Percussion

Drum kit

Do you drive everyone mad tapping away with your knife and fork? Are your musical interests based around popular music or jazz? Do you fancy playing an instrument where you are the only person playing your part? Or perhaps you just like making a lot of noise!

If this is you then think about playing drums. Learning to play drums is perhaps more complicated than many people imagine but the rewards are great. It involves the study of drum rudiments, music reading and the learning and application of a great number of musical styles. Reading music is important but improvisation is also a large element and this will be part of lessons from the very start; a creative attitude to music is essential if you are to become a good drummer.

Many students join school and music centre ensembles as well as rock/jazz bands and there are many opportunities to gain playing experience. In addition to this it is possible to take grade exams as in any other instrument. Buying a drum kit is not as expensive as you might imagine. A complete set will be about £300. They also don’t have to be loud, as sound deadening pads are available to place on top of the drums. Some drum kit pupils decide to diversify into studying other percussion instruments - orchestral or Latin American/popular music styles. This is a route we actively encourage as it produces more rounded and able musicians.

Percussion

Learning percussion involves studying three different instruments - more if your interests extend to Latin American and African music. Firstly the snare drum, which uses techniques and the same type of sticks as the drum kit. It involves studying rudiments (technical exercises) and reading musical notation. Many percussion students only have a snare drum at home to practise on so much of the groundwork is done on this.

Secondly, the study of Timpani (sometimes called Kettle drums). This involves using slightly different techniques, and sticks which are more costly than normal drum sticks. Because timpani play pitched notes, work on tuning is also part of the learning. Timpani are very expensive so it is possible that only advanced pupils would buy their own, but some schools and most music centres have two or more. Thirdly, percussion students also study tuned percussion – the Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Vibraphone and Marimba.

Put very simply, playing these instruments is like playing a piano with two and sometimes four sticks. It is usually felt to be the most difficult of the three disciplines, especially for total beginners. Once again, these instruments are available in music centres and some schools as they are expensive, but owning one increases the rate of progress.

If you are a keyboard/piano player who wants to learn an instrument that enables you to join a band or orchestra, percussion is worth serious consideration as many of the basics of reading and keyboard playing will already be well known. If you play another instrument but are frustrated by the lack of opportunities to play in bands and groups because your instrument is played by so many others, think seriously about percussion. There are so many opportunities to play and progression to area and county groups can be rapid. Many pupils take Associated Board or Guildhall grade exams.