Terms And Phrases Flashcards
Anvil
French- enclume
Italian- incudino
German- amboss
Antique cymbals
French- crotales
Italian - crotalo
German-Krotalen
Bass drum
French- grosse caisse
Italian- gran casse
German- Grosse trommel
Brushes
French- verges
Italian- verge
German- rute
Castanets
French-castagnettes
Italian- castagnettea
German- kastagnetten
Change (tuning)
French- changez
Italian- Muta
German- Nach-stimmen
Chimes
French- Cloches
Italian- Campane
German- Glocken
Choke or dampen
French- Etouffe
Italian- secco
German- Dampfen
Cymbals
French- cymbales
Italian- piatti, cinelli
German- becken
Drum
French- caisse
Italian- cassa
German- trommel
Field drum
French- tambour militaire/ roulant
Italian- tambouro militaire/ basso/ basilea
German- militarretrommel
Finger cymbals
French- cymbales droigts
Italian- cinelli dito
German- fingernbecken
Hard sticks
French- baguettes dures
Italian- bachette duro
German- schwerer schlagel
Let ring
French- laissez vibrer
Italian- lasciare
German- klingen lassen
Mallet
French- marteau
Italian- maglio
German- Holzhammer
Muffle (w/ cloth)
French- sourdine, voilee
Italian- coperto
German- gedampft
Near Center
French- au milieu
Italian- sul mezzo
German- in der mitte
Near Rim
French- au bord
Italian- sul bordo
German- am rand
Orchestra bells
French- jeu de timbres
Italian- campanelli
German- glockenspiel
Percussion
French- batterie
Italian- batteria
German- Schlagzeug
Rachet
French- crecelle
Italian- ragnello
German- handratche
Player
French- executante
Italian- executori
German- spieler
Roll
French- roulement
Italian- rullo
Slapstick (whip)
French- fouet
Italian- frusta
German- peitsche
Sleighbells
French- grelots
Italian- sognali
German- schellen
Snare drum
French- caisse claire
Italian- piccolo cassa
German- kleine trommel
Snares
French- cordes/timbres
Italian- cordes
German- saiten
Snares off
French- sans cordes
Italian- senza cordes
German- ohne schnaurseite
Soft
French- mou
Italian- soffici/morbido
German- Weicher
Stick (beater)
French- mailloche/baguette
Italian- bachetta
German- schlagel
Strike
French- frappez
Italian- colpo
German- schlagel
Suspended cymbal
French- cymbals libre
Italian- piatto suspenso
German- becken frei
Tambourine
French- tambour de basque
Italian- tambourino (basco)
German- schellentrommel
Tenor drum
French- tambourin
Italian- tambourello
German- rolliertrommel
Timpani
French- timbales
Italian- timpani/ tamburi
German- pauken
Wood blocks
French- bois
Italian- legno
German- holz
Bass drum beater
Large felt or fur covered
Bass drum stroke types
Straight: into and away from head; most well defined attack
Glancing: reverse “check-mark”, legato attack
Suspended cymbal beaters
Medium or soft yarn
Also- snare stick or triangle beater
NO TIMPANI MALLETS
Triangle beater
Metal rods – larger the triangle = larger rod
Triangle playing area
Optimal= side across from opening (choose place based off sound desired)
Playing area for triangle rolls
1 hand: corner opposite opening
2 hands: side opposite opening
Suspended cymbal play areas
Bell, bow, edge (unless otherwise directed)
Crash cymbal playing position
Hold no more than 10 inches apart (closer for soft crashes)
Edge of pates misaligned (about half inch)
Crash cymbal grip
Hold strap between thumb and index finger, not looped over hand
Crisp crash cymbal sound
Produced by a straight together and apart motion
Full/legato crash cymbal sound
Made by striking upper edge slightly before lower edge (like closed flam)
Snare sticks made of……..
Hickory, maple, or birch
Snare grips
Matched: fulcrum between pad of thumb and middle joint of index finger
*stick must pivot so it can bounce off of head
Snare playing area
Slightly off center, but still over snares
Snare strokes
Full, down, tap, up
Snare roll types (and when used)
Single stroke: rudimental & concert style
Open/double stroke: marching & concert styles
Multiple bounce/closed/buzz: concert style & contemporary rudimental lit
Differences between rudimental and concert style snare drumming
1) rudiments have set stickings, concert style generally R-hand lead or strict alternation (free merging of both, depending on eveness of strokes)
2) rudiments meant for eveness between hands, concert style goal is to make everything sound the same
3) rudimental uses measured rolls, concert uses closed/buzz rolls
Timpani mallets
Felt: hard=stacatto
Medium=general
Wood: very hard
American timpani grip
Thumbs down use fingers and wrists
French timpani grip
Thumbs up, fingers only
German timpani grip
Palms down, wrists only
How to tune timpani?
Tune lowest pitch first, then tune other drums by interval from lowest pitch
Timpani playing area
1/4-1/3 from edge of drum (different for each drum)
Listen for most bass sound and play there
Timpani rolls
Exclusively single stroke (except on rare occasion)
Tambourine playing area for soft-loud @ slow-medium speeds…
Held in one hand, and struck w/ fingers or palm of opposite hand.
- moving from edge to center increases volume and adds head sound
- forearm can be used to dampen head when playing fingers near edge
- slap head w/ hand for accents
Tambourine playing technique/area for soft-loud passages for rapid notes…..
Right foot on chair w/ knee overlapping on thigh, (less overlapping= more head sound)
- rest forearms on shell
- fingers = soft passages
- hands = loud passages
Tambourine playing for VERY LOUD & FAST PASSAGES
Hold in one hand a shake between knee and opposite hand fist (like spoons)
Tambourine rolls
Shaking: generally loud, crescendo by raising tambourine up to shoulder height
Thumb roll: thumb on head near edge; faster speed & more pressure=louder sound
Wood block beater…
Medium-medium hard rubber
Wood block playing positions….
1 hand: held in one hand, played in other
2 hands: set on padded surface, or block holder
Temple block beaters…..
Medium hard - hard rubber
Clave playing technique
Rest one clave between fingertips and thumb, creating resonating chamber w/ hand, hold other clave with matched grip, strike center of resting clave
Bells/glockenspiel beaters
Loud/best = brass Soft= aluminum Other= plastic, hard rubber
Xylophone beaters….
(Best–>worst)
Wood, plastic, hard rubber
All purpose marimba beater
Medium-medium hard yarn/rubber
*avoid hard mallets in low register!!
Vibe beaters…
Soft-hard yarn/rubber
Marimba/keyboard grip (2-mallet)
Matched- loose, floppy fulcrum, to permit mallet to flop up and down on 2nd joint of index finger, w/ minimal wrist movement.
Playing area on keyboards
Center of bars (very edge of accidentals on fast passages)
Snare grip….
- hands held palms down
- fulcrum between pad of thumb, & first and second joint of index finger
- back fingers curl naturally around stick, w/ pads of fingers lightly touching stick
- butt of stick should cross outer half of palm @ base of fingers * not in center of palm
Function of snare fulcrum
Pivot point- much like center of teeter-totter. 3 back fingers touch stick, but do not move it.
Tightness/pressure on snare fulcrum affects……
Speed at which stick bounces off head. Tighter= quicker
Where should timpani pedal be when not in use?
About half tension
Timpani drum sizes, and fundamental pitches
32”- low C (or D)
29”- F
26”- Bb
23”- D
Timpani grip…
- Matched, but w/ THUMBS UP, PALMS FACING EACHOTHER
- tip of index finger curls around shaft
- fulcrum between pad of thumb, and middle section of index finger
- thumb almost parallel to shaft
- back fingers curl around shaft, but not encircle
- hands positioned as far back on mallet as possible
Timpani stance considerations…….
- energy centered
- do not reach/straighten elbows
- hands 2-4 inches above drum
Legato timpani strokes….
- vary by dynamic* all contact head as little time as possible
- begin and end in “up” position
- allow weight of mallet to draw sound from head
- Soft: made w/ back fingers
- medium soft: rocking motion in fulcrum (mostly on up part of stroke) w/ back fingers
- medium loud: wrist equal partner w/ fingers & fulcrum
- loud: add forearm in
Staccato strokes on timpani
Used for quick, rapid notes
Made by snapping fingers, wrist, or forearm (depending on dynamic, style wanted)
Which aspects of percussion technique, that transfer between instruments, are most important? (Asks for 3)
1) Rudiments- most specifically the equal development of both hands, to help with aspects such as eveness of sound, speed, nuances, fluidity between instruments, etc
2) a firm grasp of how to create and manipulate,a fulcrum, as well as it’s function - though the fulcrum is slightly different from grip, to grip - understanding those differences, and being able to master them is essential to developing good technique
3) single stroke rolls - developing a good, even, malleable single stroke roll, as it is used so often on multiple instruments- & it develops hand coordination
Define three types of timpani staccato strokes
Finger: snap back fingers, playing down into the head
Wrist: fingers closed w/ no mvt, can be dry if needed
Arm: full weight of arm behind stroke, same grip as wrist. Try to stay relaxe
Sticking is…….
Phrasing!!
Stickings determined by…
Phrasing/musicality
All changes in sound come from….
Technique, not moving playing area
Describe difference between legato & staccato timpani strokes
Legato- no emphasis/ get of the head!
Staccato- clear, crisp, stay on head longer
Compare and contrast matched grip for snare vs mallets
Similar- both palms down
Fulcrum is still between index finger and pad of thumb
Butt/end of stick should still cross over outer part of palm, nit center
Different- function of fulcrum: snare= pivot point, pressure applied to keep stick in place, or manipulate for rolls. Mallets= fulcrum serves as point where stick is held.
Snare- manipulation of sticks themselves, more back finger involvement.
mallets- manipulating the weight of the head, less fingers
Main technical value of rudimental snare drumming?
Develops both hands equally
Describe 2 common problems with GRIP in beginning snare players.
- issues establishing fulcrum: allowing first finger to pint sown stick, instead of lightly curl
- trying to control stick w/back three fingers, instead of controlling rebound of stick
2 most important considerations when setting up percussion section
- Percussion should be placed near their related wind instrument
- B.D. And cymbals should be next to each other
Key to technical facility on mallets?
Economy of motion
Name and describe the 3 types of concert cymbals
Light/French - react quickly, light and fast sound
Medium/Viennese - good “all-purpose”
Heavy/German - long response time, short decay
How many snare drums required for marching band?
Rule of thumb - 2/ every 20-25 members of band
*adjust as necessary to maintain balance
Name 10 notation problems in percussion music
1) lack of standards ( multiple ways to notate rolls, l.v., dampening, etc.
2) very open to interpretation
3) not overly accurate
4) generally gives you where the note starts, and not much else
The “3 Dont’s of Keyboard Playing”
1) don’t cross your arms, mallets can cross occaisonally
2) don’t hit on the nodes,
3) don’t ever use the wrong mallet! Mallets must not be harder than what they are hitting!
