Tech-Talks

The Magic 45°

The Magic 45°
I have often been asked about my tambourine grip, and while I employ a range of variations, my basic "go-to" technique is to hold the tambourine at...

Percussion "Quick Tips" Launched!

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We've started posting individual 30 second instructional videos that will cover a wide-range of topics. New "quickies" will be added each week, so...

Thoughts From A Department Recital

Thoughts From A Department Recital
Dear Music Majors, Let’s discuss recital performance etiquette briefly. Going on stage to perform is an important part of your training as a mus...

How to Travel to an Audition: What to bring and how to get it there!

How to Travel to an Audition: What to bring and how to get it there!
For percussionists, traveling to auditions can be more challenging than playing the audition. We have to get ourselves, as well as a shopping cart ...

Why are we so out-of-tune?

Why are we so out-of-tune?
Good intonation is one of the pillars of musicianship for those of us who play pitched instruments. It's also an area in which many timpanists stru...

Tips for Moving to a New Country: What Gear to Bring

Tips for Moving to a New Country: What Gear to Bring
When I was preparing to move to China to start my new job with the Wuhan Philharmonic, I had a rather large list of concerns. There were the normal...

Amassing and Choosing the Most Appropriate Sounds

Amassing and Choosing the Most Appropriate Sounds
People often ask me, “Why do you have so many tambourines?” Usually this question comes from a non-percussionist. It’s a good question—one that man...

Guidelines for the New Theater Percussionist

Guidelines for the New Theater Percussionist
  Many percussionists delving into the musical theater world, for the first time, find this new venture a bit daunting. Often the classical trai...

Setting Goals In Percussion

Setting Goals In Percussion
I recently had a discussion with the percussion studio at Southeastern University regarding goals. I am asking the students to set some goals for t...

Taking A College Audition?

Taking A College Audition?
College professors will gather as much information about prospective students as possible to determine if the student will be a good fit for their ...

Which Model Tambourine Should I Buy?

Tech-Talk
One of the most common statements we hear from percussion students is, "My teacher told me to purchase a tambourine, but I don't know which one to ...

An Organized Percussion Section: The Key To Success by John R. Beck

An Organized Percussion Section: The Key To Success     by John R. Beck
Getting Organized. We all aspire to it. We know it will make our jobs easier. We know that our students will learn more quickly and become better p...