As percussionists, one of the most challenging skills to learn is subbing a percussion book for a show. It is a skill set that you must master to be fully prepared for the career challenges that lie ahead. In most situations, you will be expected to play the show without the benefit of any rehearsal with the orchestra or cast. You will be required to “make it happen” for your first performance. In addition, you will be using the “chair” players equipment and setup and this takes some getting used to. Your primary goal in subbing a book is to sound as close to the chair player as possible. The best compliment you can get after subbing your first show...
One of the most important musical choices a percussionist makes—regardless of the instrument—is mallet selection. Selecting the most appropriate mallet for a passage makes all the difference but with the hundreds of mallets available, how does one make this choice. Here are some principals that I use that may help other percussionists, conductors, and music educators in the selection of mallets. Principals • Strive to make the best possible sound, no matter the instrument, the musical style or the environment. Quality of sound is foremost. • A harder mallet produces greater articulation with a brighter, more abrasive tone. A softer mallet produces less clarity of articulation with a warmer, richer the tone. • Dynamic volume is not determined by the...
While there are a number of different mallet instruments that we perform on as percussionists (marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, chimes, etc.), there is one important aspect to include in your performance; playing with phrasing and musicality. Of course, this is easy to say, though, hard to do. Playing with the proper technique for each of the mallet instruments in our percussion "family" is one thing, but, having these instruments sound like "melodic music" and not "rhythmic music" is certainly a challenge! Once you understand the correct rhythms and dynamics of your mallet part, try following these three things that should help to ensure that your sound is musical: Try thinking of of mimicking the musical line by simply playing with a...
Always hold the triangle between the music and conductor where you can see both without moving your head. Experiment with different playing areas-and the amount of beater surface-to get the optimal sound for the specific passage. Experiment with different triangles to get the optimal sound for the specific passages. Big triangles don't have to be played for only loud passages (same for cymbals). Don't be afraid to use a heavier beater for softer playing. You'll hear a big difference! Try not to change the location of the triangle if playing rolling and rhythmic passage together (some players prefer to roll with the triangle lower so as to not raise the arm). This changes the sound-as a tambourine especially does, but...
Prepare your music at home first. Obtain your parts from the orchestra or ensemble that is employing you. Don't feel bad about bothering a principal percussionist or librarian. It's their job to get you the music so you have enough time to prepare it thoughtfully. Read through the notes from the principal percussionist. If they've taken the time to assign you a part or instrument, bring that instrument to the rehearsal. If you don't own that specific instrument, contact the principal to ask if you can borrow or rent one. Also, bring enough mallets so that you have a wide variety to choose from during that rehearsal. Prepare the part as if your first rehearsal is a concert. Obtain a...
