Archive for March, 2008

Build your own drum kit

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Did you know that custom built drums are not as hard as they seem to make? If you are good with your hands, and can work a few tools they might well be within your grasp! A few years ago I bought some custom shells from a drum maker and refinished them and put all [...]

What is the difference between a glockenspiel and a marimba?

Friday, March 28th, 2008

This is a question I’ve been asked many times by non-percussionists, and its quite easy to understand why people get confused by it! The key difference is in what the bars are made from – A Glockenspiel has metal bars, whereas a Marimba has wooden ones. The Marimba: The Marimba always has a large frame [...]

How do I notate a roll for Timpani?

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

This is a question I’ve found that a lot of composers and arrangers ask me – because its something that has changed quite a lot over the years. Timpani rolls used to be notated with a trill marking above, like this: ex1: Although more recently composers have begun using slashes over the note like this: [...]

Improving Drum Technique – Percussion Education Minute March 2008

Monday, March 24th, 2008

Improving Your Drum Technique Special Guest Jim McCarthy – Technique Specialist In this month’s edition of the percussion education minute I’m exploring the area of drum technique, and in order to do this I decided to invite a technical expert to do a “no holds barred” critique of my playing. Click Here to Listen: Duration: [...]

Help me find the Top 10 Drumming Blogs…

Friday, March 21st, 2008

OK Drummers – what’s wrong with you? I’ve been searching all day because I want to put together a list of the top 10 Blogs related to Drums and Drumming on the internet… and I thought it would be a really easy task! I actually found that if drummers are doing blogs – I can’t [...]

The Value of Affirmations

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

Affirmations -this is something “cooky” that no-one except crazy people do, isn’t it? That was something I used to think! I’ve just come back from an amazing three day seminar with Internet Guru Stephen Pearce. For those not into marketing, you may not know who he is or really care for that matter.. but the [...]