproachandobjectiveofthe

methodbookandPodemski’svalues.Heprovidesthestudentwithseveral

pagesofintermediatetoadvancedpreliminaryinformationsuchassyncopation,

oddnotegroupings,four‐strokeruffs,advancedrudiments,andabbreviated

values.Onceexercisesbeginonpagetwenty‐two,quickprogressismadeto

incorporatenewnotevaluesandrests,dynamics,timesignatures,and

rudiments.Thefifty‐threeexercises,mostonepageinlength,areextremely

valuable,rangingfrombeginninglevelexercisesperfectforafirstyear

percussionisttocomprehensiveandmusicalexercisesgreatforthecollegiate

levelpercussionist.Manyareofequalmusicalandtechnicalqualitytothose

foundinpopularetudebooks.Theexcerptsfeaturedattheconclusionare

excellentaswell,andallowthestudenttolistentoandperformwithrecordings

ofpopularpiecessuchasCapriccioEspangnolebyRimsky‐Korsakov.The

excerptsalsoallowforphrasingandshadingofrhythmsandlinesnotapparent

whenpracticinganexerciseoretudeinisolation.Aglossaryofmusicalterms

andtranslationsofcommonItalianmusicaltextprovidesthestudentwitha

28

senseofbothtechnicalandmusicalmastery.Podemski’sbooksuccessfully

balancesfundamentalsnaredrumtechniqueswithanorchestralsensibility.

DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon

Date‐1944 Rudimental–69%Publisher–C.S.Wilcoxon General/Swing–31%Pages‐96 EtudesandSolos‐89

DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonprovidesinstructionandstudiesforthe

beginningtointermediatepercussionist.Primarilyarudimentalguide,the

methodbookalsoincorporatesdrum‐setexercisesaswellassnaredrumstudies

andsolos.Ashortintroductionfallsshortofclarifyinganobjectiveorproviding

suggestionsbeforetheinitialexercises.Basicnotationandtherelationship

betweencommonnotevaluesisdemonstratedthroughproseandillustrations;

anuncommonformat.Low‐qualitydrawingsillustratethetraditionalgrip,and

strokeexplanationislimitedtousingacontrolledrebound,stoppingthestickat

threeinches.Theremainingportionofthemethodbookisseparatedinto

lessons,witheachpagebeginninganewlesson,ninety‐twointotal.Lessonsone

throughthirtyfeaturesimplerhythmswithaccentsaswellasseveralexercises

fordrum‐set.Withinthissection,thelessonsoftenfeatureoneortwomeasure

exercises,butoccasionallypresentthestudentwithfull‐pagesolosandetudes.

The26standardrudimentspredominateinstructionfromlessonthirty‐oneto

theendofthemethodbook.Theselessonsprogressthroughtherudimentsand

29

utilizevarioustimesignaturesandnotevalues.Thepenultimatelesson,asolo,

incorporatesall26rudiments,providingavaluablecontextualizationforthe

studentthatisalsomusicalandfun.AlthoughDrumMethodprovidesinstruction

forthedrum‐setplayer,rudimentstudycombinedwithageneralsnaredrum

focusthroughexercisesandetudesprovidesaneffectiveandcreative

instructionalmethodforsnaredrummersaswell.

ModernSchoolforSnareDrum:CombinedwithaGuideBookfortheArtistPercussionistbyMorrisGoldenberg

Date‐1955 Rudimental–10%Publisher–ChappellMusicCompany Concert/General–90%Pages–184(snaredrum) Exercises–26

Etudes–22

Goldenberg’smethodbookprovidesstudentswithpersonalinsightand

knowledgegainedthroughyearsoforchestralplaying.Technicalinstruction

suchasstickgripandstrokearepurposefullyomitted,providingthefreedomto

producequalitysoundswithoutstrugglingwithaspecificstyle.Therefore,

rudimentalinstructionhaslargelybeenomittedbecauseofthestylisticnatureof

learningthem.However,basicembellishmentssuchastheflam,ruff,androlls

areregularlyfeatured.Rhythmicnotationinstructionisalsoomitted.However,

aslowprogressionofdifficulty,beginningwithexercisesfeaturingquarternotes

andrests,allowsthestudenttounderstandanddevelophisorherreading

ability.Duetsarefeaturedthroughoutthemethodbookthatcorrelatetothe

30

exercises.Bothduetsandmusicaletudesprogresstoanadvancedlevelthat

featuressixteenthnotesyncopationinmanymetersincluding3/8,5/8,6/8,9/8,

and12/8.Thisisfollowedwithexcellentmusicalsuggestions,additional

performancetechniques,andsuggestedfixestocommonproblemssuchas

decidingwhatsizesnaredrumtouse,andunderstandinghowtheinstrument

operates.Goldenbergincludessixteenorchestralexcerptsforthesnaredrum.

Thesearewonderfullynotatedintheiroriginalformatwithtextualguidance

providedforeach.Thetextrangesfromtipsonwhattolistenforinthe

orchestraforbalanceandtogetherness,tosuggestionsontechnicalexecution

andideasformusicalphrasing.ModernSchoolforSnareDrumremainsan

excellentresourceforstudentsandeducatorsbecauseofitshigh‐qualitymusical

etudes,popularexcerpts,andprofessionalguidance.

TheMoellerBook:TheArtofSnareDrummingbySanfordMoeller

Date‐1956 Rudimental–83%Publisher–LudwigDrumCo. Concert/General–17%Pages‐95 Exercises–154

EtudesandSolos‐67

Ahistoricaltreatiseonthesnaredrumaswellasexcellentmethodbook,

TheMoellerBookattemptstorevivetheteachingsofBruce(1862)inhismethod

31

fortheU.S.Army;Moellerwritesthatthismethodis,“foundedentirelyonthat

school.”45

Oldblackandwhitepictorials,somewhatclear,illustratehowtoholdthe

sticksusingatraditionallefthand.Thelefthandisshownopen,withspace

betweenthethumbandfirstfinger,andthestickrestingfurtherdownbetween

themiddleandringfingers,touchingtheringfingeratthemiddlejoint.Moeller

explainsthat,“therightstickisheldalmostentirelywiththelittlefinger.”46The

firstlessonissimplytostrikethedrumwitheachhandseparately.Amoving

picture,orsequenceofseveralframestakenathighspeedcapturingthemotion

ofthestrokes,actsasaguidethatsupportsthetext,showntotheleftofthe

strokeexplanation.Becauseoftheuseofatilteddrum,therighthandmotionin

particularisquitedifferent.Moellerusestheterm,“fanlike”todescribetheright

handmotionandencouragesarotatingoftheforearmtoaccomplishthis.The

preliminaryexercisesfeaturesimplerepetitivestrokes,fouronahand,threeon

ahand,two,etc.Theupanddownstemsdelineaterightfromlefthandstrokes.

Allofthestandard26rudimentsarepresentedinthemethodbook.Eachoneis

presentedasalesson,withtextexplainingtherudiment,notationthat

representshowtherudimentsounds,andnotationcommonlyusedinmusic.

45SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),2.46Ibid,2.

32

AlsofeaturedarerudimentsnotstandardizedbytheN.A.R.D,suchasthefour‐

strokeruff‐single‐paradiddle,andthefour‐strokeruff‐double‐paradiddle.

Contentthenshiftstothe“rudimentsofmusic.”Trebleclefstaffnotation,atable

ofnoteandrestvaluerelationships,andlistofcommonsignsandotherstafftext

areprovided.Thesearefollowedbysimpleexercisesforreadingrhythms.

Moellerencouragescountingtheeighthnotewhileplayingseveralexercisesthat

featurearangeofnotevaluesfromhalfnotestodottedeighthnotesand

sixteenthnotes.Particularlyinsightfulisakeytounderstandingrolls,showing

howmanystrokesthestudentshouldplaydependingonthenotevalue,stashes,

etc.Thefinalsectionofthemethodbookistitled,“Theapplicationofrudiments

andreading,”andisessentiallyacompilationoftraditionalquicksteps,cadences,

andothermilitarymarchesanddrumbeatswiththefifepartoftenprovided.

TheseincludethecompletecampdutyoftheUnitedStatesArmy,ThreeCamps,

andfamoussolossuchastheDownfallofParisaswellasmanyothers.Although

poororganizationanduncommongripexplanationaremajordrawbacks,

Moeller’smethodbookprovidespercussionistswithawindowintothepastas

wellasextremelyvaluablerudimentalinstruction,exercises,etudes,andsolos.

33

TheRollbyEmilSholle

Date‐1957 Rudimental–50%Publisher–BrookPublishingCo. Concert/General–50%Pages‐26 Exercises‐83

Inhisprefacetothebook,Shollewrites,“...thereisascarcityofmaterial

whichgivesusexerciseswrittenforthedefinitepurposeofdevelopingagood

roll.”Attemptingtofillavoidleftbymanyothermethodbooks,Sholledevelops

arigoroussetofexercisesspecificallyforthedevelopmentofahigh‐qualityroll.

Sholledoesnotdistinguishwhethertouseabuzzrolloropenroll,andinstead

insiststhatthenumberofbounceseachstickcreatesisuptothestudentaslong

astheyareequal.However,throughoutthebookrollsarenotedusingslashes,

whichcanbeconfusingandopentosomeinterpretation.Eighthnotesaregiven

twoslashes,andsixteenthnotesgivenoneslash.Thisnotationiscommonly

interpretedasanopenroll;thatis,twobouncesperstick.However,quarter

notesandlargernotevaluesaregiventhreeslashes,commonlyinterpretedasa

closedorbuzzroll.Theexercisesaredividedintosections,witheachsection

focusingonaparticularskill.Theuseofeighthnoteandsixteenthnotetriplets,

alongwithvariousothercombinationsofnotevalues,requiresanintermediate

toadvancedlevelofreading.Thevolumeofthesetechnique‐specificexercisesis

effectiveandvaluable.However,thebeginningstudent,withoutaninstructor,is

severelydisadvantaged.Additionally,thelackofspecificrollinstructioncould

34

leadtomisinterpretationandconfusion.TheRollprovidesawealthofroll

exercisesthat,ifpracticedproperly,canbevaluabletothedeveloping

percussionistandprofessionalalike.

Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle

Date‐1960 Rudimental–51%Publisher–BrookPublishingCo. Concert/General–49%Pages‐38 Exercises‐139 Etudes‐1

Ageneralbeginningsnaredrummethodbook,Here’stheDrumbeginswith

pictorialsandtextualcontentregardingtheleftandrighthandstickgrip.Thisis

quicklyfollowedwithexercisesusingquarternotesandrests.Atableshowing

notevaluerelationships,commonamongotherbeginningmethodbooks,isnot

provided.However,Shollegivesstickingbelowthestaff,andtherhythmic

countsabovethestaff.Rhythmicacquisitionisfurtheraidedbytextabovethe

staffthatsays,forexample,wholenoteequalsfourcounts.Thenextten

exercises,eachonepageinlength,progressindifficultyandslowlyincorporate

eighthnotesandrests,sixteenthnotesandrests,accents,andtiednotesusing

4/4,3/4,and2/4timesignatures.Thissectionconcludeswithatwo‐pageetude

incorporatingthetechniquesacquiredthroughoutthefirstsection.The

remainingportionofthebookemphasizesbasicrudiments.Theseincludethe

flamandtheruff,aswellasfive,seven,nine,thirteen,andseventeenstrokerolls.

35

Allarewellpresentedwithtextualcontentexplainingthedesiredsound,and

illustrationsshowingvariousnotationaloptionsandsticking.Thisisfollowedby

musicaletude‐likeexercisesthatcombinemultiplenotevaluesandtechniques

butalsoremainfocusedandthorough.Here’stheDrumprovidesthebeginning

snaredrummerwithwonderfulexercisesandetudesthatprogressslowlyand

coverbasictechniquesandrudiments.However,studentsandeducatorsmay

needsupplementalmaterialforgripandstokeinstruction.

AccentsandReboundsbyGeorgeStone

Date‐1961 Rudimental–46%Publisher–G.B.Stone&Son Concert/General–54%Pages‐47 Exercises‐594

AccentsandReboundsisintendedasafollow‐uptoStickControl.It

presentsmanyadditionalhand‐conditioningexercisesthatStonewriteswill

“furthertwo‐handeddexterityanddevelopnotonlythecontrolbutthefinesse

tomeettoday’smostexactingrequirements.”47Thisisachievedthrougha

varietyofaccentpatternsandrhythmsaswellasmultipleexercisesfeaturing

openandclosedrolls.Rudimentsarenotheavilyemphasizedinthepatterns

presentedinthismethodbook.However,manyoftheexercisesfeature

rudimentalsticking,forexample,inthefirstsectioneighthnotesarepresented

47GeorgeStone,AccentsandRebounds(Randolph,Mass:G.B.Stone&Son,1961),3.

36

withanumberofdifferentdouble‐strokeandparadiddlestickingcombinations.

Ninety‐sixexercisesfocusonreboundcontrolandthesecondarybouncein

particular;bothtechniquesarerudimentalinnature.Multipleexercisesalso

addressthefinesserequiredforlighterexecutionofvarioussinglestroke

rhythms,buzzrolls,andfour‐strokeruffs.The“special”48rollsectionfeatures

textualcontentexplainingthebuzzrollandcomparesitwithwhatStonecallsa

two‐beatroll.Thisalsoillustratesthateachstickbouncesmanytimesforthe

buzzrollpernote,andtwicepernotewhenexecutingthetwo‐beatroll:358

exercisesaredevotedtothedevelopmentofbothtypesofrolls.Theexercisesin

AccentsandReboundsareprogressivelymoredifficult,beginningwithsimple

eighthnotestickingpatternsandendingwithdoublestrokerollsusingodd‐note

subdivisionssuchasfiveandseven.However,accentpatternsarevery

challenging,andbasicstrokeexecutionshouldbemasteredpriortoattempting

AccentsandRebounds.FailuretouseStones’previouspublication,StickControl,

aswellasabeginningmethodbeforestudyingAccentsandReboundswould

resultinfrustrationfromtheonsetofthemethodbook.Inotherwords,the

methodbookisorganizedsothattheeasierpatternsarepresentedfirstbut

wouldprovetobemuchtoodifficultforthebeginnerwhohasnotmastered

elementaryrhythmsandsimplehand‐to‐handcoordination.Accentsand

48Stone,3.

37

ReboundsissimilartoStickControlinthatitisaninvaluableresourcefor

beginnersandprofessionalsbecauseofthepreponderanceofhand

strengtheningexercisesthatareapplicabletoanystyleofdrumming.

ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns

Date‐1962 Rudimental–30%Publisher–HenryAdlerInc. Concert/General–70%Pages‐81 Exercises‐157 Etudes‐14

Burns’ElementaryMethodisaneffectiveself‐educatorthatfeaturesamix

ofrudimentalandconcert‐styleinstruction,servingasapracticalguideforthe

beginningsnaredrummerinaschoolbandororchestra.Alsoincludedare

significantsectionsonreadingfundamentalsthatincludeunderstandingthe

trebleandbassclefs,comprehensionofstafftext,bar‐linetypes,timesignatures,

anddynamicsaswellasinstrumentmaintenance.Otherpercussion

instrumentsincludingbassdrum,cymbals,triangle,tambourine,andwoodblock

receiveinstructionthroughtextandexercisesaswell.All26rudiments,

standardatthetime,arelistedimmediatelyaftergripandstrokeinstruction.No

rudimentalinstructionisprovidedalthoughtheyarepresentedinvarious

formats.Accentsarealsoincorporated,necessitatingtheuseofstrokessuchas

thedown‐stroke.However,specificinstructiononhowtoexecuteadown‐

strokeorotherstrokesisnotprovided.Themajorityofthemethodbook

38

providesinformationfortheconcertpercussionist.Theopeningsectionfeatures

illustrationsforreadingbothrhythmsandnotesonthestaff.Theinclusionof

this,inadditiontothevariousbar‐linesanddynamics,introducesthestudentto

symbolsandtextcommoninwindbandmusic.Eachnewnotevalueis

introducedslowlyandpresentedthroughafullpageofexercises.Exercisesfor

buzzrollsarenotpresented,althoughtextualcontentisusedtoinstructthe

studentonrolltechnique.Rhythmicreadingabilityisincreasedthroughthe

utilizationofavarietyoftimesignatures,althoughnooddtimesignaturesare

used.Laterexercisesutilizesyncopationandacombinationofcommonnote

valuesincludingtripletswithatotalof157exercisesprovided.Themodest

quantityofexercises,approximatelytenpercomponent,makesthemidealfor

thebeginningsnaredrummerbystrikingabalancebetweenqualityand

quantityandarevaluablewhenplayedinisolation.However,theresulting

etudes,ormarches,seemtoineffectivelyincorporateskillslearnedinprevious

sectionsandinsteadattempttocontinuallypresentthestudentwithapractical

applicationorrealisticscenariothatmayfallshortofchallengingthestudent

withacomprehensivemusicalexperience.

39

IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns

Date‐1967 Rudimental–40%Publisher–BelwinMillsPublishingCorp. Concert/General–60%Pages‐80 Exercises‐72 Etudes‐31

Thisintermediatesnaredrummethodbookismeantto“providethe

student,aswellasteacher,withamorecomprehensiveandenjoyablesecondary

steponthewaytobecomingapercussionist.”49Themethodnaturallyskips

sections,suchasdrummaintenance,grip,stroke,andmusicreading,andinstead

beginswithareviewofrhythmicnotationfollowedbysingle‐strokesand

rudiments.However,theexercisesthataccompanyeachrudimentaremore

thoroughandversatile,providingthestudentwithmorechallengingmusical

material.Theintermediatemethodbookalsoofferssignificantinstructionon

accentpatternsandsyncopation,althoughthetextualcontentmaybe

inadequateformanystudents.Manyetudesor“studies”areprovidedthatare

oneormorepagesinlength.Thesearesoloistic,unlikethoseintheelementary

book,andcombineseveralrudimentsandtechniquesthatchallengethe

intermediatesnaredrummer.Theintermediatemethodbookcontinuesthe

snaredrumstudybeganintheelementarybook,providingcomparable

organizationandformattingwithincreasedcomplexityandthoroughnessas

wellasmusicalcontextualizationthroughqualityetudes.49RoyBurns,IntermediateDrumMethod(Miami,Fla.:BelwinMillsPublishingCorp.,1967),2.

40

SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ElementarybyVicFirth

Date‐1967 Rudimental–38%Publisher–CarlFischerInc. Concert/General–62%Pages‐32 Exercises‐145 EtudesandSolos‐14

AccordingtoFirth,SnareDrumMethod,BookI,ismeantto“developamusical

snaredrummerintheclassicalandtraditionalsenseoftheword...thesnare

drummermustdevelopasenseofrhythmicphrasing,interpretation,and

conceptofsound.Hemustunderstandtoneproductionandsoundprojection..

.”50Thebookbeginswithachartofbinaryandternarynotevaluerelationships.

Restvalues,pitchesonthetrebleandbassclefstaff,andacompletelistofterms

relatingtodynamicsandtempi,time,meter,andvariousbarlinesareincluded.

Thevariouspartsoftheinstrumentanddrumheadcareisincludedjustbefore

severalup‐closeimagesoftherightandlefthandusingtraditionalandmatched

grips.Textualcontentthenguidesthestudentthroughtheexecutionofsingle‐

strokesusingtraditionalgrip.26lessonsareincludedinBookI.Theseslowly

increaseindifficultyandincorporateadditionalrudiments,timesignatures,and

notevalues.Rudimentalstudyisnotaprimaryemphasisofthemethodbook.

However,eightrudimentsincludingtheflam,flamacue,andvariousroll

rudimentsareincluded.Firthpresentsathoroughmethodbookwithexercises

andetudesthatprogressatapacethatisoptimalforthebeginningstudent,50VicFirth,SnareDrumMethod:BookIElementary(NewYork:CarlFischerInc.,1937),3

41

utilizingtechniquesandemphasizingmusicalideasparamountforastrong

musicalandtechnicalfoundation.

SnareDrumMethod:BookII,IntermediatebyVicFirth

Date‐1968 Rudimental–99%Publisher–CarlFischerInc. General/Concert–99%Pages‐32 Exercises–87 EtudesandSolos‐22

BookIIisacontinuationofBookIthatintroducesadditionalmeters,works

extensivelywithflams,ruffs,theopenroll,triplets,andsyncopation,andalso

liststhe26rudiments.51Theobjective,todevelopamusicalsnaredrummer,is

unchangedfromBookI.Bassdrumandcymbaltechniqueisdiscussedinthe

openingpageswithpicturesandillustrationsaswellasthreeshortetudes

provided.Lessononecontinuesappropriatelybyutilizingonlythosetechniques

studiedinbookone.Additionaltechniquesincludefour,fiveand,sevennote

“ruffs”orgracenotesthatareillustratedandtaughtthroughexercisesanda

singleetude.Finallessonsfeatureetudesatanintermediatetoadvancedlevel

andincludedotedrhythms,triplets,shortrolls,andpreviousmaterialincluding

gracenotecombinations.Thefinalpageofthemethodbookliststhe26

standardrudimentsbutdoesnotofferrudimentalinstruction.BookIIis

especiallyeffectiveisusedinconjunctionwithBookI.51VicFirth,SnareDrumMethod:BookIIIntermediate(NewYork:CarlFischerInc.,1968),2.

42

DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters

Date–1968 Rudimental–50%Publisher–MitchellPetersPages‐48

Concert/General–50%Exercises‐781

DevelopingDexterityfeaturesnumerousexercisesthatemphasizebasic

techniquessuchassinglestrokes,doublestrokes,buzzrolls,accents,andflams.

SimilartoStickControlandAccentsandRebounds,DevelopingDexteritydoesnot

offerinstructionongrip,stroke,orreading,requiringasupplementalmethodfor

acquisitionofthosebasicskills.However,thesequentialnatureofthematerial,

fromsimplequarter‐notesingle‐strokestodiddlepatternsinoddmeters,

necessarilyincreasesthestudent’sabilitytoexecuteproperfundamentals.Each

section,delineatedbyaspecificrudimentortechnique,featuresnumerous

exercises,usuallyonetofourmeasuresinlength.Noinstructionisprovided

throughtextualcontentexceptoccasionalone‐linersatthebottomofthepage

withtips;forexample,“Practicetheabovepageinsequenceaswellas

individually.”52Theintermediatetoadvancedexercises,towardtheendofthe

methodbook,includeflams,tripletpatterns,paradiddlecombinations,rebound

controlpatterns,fingerstrokepatterns,andnotegroupingsofthree,four,five,

andnine.Eachistreatedequally,withmanyversatileexercisesthateffectively

52MitchellPeters,DevelopingDexterity(LosAngeles:MitchellPeters,1968),13.

43

explorevariousstickingoptionsandrhythmsthatincreaseshandstrength,

control,anddexterity.

MethodforSnareDrumbyJacquesDelécluse

Date–1969 Rudimental–10%Publisher–AlphonseLuducPages‐45

Concert/General–90%Exercises–149Etudes‐25

MethodforSnareDrumprovidesinstructionfortheintermediateto

advancedlevelsnaredrummer.Althoughillustrationsofgripandtextual

explanationsofwristmovementaretypicalofabeginningmethod,theexercises

andetudesarebeyondthecapacityoftheaveragebeginningstudent.Gripand

strokeinstructionareabbreviated,withsimpledrawingsillustratingtraditional

gripwithashortdescriptionofrelaxedand“supple”wristmovement.The

instructionsaretranslatedfromFrench;therefore,theEnglishlanguage

instructionslackclarity.Forexample,Deléclusewrites,“Becareful,toplayloud

doesnotmeanliftingthewristtothemaximum,asitisevidentthatthenearer

wearetotheskin,themorerapidthecadence.”53Instructiononhowtoread

rhythmicnotationisnotincluded.However,single‐strokes,variousdouble‐

strokes,buzzrolls,flams,andruffsareallfeatured.Theexercisesarethorough

andpresentavarietyofrhythmsandtimesignatures.Alternatingsingle‐stroke

53JacquesDelécluse,MethodforSnareDrum(Paris:AlphonseLeduc,1969),5.

44

exercisesincorporateadvancedrhythmssuchasthirty‐secondnotetriplets,

sixty‐fourthnotes,andsyncopatedaccentspatterns.Aftereachnewtechniquea

seriesofetudesfollows.Eachembellishmentpresentedreceivesadequate

explanationandexercisesbeforedifficultandinclusiveetudes.

OddMeterCalisthenicsbyMitchellPeters

Date–1973 Rudimental–70%Publisher–MitchellPeters Concert/General–30%Pages–79 Exercises–1,136

OddMeterCalisthenicsfocusesonseveralfacetsofsnaredrumming

throughodd‐meteredexercisesthatincorporatevarioustechniques.Nota

generalmethodbookthatcanbeusedasaself‐educator,itfeaturesseventy‐nine

pagesofexercises.Petersintroduceseachsection,delineatedbytheadditionof

anewtechniquesuchasarollorflam,withsimpleinstructionsregardingwhat

stickingshouldbeusedandsomesuggestionsonexecution.Timesignatures

incorporatedintotheexercisesinclude5/8,7/8,7/16,11/16,2/8,5/4,7/4,

10/8,7/16,9/8,3/8,11/8,15/8,3/4,4/4,7/4,5/4,2/4,and7/4.Theexercises

arenotlimitedtosinglestrokes,butratherincorporaterudimentsincluding

openrolls,buzzrolls,flams,three‐strokerolls,flamaccents,Swissarmytriplets,

flamtaps,singleparadiddles,anddoubleparadiddles.Allexercisesarelayered

overanodd‐meteredpulsewithvarioussyncopatedaccentpatterns.OddMeter

Calisthenicsprovidesaddressadifficultfacetofpercussionperformancethrough

45

uniqueandeffectiveoddmeteredexercises.Althoughothermethodbooks

featuresimilarmaterial,thismethodbookisolatesmanypatternsandtime

signaturesthroughoveronethousandexercises,creatingamethodbookwith

unmatchedbreadthandversatility.

TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhilPerkins

Date‐1978 Rudimental–1%Publisher–BoiesPhilipPerkins Concert/General–99%Pages‐86 Exercises‐392 EtudesandSolos‐5

TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeI,isaself‐educatorthat

utilizesauniquerhythmiccomprehensionsystem.Themethodbookbegins

withcareandmaintenanceofthesnaredrum,playingheight,andstep‐by‐step

instructionsformatchedgrip,traditionalgrip,andstrikingthedrum.

Introductiontonotationisprovidedwithspecialemphasisonthe“rhythmic

alphabetsystem”,asystemdesignedbyPerkinswithtwenty‐onerhythms

derivedbybreakingdownaquarternoteintoasmanydifferentsounding

rhythmsaspossible.Theideaisthattheserhythmsarethensimplyrepeatedor

rearrangedineachmusicalcomposition.54Earlylessonsusestafftext,providing

thebeatsandsticking.Othermusicsymbolsandmarkingsarecovered

54PhilPerkins,TheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrum:VolumeI(Cincinnati:BoiesPhilipPerkins,1978),13.

46

thoroughlyaswell,withalldynamicsandexpressionssuchascrescendoandde‐

crescendoreceivingmultipleexercisesandinstruction.Additionalinformation

suchastheutilizationofdifferentplayingareastoachievethedynamics,howto

conductcommonpatterns,andaglossaryofmusicalterms,helpstocreatea

comprehensiveguidetomusicalperformance.

PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley

Date‐1980 Rudimental–50%Publisher–MeredithMusicPublications Concert/General–50%Pages‐47 Exercises‐84 Duets‐8

PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumprovidesthestudentwithcreative

projectsandpracticalstudies.55Thefeaturedpartsincluderudiments,

repetitionstudies,note‐reading,duets,studentcompositionassignments,

multipledrumstudies,andpracticecharts.Theimportanceandobjectiveof

eachsectionofthetextiswellarticulatedinthepreface.Matchedand

traditionalgripinstructionisabbreviatedthroughdrawingsandtext.Forty‐

threepagesoflessonsfeaturingacombinationoftheabove‐mentionedmusical

andtechnicalideasfollow.Themajorityofthelessonsfeaturearudiment,

repetitionstudy,andtworeadingexercises.Thesearebrokenupwitheight

evenlyplacedsectionsfeaturingacompositionassignment,duet,andmultiple55GarwoodWhaley,PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum(Ft.Lauderdale,Fla.:MeredithMusicPublications,1980),2.

47

drumstudy.Countsandsyllablesappearregularlyandprovideproficient

instructiononrhythmicreading.Thestandard26rudimentsarecoveredaswell

asadditionalrudimentssuchasthemultiplebounceroll,four‐strokeruff,

pataflafla,andothers.Studentsareencouragedtorecordtheirpracticetimeat

thebottomofeachpage,andcreativityisregularlyencouragedthrough

compositionexercises,uniqueinclusionsthatmakePrimaryHandbookforSnare

Drumagreatmethodbookforbeginningstudents.

Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein

Date‐1987 Rudimental–23%Publisher–AlfredPublishingCo. Concert/General–77%Pages–80 Exercises–293

Book1providesthestudentwithawealthoffoundationalknowledge.The

elementsofmusic,gripandstroke,aswellascareandmaintenanceofthe

instrumentprecludesanymusicalmaterial.Pairingthisknowledgewiththe

exercises,etudes,andsolosfeaturedthroughoutthemethodbook“willgivehim

orherasoundmusicalbackgroundwhileprovidingforthehighestdegreeof

interestandmotivation”.56Themethodbookusesclearimagespairedwithtext

forexplainingandillustratingthegrip,traditionalandmatched,andstroke.

FeldsteinandBlacksimplyreferto“thestroke”anddonotdelineatebetween

56SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),6.

48

up‐stroke,down‐stroke,etc.However,phrasessuchas‘returntotheimmediate

position”and“reboundstoapproximatelytwoinches”implytwodifferent

strokes.57Musicalelementsareclearlyillustratedthroughanotecomparison

chart,andexplanationsofvariousbarlines,timesignatures,metronome

markings,andtempi.Exercises,studies,andsolosalongwithapplicablenew

termsareorganizedneatlyintothirty‐ninelessons.Eachlessonfocusesona

particularnote/restvalue,arudiment,oratimesignature.Laterexercisesand

solossynthesizematerialfromearlierlessonsbutremainfocusedonthenew

techniqueormusicalidea.Lessonsdevotedtosyncopationandtiednotes

completethestudyfollowedwithasoloanarrangementofthepercussionpart

extractedfromTheStarsandStripesForever.

Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2byDaveBlackandSandyFeldstein

Date‐1987 Rudimental–50%Publisher–AlfredPublishingCo. Concert/General–50%Pages‐80 Exercises‐145 EtudesandSolos‐60

Alfred’sDrumMethod,Book2,beginswithareviewofmaterialfrombook

oneincludingrolls,flamrudiments,thedrag,andfour‐strokeruff.However,the

lessonsarenowsupplementedwithacorrespondingsolothatcombinesthe

techniquesintoamoreintermediatelevelexperiencethatismusicaland57SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),6.

49

challenging.Theremaininglessons,fivethroughthirty‐three,includearangeof

topicsfromadditionalrudimentstotimesignatures,musicalforms,and

syncopation.Eachindividuallesson,althoughunique,typicallycombines

exercisesandsubstantialsolomaterialwithsometextualcontentand

illustrationsforguidance.Thefinalsectionofthemethodbookisextremely

versatile,offeringafinalrudimentalsolo,orchestralsolo,multi‐percussionsolo,

twoduetsandacompletelistoftheP.A.S.drumrudimentsalongwithunique

exercisesthatexploitvarioustimbresandplayingareas.

AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels

Date–1994 Rudimental–40%Publisher–MarkWesselsPublications Concert/General–60%Pages–83 Exercises‐18059Etudes‐3361

Thepurposeofthisbookistoprovidethebeginningpercussionstudentwithafoundationofbasicplayingtechniques,rudimentalskills,readingabilityandmusicianshipthatisrequiredtoplaythesnaredrumandmostofthecommonpercussioninstruments.I’veprovidedacourseofstudythatincludesstep‐by‐stepinstructionsandsuggestionsregardingpracticehabits,stickingandstrokestylesthatcanbeutilizedbythebanddirector

59Numberofexercisesisapproximate.Thisnumberrepresentsexercisesfeaturedintheappendixandthosenumberedbytheauthor.Additionalshortillustrationsofrudimentsandstroketypes,alongwithwritingassignmentsforthepurposeofnote‐readingandlearningmusicaltermscouldbeinterpretedasexercises.61Etudesincludeallsectionslabeledassuchbytheauthoraswellassectionsofsubstantialmusicalqualityandquantitythatarenotnecessarilymarkedasanetude.Manyareshort,oneortwolinesinlength,andmaynotagreewiththedefinitionofanetude.

50

orinstructorwhomaybeapprehensiveaboutteachingmanyofthetechniquesdemonstratedinthisbook.62

Wessels’bookbeginswithpreliminaryinformationthatincludeslabeling

thevariousparts,maintaining,andtuningthesnaredrum.Matchedand

traditionalgripinstructionisprovidedthroughclearimagesandsupportingtext.

Themethodbookisorganizedintotwentylessons,manyofwhicharemulti‐

faceted.Forexample,anindividuallessonmayincludeanewstroketype,short

exercises,rudiments,andrudimentaletudes;eachetudeisalsoavailableonthe

includedCDforlistening.Coordinationetudes,andetudesfortwodrumsare

alsoincludedandfeaturequarternotesinonehandwhilesubdividingvarious

rhythmswiththeotherhand.Fifteenofthetwentylessonsincludelearninga

newrudiment.Theappendixprovidesthestudentwithadditionalhalf‐pageand

full‐pageexercisesassupplementalpracticematerialthatcanaccompanythe

lessons.Additionaltechniqueworkoutexercisesthenfocusonarangeof

techniquesfromstickcontroltoflampatternsandtriplettiming.Alsoincluded

atthebackisanintroductiontothetechniquesofotherinstrumentssuchasbass

drum,cymbals,andtambourineamongothers,aswellasalistof26essential

rudimentsforcontinuedpracticeandreference.AFreshApproachtotheSnare

Drumprovidesnotonlyclearandthoroughfoundationalinstructionsuchasgrip

62Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesselsPublications,2001),1.

51

andstroke,butalsodevelopsnewtechniquesbyprovidingasequenceof

exercisesandetudeswithinexcellentlyorganizedlessons.

ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrumbyTomMorgan

Date‐1996 Rudimental–99.5%Publisher–GoodMusicPublications Concert/General‐.5%Pages‐121 Exercises‐175 Solos‐64

Thisrudimentalmethodbookprovidesstudentswitha“streamlinedand

systematicapproachthatwillnotonlygivethestudentagoodunderstandingof

thetraditionalrudimentalstyle(withoutcreatingadrumcorpsfanatic)but,

moreimportantly,willalsogoalongwaytowardprovidinganexcellent

foundationalsnaredrumtechnique.”63Morgannotesdifferencesbetweenthe

rudimentalsnaredrummerandconcertsnaredrummerbutpromisesthatthis

streamlinedstudyoftherudimentswillenableallsnaredrummerstodevelop

thestrengthandcontrolneededtoexecutetheirrespectiverepertoire.

Intermediatestudentsarethefocus,aviewfurthersupportedbytheabsenceof

anygripornotationinstruction.Instead,initialinstructionthoroughly

introducesdifferentstroketypestothestudentandutilizestermssuchas

63TomMorgan,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum(Topeka:GoodMusicPublications,1996),2.

52

“tap/down”,“stroke/up”,“tap‐up”,and“stroke/down.”64Eachoftheseis

accompaniedbysufficientexplanationofthemotionandwhyitisnecessary.

Thisisfollowedbyexercisesdesignedtohelpexecutethevariousstroketypes,

presentedwithsimpleeighthnoterhythmswithstickingprovided.However,

exactlywhichstrokethestudentshoulduseisnotprovided.Forexample,an

accentfollowedbyatapwouldindicatethatastroke/downmotionbeused,but

thisisnotspecified.Stickingsystems,absentinmanymethodbooks,receive

adequateattentionwithasignificantamountofexercisesandexplanationonthe

topic;bothright‐hand‐lead,andalternatingsystemsexplained.Aprogressionof

rudimentsfollowswithaformatthatpresentstherudimentinexercisesfirst,

thensolos.Eachnewlyintroducedrudimentalsoreceivesexplanationthrough

easytounderstandtextthatactsasbothaphysicalandauralguideforthe

student.Certainexercisescatertotheconcertsnaredrummersuchasthebuzz

roll,anddynamics.Overall,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrumisa

focusedrudimentalinstructorandaversatileintermediatelevelmethodbook

withclearinstruction.

64TomMorgan,ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum(Topeka:GoodMusicPublications,1996),2.

53

MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlanKeown

Date‐1997 Rudimental–100%Publisher–MatrixPublishingCo. Exercises‐272Pages‐56

MasteringtheRudimentsoffersamethodoflearningtherudimentsthat

focusesondailyincreasesintempoandisolatingtherudimentswhilepresenting

thestudentwithbasichandstrengtheningexercises.Abeginningto

intermediatemusicreadingabilityandanunderstandingofbasicstrokesand

gripareessentialprerequisitestoKeown’smethodbook.Themethodical

approach,presentedobjectivelytothestudent,allowsthestudenttomasteronly

seventeenofthe40P.A.Srudiments.However,acompleterudimentlistis

providedattheconclusionofthemethod.Themethodbookisorganizedby

week,ratherthanlessonorstep,withtwenty‐eightweeksofinstruction

provided.Eachweek,oneormorenewrudimentsareintroducedaswellassix

exercises,whicharerepeatedforoneminuteeach.Thisisfollowedbyan

isolatedrudimentstudywherethenewrudimentisintroducedandashort

musicalexercisethatincorporatesnewandpreviouslystudiedrudiments.

MasteringtheRudimentsoffersauniqueapproachbystructuringthelearningof

therudimentsintolessonswithaspecifictimeframeforcompletion.Keeping

theprogressionatasteadypaceisanideathatpermeateseveryexercise,and

organizesthemethodbookinaneffectiveandefficientwaywhilepresenting

soundrudimentalinstruction.

54

SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie

Date–2001 Rudimental–40%Publisher–K.WyliePublications Concert/General–60%Pages‐74 Exercises‐276 Etudes‐15

Atraditionalself‐educatorinmanyways,KeenanWylie’sbookfeaturesset‐

up,tuning,andmaintenanceinformationalongwithdrumheight,stance,grip

(matchedandtraditional),andfundamentalstroketypes.Atwenty‐fivestep

processofinstructionforthedevelopmentofrhythmicandtechnicalskills

follows.65Eachlogicalstepintheprocessshouldtakeapproximatelyone

week.66Checkpointsarefeaturedeveryfourorfivesteps,consistingofreviewed

materialaswellasadditionalexercises.Theindividuallessonsor“steps”

combinetechnical,rhythmical,andmusicalconceptsthroughout,andalso

featuretipsandsuggestionsthougheasytounderstandtext.Attheconclusion

ofthemethodbookadditionalexercises,noteandrestratiocharts,awarm‐up

sequencechartwithtempoacquisitions,musicvocabulary,andcomprehensive

etudesprovidethestudentwithavaluableresourceforfurtherlearningand

correctuseofthemethodbook.

65KennanWylie,SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming(FlowerMound,TX:K.WyliePublications,2001),iii.66Ibid,iii.

55

SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage

Date–2001 Rudimental–100%Publisher–WarnerBros.Publications Exercises–428Pages–160 Solos‐42

TheSavageRudimentalWorkshopisdesignedforusebyalllevelsofpercussionists.Thebeginningstudentwilldiscoverthebasicworkingsoftheessentialrudiments;theintermediatestudentwillapplytherudimentsinmorecomplexways;andtheadvancedstudentwillbeabletotaketherudimentstohigherlevelsofunderstanding,composition,andperformance.67

ThemethodbookisseparatedintothreelargesectionsthatSavagecalls

components.Thefirstcomponentfeaturesrudimentalexercises,thesecond

rudimentalsolos,andthethirdincorporatestheincludedcompactdiscs.Thisis

oneofonlyafewpopularmethodbooksthatusemediaandactuallydirectthe

studentonhowtoutilizethem.Attentionisalsogiven,throughtheuseoftext

andqualityimages,onthestroketypes;thenaturalstroke,downstroke,up

stroke,andtapstroke.Exactstickpositionanddirectiononhowtoexecuteeach

oneisgiven.However,specificphysicaldescriptionofstickgripisnotincluded.

Additionally,instructionsforexecutingarimshot,rimclick,stickclick,andstick

shotareprovided.Textualcontentisgiventhroughout,andrudimentsthat

requireacombinationofstrokesarethoroughlynotated;thedifferentstroke

typesnecessaryforexecutionoftherudimentarehighlighted.Thismethodis67MattSavage,SavageRudimentalWorkshop(Miami:WarnerBros.Publications,2001),1.

56

thorough,treatingeachofthe40rudimentsequally,creatingamethodthat

flowswellandprovidesvariationthroughcreativeetudes.Additionally,each

exerciseandsubsequentetudehasacorrespondingtrackontheincluded

compactdiscs.Theuseoftext,media,andpictorialsfurtherenhancethe

experience.However,abasicunderstandingofrhythmicnotationisnecessary

beforeattemptingthismethodbecauseofthelackofrhythmicreading

instruction.

RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman

Date–20063 Rudimental–100%Publisher–Row‐loffPublications Exercises–94Pages–104

RudimentalLogicfeaturesasystematicapproachtolearningthe40P.A.S.

rudimentsaswellashybridrudiments.Rudimentinstructionisprefacedwith

excellentinstructionthatincludesgrip,properpractice,stroketypes,qualityof

sound,dynamics,rhythm,andtiming.Explanationsofbothmatchedand

traditionalgripsaresupportedwithasignificantamountoftextandclearphotos

fromvariousanglesandpositions.Bachmanwrites,“Gripthestickbetweenthe

padofthethumbandthefirstknuckleofthefirstfinger.Withyourwrist

relativelyflat,thethumbshouldbetuckedinwithnogaponthesideofthestick.

57

..”68Explanationoftraditiongripissummarizedas,“thestickshouldbeplaced

inbetweenthebaseofthumbandthehandataboutafortydegreeanglein

relationtotheforearm.Thisisthestick’sfulcrum...oneshouldbeabletoplay

fullstrokesusingjustthewristandthumbofthetraditionallefthandaspictures

below.Underneaththefulcrumthestickshouldrestonthethirdfinger’s

fingernailnexttothefleshypartofthefinger.Thepinkiefingerplaysnopartin

thegripandshouldstayinlinewiththethirdfinger.”69Thiswonderfully

detaileddescriptionalsoincludesadditionalinformationregardingarmposition,

reasonsforusingonegriportheother,stickangles,andmore.Instructionofthe

40P.A.Srudimentsbeginsinchaptereightandcontinuesthroughchapter

eleven;eachchapterdelineatingarudimentfamily,forexample,rollrudiments,

diddlerudiments,etc.Eachrudimentispresentedthoroughlythroughtextual

content,exercises,andanelementthatBachmancalls“builderexercises”.The

builderexerciseshelpstudentsacquirethestickingandfeelofeachrudimentby

slowlybuildingitfromasimplepattern,andoccasionallylargernotevalues,toa

completerudimentwithproperstickingandcommonpresentation.Also,

Bachmanencouragesalltherudimentsbeperformedopen‐closed‐open,calleda

breakdown,byprovidinganillustrationthatshowsaoneminuteperformance

withachangeintechniqueeveryfifteenseconds.Thechangeintechnique

68BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),5.69Bachman,7.

58

includesutilizationofdifferentmusclegroupsandtipsonwhattolistenfor.

Afterthe40P.A.Srudimentsarecovered,Bachmanintroducesnewerrudiments,

usingthesameformat,andthenlistsadditionalhybridrudimentsandinversions

ofrudiments.Thetextconcludeswithseveraladditionalexercisesforfurther

rudimentalmastery.

SnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi

Date‐2007 Rudimental–34%Publisher–BachovichMusicPublications Concert/General–66%Pages‐27 Exercises‐102

Primarilyconsistingofexercisesfortechniquebuilding,SnareDrum

Techniqueisnotatraditionalself‐educatorforthebeginningstudent.However,

theopeningsectionfeatureshelpfulguidanceonhandposition,balancepointor

fulcrum,posture,strokes,metronomeusage,notesonexercises,andother

generaltips.NotesonExercises,themosthelpfulportionofthissection,features

solutionstogeneralproblemssuchastensionandalsoclarifiesspecificexercise

tempi,musicalsymbols,andtipsforexecution.Theexercisescoverasmall

rangeofrudimentsthatincludethesingle‐strokeroll,double‐strokeroll,triple‐

strokeroll,flam,flamparadiddle,drag,andfour‐strokeruff.Eachnewrudiment

isthoroughlypresentedthroughnumerousexercisesutilizingvariousnotational

possibilities,accents,dynamics,andtextualguidance.Therhythmspresented,

beginningwiththesingle‐strokerollexercises,areadvanced.Thisnecessitates

59

theuseofsupplementalmaterial,ifattemptedbythebeginningtointermediate

levelstudent,becausesuchstudyisnotofferedintheprecedingsectionsofthe

methodbook.Eighthnotes,eighthnotetriplets,sixteenthnotes,sixteenthnote

triplets,sixteenthnotefivelets,sixteenthnotesevenlets,andthirty‐secondnotes

areallfeaturedinthefirstpageofexercises.Stickingisprovidedthroughout,

withseveralstickingoptionsbeingofferedattimes.Thefinalsectionfocuseson

polyrhythmandfeaturesseveralexercisesforcommonandnot‐so‐common

polyrhythm.Theseinclude3:2,3:4,4:3,5:4,5:3,5:2,6:5,7:2,7:3,7:4,7:5,7:6,

9:2,and10:3.Eachpolyrhythmispresentedidenticallywithonetofourlinesof

exercisesthatfeaturetwostaves;thebottomstaffshowsthepulseorquarter

note,andistobeplayedwiththemetronome,tappingofthefoot,ortheother

handwhenpossible.Thetopstafffeaturesadiversemixoftriplets,sixteenth

notes,fivelets,half‐notetriplets,etc.Rieppi’smethodbookfeaturesexcellent

exercisesforenhancingtechniquesandoffersathoroughapproachtolearning

polyrhythm.Intermediateandadvancedlevelplayerscanbefitfromthiscontent

butwillneedtheguidanceofaninstructorfortechnicalproblemsthatariseas

wellassupplementalmaterialthatutilizesthesetechniquesinamusicalcontext.

60

RudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker

Date–2008 Rudimental–90%Publisher‐KPP Concert/General–10%Pages–190 Etudes‐8Exercises‐81(approx.270additionalplayableillustrations)

Theaimofthisstudyistodescribeandexplaintheseconcepts(variation,ratio,density,permutation,combination,partition)thoroughlyandaccuratelywhilestillremaininginthecontextofsnaredrumrudimentsandrudimentalpractice.…RudimentalArithmeticisbothaconceptualapproachtoplayingthesnaredrumandapracticalmethodforcreatingmusicforit.…RudimentalArithmeticprovidesusefultoolsforimprovisation,interpretation,andcompositioninallformsofrhythmicmusic.…Rudimentaldrummingisfundamentallymetric,andsothisstudybeginswithanattempttoclarifyandproperlydefinebasicaspectsofmeterandrhythmicgrouping.70

Theinformativeandthoroughintroductionissummarizedabove.

However,additionalobjectivesincludetheclarificationofterminologysuchas

multi‐meter,poly‐meter,andpolyrhythm,aswellascitationofcommon

problemsthatsnaredrummersencounter.Themethodbookisnotintendedfor

thebeginningsnaredrummer.However,itcanbeaself‐educatorforan

advancedstudentwhoispreparedformorecomplexconceptsofrhythm,meter,

andothertermsdescribedinthetext.Nointroductiontogrip,stroke,reading,

musicaltextorsymbolsisprovided.Partonebeginswithadiscussionofmeter.

Thisisbothinformativeastotheproperdefinitionandlabelingofvarious

metersandpossibleratioscreatedbycommonbeat/metercombinations;

70BobBecker,RudimentalArithmetic(AshburyPark,NJ:KeyboardPercussionPublications,2008),2.

61

playingexercisesareplacedthroughoutthetextualcontent.Parttwoistitled

rudimentsbutfocusesexclusivelyonrollrudimentsfrom2‐stroketo15‐stroke

rolls,dragrudiments,anddiddlerudiments.Themaincomponentofthese

sectionsrelatestothepossibledensitiesthatcanbeexecutedwitheachrolland

drag,aswellasresultantsectionsdemonstratingtheapplicationsofthevarious

rhythmicvalues.RudimentsfeaturedarenotlimitedtotheP.A.Slistof40;

additionalroll,drag,anddiddlepatternsareincluded.Partthree,permutations,

introducesaformulaforcalculatingallpossiblestickingcombinationsand

featuresexercisesforapplicationofvariouspermutations.Applicationofthe

permutationstogroupsofpatternsisalsofeaturedalongwithtablesthat

illustratethenotegroupings,usingtheintegerstwoandthree,thatarepossible

withfivetosixteenelements.71Othernotegroupingsusingprimenumbersand

oddnumbersarealsodiscussedandillustrated.Thissectionutilizesflams,rolls,

accentpatterns,anddiddlepatterns.Partitionsofnumbersarethefocusofpart

four.“Apartitionofanumberisdefinedasawaytoarriveatthatnumberby

addingpositiveintegerstogether.”72Forexample,theresultofthreecanbe

obtainedbyadding1+2,1+1+1,or3alone.73Thesepartitionsofnumbersare

thenappliedaspossiblestickingpattersforaspecificnumberofpulsesornotes.

71Beckerreferstonumberofstrokesinagivenpatternas“elements.”72Becker,3.73Ibid,3.

62

Severalexercisesandtablesarealsousedtoillustrateanddiscusspossibleways

ofalteringandutilizingthisconcept.Partfivebreaksdownseveraltypes,or

families,ofpolyrhythms.Thefirsttype,cross‐rhythms,isthemostfamiliarasit

involvestwodifferentgroupshappeningsimultaneously,asintwooverthree.

However,advancedandcreativecross‐rhythmsareexploredthroughexercises,

mathematicalequivalence,andtextualexplanation.Severalpagesofadvanced

polyrhythmexercisesarefeaturedinpartfive;appendicesareprovidedthat

exhibitthevariousmathematicalformulasforconstructingpolyrhythmand

permutations.Thelastpartfeaturesseventy‐twopagesofexercisesandetudes

thatsynthesizealloftheconceptsdiscussedthroughoutthemethodbook.These

areequallyaschallengingastheconceptsthemselves,utilizingadvanced

rhythms,rudiments,andmusicalconcepts.RudimentalArithmeticapplies

mathematicalconceptstoadvancedrudimentaldrumminginordertobetter

understandrelationshipsbetweenrhythmandmeter.Theseconceptsare

enhancedthroughexcellentexercisesandtext,thencontextualizedwithcreative

etudes.

63

CHAPTERIV

TrendsandDevelopmentsinSelectedMaterials

Theproliferationofsnaredrummethodbooksfrom1935to2008warrants

athoroughreviewofthematerialaswellasananalysisofthechangesthat

occurredandtrendsthatdevelopedthroughoutthetimeperiod.Inorderto

highlighttrendsanddevelopments,separatecomponentsofthereviewed

methodbooksmustbecloselyexamined.Throughaclearunderstandingofthe

consistenciesandinconsistenciesthatexistamongthemostprominentsnare

drummethodbooks,educatorsandstudentsmaybegintostudyandteachthe

snaredrumwithgreaterinsightandknowledge.

Set‐UpandMaintenance

Eightsnaredrummethodbooksinthestudyprovidethenecessary

informationregardingset‐upandmaintenance.Chronologically,DrumMethod,

BookOnebyHaskellHarr,TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,Elementary

DrumMethodbyRoyBurns,LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhil

Perkins,Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyFeldsteinandBlack,AFreshApproach

totheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare

DrummingbyKeenanWylieeachpresentssuchpreliminaryinformationpriorto

musicalandtechnicalinstruction.Coincidentally,thislistrepresentsacross‐

sectionofallmethodbooksinthestudy,withpublicationdatesfromthe1930s,

64

’50s,’60s,’70,’80s,and’90s.Unfortunatelymanyauthorsofourmost

prominentmethodbooksavoidtopicssuchasset‐up,maintenance,andtuning.

Firstpublishedin1937,DrumMethodbyHaskellHarristheearliest

publicationinthestudytofeatureinformationregardingset‐up,maintenance,

andotherpreliminaryinformation.Harrnotonlyprovidesspecificinformation

aboutthesnaredrum,healsodiscussesotherpercussioninstrumentsand

includesanabbreviatedhistoryofthesnaredrum,fromatoolusedto

communicateancienttribalcodetomodernorchestralinstrument.

Recommendationsregardingwhatdrumsizesarebestusedinspecific

ensembles,alongwithanimageshowingvariouslabeledpartsofthedrum,

followthebriefhistory.Harralsorecommendscertainsizesofsticksforvarious

applications,andprovidesastep‐by‐stepguidetotensioningthedrumhead.A

testamenttotheearlypublicationdateofDrumMethod,Harrincludespictorials

ofhowtoholdthedrumusingastrapovertheshoulderandonastand,bothat

anangle.Althoughstudentsmaynotplaythedruminthisway,becauseof

matchedgrip,valuableinformationregardingcorrectdrumheightandarelaxed

standingpositionwithfeetplacedashoulders’widthapartcanbeinferred.

Othermethodbooksinthestudygivemoredetailedinformationabout

tuningsystems,oftenincludingasequenceorpatternforadjustingthetension

rods.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoyBurns,publishedin1962,providestwo

65

methodsoftensioning.Burns’methodalsoprovidescleaningtips,snare‐

tensioningtips,anddrumhead(calfskin)carewithheadtuckinginstructions;

thelastrarelyutilizedtoday.Inregardtotuning,Harrsaystosimply“proceed

aroundthedrum”74,turningtherodsclockwise.Burns’methodbook,thenext

chronologicallyinthesub‐list,suggestsclockwisetuningaswellascross‐tension

tuninginwhichtherodsoppositeofeachotheraretightened.Alfred’sDrum

Method,FreshApproach,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingeach

presentssimilardiagramsforcross‐tensioning.Burnsalsosuggestslisteningto

thedrum,payingcloseattentiontotemperaturechangesandhowthesoundof

thedrum,ortensionofthehead,canchange.Amajorfacetoftuningthesnare

drumisadjustmentofthesnares.Fiveofthesemethodbooksmentionadjusting

thesnaresbutincludevaguesuggestionsforperceivingsoundquality.For

example,AFreshApproachtoSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,althougharecent

publication,saysto“tightenthesnaretensionadjustmentscrewuntilyoureach

thedesiredsound.Snaresthataretootightproduceachokedsound,tooloose

andyouwillhearthesnaresrattle.”75Thistext,unfortunately,isrepresentative

ofthewholegroupwithregardtotuningthesnares,orcreatingadesirable

74HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),5.75MarkWessels,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesslesPublications,2001),3.

66

sound.Cleardescriptionsofhowtocreatevarioustimbresbyadjustingthe

snares,andrecommendedsolutionsforparticularissuesthatmayarisewithan

ill‐tuneddrum,shouldbeincludedinacomprehensivesnaredrummethodbook.

Onlyfiveofthesevensnaredrummethodbooksmentionedaboveprovide

animageofasnaredrumwiththevariouspartsofthedrumlabeled.Theresult

isthatmanystudentsbeginplayingthesnaredrumwithouttheknowledgeof

howtoadjust,fix,tune,ormaintaintheinstrument.

Onlytwobooksinthestudyadequatelyprovidethispreliminarymaterial,

AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,andDrumMethod,Book

OnebyHaskellHarr.Theyincludemaintenance,partsoftheinstrument,

drumheadreplacement,tuning,heightofthedrum,andcareofthedrum.

However,noteveryfacetofthiscomponentreceivesthoroughattention,as

mentionedabove,andstudentsaswellaseducatorswouldbenefitfrom

additionalspecificinformationregardingthecareandmaintenanceaswellas

tuning,adjusting,andsettingupthesnaredrum.

NoteReadingandMusicFundamentals

Signalingbattlemovementsanddailycampactivitiesdidnotrequire

advancednote‐readingabilityormusicfundamentalssuchasdynamics,bar‐

lines,tempomarkings,etc.However,bytheearlytwentiethcenturythenumber

67

ofschoolbandsandorchestrasintheUnitedStatesbeganincreasingrapidly.

Demandforyoungmusicalpercussionistswhodisplayedthenecessary

techniqueforevennessofsoundonthedrumandcouldalsoreadcontemporary

bandliteraturewashigherthanever.

Reflectingthisevolution,earlypublicationsinthestudyprovideadequate

instructiononnote‐readingandothermusicfundamentals.Forexample,

ElementaryMethodbyPaulYoder,publishedin1935,providesatablethat

comparesrhythmicnotevaluesandcorrespondingrestvalues,aswellasvarious

timesignatures,countswrittenbelowthestaff,andasequentialapproachtothe

acquisitionofrhythmiccomprehensionthatcultivatesproficientsight‐reading.

Althoughdynamicsandothermusicalconceptsarenotfurtherexplored,the

importanceofacquiringnote‐readingproficiencyisevident.

Tenmethodbooksinthestudyincludeinstructionofmusicfundamentals

andnote‐reading.Chronologically,theyareElementaryMethodbyPaulYoder,

DrumMethod,BookOnebyHaskellHarr,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrum

MethodbyBenjaminPodemski,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,SnareDrum

Method,BookIbyVicFirth,LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,VolumeIbyPhil

Perkins,Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookIbyFeldsteinandBlack,PrimaryHandbook

forSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumby

MarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie.

68

Certainmethodbooksabovefeaturebetterinstructionthroughagreater

quantityofinformationthanothers,andnotwoauthorsapproachthis

componentinexactlythesameway.Theuseofanoteratiochart,orcomparable

tableshowingcommonnotevaluesinrelationshiptoeachother,isacommon

trendamongallofthesemethodbooks.However,thatistheextentof

agreementamongauthors.Thisauthorbelievesthemostthoroughapproachis

achievedbyWessels.Musicfundamentalsfromnewnotevaluesandtime

signaturestodynamicsandotherstafftext,suchaspocoapoco,aregradually

incorporatedintolessonsasaseparatefacet;theyarethencontextualized

throughetudes.Wesselsisnottheonlyauthortousethisapproach,norwashe

thefirst.HaskellHarr’smethodbook,organizedsimilarlytoWessels’,also

presentsmusicalsymbolsandexpressionsinindividuallessons.VicFirth

choosesamuchdifferentapproachinhismethodbook.Heprovidesall

necessaryterms,dynamics,noteandresttables,andtimesignatureinformation

onlittlemorethanapage.Althoughtheall‐at‐oncepresentationofthematerial

thatFirthutilizesseemslesspedagogicallysound,providingasinglepagefor

constantreferencehasitsbenefitsaswell.Interestingly,Firth’ssnaredrum

methodistheonlyonethatillustratespitchesonatrebleclefstaff.Firth,

Wessels,Wylie,Harr,FeldsteinandBlack,andPodemski,allpresentnote‐

69

readingandmusicfundamentalsclearlyandthoroughly,whiletheotherfour

methodbooksinthisgrouppresentadequateinstructionofthesetopics.

Onlyasmallpercentageofthemostprominentmethodbookscovernote‐

readingandmusicfundamentals.Noobvioustrendwithregardtothecontentof

informationexists.Thisauthorbelievesthatasequentialapproach,asinDrum

Method,BookOnebyHaskellHarr,andAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumby

MarkWessels,isthemosteffective.Byisolatingdifferentmusicalideas,time

signatures,etc.,studentsretaintheinformationandaremorelikelytoutilizethe

newskillsrapidly.Althoughbothauthorsexhibitaneffectiveapproach,an

increaseinthequantityofmaterialaswellasopportunitiesforcontextualization

ispossible.

Grip

Themethodbywhichsnaredrumsticksaregrippedisparamountto

effectiveperformanceatanylevel.Analysisofthemostprominentsnaredrum

methodbooksrevealscommonalitiesanddifferencesintechnique,presentation,

andthoroughnessofinstruction.Awarenessofthesimilaritiesanddifferences

canbeobservedthroughacomparisonoftheavailablemethodbooks.Inorder

tobetterunderstandthecontinuumofapproaches,thisauthordividedgrip

instructionamongthestudiedmethodbooksintofourcategories.Highlighting

fourmethodbooksthatexhibitinstructionthatmatchesthesecategorical

70

descriptionsprovidesabetteropportunitytodevelopaclearperspectiveonthis

facetofinstruction.

Categoryoneencompassesmethodbooksthatprovideinadequate

instructionthroughimagesand/ortextualcontent,andagriptechniquethat

manyoftoday’sstudentsandeducatorswillfindoutdatedoruncommon.

ElementaryMethodbyPaulYoderisrepresentativeofbooksinthestudythat

illustratestickgripprimarilythroughimagesordrawingsthatlackvisualclarity,

offervaguedescriptionsregardinghowthegripfeels,andprovideinadequateor

nodescriptionsofwherethestickmakescontactwiththehand.InYoder’s

methodbook,nogripinstructionexists,andstudentshaveonlythesketchesto

guidethem;thegriphastobeinferredfromthesketches.Moreover,the

sketchesshowaright‐handgripinwhichthethumbisnotincontactwiththe

stick,noristheindexfinger,andanimageofaleft‐handgripthatinadequately

exhibitsanyexactcontactpointsorshapeofthehand.Othermethodbooksthat

havesimilarinadequaciesintheareaofstickgripincludeDrumMethodby

CharleyWilcoxon,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjamin

Podemski,TheMoellerBookbySanfordA.Moeller,ElementaryDrumMethodby

RoyBurns,Here’sTheDrumbyEmilSholle,andPrimaryHandbookforSnare

DrumbyGarwoodWhaley.Althoughthesemethodbooksprovideimagesand

attempttodescribethestickgrip,theyareequallyunclear,imprecise,and

71

outdated.Unfortunatelythiscategoryencompassesthegreatestpercentageof

methodbooksinthestudy.

Thesecondcategorycontainsthosemethodbooksthatprovideexcellent

instructionthroughimagesandtext.However,theyoffertechnicalinstruction

thatmanystudentsandeducatorsmayfindoutdatedanduncommontoday.

RepresentativeofthisgroupisDrumMethod,BookOne,byHaskellHarr,

publishedinthe1930’s.Harr’smethodbookthoroughlyillustratesstickgrip

throughclearimagesfromvariousangles,andexplainsthegripthrough

sufficienttextualexplanation.However,thismethodbook,andotherearly

publications,providesoutdatedgripinstruction.Forexample,imagesoftheleft

handgripshowthethumbcurledaroundthetopofthestickratherthanloosely

restingonthestick,asshowninmorerecentpublications.Thetipsofthethird

andfourthfingersarecurled,nearlymakingcontactwiththepalmofthehand.

Thisresultsinthestickrestingonthemiddlejointsofbothfingers.Intheright

hand,thestickisplaceddiagonallyacrossthehandwiththestickinastraight

linewiththearm.Thissubsequentlyresultsinthebackfingersmakinglittle

contactwiththestick,andsevereulnardeviation.76TheLogicalApproachto

SnareDrumbyPhilPerkinsexhibitsanearlyidenticalapproach.

76Ulnardeviation,orflexion,occurswhenthewristbendstowardthelittlefingerorulnarbone.

72

Thethirdcategoryencompassesmethodbooksthatprovideanupdated

pedagogicalapproachtogriptechniquebutnoclearanddetailedtexttoguide

thestudenttowardanunderstandingofcontactpoints,looseness,andother

specificinformation.Althoughothermethodbooksoutsideofthescopeofthe

studycertainlyexhibitthistrend,onlyonemethodbook,SnareDrumMethod,

BookI,byVicFirth,clearlyfallsintothisthirdcategory.Firthoffersvarious

imagesofboththerightandlefthand(traditional)grip.Theleft‐handgrip

utilizescontactpointssimilartothefirstcategorybutwitharelaxedthumband

naturallycurvedringandpinkyfingers.Also,initialinstructionfeaturedhere,

suchasholdingthestickonlyinthecrookofthethumbwiththehand

perpendiculartothedrum,isreminiscentofmanymodernmethodbooks.The

imageshowsarelaxedfirstfingerthatislooselycurledaroundthestick,with

theotherfingersmakingcompletecontact.Moreover,ratherthanthestick

fittingintothecreaseofthepalm,creatingthenoncontactamongbackfingers

andseverewristpronation,Firthsuggeststhatthestickrestacrossthehandso

thatwhenturnedoverthebuttofthestickisvisible.Theauthorbelievesthis

representsamodernapproachcommontoday.However,thisinstructionis

inadequatebecauseitlacksqualitytextualguidance.

Thefinalcategoryofmethodbooksoffersexcellentall‐aroundgrip

instruction.Eachofthemprovidesclearimages,informativetextualcontent,

73

andanup‐to‐dateapproachtogripmostcommontoday.Representativeofthis

groupisAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels,mostrecently

publishedin2002.Wesselsoffersthemostcomprehensivegripinstruction.

Bothright‐handandleft‐handstickgripisexhibitedthroughmultipleimages,

andsupportingtextthoroughlyintroducesstudentstogrippingthesticks.The

high‐qualityimages,fromvariousangles,clearlyshowthehandsproperly

grippingthesticksaswellasvariousstagesinvolvedwithformingthegrip.

Excellentinstructionisgiventhroughtheimagesalone.However,correlating

textfurtherenhancesthestep‐by‐stepprocess.Unlikeolderpublications,the

right‐handgripisshownwithaloosebutclosedgripthatrequiresallfingersto

touchthestickandthepalmtofacedownward,inthecaseofmatchedgrip.Left‐

handgripisshownwiththehandinacomfortableposition,thumbrestingon

thestickratherthancurledaroundthestick,withringandpinkyfingers

providingsupportunderneath,makingcontactapproximatelyonequarterofan

inchfromthetipoftheringfinger.Likewise,thetraditionallefthandgripis

illustratedthroughastep‐by‐stepprocessthatutilizesimagesandtext.Wessels

providesclarityandthoroughnessaswellasanapproachtogripthatiscommon

today.Othermethodbooksthatprovideexcellentgripinstructioncomparable

toAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumareAlfred’sDrumMethod,BookIby

FeldsteinandBlack,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,SavageRudimental

74

WorkshopbyMattSavage,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingby

KeenanWylie.

Stroke

Snaredrumstrokereferstothemethodbywhichthestickstrikesthe

drumhead.Executionofvariousstrokes,suchasallowingnaturalreboundoffof

thedrumheadandstoppingthestickclosetothedrumhead,arenecessaryfor

accuratetechnicalexecution.Basicstrokesarethefoundationofanystyleof

snaredrumming,andstrokeacquisitionisanecessarycomponentofsnaredrum

instruction.However,manyprominentmethodbookseitheromitthis

instructionorofferscantinformationonthesubject.Unfortunately,authorsthat

includethisinstructionpresentavarietyofdescriptionsandterminologies.The

juxtaposingofthetwelvemethodbooksthatfeaturestrokeinstructionreveals

inadequaciesaswellasexcellentmethodologiesregardingsnaredrumstroke.

Aswithgrip,methodbookswitholderpublicationdatesoftenpresent

strokeinstructionthatisoutdatedanddifficulttounderstandbecauseofvague

analogiesandunnaturaldescriptionsofthemotion.Forexample,HaskellHarr

writes,“Raisethearmuntilthehandisonalevelwiththechin,atthesametime

turnthewristoutward,causingthebeadtotravelinahalf‐circle...returnthe

sticktotheheadwithamotionsimilartocrackingawhip.”Theleft(traditional)

handisequallyinadequate,andincorporatestheanalogyof“flippingwaterfrom

75

thefingers.”77Althoughconnectingthemotionofstrikingthedrumwitha

familiarmotionineverydaylifeisvaluable,veryfewstudentshavecrackeda

whip.Likewise,flippingwaterfromthefingersmaynotbethemostaccurate

exampleoftheturningmotionusedforthelefthandstroke.Moreimportant,

Harrdoesnotofferadescriptionofhowtoexecutecontinuousstrokes,which

wouldbenecessaryforhisinitialexercise.Thedouble‐strokeandmultiple‐

bounce‐strokereceivemorehelpfuldescriptionsandanabsenceofconfusing

analogies.Harrexplainsbothstrokesas“controlledrebound”anddescribesthe

stroke:“Makethestrokewiththesamesnapusedinplayingthesinglestrokes.

Immediatelyafterthestickcontactsthehead,applypressurewiththethumbby

rollingitslightlytotheright,therebyforcingthestickbacktotheheadforthe

secondblow.”78Partsofhisdescriptionsuchasrollingthethumbandforcing

thestickbacktotheheadforasecondblowareconfusingandinaccurate.Other

publicationspresentsimilarinformation.VicFirth’sSnareDrumMethod

provideslittledescriptionofhowtoexecuteasinglestroke.However,

sequentialphotosexhibitingthemotionareprovided.Theimagesand

descriptionaregreatbutonlyshowthestickstartingatthedrum,comingtothe

“up”position,andtravelingbacktothedrum.Noexplanationofhowthestick

77HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),11.78Harr,8.

76

reboundsoffofthedrumheadisprovidedandFirthdoesnotdescribethenature

ofexecutingcontinuousstrokes.EvenmoreinadequateareElementaryDrum

MethodbyRoyBurns,andTheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrumbyPhilPerkins.

Burnsfeaturesasmallsectioncalled“strikingthedrum,”inwhichthestudentis

informedthat“thesticksshouldreboundorbounceawayfromtheheadas

quicklyaspossiblesothattheheadcanvibratefreely.”79Thisisexcellentadvice

butunfortunatelyconstitutestheonlystrokeguidanceinthemethod,otherthan

twoimagesexhibitingthe“up”positionsoftherightandlefthands.Perkins

devotestwopagesinhismethodbookto“stickmovement.”Onepagefeatures

therighthandmotionandonefeaturesthelefthandmotionwithsiximagesof

eachstepintheprocessprovided.AlthoughPerkinsdescriptionofthephysical

motioninvolvedinmovingthestickupanddownisexcellent,andhis

instructionsaretoallowthestickto“bounceawayfreely,”noexplanationofhow

thestickcomesoffoftheheadinothersituationsisgiven,noristhemethodby

whichtoexecutecontinuousstrokesthat“bounceawayfreely”provided.

Alfred’sDrumMethodbyFeldsteinandBlack,publishedin1987,providesclear

imagesofthemotion,similartoPerkins.However,FeldsteinandBlackalso

provideinadequatestrokeinformation,writing;“playthestroke(down‐up)

strikingtheheadandreturningimmediatelytotheupposition...when

79RoyBurns,ElementaryDrumMethod(NewYork:HenryAlderInc.,1962),2.

77

alternatingstrokes,therightstickstrikesthedrumandreboundstoaposition

approximatelytwoinchesabovethehead.Whentheleftstickcomesdown,the

rightstickgoesfromthelowpositiontothefullupposition.”80Althoughthis

informationishelpful,itlacksthethoroughnessandclaritynecessaryfor

pedagogicaldevelopmentofthestroke.

TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,publishedearlierthanFeldsteinand

Black,Perkins,orBurns,clearlydelineatesdifferenttypesofstrokesnecessary

forexecutingpatternsorrudiments.Additionally,thebasicstroke,notyet

named,istaughtthroughtheuseofagroupofimagesina“timelapse”formatin

whichtheauthorhasslowlyexaggeratedthestrokemotionsothatthestudent

mayseeitclearlyineachframeorimage.Unfortunately,theseimagesare

coupledwithuncleartextandoutdatedinstruction.Thisisespeciallytruewith

regardtotherighthandinwhichboththeimagesandtextinstructthestudent

to“continuetorotatetheforearm...snappingawayinstantly...keepthis

fanlikemotiongoingsteadily...atfirstthewristwillbenecessarilystiff.”81

Moelleristhefirstauthorinthestudytoutilizenowfamiliarterminologysuch

asupstrokeanddownstroke.However,themethodbookdoesnotprovide

thoroughinstructionofthesestrokes,asevidencedbythequoteabove.The

80SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI.(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),7.81SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),6.

78

absenceofaclearexplanationofthestrokes,coupledwithacleardisconnect

fromcurrentmethodologiesinregardtoexplanationofthegeneralmotions,

rendersthemethodinsufficientforstrokestudy.

Onlyfourmethodbooksinthestudyprovidecomprehensivestroke

instructionthatispedagogicallycomplete.SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMatt

Savage,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum

byMarkWessels,andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKeenan

Wylieeachexhibitsaneffectivemethodofteachingthestudenthowtostrikethe

drum.Thesemethodbooksrepresentthemostrecentpublicationsinthestudy

aswell,theoldestbeingAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Wessels1994),

andnecessarilyrepresentthemostup‐to‐datemodeloftechnique.InAFresh

ApproachtotheSnareDrum,lessthanadecadeafterFeldsteinandBlack,the

methodbywhichtostrikethedrumreceivesmuchneededattention.Anentire

pageisdedicatedtowhatWesselscallsthe“reboundstroke.”Aidedbyclear

imagesshowingthestickpositions,heproceedstogiveclearinstructiononhow

toallowthestickto“naturallyreboundwhenitstrikesthedrumhead.”82Rather

thanimpreciseandvagueanalogies,hecomparesthisstroketoabouncing

basketball,writing:“Whenyoubounceabasketballonthefloor,itwillnaturally

82Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesselsPublications,2001),6.

79

rebound–noenergyisrequiredotherthantheinitialtoss.”83Thisisquite

differentfromthesnappingbackthatMoellerrefersto,andencouragesamore

relaxedapproach.Wesselseffectivelyexplainshowtocreatecontinuousstrokes

byreferringtothebouncingballanddescribinghowthestickcomesbackup

naturallybeforepushingthestickbacktowardthedrum.Healsodelineatesfive

typesofstrokesthatareusedtostrikethedrumhead.LikeMoeller,heusesthe

termsrebound‐stroke,down‐strokeandup‐stroke,butalsoincludesbounce‐

strokeandtap;eachisembeddedintoindividuallessonsasnecessary.A

combinationofcleartextualguidance,supplementalphotosofthemotion,and

delineationofotherstrokemotionsnecessarytoexecutevariouspatternscreate

oneofthemostthoroughstrokemethodologiesavailable.Twoofthemethod

booksthatalsoprovideexcellentstrokeinstructionarerudimentalguides.

Understandingvariousstrokemotionsisperhapsmorevaluabletostudents

wishingtomastertherudiments,andbothMattSavageandBillBachman

understandthevalueofstrokeacquisition.Eachoftheirrespectivemethod

booksprovidesdetailedstrokeinformation.Savageusesonlyfourstroketypes:

natural‐stroke,down‐stroke,up‐stroke,andtap‐stroke.Savage’s“natural‐

stroke”isthesameasWessels’“rebound‐stroke,”perhapspromptingSavageto

placetheterms“legato‐stroke”and“rebound‐stroke”inparentheses.Like

83Ibid,6.

80

Wessels,Savageinstructsthestudentto“throwthebeaddowntotheheadand

allowittoreboundbacktotheoriginalposition.”84BothWesselsandSavage

explainthedown‐strokeasastrokewhichreboundiscontrolledbyslightly

squeezingorgrippingthestickjustaftercontact.However,Savageexplainsboth

up‐strokeandtap‐strokethoroughlywithcleartextandimagesshowingthe

beginningandendingpositions,whichWesselsdoesnotofferinAFresh

ApproachtotheSnareDrum.Theotherrudimentalguide,RudimentalLogicby

BillBachman,expandsthestudyofindividualstroketypesfurtherbyofferinga

sectionwithadditionaltextandexercisesspecificallydesignedtofacilitate

masteryofthestroketypes.BothWesselsandSavagesupplycomparablestroke

exercisesandusehigh‐qualityimages.Bachman’sexplanationofthedown‐

strokeisdifferentfromthatofWesselsorSavage.Hewrites,“Throwthewrist

downandpullthefingersintowardsthehand.”85Likewise,Bachmanusesthe

phrase“slightlyopenyourfingerstoachievetheupposition”86whenexecuting

theup‐stroke.ThedetailedapproachthatBachmanuses,bringingintoquestion

exactuseofthefingers,isparamounttothedevelopmentofproperstrokes.

Additionally,RudimentalLogicfeaturesasectionteachingtheMoellerstroke,a

strokethatMoellerexplainsinhismethodbook.However,itisnotthe“fanlike”84MattSavage,SavageRudimentalWorkshop(Miami:WarnerBros.Publications,2001),9.85BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),16.86BillBachman,RudimentalLogic(Row‐LoffPublications,2006),17.

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motionexplainedbutratherutilizationofthewhippingmotionMoeller

describes.Bachmanusesinformationfrompreviousauthorswhileadding

additionalinformationforamorepreciseexplanationofthestrokes.Thefinal

methodbooktofeaturestrokemotionsisSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare

DrummingbyKeenanWylie.Althoughalessthoroughapproachwithregardto

quantityofdescriptivetextandinformativeimages,Wylie’sstrokecomponentis

adequateandusesanapproachmostsimilartoWessels’.Wyliealsousesthe

termreboundstroke;asWesselsdoes,butinsteadofusingtheterm“down‐

stroke”Wyliecallsthetechniquea“controlled‐stroke”.Hecarefullyexplainsthe

stroke,howtoavoidtensioninthewrist,andsuggestsnotsqueezingthestick

toomuch,aslightrebuttaltopreviousexplanations.Wyliewrites,“The

controlledstrokeobviouslyrequirestheplayertoholdontothestickabitmore.

Becarefulnottosqueezethesticksotightlythatthemovementofthestickis

stifled.”87AninterestingadditiontoWylie’sstrokeinstructionisthe“twofor

onestroke.”88Thetwo‐for‐one‐strokeisadoublestrokeinwhichthesecond

strokeisaccomplishedthroughrebound.Theideaofcreatingtwonoteswith

onewriststrokeisanimportantdistinctionthathelpsclarifythephysicalityof

playingadoublestrokeroll.

87KennanWylie,SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming(FlowerMound,Texas:K.WyliePublications,2001),4.88Ibid,28.

82

Themostrecentmethodbooksinthestudyfocusagreateramountof

instructionondifferentstroketypes.AlthoughMoellerutilizestermssuchas

down‐strokeandup‐stroke,Wessels,Bachman,Savage,andWylieexpandthe

terminologyandperhapsperfecttheexplanationofthemwhileaddingspecific

exercisesthatfacilitateabetterunderstandingofthemotions.

Rudimental

Anexaminationofrudimentalpedagogyrevealscommontrendsattached

tocertaintimeframeswithinthescopeofthisstudy.Whileobservingpatterns

inpercussioneducationisbeyondthescopeofthestudy,itisnecessaryto

understandgeneralchangesthatmayaffectanauthor’sapproachtorudimental

instruction.Althoughtherudimentalstyleofdrummingwasprominentthrough

thenineteenthcentury,bythetwentiethcenturyschoolbandsandorchestras

werequicklydevelopingaroundthecountryinconjunctionwithmilitaryand

swingbands.Asaresult,theroleofthesnaredrummerincreasedand

diversified.Newlypublishedmethodbooksnecessarilyevolvedto

accommodatethemarketshift.Snaredrummethodbooksinthisstudyreveal

thatauthorschosetoeitherfocusononeparticularstyleorattempttoreacha

wideaudiencebycreatingageneralapproachthatoftencompromisesthedepth

andthoroughnessofrudimentalinstruction.

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Prominentmethodbookspublishedearlyinthetwentiethcentury,

beginningwithElementaryDrumMethodbyYoder,exhibitanapproachthatis

applicabletodrummersofallstyleswhilemaintainingtherudimentsasa

fundamentalskill.Threesnaredrummethodbooksfromthe1930s–Yoder’s,

Harr’s,andStone’sStickControl‐exhibitthistrend.Yoderliststhestandard26

rudimentsbutonlycreatesexercisesforexecution,andetudesfor

contextualization,ofafewrudimentssuchastheflamandtheseven‐strokeroll.

Likewise,StickControlfeaturesnomorethanfiverudimentsinthehundredsof

stickingpatterns.Harr’sDrumMethod,BookOnefeaturestenrudimentsand

insteadfocusesonreading,syncopation,andexecutingbasicrudimentssuchas

therollandflamwhileusingvariousnotevaluesandmeters.Theseauthorsdo

notattempttocreateamethodbookthatispurelyarudimentalguide,and

consciouslyfocusonrhythmic‐readinganddevelopmentofotherskills

applicabletopercussionistsinaschoolbandororchestra.However,the

prominenceoftherudimentalinstructionisclear,andasubstantialamountof

exercisesfocusonrudimentalexecution.Thefirstmethodbookinthestudyto

providethoroughinstructiononallthestandardrudiments,26atthetime,is

DrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellHarr.Allofthe26rudiments,standardized

bytheN.A.R.D.in1933,arelistedandthoroughlyexplainedthrough

illustrations,exercises,andetudes.Rudimentsarebrokendown:forexample,

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therollrudimentsarenotatedbothwithslashesthroughnoteheadsandasa

seriesofthirty‐secondnoteswiththestickingwrittenbelow.Harroftenusesa

largernotevaluetofacilitateanunderstandingoftherhythm;forexample,

notatingaruffastwounaccentedeighthnotesfollowedbyanaccentedquarter

note,thenpresentingthefirsttwoasgrace‐notes.Theetudesandsolopieces,

eachfeaturingalistofincludedrudimentsatthetop,areexcellentinboth

combiningandcontextualizingtherudimentsaswellaspresentingthestudent

withcommonstylistictraitsofthetimewhich,althoughuncommontoday,are

importantinunderstandinghistoricaldrummingstylesandbuildinghand

strength.Theuseofgrace‐notesforthediddleportionsoffive,seven,nine,etc.,

strokerollsisanotationalobstaclecommoninearlyandmid‐century

publications.Fittingtheappropriateamountofnotesintoanapproximatespace

isuncommontodayandisonesetbackthatstudentsmayfacewhenworking

throughthisrudimentalguide.

Focusedentirelyonrudimentalacquisition,Harr’sBookTwoprovides

excellentrudimentalinstruction.Thedifferenceinapproachbetweenthetwo

volumesseemstodelineatetwodifferentstylesorcontextsinwhichsnare

drummingexists:concertandrudimental.

Twoprominentmethodbooksfromthe1940’s,DrumMethodbyCharley

WilcoxonandPodemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski,

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furtherexhibitinstructionthatcorrelatestothedevelopmentandincreaseinthe

roleofthesnaredrummer.Bothauthorsfocusonaparticularstylebutalso

retainrudimentalinstruction.Podemski’smethodbookfallsshortofcovering

the26standardrudiments,standardizedpriortothepublicationdate.He

includestexttoguidethestudentthrougheachnewlyintroducedrudiment.

However,thetextualcontentislimitedtohowtherudimentshouldsound,not

howtoexecutethepatternusingacombinationofstroketypes.Approximately

twenty‐fivepercentofthemethodbookemphasizesrudimentalpatterns.

Podemskiattemptstoupholdtheimportanceofrudimentalplayingbutteaches

rudimentsthroughthecontextoforchestralliterature.Theresultisafocuson

thoserudimentsmostcommontoorchestralplayingsuchasrolls,flams,and

drags,whileomittingmanyothers.Atotaloffifteenadditionalrudimentsare

incorporatedthroughtheuseofshortexercisesoutofmusicalcontext.The

absenceofadditionalnotationsoftherudiments,particularlytheuseoflarger

notevalues,specifictextualcontentforguidance,andrudimentalexercisesand

etudes,resultsinalimitedbuteffectiverudimentalmethodbook.However,

rudimentalinstructionisnotPodemski’sprimaryobjective.Hisaimisto

provideinformationfortheorchestralandbandsnaredrummerwhileproviding

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the“fundamentalsnecessarytomasteringtherudimentsandtechniquesof

drumming.”89

DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonalsoexhibitsaparticularemphasis

aimedatexpandingmarketswhileretainingrudimentalinstruction.Muchcan

beinferredfromthesubtitleofthebook,rudimentalandswingstyles

incorporatingmoderndrumsettechniques.AlthoughDrumMethodfeaturesa

substantialamountofmaterialfortheswingdrummer,includingbrush

techniqueandgroovestudy,itispredominantlymadeupofexercisesandetudes

forthesnaredrum.Rudimentstakeabackseat,beingintroducedinthepreface

andreturninginlessonthirty.Wilcoxonthenquicklymixesinrudimentafter

rudimentuntilall26appearinexercisesandsolos.However,onlyafew

rudimentssuchastheflam,flamacue,flamaccent,anddragreceivespecific

instructionthroughillustration,alternativenotation,andsimpleexercises.

Methodbookspublishedinthe1950sand1960snearlyomitrudimental

instructioncompletely,withsomefocusingentirelyonorchestralorconcert

snaredrumming.Theincreaseinbandsandorchestrasinschools,andthe

resultingincreaseinpercussionstudentsandinstructors,promptedMorris

GoldenbergtocreateModernSchoolforSnareDrum,publishedin1955.

Goldenbergneverusesthetermrudiment,exceptintheprefacetopartone,but

89BenjaminPodemski,StandardSnareDrumMethod(Miami,MillsMusicInc.,1940),2.

87

doesincorporateseveralrudimentsintohisexercisesandetudes.Flams,ruffs,

four‐strokeruffs,five‐strokerolls,andseven‐strokerollsarecommontoward

thelatersectionsofthetext.Nospecificguidanceisofferedforlearningthese

rudiments,whichispurposefullyomittedbytheauthor.

Onlyoneauthorofthistimeperiodattemptscomprehensiveandthorough

rudimentalinstruction.SanfordMoeller’sTheMoellerBook,publishedjustone

yearafterModernSchoolforSnareDrum,providesacomprehensiveguidetoall

26rudimentswithincludedexercisesformasteringandsolosfor

contextualizationofeachofthem.Additionalrudimentssuchasruff‐

paradiddles,full‐drags,andfour‐stroke‐ruffsarealsoincluded.Eachofthe

rudimentsislistedandexplainedindetailthroughtext,thenillustratedusing

variousnotations.Thecampdutypieces,aswellasthevariousrudimental

cadencesandsolos,areanexcellentcontextthroughwhichthestudentcanapply

therudiments.LikeHarr’sbooktwo,Moellerutilizesvariousamountsofgrace

noteswhennotatingrollsincontext.However,tolessenthefrustrationof

countinggracenotes,Moellerprovidesthenumberofgracenotes,writtenabove

thatstaff.Studentswillnonethelessencounterpassagesinthedrumandfife

excerptswithlargeamountsofgracenotes(forexample,anelevenorthirteen

strokeroll)andbecomeconfusedabouttheexactrhythmoftheroll,orspacing

afterthepreviousrelease.Althoughdrumandfifeexcerptsprovideanauthentic

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contextinwhichtoexecuterolltypes,therarityofsuchnotationmaynecessitate

additionalguidancefromaninstructor.Moellerprovidesamethodologythatis

dichotomoustoGoldenberg’s,providingin‐depthstudyofeachrudiment,and

providingrudimentalratherthanconcertexcerpts.Interestingly,Moeller

writesthatrudimentaldrumming“isthefoundationofallsnaredrummingand

necessaryintheproperexecutionofmodernbandandorchestramusic,aswell

asthemilitarybandanddrumcorps.”90

Methodbookspublishedinthe1960sto1970scontinuethetrendof

omittingfocusedrudimentalinstruction.ThisincludesAccentsandReboundsby

GeorgeStone,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle,SnareDrumMethodbyVicFirth,

DevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters,SnareDrumMethodbyJacques

Delécluse,andTheLogicalApproachtoSnareDrumbyPhilPerkins.Althoughall

ofthesemethodbooksincorporaterudimentsintoexercises,acknowledgethe

importanceoftherudiments,orprovideinstructionforalimitedamountof

rudiments,noauthorattemptscomprehensiverudimentalinstruction.Onlyone,

SnareDrumMethod,Book2IntermediatebyFirth,listsall26rudiments.

However,specificinstructionandexercisesareonlyprovidedforrolls,flams,

ruffsandfour‐strokeruffs;thoserudimentsnecessaryforconcertandorchestral

drumming.

90SanfordMoeller,TheMoellerBook(Cleveland,LudwigDrumCompany,1956),1.

89

Theonlyprominentmethodbookinthestudypublishedinthe1980s,

Alfred’sDrumMethodBook1andBook2byFeldsteinandBlack,provides

rudimentalinstruction.Althoughcomprehensiveinstructionthatincludesthe

completelistofstandardrudimentsisnotprovided,fifteenrudimentsreceive

excellentinstructionmostcomparabletothatofMoellerandHarr.The

PercussiveArtsSocietyexpandedthestandard26rudimentstoalistof40

rudimentsin1984,makingacomprehensiverudimentalmethodologymore

difficult.However,bythe1990sauthorsofprominentmethodbooksbeganto

providethoroughinstructionforeachofthestandard40andsomeadditional

hybridrudiments.MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlanKeown,SavageRudimental

WorkshopbyMattSavage,andRudimentalLogicbyBillBachmanallcoverthe

standardlistof40rudiments,andutilizeexercisesthatfocusonspecific

rudiments.However,SavageandBachmanalsoofferasequentialapproachto

developingtherudimentsbyutilizingmethodssuchaslearningeachhand

separately,orbuildingthebaserhythmfirst.Eachofthesemethodbookshasa

uniqueofferingforthestudentaswell.Forexample,RudimentalLogicillustrates

howtobreakdownarudiment(beginningslow,graduallyspeedingup,then

graduallyslowingdownagain)throughatimelinethatincludestipsfor

executionastherudimentspeedsupandslowsdown.Inaddition,Bachman

suppliesthestudentwithanabundanceofexercisematerialthatisinteresting

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andversatile.HealsoincludesinversionsofeachP.A.S.rudimentandalistof

thirty‐twohybridrudiments.Savageincludesillustrationsandnumerous

exercises,butsupplementstheinstructionwithmediathatallowsthestudentto

hearhigh‐qualityexecutionofeveryexercise.Savagealsosuppliesmorelengthy

andmusicaletudes,orsolos,throughwhichtoexecutetherudiments;thesolos

alsohavecorrespondingaudiotracksforthestudenttouseasaresource.

Rudimentsareutilizedineveryprominentmethodbookinthestudy.

However,manyauthorsconsciouslyavoidprovidingrudimentalinstruction

whileothersattempttoprovideacomprehensiveguidetolearningallofthe

standardrudiments,andmore.Unfortunatelythelatterapproachisfarless

apparent.Intotal,onlyfiveofthemostprominentsnaredrummethodbooks

providethoroughandcomprehensiverudimentalinstruction;DrumMethod

BookTwobyHaskellHarr,TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,Masteringthe

RudimentsbyAlanKeown,RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,andSavage

RudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage.Atimelineofeachthesemethodbooks

revealsthatfrom1935to1997onlytwomethodbooksthatfeature

comprehensiverudimentalinstructionwerepublished.However,from1997to

2001threemethodbookswithcomprehensiverudimentalinstructionwere

published,informingthatwhilerudimentalinstructiontaperedoffintheearly

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andmid‐twentiethcenturyarenewedinterestinrudimentaldrummingsince

the1990’sisevident.

Exercises

Providingqualitymaterialthatfacilitatesthelearningofindividual

techniquesandmusicalideasisparamounttoaneffectivemethodbook.

Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,FourthEditiondefinesanexerciseas

“somethingperformedorpracticedinordertodevelop,improve,ordisplaya

specificcapabilityorskill.”Whileeverymethodbookinthestudyfeatures

exercises,anin‐depthlookatexercisematerialfrom1935to2008revealsa

varietyofstyles,organization,andcontentinadditiontotrendsand

developments.

Avarietyofapproachesregardingexercisesexist,notonlybetweenoldand

newpublications,butalsoamongthosepublishedincloseproximity.

ElementaryMethod,DrumsbyPaulYoder(1935)presentsexercisesimmediately

afterrhythmicnotation.Theyarepresentedasshorttwo‐barfragments,with

stickingwrittenabovethestaffandcountswrittenbelowthestaffthroughout

themethodbook.Newrudimentsandothermusicalideasareillustratedand

explainedpriortosubsequentapplicableexercises.However,Yoder’sexercises

areoccasionallyunclearandfeatureuncommonexecution.Forexample,after

theseven‐strokerollisillustratedandexplained,Yoderplacesasticking

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combinationthatcorrespondstoallsevenstrokesoftherolldirectlyabovea

quarternotewiththreeslashesthroughthestem.Thisnotelength/slashes

combinationwouldcommonlybeplayedasanine‐strokeroll.However,the

notationdirectsthestudenttoexecutearollthatendsonthelastsixteenthnote

ofthemeasure,ratherthanplayingthroughtothenextbeat.Although

stylisticallyafewexercisesofhisareoutdated,Yoderprovidesthestudentwith

alargequantityandvarietyofshortexercises,manyofwhicharevaluableand

applicable.

StickControlbyGeorgeStone(1935)presentsoversevenhundred

exercisesfeaturingvariousstickingpatterns,rolltechniques,andrudiments,

absentofanyillustrationsorexplanations.However,hisobjectiveistopresenta

largequantityandvarietyofexercisesfordailypracticetowardthepurposeof

handstrengthening.LikeYoder’s,Stone’sexercisesareshort,slowlyprogressin

difficulty,andfeaturestickingthroughout.Thelargequantityofexercises

encouragesathoroughapproachtoeachtechniquefeatured.Forexample,192

exercisesfeatureflamsusingduplerhythms,andanadditional54exercises

featureflamtripletsanddottednotes.Manyofthemostprominentsnaredrum

methodbooks,includingStone’sAccentsandRebounds,arepredominantly

collectionsofexercisesthatdevelopspecifictechniquessimilartoStickControl.

SimilarmethodbooksincludeDevelopingDexteritybyMitchellPeters,TheRoll

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byEmilSholle,andSnareDrumTechniquebyPabloRieppi.Eachmethodbook

featuresalargequantityofexercisesbutlacksclearexplanationandtextual

guidancenecessaryforproperexecutionofthefeaturedtechniques.

In1937Harrdevelopedanewapproachtotheincorporationofexercises

intoamethodology,drasticallychangingthewaystudentsaccesstechnical

instruction.Organizedintoindividuallessons,Harr’sbookoneandtwofeaturea

sequenceofexercisesinconjunctionwithotherinstructionsuchasrudiment,

meter,andexpression.Withexercisematerialembeddedintoseparatelessons

thatalsoprogressindifficultyandcouldbeplayedinisolation,Harrestablished

anewstandardfororganizationofthesnaredrummethodbook.LikeYoder,

Harr’sexercisesfeaturecountsandstickingtoguidethestudent.However,Harr

removesthestafftext,encouragingstudentstodeveloptheseskillsontheirown.

Harr’sforty‐sevenexercisesarethorough,andclearlynotated,whilefeaturing

techniquesthatareexplainedthroughtextandillustrations.Harr’sexercises

featurethethoroughnessandrepetitivenessofthosefoundinStickControland

DevelopingDexteritywhileofferingboththequantityanddiversitytoengagethe

beginningtointermediatestudent.DrumMethod,BookTwobyHarrusesthe

sameformatwithanewobjective,rudimentalacquisition.

Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethod,publishedin1940,exhibits

similaritiestoHarr’smethodbooks.However,Podemski’sapproachtoexercise

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materialisunique.Exercises,eachapproximatelyonepageinlength,constitute

themajorityofhismethodbookandbecomemorecomplexandcreative.Short

exercises,fourtoeightmeasuresinlength,comprisetherudimentalsection,

whichisfeaturedearlyinthemethodbook.Exercisesarewellorganized,with

newstrokes,notevalues,andothermusicalelementsprovidingasequential

progressionindifficulty.Theinclusionofstafftext,suchascountsandsticking,

aidsthestudentduringtheearlystagesofthemethodbook.However,exercises

thirteentofifty‐eightomitcountsandstickingwhilequicklyincreasingin

rhythmicandtechnicaldifficulty,utilizingfundamentalsstudiedinthefirst

section.Complexsyncopationisaunifyingelementthroughouttheexercises,

necessarilycultivatingastrongsenseofpulse.Podemski’sexercisesare

primarilyonepageinlengthandcombinemanyskills;theseexercisescould

easilybeconsideredetudesorstudies.Shortexercisesthatfocusonaspecific

techniqueandfeatureaslowprogressionofrhythmicdifficulty,commonin

previouspublications,arenotprominentinthismethodbook.Theexercises,or

etudes,areofgreatvalue.Theypresentacreativeandmusicalcontextualization

ofrudiments,dynamics,meters,andmore,whileprovidingasequencethat

encouragestheacquisitionofnewtechniques.

DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,publishedin1944,featuresan

approachcomparabletoYoder’sbook:numerousshortexercisesthatslowly

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progress,bothrhythmicallyandtechnically.Stickingandotherhelpfultext,such

aslabelingrudimentsastheyappear,arefeaturedbelowthestaffthroughoutthe

methodbook.SimilartoYoder,Wilcoxonincludesalimitedamountof

rudimentsandothermusicalconcepts.However,Wilcoxonexplainsnew

rudiments,meters,rhythms,andothermusicalideasthroughtextand

illustrationsbeforesubsequentexercisesfeaturethem.Shortandrepetitive

exercisesinWilcoxon’sDrumMethodaremoreeffectivebecauseheutilizessolos

throughoutthemethodbookthatcontextualizetheexercisematerial.Yoder

presentsonlyalimitedamountofsolomaterialattheconclusionofhismethod

book.DrumMethodexhibitstraitssimilartoHarr’sDrumMethodandStick

ControlbyStone.Exercisesaredelineatedbylessonsthatalsofeaturesome

additionalmaterialasinHarr’smethodbook,whiletheformatofindividual

exercises,two‐barandfour‐barfragmentsthatslowlypresentnewtechniquesin

alogicalsequence,aremostsimilartothosefoundinStickControl.

Thefirsttwodecadesofprominentpublicationsproducedobservable

trendsanddevelopments.Manyofthesemethodbooksprovidevaluable

exercisesforstudentsandeducators.However,themostadvantageousmethod

forstudentsmaybeacombinationoftheseapproaches:amethodbookthat

featuresthoroughandfocusedexercisesthatarealsoshort,repetitious,and

sequential.Furthermore,theseexercisesshouldbeembeddedintoinstruction

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sothattextualguidance,illustrations,andmusicalcontextualizationsupplement

theinstructionalexercisematerial.

Twopopularmethodbooksfromthe1950s,TheMoellerBookbySanford

MoellerandModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenberg,offerexercises

thatexhibittheinfluenceofolderpublicationsandprovideuniquedevelopments

aswell.Goldenberg’sexercisesarefeaturedback‐to‐backatthebeginningofthe

methodbookwithonlyafewetudesandduetsbreakingtheexercise

progression.Noinstructionisprovidedforacquisitionofnewtechniques,and

stafftextsuchasstickingandcountsareonlyprovidedforthefirstfiveoutof

twenty‐sixexercises.However,theexercisesarelengthy,usuallyonepage,and

progressquicklythroughdifferentnotevalues,timesignatures,flams,androlls.

Eachexerciseismusicalandcreative,ratherthanshortandrepetitious,

featuringacombinationofintermediatetoadvancedrhythmsandtechniques.

Insteadofquickacquisitionofsimpleandsequentialexercisesfocusedona

specifictechnique,Goldenbergimmediatelycombinesmorematerialinhis

exercises,makingthemmoredifficultbutalsointerestingandcreative.

TheMoellerBook,publishedtheyearafterModernSchoolforSnareDrum,

showssimilaritiestoolderpublicationsbutgenerallyexhibitsauniqueapproach

toexercisesandinstructionalmaterial.Asmentioned,Moellerprovides

excellentinstructionofthestandard26rudiments.Thisisbecauseofthe

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numerousvaluableexercisesembeddedintothetextualexplanationofeach

rudiment.Forexample,Moellerexplainstheparadiddlebothmusicallyand

technically.Hethenfeaturesashortexerciseimmediatelyunderneaththetext

usingvariousnotevaluesforenhancedcomprehensionoftherhythmandother

stafftextsuchassticking,dynamics,accents,andsymbolsthataidinproper

execution.Asimilarpatternisusedforeachoftherudiments.Moellerthen

suppliesthestudentwithseveralpagesofshortexercises,similartotheformat

usedinStone’sStickControl.Theutilizationofbothstylesofexercises,those

embeddedintotextualinstructionisolatingspecifictechniquesandthose

compiledsequentiallyforadiverseandversatileexperience,istrulyuniqueand

isoneofthemostvaluablefeaturesofTheMoellerBook.

Intheupcomingdecades,prominentmethodbooksshowsimilaritiesto

thosepreviouslydiscussed.MethodbooksbyEmilSholle(1950,59),George

Stone(1961),RoyBurns(1962,67),VicFirth(1967,68),MitchellPeters

(1968,73),JacquesDelécluse(1969),PhilPerkins(1978),andFeldstein/Black

(1987,88)eachexhibitssimilaritiestotheearlytwentieth‐centurymethodbooks

discussedearlier.However,mid‐centurypublicationsplaceenormousvalueon

exercises,indicatedbythegeneralquantityofexercisesineachmethodbook.

Burns’IntermediateDrumMethodoffersthefewestexercises,at72.Many,such

asPeters’sDevelopingDexterityandOddMeterCalisthenics,andStone’sAccents

98

andRebounds,offerhundredsofexercises.BeginningDrumMethodand

IntermediateDrumMethodbyRoyBurns,andAlfred’sDrumMethod,Book1and

Book2bySandyFeldsteinandDaveBlackeffectivelyprovideexerciseswithin

theinstruction.MethodbooksbyStone,Sholle,andPetersareessentially

collectionsofexercises.Althoughtheirrespectivemethodbooksarevaluable

andflexiblelearningtoolsaswell,theydonotprovidetheinstructionalsupport

andthoroughnessexhibitedbyBurnsandFeldsteinandBlack.

Notabledevelopmentsoccurinthe1990s.PublicationssuchasAFresh

ApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWesselsprovideeffectiveexercises

exhibitingtheinstructionalsubstanceofTheMoellerBookaswellasthe

diversityandbreadthofStickControl.Wessels’bookfeaturesshortexercises

thatcorrespondwitheachfacetoflearningtoplaythedrumfromquarternotes

toadvancedrudimentsandsyncopation.LikeMoellerandHarr,Wessels

embedsexerciseswithintextualexplanationtobetterfacilitatecorrect

execution.However,likeStoneandmanyothers,healsoincorporatesalarge

quantityofexercisesbyincludingtheminanappendixatthebackofthemethod

book.Therefore,Wesselsachievesalogicalflowbyusingonlythoseexercises

necessaryforadequatecomprehensionoftechniques.Hethensupplementsthat

materialwithmorechallenginganddiverseexercisesintheappendix.

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RudimentalLogicbyBillBachman,publishedin2000,coversallofthe40

P.A.S.rudiments,thefirstbookinthestudytodoso,butomitsfundamentalsthat

Wesselsincorporatessuchasnotereading.RudimentalLogicfeaturesninety‐six

exercises.Allarepresentedclearlywithstickingprovidedwhennecessary.

Supplementalmaterialisneededtoacquireanintermediatetoadvancedreading

levelbeforeattemptingtheexercisesinRudimentalLogic.Exercisesarealways

organicallyattachedtotherudiments,withtheexceptionoftheexercises

featuredinchapterseven,whichfocusonrhythmandtiming.Theexercisesare

oftenembeddedintoinstructionwithtextualexplanationsandspecialstafftext

usedtofacilitateexecution.AuniquefeatureinBachman’smethodbookisthe

useofbuilderexercisesthatpresentthebasicrhythmofarudimentnotated

beforetheactualstickingisapplied.Forexample,notatingonlypartofthe

rudiment,ortherhythmofonehandonly.Althoughvariousnotationsand

exercisesthathelpconstructrudimentsortechniquesarefeaturedinother

prominentmethodbooks,Bachmanunderstandsthevalueoftheseexercises

andutilizesthemmorefrequently.Understandingthatmanystudentswanta

diversemixofexercises,Bachman,likeWessels,compilesalargequantityof

exercisesattheendofthebookforreferenceandtosupplementtheinstruction.

However,Bachman’sexerciseshavesomedrawbacks.Asmentioned,initial

exercisesbeginwithapredeterminationthatthestudentwillalreadyhavean

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intermediatelevelofrhythmicproficiency,andformanystudentsagreater

numberofsimpleexerciseswithcountsprovidedwouldbeadvantageous.

Bachmanuseslettersthatcorrespondwithfull‐stroke,down‐stroke,up‐stroke,

andotherstrokesextensively.Whiletheinstructionalpremiseisclear,the

resultantintermediatelevelexercisesarecrowdedwithstafftextthatrequires

evenadvancedsnaredrummerstopause.Usingtheseletterswithsimpler

rhythms,whichcouldalsofacilitaterhythmicunderstanding,asaprefacetohis

initialexerciseswouldbebeneficial.

Earlytwenty‐first‐centurypublicationsfeatureexcellentexercisesand

effectiveorganization.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKeenan

Wylie,SavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavage,andRudimentalArithmetic

byBobBeckereachexhibitssimilaritiestoWessels’book,embeddingshort

exercisesintotheinstructionalongwithsomelengthierexercises.Theydonot

provideasupplementallistofexercisesattheconclusion,andinsteadutilize

etudeandsolomaterial.

Whileeffectiveexercisematerialisevidentinearlypublicationssuchas

DrumMethod,BookOnebyHarr,continualexperimentationwiththe

organizationandstyleofthismaterialisapparent.Laterpublicationsinthis

studynotonlyexhibitinfluencesfrompastauthorsbutalsoprogresstoward

greatereffectiveness.Methodbooksthateventuallyprovideshortandrepetitive

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exercisesembeddedintotextualexplanation,aswellasagreatquantityof

exerciseselsewhereinthemethodbookassupplementalmaterial,areexhibiting

acombinationofapproachesfromearlytwentieth‐centuryauthorssuchas

Stone,Harr,Podemski,andWilcoxon.Inadditiontoapparenttrends,

developmentsoccurredaswell.Diversityamongprominentmethodbooksis

evidentimmediately,withnotwoauthorsincompleteagreementregarding

exercises.Continualevolutionoftheorganizationofexercisesandthesequence

ofthematerialresultedininconsistencies.However,utilizingexercisematerial

astheprincipalinstructionalsubstanceinsnaredrummethodbooksis

commonplace.Understandingthevalueofthisfacetseemsdeeplyrootedinthe

psycheofeachauthorwhiletheuniquenessofeachmethodbookisatestament

tothediversityofsnaredruminstructionintheUnitedStates.

Etudes,Solos,andExcerpts

Utilizingexercisesandotherillustrationsisinvaluablefortheexecutionof

rudimentsandothermusicalfacetsincludedinsnaredrummethodologies.

However,musicalperformancesdonotexistinavacuuminwhichindividual

techniquescanbeisolatedandmastered.Realisticcontextualizationofthese

techniquesandmusicalideasisparamounttoadvancingmusicianshipwhile

combiningthecriticalskillsnecessaryforsuccessinasoloorensemblesetting.

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Therefore,aneffectivecomprehensivesnaredrummethodbookshouldprovide

thisexperience.

Examinationoftheselectedmaterialrevealsnotonlystylisticvarietybut

alsoinconsistenciesintheutilizationofetudes,solos,andexcerpts.Publishedin

1937and1938respectively,HaskellHarr’sbookoneandbooktwoarethefirst

snaredrummethodbooksinthestudythatincludeetudes;Harrcallsthem

studies.Harrusesmoderatelengthetudes,approximatelyonepage,throughout

bookone.Thefirststudyappearsinlessoneleven,combiningfundamental

rhythmicelements,suchasquarternotesandrests,withexpressionmarkings,

repeatsigns,andformalconcepts.Harr’sobjectiveistoprepareyoungstudents

forparticipationinschoolbandandorchestra.Therefore,eachetudeprovides

boththesnaredrumpartandasimplebassdrumaccompanimentbelow,as

commonlynotatedinbandrepertoire.Etudesareclearlynotatedand

thoroughlycontextualizetechniquesandmusicalideasbyprovidingstudents

withacomprehensivemusicalexperience.

Harr’ssecondbookpresentsthestudentwithsimilaropportunities.

However,insteadofprovidingstudiesthatcorrelatetospecificlessonsand

exercises,Harrprovidescadencesorsolosthatcombinevariousrudiments.The

cadencesandsolosareshort;usuallyeighttotwenty‐fourbarsinlength,and

providematerialforfocusonparticularrudimentsaswellasacombinationof

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rudiments.Alsoincorporatedintothemethodbookareetudes,orstudies,

similartothosefeaturedinbookone.Thefirststudyappearsonpage87ofthe

128‐pagemethodbook,andcombinesthefive‐stroke,seven‐stroke,andnine‐

strokerollsaswellasflams.Itisinthestyleofamarchandfeaturesbassdrum

accompaniment;themajorityofsolosandetudesareinthestyleofamarchor

militarycadence.Themethodbookalsoincludesseventeensolosatthe

conclusionofthetext,eachonehalftoafullpageinlength,andanensemble

pieceusingthreesnaredrums,bassdrum,andcymbals.Harralsoincludesan

arrangementofthepopularcontestsolo,TheDownfallofParis.Inaddition,he

continuouslyprovidesopportunitiesforapplicationoftherudimentsthough

thirty‐sixcombinedetudesandsolos.Throughtheembeddingofshortetudes

intotheinstructionandbyprovidingawealthofsupplementalmaterialatthe

conclusionofthetext,Harrsetsatrendthatisevidentinmanymethodbooks

throughoutthetwentiethcentury.

Podemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodbyBenjaminPodemski,published

threeyearslater,isthenextsnaredrummethodbookinthestudytoexhibit

similarutilizationofetudes,excerpts,andsolomaterialasHarr’s.However,

Podemski,ratherthanintermittentlyusingetudesembeddedinbetween

exercisesandtext,providesalargequantityofetudesthatslowlyprogressin

difficulty,essentiallyprovidingtheinstructionalcontentaswell.Fifty‐three

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originaletudes,eachonepageinlength,constitutethemajorityofthemethod

book.Podemskicallsthemexercisestudies,andbeginstoincorporatemultiple

technicalandmusicalideasimmediately.However,thefirsttenexercisestudies

focusonaspecifictechnique;forexample,arudimentornotevalue.Similarto

Harr,Podemskiprovidessupplementalsoloandexcerptmaterialatthe

conclusionofthemethodbook.Thefirstfourexcerptsaremarches,withboth

snareandbassdrumpartsnotated.Thefirstthreeexcerpts,marchtempo,are

anonymouscompositions,andthefinalmarchistheMasaniellooverturebyF.E.

Aubers.Allofthemarchesaresimplebutaccuraterepresentationsofcommon

marchstylesastudentmayencounterinaschoolband.Thenextsixexcerpts

areorchestral,featuringcomposerssuchasFranzvonSuppé,NikolaiRimsky‐

Korsakov,andFranzLiszt.Theseservetocontextualizethefundamentals

studiedinthetextandexposeyoungstudentstoorchestralrepertoire,extra

materialthatHarrdoesnotinclude.

TwoclearapproachesareevidentafteronlyacomparisonofHarrand

Podemski.Oneinwhichetudes,solos,andexcerptsserveasasupplementtothe

instructionalexercisematerial,andoneinwhichtheetudesthemselvesprovide

theprimaryinstruction.Eachisdifferentstylisticallyaswell;Harrfocuseson

therudimentalstyle,whilePodemskiexposesstudentstoorchestralrepertoire.

ManymethodbooksinthestudyfeaturemethodologysimilartothatofHarror

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Podemski.However,someauthorsfurtherdeveloptheirapproach,makingthem

moreeffectiveandthorough.Forexample,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxonis

similartoDrumMethod,BookTwobyHaskellHarrinthatWilcoxonprovides

exercisesandmusicalmaterialembeddedthroughoutthetext.However,

Wilcoxonusesthetermsoloratherthanstudyoretude.Perhapsthisdistinction

alone,madebytheauthor,isenoughtoencourageamoremusicalperspective.

ModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenberg,publishedthefollowing

decade,ismostcomparabletoPodemski’sStandardSnareDrumMethodinthat

Goldenbergprovidesinstructionpredominantlythroughetudes,solos,and

excerpts.

Aninterestingcontrastagainliesinthestylisticdifferencebetweenthese

twomethodbooks.BothHarrandWilcoxonpresentstrongerrudimentalguides

andprovidemoreexerciseswhilefeaturingetudesandsolosperiodically

throughoutthetext,supplementingtheinstructionwithadditionalmaterialat

theconclusion.PodemskiandGoldenbergprovideaconcertororchestral

method,featuringagreaterquantityofmusicalmaterialwithinstructionhinging

ontheexecutionofthatmaterialratherthannumerousexercises.

TheMoellerBookbySanfordMoeller,publishedin1956,isanexcellent

rudimentalinstructorandresourcefortraditionalrudimentalrepertoire.

Moellerembracesexercisesandsolomaterial,providingawealthofboth:195

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exercisesand67combinedetudes,solos,andexcerpts.However,unlikeHarr,

Moellerdoesnotembedetudesfrequentlythroughouttheinstructionthat

featureasmallerskillset.Instead,heprovidesmusicalcontextualization

predominantlytowardtheendofthemethodbook.

Inthe1960sElementaryDrumMethodandIntermediateDrumMethodby

RoyBurnsexhibitstrongsimilaritiestotheirpredecessors.Burns,although

attemptingtoprovideacomprehensiveapproachthatboththerudimentaland

concertdrummerwillfinduseful,presentsagreaternumberofexercisesfor

eachrudimentthatgivesstudentsandeducatorsmoreoptionsandversatility,

similartoMoeller.ComprehensivestudiesaregroupedtowardtheendofBurns’

methodbook.Thesestudiesaresoloisticinnature,combiningseveral

techniques,absentofanystickingsuggestionsorrhythmicaid;thisisalso

similartoMoeller’smethodbook.Asanorchestralpercussionist,VicFirth

createdmethodbooksfeaturinglessrudimentalinstructionandmoreconcert

embellishmentsandorchestralrhythmsthatprimarilyutilizesinglestrokes,

muchlikeGoldenberg.However,neitheroftheseauthorsusesexcerpts,andsolo

materialislimitedincomparisontoHarr,Podemski,Moeller,orGoldenberg.

Publishedin1987,Alfred’sDrumMethodBook1andBook2byFeldstein

andBlackaretheflagshipmethodbooksofthatdecade.Theyprovideexcellent

soloandetudematerial.Theexercisesandsolosarefocusedonproviding

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materialrelatedtoaspecifictechniqueorotherfacetofmusicalperformance.

Theexercisesthoroughlypreparestudentstoexecutethesubsequentsolosby

combiningrepetitionandthoroughnesswithdiversityandcreativity.Like

HaskellHarr,FeldsteinandBlackembedsolosintotheinstructionbyevenly

featuringmusicalmaterialthroughoutthemethodbooks;eachsolocombines

onlythosetechniquesacquiredintheprecedingexercises.Thelasttwodecades

ofpublicationsinthisstudyshowevidenceofevolutionaswellasinfluencefrom

thepast.Twomethodbooks,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMark

Wessels,andSavageRudimentalWorkshopbyMattSavagearestylistically

distinct,perhapsmostcomparabletothoseofHaskellHarrandSanfordMoeller.

ThisstudypreviouslyestablishedAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumasan

exemplarymethodbookinmanyregards.Likewise,Wesselsuseof

comprehensivemusicalmaterialisvaluableandprogressive.LikeHarr,Wessels

featuresetudesperiodicallythroughoutthemethodbook.Thisbreaksupthe

repetitivenatureofexercisesandenablesthestudenttocombineseveral

previouslylearnedtechniques.However,Wesselsdoesnotpresentlengthy

etudescomparabletoHarr’ssolos.ThetypicaletudeinWessels’bookis

approximatelyhalfapageinlengthbutsynthesizeselementsfromprevious

lessons.Theseshorteretudesmayprovemorevaluableintheclassroomsetting,

asWessels’bookiscommonlyused.Intheprivatesetting,orasaself‐educator,

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hisuseofshorteretudesalsoresultsinquickeracquisitionoflessonsanda

fasterpaceofprogressionthroughthemethodbook.Lengthieretudesare

featuredlaterinthemethodbookasthestudent’sabilityincreases.Additionally,

likeHarr,Wesselsprovidesanappendixthatfeaturestwentyadditional

exercises.Eachexerciseaccompaniesalessonfeaturedinthebodyofthe

methodbook,aswellasmultipleshortexercisesthatfocusonaspecific

techniquethat,althoughcoveredinthelessons,mayneedadditionalwork.

Wesselsuseofshortetudesembeddedperiodicallyintolessons,with

supplementalmaterialavailableattheconclusion,issimilartoHarr.However,

Harrprovidesagreaterquantityofsolosandexcerpts.Wesselsapproachtothis

componentexhibitssimilaritiestoHarr’sdrummethodandaprogression

towardafasterpaceofstudymoresuitablefortoday’sclassroomsetting.

StylisticallydichotomousfromWessels’methodbook,SavageRudimental

WorkshopbyMattSavageis100percentrudimental.Severalrudimental

instructionalguidessurfaceinthe1990s,perhapsasignofrenewedinterestin

therudiments,andSavageRudimentalWorkshopisamongthebest.Savage

contextualizestherudimentscontinuouslythroughoutthemethodbookthrough

theuseofsolos.Onesoloisprovidedforeachrudiment,whichisthefocusof

thatsolo.Herebeliesthefundamentaldifference,ordevelopment,fromearly

rudimentalguidessuchastheMoellerbook.Ratherthanamyriadofexercises

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thatrequirehoursofdiligentpractice,Savagegivesthestudentfrequent

opportunitiestomakemusicthroughcreativesolos.Eachsolonaturally

combinesavarietyofnotevalues,dynamics,etc.,butonlyonerudimentis

featured.Thisapproachallowsforrepetitive,exercise‐likeinstructionwhile

maintainingstudentsinterestthroughacreativeformat.However,similarto

Moeller,Savageusescomprehensivesolosattheconclusionofthemethodbook.

Veryfewprominentmethodbooksutilizeexcerpts.Mostnotableamong

thosethatdoareModernSchoolforSnareDrumbyMorrisGoldenbergandThe

MoellerBookbySanfordMoeller.Thismaybearesultofseveralrecent

publicationsthatfeatureacompilationoforchestralexcerpts,narrowingthe

market.However,achronologicallookatprominentmethodbooksinthestudy

revealsanunderstandingthatmusicalcontextualizationisimportant.Twoclear

stylesseemtoemerge,thosethatprovidemusicalmaterialasasupplement,

compiledintoonesection,andthosethatprovidethematerialthroughout.

Authorsstruggletofindbalancebetweenqualityandquantitythroughoutthe

studiedtimeperiod,asisevidentfromthemicroscopicdevelopmentsand

sluggishprogressionofthiscomponent.Amethodbookthatutilizesadelicate

mixtureofetudes,solos,andexcerptstocontextualizetechniques,pairedwith

applicabletechnicalinstructionaswellasseparatelysoagreaterquantitycanbe

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achievedwithoutdisruptingtheinstructionalsequence,wouldnecessarilybe

themostbeneficialandcomprehensivemethodforstudentsandeducators.

Organization

Thesequencesinwhichtechniquesandideasaredeliveredhavea

profoundeffectonlearningoutcomes.Whilemanyauthorsinthisstudycreated

valuablecomponents,theorganizationofthosecomponentsisoften

inconsistent.Additionalconsiderationregardingthesequenceofindividual

techniques,rhythms,etc.,isimportantaswell.Forexample,itseemslogicalthat

gripandstrokeshouldprecedesolosandexcerpts,andthatsinglestrokes

precededoublestrokes.Althougheachprominentmethodbookinthisstudy

adherestosuchobvioussequentialideas,disagreementsamongauthorsexistas

well.Theresultisthatprominentmethodbooksutilizeapreponderanceof

organizationalapproachestodeliverinformation.

Across‐sectionofmethodbooksthatexhibitedotherexemplary

componentsmayservetoprovidegreaterinsightwithregardtoorganizational

trendsanddevelopments.Also,byhighlightingpositiveandnegative

organizationalattributesincertainmethodbooks,themagnitudeoftheproblem

canbebetterunderstood.

Self‐educatingmethodbooksmustorganizetechniquesandinformationin

awaythatoptimizeslearningandfacilitatesproperexecutionthroughoutthe

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durationofthebook.Methodbooksthatfallshortoffacilitatingtheauthor’s

objectivesthroughexcellentorganizationarefoundpredominantlyinthefirst

fourdecadesoffeaturedpublications.TheseincludeElementaryMethodbyPaul

Yoder,DrumMethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,Podemski’sStandardSnareDrum

MethodbyRogerPodemski,Here’stheDrumbyEmilSholle,ElementaryDrum

MethodbyRoyBurns,MethodedeCaisse­ClairebyJacquesDelécluse,and

PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaley.Eachofthesemethod

booksprovidesundesirableorganizationatthebeginningofthemethod.

Usually,asnotedaboveregardinggripandstroke,exercisesandetudes

commencebeforetheauthorprovidesanymaterialonhowtostrikethedrum.

Forexample,PaulYoderbeginswithalongrollontheinitialpageofhismethod

book,andusesquarternotestoillustratethis.However,atableoftimevalues

andotherrhythmicinstructionisnotprovideduntilsubsequentpages.Drum

MethodbyCharleyWilcoxon,highlyregardedforothercomponents,likewise

featuresquarternotesandrestsinthefirstlessonpriortoactuallystrikingthe

drumwithouttheadditionalstressofreadingrhythms.Poorlyorganizedor

missingmaterialthatlaterpublicationsincludeattheonsetofinstructionis

commoninallofthemethodbooksmentionedinthissection.However,many

alsoorganizeothermaterialinadequately.ElementaryDrumMethodbyRoy

Burnsprovidesacompletelistofthe26rudimentsintraditionalnotationprior

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toanyrhythmicinstruction,strokeinstruction,oranyinstructionontheskills

neededtoexecutethemostelementaryrudiments.Thisforcesstudentstoskip

partsofthebooksandreturnlaterasreferenceinordertocompletethe

instruction.Laterpublicationstendtoproviderudimentlistsandexercisesat

theconclusionofthetextaswellasthroughoutthetextastheyapplytosimilar

rhythmsandstrokes;thisiscommoninpublicationsbyHarr,Wessels,Wylie,

andothers.PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrumbyGarwoodWhaleyincludes

rudimentsthroughoutthemethodbookbutdoesnotadequatelyorganizethe

correlatingstudies.Theflamisprovidedonpagetwenty‐twobutstudiesand

exercisesonthesamepagefocusonprevioustechniques.Studiesfeaturingthe

flamfirstappearonpagethirty‐seven,afterthestudentpresumablypracticed

theflamontheirowninisolationwithnomaterialtoguidethem,requiringthe

studenttoproceedoutoforder.Onemayfindorganizationalflawsdifficultto

perceiveinthosemethodbooksfeaturingcollectionsofexercisessuchasStick

Control.However,tripletsareintroducedbrieflybeforecontentisshiftedback

todupleeighth‐notesandsixteenth‐notes.Thisorganizationcreatesabreakin

theprogressionoftechniquesthatarepresentedintheremainingportionsof

thetext.Manyoftheauthorspresentrudimentaltechniquesinanordertheysee

fit,oftendisregardingtheorderoftheN.A.R.D.listof26andP.A.S.listof40

rudimentswithoutanyexplanationregardingtheirdecision.

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Severalmethodbooksinthestudy,mostpublishedinthelaterhalfofthe

twentiethcentury,alsodisplayexemplaryorganization.However,publishedin

1937HaskellHarr’sDrumMethodfeaturesafreshapproachtothesequenceof

learningandtheorganizationofinstructionalmaterial.Veryfewmethodbooks

inthestudyfeaturesuchneatlyorganizedmaterialthatwarrantsstrict

adherencetoadailylessonplan.Harrwassignificantlyaheadofhistimeinthe

meticulousinclusionofcertaintechniques,exercises,andsolos.Asignificant

improvementfromYoder’smethodbookandearlierpublications,Harrfirst

featuressimpleexercisesformakingthestroke,omittingbar‐lines,time

signatures,etc.,whichallowsthestudenttobeginplayingthedrumimmediately

withoutmovingaheadtofirstdeciphertherhythmicnotation.Byorganizingthe

methodbookintolessons,fifty‐threeintotal,Harrprovidesobtainabledaily

goalsforstudentswhileincorporatingtechniquesandideasinalogicalsequence

thatpromoteslearningnewskillswhileretainingpreviousones.Harr’s

organizationbecomes,inthisauthor’sopinion,thestandardbywhichallother

methodbooksarecompared.

Alfred’sDrumMethodBooks1andBook2byFeldsteinandBlack,although

publishedfiftyyearsafterDrumMethodbyHaskellHarr,featurenearlyidentical

organization.Bookoneisorganizedintothirty‐ninelessons,andbooktwointo

thirty‐threelessons.Bothvolumesfeaturecontentwhichprogressesindifficulty

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throughasequenceofvariousnotevalues,timesignatures,rhythmicconcepts,

andrudiments.Newtechniquesareneverpresentedinsolomaterialpriorto

beingpresentedinprecedingexercises.Theorganizationoftheindividual

lessonsalsosupportstheprogressionofacquiredskillsbyfirstoffering

exercisesandexplanationsthensolomaterialforapplication.SimilartoHarr,

FeldsteinandBlack’smethodbookfeaturesonlyafewrudimentsinbookone.

Rudimentsfeaturedinthefirstvolumesofbothmethodbooksincluderoll

rudimentsandtheflam;FeldsteinandBlackincludethedragandfour‐stroke

ruff.Thesequenceofnewnotevalues,techniques,etc.,isidenticalaswell.Both

methodbooksprogresstosixteenthnotesbeforeintroducingtheroll,thengo

backtonewnotevaluesthatincludetripletsbeforeintroducingtheflam.

SeveralorganizationalaspectsdifferfromthatofHarr’ssnaredrummethod,

mostnotablythebeginning.Harrpresentswhathecallsthe“rudimentsof

music”91beforegriporstroke;FeldsteinandBlackpresent“elementsofmusic”92

afterthestudentslearnstickgripandstrokemotion.Theorganizationfeatured

inHarr’sdrummethodmayrequirethestudenttofirstlearnhowtoholdthe

sticks,thenthinkaboutnotevaluesandothermusicaltext,followingthetextout

ofsequence.DevelopmentsapparentintheorganizationofAlfred’sDrum

91HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),6.92SandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack,Alfred’sDrumMethod:bookI(AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.1987),10.

115

Method,Book1alsoresultsinadigressionofpedagogicalcoherency.For

example,HaskellHarrprovidesshortlessonsonvariousinstrumentsincluding

bassdrum,cymbals,tambourine,triangle,andcastanets.Theselessons,fifty‐

one,fifty‐two,andfifty‐threerespectively,arethefinalthreelessonsofbook

one.FeldsteinandBlackfeaturethebassdrumandcymbalsthrough

comparableinstructiontoHarrbutplacethisinstructiontowardthebeginning

ofthetext,immediatelyaftersnaredrumgripandstroke,andbeforethe

elementsofmusic.Althoughitcanbeviewedaslogicaltolearnthebasicsofgrip

andstrokeonallthreeinstruments,FeldsteinandBlack’sapproachalsobreaks

upthesequenceofsnaredruminstruction,hinderingthestudentfromretaining

themostimportantfundamentallessons,gripandstroke.Byplacingadditional

instrumentsattheconclusionofsnaredrumstudy,Harrprovidesan

uninterruptedsequenceofsnaredrumstudy.

AlsosimilartoDrumMethodbyHaskellHarrandAlfred’sDrumMethodby

FeldsteinandBlackisAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.The

organizationofAFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumisoneofitsgreatest

qualities.Eachofthetwentylessonsfeaturesseveralcomponentsthat

complementeachotherwhileoptimizingstudentprogressbymovingquickly

becauseofefficientorganization.Forexample,thesecondlessonfeaturessix

maincomponentsthatincludeatechniqueworkoutusingthepreviouslylearned

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skill,fill‐in‐the‐blankexercisesillustratingmeterandquarter‐notecounting,

playingexercisesfeaturingquarter‐noterhythmsfromthepreviouscomponent,

multiplebouncestroke,playingexercisesformultiplebouncestroke,andthe

down‐stroke.Wesselsuseofthemultiple‐bouncestrokeearlyinthemethod

bookisparticularlyinteresting.Harrandothersinstructallthecommonduple

notevaluesandrestpriortoanyrudimentalideas.Wessels,understandingthis

techniquetobedifficult,decidestoexposethestudentimmediately.Thisstyle

oforganization,althoughfeaturedinDrumMethodbyHaskellHarrdecades

before,ismorecomprehensiveandaccessibleinpartbecauseinstructionis

compressedintoonevolumewhilestillprovidingacomparablequantityof

techniques.WesselsorganizationalsoexhibitsinfluencesfromFeldsteinand

Black,aswellasotherprominentmethodbooksinthestudy.Forexample,

Wesselsalsofeaturestheelementsofmusicafterthoroughinstructionofgrip

andstroke.However,hepromotesthisshiftinorganizationfurtherbyfeaturing

onlyafewelementssuchasmeter,notevalues,stafftext,etc.,intoeachlesson

ratherthanprovidingaone‐pagecollectionofalltheinformation,asisevidentin

previouspublications.AlsosimilartoAfred’sDrumMethodistheplacementof

additionalinstrumentalinstructionattheconclusionofsnaredrumstudy.A

drawbacktothefast‐paced,all‐inclusivelessonsthroughoutWessels’method

bookmaybealackofthoroughnessoneachtechnique.However,headdresses

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thisbyprovidingadditionalresourcesforthestudent,includingexercisesand

rudimentsatthebackofthetext.

Otherprominentmethodbooksinthe1990sand2000stakeasimilar

approach:organizingmaterialintosectionsthatfosteraquickerpacewhile

attemptingtodevelopinstructionbyusingasequenceofinformationthat

promotesthoroughacquisitionoftechniques.MasteringtheRudimentsbyAlan

Keownisorganizedintoweeksratherthanlessonsorchapters.Furthermore,

eachweekfeaturesexerciseswitharecommendedrepetitiontimeofone

minute.However,each“week”ofstudyislessthantwopagesofmaterial,and

mostintermediatestudentsmayacquirethatquantityofmaterialinashorter

spanoftime.RudimentalLogicbyBillBachmanisorganizedmoretraditionally,

intochapters.However,Bachmanalsocompilesexercises,text,andother

informationtogetherwhilemovingquicklythroughall40P.A.Srudiments.

Whiletheorganizationofrudimentalguidesisnaturallyguidedbythe

rudimentlist,authorsofself‐educatingbeginningmethodbookshavethe

increaseddifficultyofadditionalfundamentals.SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnare

DrummingbyKeenanWylieisoneofthemostrecentlypublishedbeginning

methodbooksintendedasaself‐educator.Wylie’sbookexhibitscharacteristics

ofearlierpublicationsbutalsodevelopsnewwaysofdeliveringinformation.He

featuresanoteratiochartatthebeginningofthetext,similartoHarrandother

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earlyauthors,butprovidesrhythmicandmusicfundamentalsthroughout

variousearly“steps”,similartoWessles’lessons.Again,weseethefirstplaying

exercisesomittingactualnotevaluesinfavorofR’sandL’s,asinAFresh

ApproachtoSnareDrumming.BothauthorsdevelopedthisapproachfromHarr,

Moeller,andotherswhoillustrateinitialexerciseswithquarternotesandthe

stickingbelow,butomitbarlinesandothermusicaltext.Wylie’sorganization

featuresfewertechniquesperstep,andpromotesthoroughnessoverpace.For

example,anentirestepmaybedevotedtothesixteenthnote,whereasWessels’

lessonsalwayscompilemultipletechniques.Wyliedoesnotincludeother

instrumentsbutdoesprovideadditionalmaterialatthebackofthebook

includingwarm‐ups,etudes,andtempochartsforthewarm‐upsfeatured

throughoutthemethodbook,andaglossaryofterms.

Thelatestpublicationinthestudy,whichreceiveslittleattentioninthis

section,isRudimentalArithmeticbyBobBecker.Thisisduetotheunique

componentsandobjectivesofBecker’sbook,thusnotservingasthebest

exhibitorofchange.However,theorganizationofBecker’smethodbookisboth

uniqueandapplicabletothisdiscussion.Organizedlikeatextbook,Rudimental

Arithmeticprovides176pagesofmaterialdividedintoonlyeightparts.“Parts”

areusedtodefinetheboundariesbetweenmajorconcepts.Withineachofthe

parts,severalsectionsarepresentedthataredelineatedbynewterms,

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mathematicalconcepts,andtechniques.Thelanguagethroughoutthemethod

book,asacknowledgedbyBecker,isacademicandrequiresthestudentto

exhibitpatienceandperhapsreadpassagesmultipletimes,evenstoppingtore‐

acquaintthemselveswithnewterms.Thisisafardifferentapproachfrommost

contemporaryauthorswhodevelopalanguagethatismoreaccessible.

Additionalfeatures,suchasanon‐progressiveapproachtotechnique,setthis

methodbookapartfromothersinthestudy.Inotherwords,althoughthe

mathematicalconceptsincreaseindifficultyanddepth,thetechnicalplaying

requirementsdonot.Instead,thenecessaryrudimentsarepresentedone‐after‐

the‐otherinparttwo,thentheremainingpartspresentthosetechniquesin

variousways.TheobjectiveofRudimentalArithmeticistoprovidetoolsfor

improvisationandcompositionofrhythmicmusic.93Notonlyisthisobjective

satisfied,butmanyotherresultantobjectivesarealsometthroughtheexecution

oftheexercisesandetudes.Byexploringcommonrudimentsthroughthe

concepts,suchasdensity,studentsdevelopathoroughunderstandingofthe

multipleformsofeachrudiment,andthephysicalrequirementsnecessaryin

ordertoapplyvariousdensitiestoonerudiment.Theuniqueapproachand

challengingsubjectmatterofRudimentalArithmeticenablesstudentstouse

fundamentalrudimentalknowledgeinacreativepolyrhythmiccontextwhile

93BobBecker,RudimentalArithmetic(AshburyPark,NJ:KeyboardPercussionPublications,2008),2.

120

combingmathematicalandmusicalconcepts.Amethodbookthatshowcases

music’sabilitytoincreasegeneralknowledgeincurricularsubjectsmayhelp

validateofmusiceducation.

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CHAPTERV

Closeexaminationofthecommoncomponentsinpopularsnaredrum

methodbooksuncoversbothtrendsanddevelopments.Whilemanyauthors

experimentwithneworganizationalfeaturesandmusicalmaterial,others

embraceprominentmethodbooksfromthepast,makingonlyminutechanges.

Highlightingtheseimportantchangeswithinthecontinuumofdevelopment

allowsforgreaterinsightregardingthehistoryofpedagogyaswellasthe

currentstateofsnaredrumeducationintheUnitedStates.Acloserlookateach

componentrevealsadiverseapproachtofundamentalideas.Although

beginningmethodbooksareoftenthesubjectsofthediscussionregarding

trendsanddevelopments,othermethodbooksinthestudythatfeature

compilationsofexercisesexhibitsimilartrendsanddevelopments.These

methodbooksshouldnotbeoverlookedasbearersofprogressandexamplesof

excellencewithintheauthor’sobjective.Educatorsandstudentscannowfilter

throughthevastquantityofavailablesnaredrummethodbookswithefficiency

andbeginutilizingthosematerialsmostapplicabletoindividualneeds.

Additionally,clarifyingnegativeandpositiveattributeswithintheselected

materialfacilitatesthepropagationofdesirableinformationandmakesfuture

developmentpossible.

122

Recommendations

Recommendationsforimprovementstoeachcomponentfeaturedin

chapterIVintendtorenewinterestinsnaredrumpedagogy,andshouldserveas

acatalystforchangewhilenecessarilycultivatingpositivefuturedevelopments.

AsnotedinchapterIV,snaredrumset‐up,maintenance,tuning,andother

informationregardingtheinstrumentissparselyfoundamongprominentsnare

drummethodbooks.AlthoughauthorsHaskellHarrandMarkWesselsare

notablefortheirexcellentinstructionofthismaterial,theirbooks,too,lackthe

breadthofinformationthatisnecessaryandpossiblewithinthescopeofa

comprehensivesnaredrummethodbook.Bothauthorsdevotenomorethan

threepagestothiscomponent.Thisabbreviatedapproachresultsinthe

omissionofcriticalmaintenanceitemsincludingthoseregardingthemarching

snaredrumanditsvariousmechanisms,aswellastuningtheinstrument.

Additionalmaintenanceitemssuchasreplacingsnarestring,lugs,oranyother

componentotherthanthedrumheadarenotincludedinanymethodbooksin

thestudy.WesselsandHarrprovideeffectivedescriptionsoftuning,but

disagree.Harrsaysto“tightenclockwisearoundthedrum,”94turningeach

tensionrod180degrees.Wesselssaystotightentheheadbyusing“quarter

94HaskellHarr,DrumMethodforBandandOrchestra(Chicago:M.MColePublishing,1937),5.

123

turnsofthedrumkeyinacrisscrossmanner.”95Themorecommonmethodof

tighteningadrumheadistheapproachtakenbyWessels,inacrisscrossmanner,

butotherpatternsarepossibleandeffectivetoo,andworkingaroundthedrum

inacircularpatterniseffectivewhenfine‐tuningorturningthetensionrods

verylittle.Variousimagesofasnaredrumshouldbeprovidedsothataclearer

understandingofthepartsisobtained.Asimilarimageofasnaredrumstand

shouldbeprovidedwithpartslabeledandabriefdescriptionofhowtoproperly

adjustvariousmechanisms.Acomparisonoftheconcertandmarchingdrumis

criticaltoimprovingthiscomponentaswell.Lastly,tuningthedrum,regardless

ofthemethodprescribedbytheauthor,couldbeinstructedprimarilythrough

theuseofvideo.Thiswouldallowforaudioofthedesiredtimbreofthe

instrumentsaswell.

Note‐readingandothermusicfundamentalsreceivethemostthoroughand

consistentinstructionthroughoutthecontinuumofmethodbooksinthestudy.

However,anincreaseinthequantityandqualityofthismaterial,including

exercisesandetudesthroughwhichtoexecutemusicfundamentals,ispossible.

Thiswouldresultinagreaternumberofexercisesfocusingondynamics,time

signatures,form,andindividualnotevalues.Acompromisebetweenthe

approachesofVicFirthandMarkWesselsismostadvantageousforstudents.

95Wessels,Mark.AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum(Plano:MarkWesslesPublications,2001),3.

124

Forexample,oneortwopagesthatactasaquickreference,combiningmusical

ideas,(terms,expressions,noteratiochart,etc.),inadditiontoproviding

detailedinstructiononvariousmusicalfacetsthroughoutthemethodbook,asin

AFreshApproachtoSnareDrumbyMarkWessels.

Stickgrip,unlikemusicfundamentals,isoneofthemostinconsistentyet

paramountcomponentsofsnaredrumpedagogy.AlthoughMarkWessels,

KennanWylie,MattSavage,BillBachman,andSandyFeldsteinandDaveBlack

presentqualityinstructioninthisarea,greaterfocusonwhatisperhapsthe

mostimportantlessoninasnaredrummethodbookisnecessary.Alarger

quantityofimagesfromvariousangleswouldbebeneficial.However,

informationregardingthesubtlechangesthatoccurwiththegripwhile

executingdifferentpatternsisofgreaterimportance.Alloftheseauthors

providegripinstructionthatallowsforrebound‐strokes,down‐strokes,up‐

strokes,andtaps.However,thegripexhibitedisnotadequateforrolls,either

multiplebounceordoublestroke.Althoughmanyauthorsattempttoexplain

howthegripfeelswhileexecutingrolls,additionalimagesorslowmotionvideo

thatshowsthemanipulationofthegripwouldgreatlyincreasetheeffectiveness

ofinstruction.

Strokeislikewiseinconsistent,withterminologiesinplacethatconfuse

professionalsandstudentsalike.Prominentmethodbooksinthestudycannot

125

agreeonnatural‐stroke,legato‐stroke,orbounce‐stroketodescribethebasic

strokemotioninwhichthestickreboundsnaturallyoffofthedrumhead,

producingoneattack.Thisauthorrecommendsthetermreboundstrokebecause

itmostaccuratelydescribeswhatthestickisdoing,reboundingtoitsinitial

position.Authorsshouldutilizehigh‐qualityvideowithclose‐upimagesinslow

motiontoexhibitexactlywhatthestickandhandsaredoingwhileexecuting

eachstroke.

Rudimentalinstructionisfeaturedthroughoutmostpublicationsfromthe

lasttwodecades.However,authorsarestillstrugglingwiththeamountof

rudimentalinstructiontoprovide.Thisauthorbelievesthemosteffective

approachisthatusedbyHarr,incorporatingbasicrudimentsintoonevolume,

andprovidingin‐depthandthoroughinstructionofalltherudimentsinasecond

volume.Theimportanceofrudimentalinstructionismuchdebated.However,

theimportanceoftherudimentstoprominentauthorsisobvious,andthe

rudimentsarereceivingbetterinstructionnowthanever.

Ahigh‐qualityexerciseshouldprovideexcellentmaterialtowardthe

developmentofaspecifictechniqueormusicalidea.Exercisesshouldprovidea

varietyofmaterialthatisengagingandadherestotheauthor’sobjectiveswhile

beingpresentedsequentiallysothatanincreaseintechnicalandmusical

difficultyispossible.Nomethodbookinthestudysatisfieseachofthesecriteria,

126

andbotholdandnewpublicationscanimproveonthethoroughnessandclarity

ofthiscomponent.However,exercisesinrecentpublicationspossesscertain

qualitiesseparatefromtheseclearpedagogicalideas.Forexample,theuseof

modernmusicnotationsoftwarehasenabledauthorstopresenttechniques

moreeffectively.Studentsareeasilyconfusedbyrudimentalexercisesin

methodbooksbySanfordMoellerorCharlesWilcoxonbecauseofrollnotation

anddrag‐tapnotationthatisuncommontoday.Theymayalsofeeldisconnected

fromsolossuchasTheDownfallofParis.Re‐notatingtraditionalsolosmayhelp

studentsovercomethesehurdlesandexperiencethevalueoftimelesspieces.

Also,recentpublications,includingthosebyWesselsandWylie,organize

exercisematerialmoreeffectivelyandefficiently.Studentstodaywantquick

acquisitionofnewtechniques,andmethodbooksfromthelasttwodecades

effectivelybalancethequantityofexerciseswithpaceofinstruction.

Etudesandsolosareimportantfacetsofinstructionbecausethegoalofany

instrumentalmethodistoprovidestudentswiththeabilitytocreatemusic.

However,excerpts,especiallythosefrombandandorchestrapieces,have

becomelesscommon.Awealthofsupplementalexcerptmaterialexists,but

snaredrummethodbooksshouldexposestudentstolargeensemblesnaredrum

partsfromnotablecomposers.

127

AuthorssuchasHarr,Wylie,andWesselscreatedhigh‐qualitytextslargely

becauseofexcellentorganization.Thisauthorbelievesthatorganizing

informationintoshortlessonsthatcompileseveralcorrelatingideasisthemost

excellentmodelforeffectivesnaredrumstudy.Moredifficultideas,suchas

advancerudimentsthatcannotbequicklymastered,shouldreceivefurther

instructionthoughexercisesattheconclusionofthetext.

Theidealmethodbookmustnotonlyprovidethepreliminarymaterial

necessarytobeginplaying,andmaintaintheinstrument,butalsoprovide

musical,technical,andresourceinformationthattakesintoaccounteach

componentofthestudy.Manymethodbooksinthestudyfeatureexcellent

components,butnosinglebookcoverseachcomponentwiththethoroughness

andclaritythatstudentsneed.Today’sstudents,inordertoreceiveahigh‐

qualityexperience,havetoutilizemultiplemethodbooks.Forexample,after

workingthroughHarrbookone,studentsneedtothenusemethodbooksby

MorrisGoldenbergorSanfordMoellerforadditionaletudesandsolos,orto

thosebyStoneandPetersforadditionalhandstrengtheningexercises.Itmaybe

impossibleforanysnaredrummethodbooktoprovideeverythingastudent

needstomasterthesnaredrum.However,manyimprovementsarepossible.

128

NeedforFurtherStudy

Athoroughunderstandingoftrendsanddevelopmentsinsnaredrum

pedagogyconsequentlyuncoverstheneedforadditionalresearch.By

interviewingauthorsofprominentmethodbooksrepresentedinthisstudy,we

couldgainadditionalinsightregardingobjectives,andifperceivableinfluences

wereconscientiousdecisions.Arepositivedevelopmentsingripandstroke,as

wellasorganization,theresultofpersonalexperienceinthefield,orofasimilar

analysisofexistingmaterial?Understandinghowcertainmarketingaspects

affectwhichsnaredrummethodbooksarepublishedandhowquicklythey

proliferatewouldbehelpfulindeterminingtherelationshipbetweenqualityand

quantity.Forexample,onecommonalitybetweentwoofthemostrecent

prominentpublications,AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrumbyMarkWessels

andSimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrummingbyKennanWylie,isthe

geographicallocationoftheauthors;whobothteachandpublishinTexas.Do

snaredrummethodbookspublishedinTexasnecessarilyexhibitprominence

becauseofcertainmarketfactorsthatinflatesales?

Ananalysisofchangesinmusiceducationoverthepastonehundredyears

andtheeffectonpercussionpedagogywouldhelpclarifyreasonsforchangesin,

forexample,thetendencyofprominentmethodbookspublishedinthe1950s,

’60s,and’70stoofferlessrudimentalguidance.Lastly,anexpansionofthis

129

studytoincludeallavailablesnaredrummethodbooks,includingthose

publishedinthenineteenthcentury,wouldcreateamorevaluablehistorical

documentandproduceacomprehensiveresourceforeducatorsandstudents.

Conclusion

Prominentmethodbooksexhibitamulti‐facetedanddiverseapproachto

snaredrumpedagogy.Afullunderstandingofthecomplexityanddiversityof

eachcomponentisnowpossiblewithfoundationalknowledgethatinforms

teachingandperformancewhilecreatingaresourceforbetterutilizationof

pedagogicalmaterial.

Thestudyhighlightedthethirtymostprominentmethodbooksinthe

UnitedStatespublishedbetween1935and2008.Theseprominentmethod

booksserveasthebestexamplesofhigh‐qualitysnaredruminstructionand

representacontinuumofdevelopmentsthatinformusabouttheevolutionand

historyofsnaredrumpedagogy.Athoroughreviewofeachmethodbook

createdanecessaryresourceforstudentsandeducatorswhileexaminationof

thematerialallowsforbetterunderstandingofthecontentsaswellas

developmentsandvariancesinsnaredrumpedagogy.Bycreatingmultiple

categoriesanddelineatingbetweenvariouscomponents,abettercomparisonis

possible,andgreaterknowledgeofeachauthor’sobjectivesisgained.

130

Understandingthepositiveandnegativeattributesofeachmethodbookis

importantaswell.Byobtainingknowledgeregardingtheseattributes,students

andeducatorscanusematerialsmosteffectiveandvaluableforspecific

technicalandmusicalsituations.

Theproliferationofsnaredrummethodbookscreatedtheenormousand

perhapsimpossibletaskoffilteringthroughhundredsofpublicationsinorderto

acquirethenecessaryknowledgeforeffectiveinstruction.However,by

examiningaselectgroupofprominentsnaredrummethodbookspublished

from1935to2008,thisstudyinformsreadersnotonlyaboutavailable

pedagogicalmaterial,butalsoaboutpositiveandnegativetrendsand

developments.Bybreakingdownindividualfacetsofsnaredrumpedagogyand

learninghowthesefacetsarerepresentedthroughprominentmethodbooks,a

greaterunderstandingofvariances,commonalities,andthegeneralstateof

snaredrumpedagogyintheUnitedStatesisnowpossible.Additionally,by

illuminatingboththepositiveandnegativeattributeswithintheselected

materialreviewed,newideascanemergethatfosterapositiveprogression

towardacompletepedagogicalsnaredrummethodology.

131

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Black,DaveandSandyFeldstein.Alfred’sDrumMethod,BookI.AlfredPublishingCo.,Inc.,1987.

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Brubaker,Debra.“AHistoryandCriticalAnalysisofPianoMethodsPublishedintheUnitedStatesfrom1796‐1995.”MMThesis,TheUniversityofMinnesota,1996.

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Chusmir,MarshaL.“AnAnnotatedBibliographyandReviewofCurrentHeterogeneousStringMethodBooks.”Master’sThesis,TheFloridaStateUniversity,1973.

Dachtyl,Cary.“TheStatusofSnareDrumInstructioninPercussionMethodsProgramsofSelectedUniversitiesandCollegesinOhioandContiguousStates.”PhDdiss.,TheOhioStateUniversity,1982.

Delécluse,Jacques.MethodforSnareDrum.Paris:AlphonseLeduc,1969.

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Moeller,Sanford.TheMoellerBook:theartofsnaredrumming.Cleveland:LudwigDrumCo.,1956.

Morgan,Tom.ASequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum.Topeka:GoodMusicPublications,1999,C‐AlanPublications,2002.

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Peters,Gordon.TheDrummerMan:ATreatiseonPercussion.Wilmette,Illinois:Kemper‐PetersPublications,1975.

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134

APPENDIXA

CurrentlyAvailableSnareDrumMethodBooks

1.Adams,Daniel TheSoloSnareDrum

2.Albright,Fred ContemporaryStudiesforSnareDrum

3.Albright,Fred PolyrhythmicStudiesforSnareDrum

4.Aleo,Keith AdvancedEtudesforSnareDrum

5.Arnold/Richards ExercisePieces

6.Arnold/Richards ExercisePieces,Gr.2

7.Bachman,Bill RudimentalLogic

8.Bachman,Bill StreetJamsCadence

9.Barrick,Tom ParadiddleWorkbook

10.Bartlett,Keith 60ShortPiecesforSnareDrum

11.Bartlett,Keith 20ShortSolosforSnareDrum

12.Beck,John Flams,Ruffs,andRolls

13.Beck,John TenIntermediateSnareDrumSolos

14.Becker,Bob RudimentalArithmetic

15.Bellson,Louis DrumPrimer

16.Bower,H.A. SystemforPercussion,Vol.1

17.Britton,Mervin CreativeApproach,Bk.1

18.Britton,Mervin CreativeApproach,Bk.2

19.Buggert,Robert RubankIntermediateMethod

20.Burnes/Malin PracticalMethodforDevelopingFingerControl

21.Burns,Roy ElementaryDrumMethod

135

22.Burns/Feldstein IntermediateDrumMethod

23.Buyer,Paul MarchingBandsandDrumlines

24.Campbell,James ChampionshipTechniqueforMarchingPercussion

25.Campbell,James RudimentsinRhythm

26.Campbell/Cuccia/Pratt TheFavoriteRudimentalSolosofCampbell,Cuccia,andPratt

27.Capozzoli,Paul RudimentalPracticeGuide

28.Cappio,Art SystemofRudimentalDrumming

29.Carroll,Raynor OrchestralRepertoireforSnareDrum

30.Caruba,Alain LesAccents

31.Casella,Jim FreshPerspectives

32.Ceroli,Nick SpeedandEnduranceStudies

33.Chauviere,Joel 17EtudesforSnareDrum

34.Chauviere,Joel 27EasyStudiesforSnareDrum

35.Chauviere,Joel StudiesfortheBeginner

36.Chauviere,Joel TambourlaCaisseClaire

37.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.1

38.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.2

39.Christian,Bobby ChristianDrumMethod,Bk.3

40.Christian,Bobby ModernDrumStudies

41.Cirone,Anthony MasterTechBuilders

42.Cirone,Anthony OrchestralSnareDrummer

43.Cirone,Anthony PortraitsinRhythm

44.Clago,Ronnie NaturalDevelopmentofDrumTechnique

45.Colin/Bower SnareDrumRhythmsComplete

136

46.Colonnato,Frank InnerRhythms

47.Cox,Joe SnareDrumPlayAlong

48.Crockarell/Brooks SnareDrummersToolBox

49.Delécluse,Jacques 12StudiesforSnareDrum

50.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.1

51.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.2

52.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.3

53.Delécluse,Jacques Initium,Vol.4

54.Delécluse,Jacques KeiskleirianaI

55.Delécluse,Jacques Keiskleiriana2

56.Delécluse,Jacques MethodforSnareDrum

57.Delécluse,Jacques Studio'M,VolumeI

58.Delécluse,Jacques Studio’M,VolumeII

59.DeLucia,Dennis DrummersDailyDrill

60.Derrick,Frank FocusonTechnique

61.Deschler,Jim EightStudyWorks

62.Dodge,Frank DodgeDrumChart

63.Dupin,Francis 28Min.forSnareDrum

64.Eyler,David 22ProgressiveStudiesforSnareDrum

65.Famelart,Regis AChacunsonRhythme,Vol.1

66.Faulkner,Steve SnareDrumBasics

67.Feldstein,Sandy DrumSoloistLevel1

68.Feldstein,Sandy DrumSoloist,Vol.1

69.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel1

70.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel2

137

71.Feldstein,Sandy DrumStudentLevel3

72.Feldstein,Sandy SnareDrumRudimentDictionary

73.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes1

74.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes2

75.Feldstein,Sandy StudiesandEtudes3

76.Feldstein/Black Alfred’sBeginningSnareSolos

77.Feldstein/Black Alfred'sDrumMethodBookI

78.Feldstein/Black Alfred'sIntermediateSnareDrumSolos

79.Feldstein/Black BeginningSnareDrumDuets

80.Fink,Ron AccentonAccents2

81.Fink,Ron ChopBusters

82.Fink,Ron SightReadingforAuditionEtudes

83.Fink,Siegfried SolobookforSnareDrum,Vol.1

84.Fink,Siegfried SolobookforSnareDrum,Vol.2

85.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.1

86.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.2

87.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.3

88.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.4

89.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.5

90.Fink,Siegfried StudiesforSnareDrum,Vol.6

91.Fink,Siegfried RhythmStudies,Vol.1

92.Fink,Siegfried RhythmStudies,Vol.2

93.Firth,Vic DrumMethodBookI

94.Firth,Vic DrumMethodBook2

95.Firth/Feldstein SnareDrumMethod

138

96.Freytag,Edward JustDesserts

97.Freytag,Edward RudimentalCookbook

98.Fundis,Greg ContemporaryAuditionSolosforPercussion

99.Gaetano,Mario CompleteSnareBook

100.Gardner,Carl MethodforDrums,Cymbals,andAccessories

101.Gardner,Carl ProgressiveStudiesforSnare,Vol.1

102.Gardner,Carl ProgressiveStudiesforSnare,Vol.2

103.Gilbert,David LearntoPlaySnareandBassDrum,Vol.1

104.Gilbert,David LearntoPlaySnareandBassDrum,Vol.2

105.Glasser,Gerhard ALittleParadiddle

106.Goldenberg,Morris ModernSchoolforSnareDrum

107.Goldenberg,Morris SnareDrumforBeginners

108.Goldenberg,Morris TwelveProgressiveSolosforSnareDrum

109.Goute,Robert Tambourd'Ordonnance,Vol.2

110.Goute,Robert Tambour,Vol.3

111.Graham,Bill StudiesinRhythm

112.Grant,Phil AllAmericanDrummer

113.Guil/Foyle RhythmicReadingforDrummers

114.Hannum,Tom ChampionshipConceptsforMarchingPercussion

115.Hans,Ben 40IntermediateSnareDrumSolos

116.Harr,Haskell DrumMethodBookI

117.Harr,Haskell DrumMethodBookII

118.Hartung,Friedrich SchoolforSideDrum

119.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum1

120.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum2

139

121.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum3

122.Hathway/Wright GradedMusicforSnareDrum4

123.Heim,Alyn DrumClassMethod,Bk.1

124.Heim,Alyn DrumClassMethod,Bk.2

125.Hernandez/Schietroma ListentoSnares

126.Hochrainer,Richard DuetforTrommler

127.Hochrainer,Richard UbungenforKleinTrommel

128.Johnson,Jeffery TheLevelSystem

129.Kastuck,Steve RhythmicDesigns

130.Keown,Allen MasteringtheRudiments

131.Keune,Eckehardt KleineTrommel

132.Keune,Eckehardt TrommelDuet

133.Kinyon,John BasicTrainingCourseforDrums1

134.Kinyon,John BasicTrainingCourseforDrums2

135.Kinyon,John BreezeEasyMethodI

136.Kinyon,John BreezeEasyMethod2

137.Knauer,John KleineTrommelschule

138.Knauer,John PraktischeSchuleforKleineTrommel

139.Kopetzki,Eckhard 13SnareDrumStudies

140.Kopetzki,Eckhard EasyStudiesforSnare

141.Kopetzki,Eckhard SnareDrum

142.Kvistad,Richard AccentStudiesandEtudesforPercussion

143.Lane/Walker RudimentalSnareDrumGrooves

144.Lang,Morris BeginningSnareDrummer

145.LaRosa,Michael ContemporaryDrumMethod

140

146.LaRosa,Michael ContemporaryDrumMethodBook2

147.Larson,Keith ArtisticStudiesforSnareDrum

148.Lauren,Michael UnderstandingRhythm:AGuidetoReadingMusic

149.Lefevre,Guy 20EtudesforSnareDrum

150.Lefevre,Guy DrumSuperiorTechnique

151.Lefevre,Guy ProgressiveTechStudies,Vol.1&2

152.Lepak,Alexander 50ContemporarySnareDrumMethods

153.Leroux,Philippe 20ProgressiveStudiesforSnareDrum

154.Leslie,Nat ElementaryMethodofDrumming

155.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.1

156.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.2

157.Liagre,D’Artagnan TheoryManualofSnareDrum,Vol.3

158.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel1

159.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel2

160.Lonardoni,Markus TechnikfurKleineTrommel3

161.Ludwig,William DrumandBugleManual

162.Ludwig,William DrumMethod

163.Lynch/Brown FieldLevel

164.Macarez,Frederic SnareSystem,Vol.1

165.Macarez,Frederic SnareSystem,Vol.2

166.Macarez,Frederic Stickin'Stock

167.Maroni,Joe 50ElementaryDuetsforSnareDrum

168.Maroni,Joe 50SyncopatedSolosforSnareDrum

169.Maroni,Joe 100RhythmEtudesforSnareDrum

141

170.Maroni,Joe DrumRudimentChart

171.Maroni,Joe FundamentalsofRhythmfortheDrummer

172.Maroni,Joe RudimentalDrumMethodfortheIntermediateDrummer

173.Martinez,Maria RudimentalWarm‐Ups

174.Marucci,Matt DrumRudiments:ASimpleApproach

175.Mattingly,Rick SnareDrumMethod

176.McMahan,John Readin,Writin,andRudiments

177.McMillan,Thomas 20thCenturyOrchestralSnareDrumStudies

178.McMillan,Thomas ContemporaryMethodforSnareDrum

179.MelBayPublications BasicsofDrummingWallChart

180.Memphis,Chuck TheContemporaryPercussionist

181.Moeller,Sanford MoellerMethod

182.Moore,J.Burns ArtofDrumming

183.Moore,J.Burns SoloTimefortheIntermediateSnareDrummer

184.Morello,Joe MasterStudiesforSnareDrum

185.Morello,Joe MasterStudies,Vol.I

186.Morello,Joe MasterStudies,Vol.II

187.Morgan,Tom SequentialApproachtoFundamentalSnareDrum

188.Morgan,Tom SequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum

189.Moser,Karl VomEinschlagen

190.Muller,Horst 50EtudesforSnareDrum

191.Nied,Johannes NiedforSpeed

192.Olmstead,Gary SnareDrumRollandRudimentInterpretation

193.Ostling,Acton ThreeR'sforSnareDrum,Book1

142

194.Ostling,Acton ThreeR'sforSnareDrum,Book2

195.Payson,Al BeginningSnareDrum

196.Payson,Al SnareDrumintheConcertHall

197.Payson/Folker IntermediateSnareDrum,Vol.1

198.Pearson/Elledge/Hagedom StandardofExcellence

199.Pease,Donald Pro‐ArtDrumMethodBook

200.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRhythmicNotation,Vol.1

201.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRhythmicNotation,Vol.2

202.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum

203.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,Vol.1

204.Perkins,Phil LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum,Vol.2

205.PermusPublications KnowYourDrumRudiments

206.Peters,Mitchell AdvanceSnareDrumStudies

207.Peters,Mitchell DevelopSightReadingforSnareDrum

208.Peters,Mitchell DevelopingDexterityforSnareDrum

209.Peters,Mitchell ElementarySnareDrumStudies

210.Peters,Mitchell EtudesforSnareDrum

211.Peters,Mitchell HardTimes

212.Peters,Mitchell IntermediateSnareDrumStudies

213.Peters,Mitchell OddMeterCalisthenics

214.Peters,Mitchell OddMeterRudimentalEtudes

215.Peters,Mitchell RudimentalPrimer

216.Podemski,Roger StandardSnareMethod

217.Pratt,John 14ModernContestSolos

218.Pratt,John 26TraditionalAmericanDrummingRudiments

143

219.Pratt,John 128RudimentalStreetBeats

220.Pratt,John NewPrattBook

221.Prescott SnareDrum

222.Price,Paul BeginningSnareDrum

223.Putnam,W.J. RudimentalABC's

224.Queen,Jeff TheNextLevel

225.Rieppi,Pablo SnareDrumTechnique

226.Rosauro,Ney CompleteMethodforSnareDrum,Vol.1

227.Rosauro,Ney CompleteMethodforSnareDrum,Vol.2

228.Rothman,Joel BasicDrumTechniqueandBeyond

229.Rothman,Joel RollControl

230.Rothman,Joel Rolls,Rolls,Rolls

231.Rothman,Joel TeachingRhythm

232.Santangelo,Antonio ProgressiveMethodforSnareDrum

233.Schinstine,William 17Plus1PercussionPieces

234.Schinstine,William AdventuresinSoloSnareDrumming

235.Schinstine,William DrumTunes,Vol.2

236.Schinstine,William DrumminDuets

237.Schinstine,William DrummingTogether

238.Schinstine,William DuetsandDrumsetTunes

239.Schinstine,William FourHandsAround

240.Schinstine,William FuturisticDrumSolos

241.Schinstine,William LittleChamp

242.Schinstine,William SnareDrumPocketBook

243.Schinstine,William SouthernSpecialDrumSolos

144

244.Schinstine/Hoey BasicDrumBook

245.Schinstine/Hoey DrumMethodI

246.Schinstine/Hoey DrumMethod2

247.Schinstine/Hoey IntermediateDrumBook

248.Schmitt,Matthais EasyPercussion:SnareDrum

249.Sholle,Emil Big230

250.Sholle,Emil Here'stheDrum,Vol.1

251.Sholle,Emil Here'stheDrum,Vol.2

252.Sholle,Emil TheRoll

253.Shlimovitz,Harold DrumMethodSpeller

254.Sicchio,Gianni LesRhythmsSousFormedEtudes,Vol.1

255.Silverman,Rob DrumLessonsforKidsofAllAges

256.Silverman,Rob SnareDrum101

257.Skinner,Michael SnareDrumRudiments

258.Skowera,Wlodzimierz 70ExercisesfortheSideDrum

259.Smales,Joel Warm‐UpsandMindReadingfortheSmartPercussionist

260.Solomon,Samuel AdvancedRhythmicStudies

261.Solomon,Samuel VariationsonthefirstthreepagesofStone'sStickControl

262.Sousa,JohnPhilip TrumpetandDrum

263.Spagnardi,Ron ModernSnareDrummer

264.Spiers,Gerard CaisseClaire

265.Steinquest,David Life'sLittleRudimentBook

266.Sternburg,Simon ModernDrumStudies

267.Stilke,Dennis SnareTime

145

268.Stone,George AccentsandRebounds

269.Stone,George MilitaryDrumBeats

270.Stone,George StickControl

271.Stoutamire/Henderson DuetsforAll

272.Street,William ParadiddlePatter

273.Stronach,Doug Stronach'sPipeBandSnareDrumTutor,Vol.1

274.Sweet,Walter CompMusic/FifeandDrum

275.Tantchev,George BeginningSnareDrum,Vol.1

276.Tantchev,George BeginningSnareDrum,Vol.2

277.Tavernier,Jean‐Claude EveilAuxRhythmesetalePercussion

278.Tavernier,Jean‐Claude ExercisesandEtudes

279.Tompkins,Joe TenStyleStudiesforSnareDrum

280.Torrebruno,Leonida MetodoperStrumentiaPercussione

281.Various Ziggadabuzz

282.Vose,David DrumStudies:Concepts,Reading,Phrasing,Technique

283.Vose,David TheDevelopingDrummer

284.Vose,David TheReadingDrummer

285.Wanamaker,Jay CorpsStyleDrumDictionary

286.Wanamaker,Jay InternationalDrumRudiments

287.Wanamaker,Jay RudimentalDrumPack

288.Werson,Louis RhythmicFoundationThroughDrumming

289.Wessels,Mark FreshApproachtoSnareDrum

290.Whaley,Garwood BasicsinRhythm

291.Whaley,Garwood FundamentalStudiesforSnareDrum

146

292.Whaley,Garwood MoreAuditionEtudes

293.Whaley,Garwood MoreBasicsinRhythm

294.Whaley,Garwood MusicalStudiesfortheIntermediateSnareDrummer

295.Whaley,Garwood PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum

296.Whaley,Garwood RhythmReadingforDrums,Book1

297.Whaley,Garwood RhythmicPatternsofContemporaryMusic

298.Whistler,Harvey ReviewingtheRudiments

299.Whistler,Harvey RubankAdvancedMethod

300.Wilcoxon,Charley AllAmericanDrummer

301.Wilcoxon,Charley DrumMethod

302.Wilcoxon,Charley JuniorDrummer

303.Wilcoxon,Charley ModernRudimentalSwingSolosfortheAdvancedDrummer

304.Wilcoxon,Charley RollinginRhythm

305.Wilcoxon,Charley WristandFingerStrokeControl

306.Wooton,John Dr.Throwdown'sRudimentalRemedies

307.Wooton,John DrummersRudimentalReferenceBook

308.Wylie,Kennan SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming

309.Wylie,Kennan TwentySolosfortheYoungSnareDrummer

310.Yaus,Grover 40RhythmicalEtudes

311.Yaus,Grover 40RhythmicalStudies

312.Yaus,Grover 101RhythmicRestPatterns

313.Yoder,Paul RubankElementaryMethod

314.Zivkovic,Nebojsa 10EtudesforSnareDrum

147

APPENDIXB

TopSellingSnareDrumMethodBooksAccordingToDistributors

SteveWeissMusic

1. Stone–StickControl2. Goldenberg–ModernSchool3. Peters–DevelopingDexterity4. Whaley–FundamentalStudiesForSnareDrum5. Podemski–StandardSnareDrumMethod6. Stone–AccentsandRebounds7. Feldstein/Black–Alfred’sDrumMethodBookI8. Delecluse–MethodForSnareDrum9. Whaley–PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum10. Sholle–TheRoll11. Burns–ElementaryDrumMethod12. Rieppi–SnareDrumTechnique13. Harr–DrumMethodBookI14. Feldstein/Black–Alfred’sDrumMethodBookII15. Burns/Feldstein–IntermediateDrumMethod16. Sholle–Here’sTheDrum17. Harr–DrumMethodBookI18. Perkins–LogicalApproachtoSnareDrum19. Becker–RudimentalArithmetic20. Moeller–MoellerMethod21. Morgan–SequentialApproachtoRudimentalSnareDrum22. Peters–DevelopSightReadingforSnareDrum23. Firth–SnareDrumMethodBook124. Yoder–RubankElementaryMethod25. Wilcoxon‐DrumMethod

RudimentalBachman–RudimentalLogic

WithRecording1. Wessels–FreshApproachtoSnareDrumW/DVDandCD2. Savage–RudimentalWorkShop3. Wylie–SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming

148

LoneStarPercussion

1. Wessels–AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum2. Stone–StickControl3. Wylie–SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming4. Goldenberg–ModernSchool5. Podemski–StandardSnareMethod6. Whaley–FundamentalStudiesforSnareDrum7. Feldstein–Alfred’sDrumMethod8. Wilcoxon–DrumMethod9. Burns–IntermediateDrumMethod10. Morgan–ASequentialApproachtoFund.SnareDrum11. Burns–ElementaryDrumMethod12. Whaley–PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum

PercussionSource

1. Feldstein/Black‐Alfred’sDrumMethodBookI2. Whaley‐PrimaryHandbookforSnareDrum3. Goldenberg‐ModernSchoolforSnareDrum4. Morello‐MasterStudies5. Stone‐StickControl6. Bachman‐RudimentalLogic7. Wiley‐SimpleStepstoSuccessfulSnareDrumming8. Wessels–AFreshApproachtotheSnareDrum9. Harr‐DrumMethodforBandand...BookI10. Keown‐MasteringTheRudiments11. Firth‐SnareDrumMethodbookI12. Podemski‐StandardSnareDrumMethod

149

APPENDIXCSnareDrumMethodBookComparisonChart

0-5 Rudim

ents

5-10 Rudim

ents

10-15

Rudim

ents

15-20

Rudim

ents

Standard 26

Rudim

ents

Standard 40

Rudim

ents

Additional/Hybri

d Rudim

entsGrip

Stroke

Notation

Fundamentals

Exercises

Etudes

Solos

Band/Orchesra

Exerpts

Significant

Textual Content

Illustrations &

Pictorials

Additional

Instruments

Media

Bachman -

Rudimental

Logic! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Burns -

Elementary

Drum Method

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Burns -

Intermediate

Drum Method

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Becker -

Rudimental

Arithmetic! ! ! ! ! ! !

Delecluse -

Method for

Snare Drum! ! ! ! ! ! !

Feldstein -

Alfreds Drum

Method Book

I

! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Feldstein -

Alfreds Drum

Method Book

II

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Firth - Snare

Drum Method

book I

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Firth - Snare

Drum Method

book II

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Goldenberg -

Modern

School for Sn

are Drum

! ! ! ! !

Harr - Drum

Method book

I! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Harr - Drum

Method book

II! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Keown -

Mastering the

Rudiments

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Moeller -

Moeller

Method! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Morgan - A

Sequential

Approach to

Fundamental

Snare Drum

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Peters - Odd

Meter

Calisthenics! ! ! !

Peters -

Developing

Dexterity! ! ! !

Perkins -

Logical

Approach to

Snare Drum

! ! ! ! ! ! !

Podemski -

Standard

Snare Drum

Method

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

150

APPENDIXC(Continued)

0-5 Rudim

ents

5-10 Rudim

ents

10-15

Rudim

ents

15-20

Rudim

ents

Standard 26

Rudim

ents

Standard 40

Rudim

ents

Additional/Hybri

d Rudim

entsGrip

Stroke

Notation

Fundamentals

Exercises

Etudes

Solos

Band/Orchesra

Exerpts

Significant

Textual Content

Illustrations &

Pictorials

Additional

Instruments

Media

Rieppi -

Snare Drum

Technique! ! ! !

Savage -

Rudimental

Workshop! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Sholle - The

Roll ! ! ! ! !Sholle -

Here's The

Drum! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Stone - Stick

Control ! ! !Stone -

Accents and

Rebounds! !

Wessels - A

Fresh

Approach to

Snare Drum

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Whaley -

Primary

Handbook for

Snare Drum

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Wilcoxon -

Drum Method! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Wylie -

Simple Steps

to Successful

Snare

Drumming

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Yoder -

Elementary

Drum Method

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !