Percussive Arts Society’s Virginia/Washington D.C. Day of Percussion
Saturday, March 23, 2024 @ Virginia Tech
Dr. Tommy Goddard
Assistant Director of Athletic Bands and Drumline, Liberty University
Click here for a pdf of this clinic.
Reason For Clinic
- Goddard’s Doctoral Thesis (2022)
- “Equipping College Students for a Marching Percussion Career in the United States”
- Majority of survey participants – Prepared as Performer, not Teacher/Arranger
- Pedagogy Techniques: 143x
- Comp/Arranging Techniques: 185x
The Goal – To produce successful percussion educators!
Marching Percussion Pedagogy
- Concert Percussion vs. Marching Percussion Technique – The Same!
- What is written, equipment, and the role of the performer constitutes the differences.
- Misconception – Playing “through the bar or drum” is INCORRECT!
- Dennis DeLucia’s Teaching Plan
- The Grip (relax, relax, relax)
- The Flow (arms-wrists-fingers – tension-free motion)
- Strokes (Down, Up, Natural)
- Reading (RH lead/LH lead/Alternating)
- Rhythm Exercises
- The Rudiments (OG/Standard & Hybrids)
- Dennis DeLucia’s 3 Rs:
- Reading (exercises & solo/ensemble literature)
- ’Riting (composing/arranging)
- Rudiments (OG/Standard & Hybrids)
- Basics must first be mastered to advance to higher level of achievement:
- Marching percussion method books
- Literature (exercises & solo/ensemble)
- Technique manuscripts (“How To” books like the Bachman books)
- Transcriptions of marching percussion performances (WGI/DCI show excerpts)
- Matched Grip – version of this is used on all instruments
- Why Traditional Grip? – Sling drumming & it looks cool!
- Legato Stroke – basic motion for all styles/instruments
- Dynamics are based on stick height:
p = 3” mp = 6” mf = 9” f = 12” ff = 15” fff = 21+” with full arm
- Mallet technique – concert technique
- 2 mallets
- 4 mallets (Stevens Grip is most common)
- Legato stroke (piston stroke) is the basic motion.
- Dynamics are based on mallet height:
pp = 1 1/2” p = 3” mp = 4 1/2” mf = 6” f = 9” ff = 12” fff = 15+” (w/forearm)
The Goal – To produce the most effective teaching philosophy!
Marching Percussion Arranging
- It is the director’s role to ensure that the total musical production is:
- Uniform in style (winds – DL – FE)
- Balanced
- Creates a strong combined musical effect
- The role of the percussion section in marching band is to:
- Support & enhance the wind writing
- Create a rhythmic pulse when appropriate
- Highlight the percussion section in a featured role
- Wind Arranger – sketch mallet parts if integral to wind parts.
- Percussion Arranger
- Develop those parts & make them percussion appropriate.
- Don’t introduce new musical material that isn’t part of the OG music intent of the composition, unless they are experienced.
- FE – 4th section along w/WW, Brass, & DL.
- Don’t overuse FE! FE shouldn’t play continuous throughout compared to other sections.
- Write fewer musical lines for the mallets – 1 for vibes & 1 for marimba is plenty.
- Don’t always have marimbas & vibes playing together. Use each as a unique tone color: woods/metals
- Use xylo & glock colors sparingly.
- Mallets should double the WWs only occasionally.
- Write aux Perc like a composer would for concert band or orchestra.
- Use full DL ensemble sparingly – save for full impacts, fills, & features.
- To accompany the winds, use 1 or 2 sub-sections only (rarely snares & tenors together).
- Include dynamics in the initial writing & insist they are actually performed.
- Develop rhythmic motives & have direction. All fast notes are boring. Rhythmic variety is pleasing to all.
- Ensure the level of difficulty is appropriate for the players.
- Be flexible & willing to re-write &/or cut once music gets on the field. It never sounds the same in standing rehearsal or on the computer as it does in the drill.
- Listen to the wind section at each segment with & without the DL & FE. Decide which way it sounds better as a total music package.
- Less is more & more is less!
- Need to be proficient in the following:
- Notation – Finale or Sibelius
- Digital Audio Workstation – Logic Pro, Pro-Tools, Ableton, Digital Performer, Cubase, Studio One, Reason, GarageBand, etc.
- Drill Writing: Pyware, EnVision 3D, Field Artist 3, Drill Studio, Precision, etc.
The Goal – To produce the most professional representation of your skills!
Marching Percussion Performance
- High School may only have budget for 1 percussion teacher, resulting in them having to split their time between both sections (DL & FE). So, combine the warm-up of DL & FE!
- Key components of effective warm-up:
- DL: Singles/Doubles/Triples, 2 Height, Accents, Timing, Rolls, Rudiments, etc.
- FE: Scales/Arpeggios, Vertical/Independent/Alternating/Lateral Rotations, Block Chords, Permutations, Interval Control, etc.
- Listening, Balance, Blend
The Goal – To produce the most efficient warm-up routine!
Recommended Resources
Beck, John H., ed. Encyclopedia of Percussion. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2007.
Buyer, Paul. Drumline Gold: Innovative Systems for Marching Percussion Excellence. Chicago: Meredith Music Publications, 2020.
Buyer, Paul. Marching Bands and Drumlines: Secrets of Success from the Best of the Best. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2009.
—. “Reading is Not Optional.” Percussive Notes 45, no. 3 (June 2007): 34-36.
—. Working Toward Excellence: 8 Values for Achieving Uncommon Success in Work and Life. New York: Morgan James Publishing, 2012.
Casella, Jim, and Jim Ancona. Up Front: A Complete Resource for Today’s Pit Ensemble. Portland, OR: Tap Space Publications, 2003.
Casella, Jim, and Murray Gusseck. Fresh Perspectives for the Modern Drumline. Portland, OR: Tap Space Publications, 1998.
Cook, Gary D. Teaching Percussion. 3rd ed. Boston: Cengage, 2019.
Freytag, Edward. The Rudimental Cookbook. Nashville: Row-Loff Productions, 1993.
Fyffe, Daniel. Indoor Percussion Ensembles and Drum Corps. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2007.
Hannum, Thom, and Robert Morrison. Championship Concepts for Marching Percussion. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Publishing, 1986.
Holland, James. Practical Percussion: A Guide to the Instruments and Their Sources. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2005.
Markworth, Wayne. The Dynamic Marching Band: A Resource Book. 2nd ed. Orlando: Marching Arts Education, 2017. iBooks.
Molina, Oliver. “Writing and Arranging for Marching Percussion in the 21st Century.” Percussive Notes 51, no. 4 (July 2013): 10-15. https://olivermolinacom.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/writing-and- arranging-for-marching-percussion-in-the-21st- century.pdf.
Ryder, Dan. Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing System. 6th ed. Wylie, TX: Dan Ryder Field Drills, 2016.
Sapadin, Pete. Drumline Essentials. 8th ed. Chino Hills, CA: Pete Sapadin, 2020.
Udow, Michael. Percussion Pedagogy: A Practical Guide for Studio Teachers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
Walker, Clif. “Ensemble Listening: Rehearsal Techniques for Marching Percussion.” Percussive Notes 43, no. 3 (June 2005): 30-33. http://www.marchingroundtable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ Ensemble-Listening.pdf.
—. “Using a Metronome with the Marching Ensemble.” Percussive Notes 40, no. 1 (February 2002): 23-24. http://www.marchingroundtable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Using-A- Metronome-1.pdf.
Wooten, John. The Drummer’s Rudimental Reference Book. Nashville: Row-Loff Productions, 1992.