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Thread: Help W/ Auditions

  1. #1

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    Default Help W/ Auditions

    Hello All,Im new Here And Hopefully You Guys Could Help Me.I Currently Play Bass 3 For Marching Band,And When Our Season Is Over We're Going To Have Winter Drumline Auditions And I Want To Be On Snare Because I Have Played It Before In Concert Band They Only Put Me On Bass because Im A Freshman.So My Problem Is This: The Percussion Instructor Doesnt Think Im Cut Up For Snare Because I Cant Play In Wierd Time Signatures.So I Also Need To Learn Syncopation,ANy Tips On How To Better Learn To Play In Weird Signatures ANd TO Learn To Read Syncopation Music???
    Im Going To Start Getn Help From My Band Teacher After School,I Practice Daily,And I Use Stick Control By George Stone As My Foundation For Practicing.Anything Else I Should Do To Get Better @ Snare So I Can Hopefully Play Snare For Drumline This Year?

  2. #2

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    The only thing I can think of, is try to get ahold of the audio track of whatever you may be playing, as well as copies of the sheet music, and practice your arse off at home on a practice pad. I wasn't cut out for snare in high school, and got stuck on #2 bass. As for odd time sigs, I have no clue man, I try to avoid them!

    Welcome to Drum Chat by the way! It's a great community, and you'll love it! gotta check out the newbie initiation thread though. We'll all get a kick out of it, and you'll enjoy too.

    http://www.drumchat.com/showthread.p...tion-1699.html
    Thats the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.

  3. #3

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    well, at the highschool level i imagine the most complicated signature your going to use is 6/8, which is basically triplets, 2 make up one measure

    But yea, work on your rudiments, i guarentee if you can in their and throw down ever rudiment nicely and put them together youd have a spot

  4. #4

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    Get ahold of the Ted Reed Snycopation book. It's filled with syncopated reading exercises. It helped me a lot in the beginning days. Also, it's great that you're working with your band teacher. If you practice real hard, with his help maybe you can get there and he'll consider you. You might also consider private lessons with the goal in mind to land the snare drum position.

    Good luck!

  5. #5

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    Thanks Everyone For The Advice.Ch33zz Im Not Sure if 6/8 is the most diffulcult because he showed me some nasty time signatures,but if 6/8 is the hardest then im happy because ive been practicing my triplets alot lately.rudiments i got some fairly hard ones down like the pataflafla and triple ratamacue,is there any ones exclusively i should practice more?and drummer thanks f0r the advice i was about to buy that book yesterday but im waiting to see if my band teacher helps me sufficiently,i dont know if he will because he has a wierd personality that one day he's happy with me and the next he just hates me plus him and the percussion instructor already have a kid in mind for 2nd snare only because the kid's a sophemore and im a frosh.i dont understand it though im better than that kid,he cant even play a triplet diddle.which is my warmup routine apart from 8's.

  6. #6

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    Cool Help w/auditions

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Get ahold of the Ted Reed Snycopation book. It's filled with syncopated reading exercises. It helped me a lot in the beginning days. Also, it's great that you're working with your band teacher. If you practice real hard, with his help maybe you can get there and he'll consider you. You might also consider private lessons with the goal in mind to land the snare drum position.

    Good luck!
    Tom--I second the Ted Reed Syncopation book! It hasn't stayed in print for over 40 years for nothin'!

    P.S: Watch for 5/4 rhythms--think of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" or the "Mission: Impossible" theme, which are both in 5/4--they can be a little tricky at first, but not that tough with a little practice!

    Good luck, SkyhawkDrummer ('Hawk for short?)...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  7. #7

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    Do You Know Where I Can Find The "Take Five" Exercise Bongobro??Hawk For Short Is Fine(Skyhawk Is My School Mascot).That Exercise Would be Helpful.Thanks

  8. #8

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    I just thought of it, why wouldnt he put you on snare because of weird signatures, your reading the same signatures on bass?

    I think he may be keeping you off because of your hands, so id say work on excersizes like flam i am, or something to get your chops built, and learn your rudiments

  9. #9

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    not to be conceited or anything but my chops are greater than the other basses.the problem is our marching program differs greatly from the drumline in winter...right now we only have 4/4 sigs. hopefully it's like u said 6/8 is the hardest cuz i can easily play triplets.maybe it's because i cant read synco. music.ive been practicing my trad grip and im starting to get it comfy i hope by next month i have it settled in so i can get 2nd snare.like i asked u earlier is there any rudiments that i should practice more exclusively?

  10. #10

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    Cool Help W/Auditions

    You might want to check the DrumBum site for 5/4 exercises, 'Hawk--

    http://drumbum.com/lessons/

    but for the actual "Take Five" charts, including the drum parts, check this one, too...

    http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages....k=&r=wwws-err5

    Hope these help, man...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  11. #11

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    that is awesome bongobro.thanks alot.

  12. #12

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    rudiments, not so much rudiments to build chops, but work on diddles a lot, all of them, but work them all into a pillow with no bounce, also try on your hands, do a 16th triplet, over and over, like 1 ta ta, 2 ta ta, mindlessly for hours, thatll build your chops, also try getting more familiar with switching from 16ths to setuplets on the run, thats always very annoying

    Make sure with your traditional, its in your wrist, not your forarm, most people with no traditional guidance, start moving their forarm up and down, and tend to hold the sticks wrong, make sure its turning your wrist, your arm shouldnt move much at all, unless your going for a big accent, and ask your drum tech for the proper traditional so you dont learn it wrong

    Other than that, yea

  13. #13

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    thanks alot bro,my drum captain recommended playing diddles and triplets into a pillow.and my grip was approved by my percussion instructor and so yea,basically i just need help building my trad. grip chops up.ima try what u recommended.thanks alot

  14. #14

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    Cool Help W/Auditions

    Glad to help ya, 'Hawk--keep us posted on how it goes, bro'!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  15. #15

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    i sure will,thanks everyone for the help.ill let u guys know if i got 2nd snare by the end of november.

  16. #16

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    any last moment advice from any other wise peeps?

  17. #17

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    Relax, and warm up =D

  18. #18

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    Yes! I've got some advice-- DON'T play into a pillow! Layer some towels on your practice pad instead. I can't say that this is my own advice... something I've learned from JoJo Mayer (not personally of course, via DVD). I dunno how much into drum line stuff he is, but he's hands-down one of the best drummers on the planet. As for the odd time signatures, subdivide them into easier to read/play numbers. For example, count 7/8 as 1-2-3-1-2-1-2 or 1-2-1-2-1-2-3, or whatever suits you best. Don't be intimidated by odd time signatures. They're fun! It's a lot easier to start counting odd times like this, especially since not all of the numbers are one syllable, which could throw you off. Hope this helps, and good luck with auditions! Go in with confidence, but not too much!
    http://www.myspace.com/jammasterjones
    http://www.myspace.com/nervousexistence

    Current Drum Setup: Sonor Force 2005 all Birch: 22" x 17.5" kick, 14" x 5" snare, 10" x 9" and 12" x 10" toms, 16" x 16" floor tom.
    Current Cymbal Setup: All cymbals are Paiste unless otherwise noted: 14" 2002 Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 18" 2002 Medium Crash, 18" Alpha Power Crash, 20" 302 Ride, 16" 502 China, 10" 502 Splash, and 12" Wuhan China.

  19. #19

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    Arr U Sure Bout The Towels,on Vic Firth.com Mark Wessels Explains That Pillows Or Towels Work The Same.sorry Bout The Caps.

  20. #20

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    Eh well, do whatever you want to do! I personally think it makes more sense to practice on a pad with towels as opposed to pillows because a pad with towels gives a more realistic feel than a pillow. You can still feel the pad beneath the towels. With a pillow... well, it feels nothing like a drum! I dunno. It makes sense to me. Like I said, it wasn't something I stumbled upon myself.
    http://www.myspace.com/jammasterjones
    http://www.myspace.com/nervousexistence

    Current Drum Setup: Sonor Force 2005 all Birch: 22" x 17.5" kick, 14" x 5" snare, 10" x 9" and 12" x 10" toms, 16" x 16" floor tom.
    Current Cymbal Setup: All cymbals are Paiste unless otherwise noted: 14" 2002 Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 18" 2002 Medium Crash, 18" Alpha Power Crash, 20" 302 Ride, 16" 502 China, 10" 502 Splash, and 12" Wuhan China.

  21. #21

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    Well, i practice into a pillow, becuase i dont want the drum feel, period, to build my chops, i tape up my hardimons that got demoted from show to pracitce sticks, sit with a pillow nad play, it helps you learn to pull the sound out of the drum, and it gives no reabound and feels nothing like a drum, so when you get on the drum, it feels much more comfortable then the uncomfortable pillow

  22. #22

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    i got another call for help.The drum instructor told us to make up a solo to "prove" we're good.I wanna throw down something good but not too complicated,mostly accented triplets,16th notes,septuplets,flams,and singles.any advice?

  23. #23

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    Use the solo to show off your command of the rudiments, include as many rudiments as possible, especially some of the harder ones like the Triple Ratamacue, or the flam paradiddle-diddle.
    Gretsch Catalina Birch 6 piece fusion set (10,12,14,16in. Toms, 22 Bass). Sabian 20" HH Classic Ride, 16" Istanbul Agop Dark Crash, & Zildian K 13" Hi-hats.

  24. #24

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    Exactly, load it up with rudiments, diddle EVERYTHING, accent off beats, and flam, thats a good rudimental solo for you, go diddle a buncha stuff (all of them, single, double, diddle-diddles(RLRRLL))

    Accent off beats ,like the E and A's, use rolls often, studders, and flams, oh and remember to make your accents shine, play fast and vary from playing quiet, and fast (very impressive, someone playing even, fast, and quiet) and pay attention to dynamics, maybe if your up to it a time signature change in the middle, like to 6/8 time?

  25. #25

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    im starting with some diddled triplets crescendoing from piano to forte.im ending w/ a four measure buzz roll and 3 double stop quarter notes w/ a 5 stroke roll as the last note.so in between i should pack it with rudiments and diddled off beats???

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