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Thread: Evaluating myself

  1. #1

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    Hi, I'm a baritone/tuba player from North Carolina and have been wishing to move to Percussion since early this year. I've been practicing for at least 30 minutes a day since March. Right now we are in marching band season, and my band director told me he will let me play percussion next semester if I learn. He's given me some pointers and taught me the basics for which I need to get better from. I'd like to know if there is anyway to evaluate my percussion skills. Thank you, fellow percussionists.

    EDIT: I have the "Standard of Excellence" - Book 1 - Drums & Mallet Percussion book.
    This are the types of books that all 6th graders in my state are given for the instruments they wish learn.
    Last edited by Tockwork; 11-11-2008 at 07:58 PM.

  2. #2

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    Welcome to Drum Chat Tockwork!

    By way of getting to an answer for your question, tell us what you are using to learn your percussion skills, then maybe we can help you with evaluating your skills. I will say that if you can keep a steady beat, you could be a percussionist. After that, it's about putting in the practice time necessary to develop the muscle memory that is required with any musical instrument. I think the more important question is when you are playing a rhythm, do you love it? That's what will keeping you practicing, and make you a percussionist.

    Hang in there Tockwork, and again, welcome!
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Welcome to Drum Chat Tockwork!

    By way of getting to an answer for your question, tell us what you are using to learn your percussion skills, then maybe we can help you with evaluating your skills. I will say that if you can keep a steady beat, you could be a percussionist. After that, it's about putting in the practice time necessary to develop the muscle memory that is required with any musical instrument. I think the more important question is when you are playing a rhythm, do you love it? That's what will keeping you practicing, and make you a percussionist.

    Hang in there Tockwork, and again, welcome!
    Thanks for the response and the warm welcome!

    Well, I practice mostly on the snare drum, playing the musical pieces that are inside my beginner's book, and I have recently been starting to go through all the rudiments.

    On the other side, I have a keyboard which I practice, because I know the mallet equivalent to Piano is the xylophone/bells. I have the basic knowledge of the mallet instruments (the locations of the notes a - g), and how to read the music.

  4. #4

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    Sounds like you've got all the tools Tockwork, so do you love it! That's what makes the difference between the people who try out an instrument, and those who go on to master it.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  5. #5

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    Well yes, I love it.

    For instance: I love playing the bass drum part to one of our cadences when my band director isn't looking, and I love the feeling of going out on a marching field with a part of sticks and a drum. I've got to say that percussion is indeed my favorite instrument branch, and drumming is my favorite thing (musically) to do. Not only do the percussionists get the girls (wink), they are also most likely, the most watched branch during marching competitions.

    I love it. :D I also hope to go to college and be in the marching band.

  6. #6

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    That's really all we need to know Tockwork. Now just sit back and watch the responses you get from all the great, helpful people around here!
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  7. #7

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    Thank you for the help.

  8. #8

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    Hey Tock, sounds like you've got a really good start on playing percussion. You already know how to read music and stay in time with the Sousaphone . ( sorry about the wise crack in the other thread ,was just messin with ya )

    Keep up with the book your learning from and in the mean time try doing drum rolls when practicing . Try to keep the sticks as close as possible with out banging the tips together .This will help loosen your wrists so you can play a little smoother .

    Good luck.......and stay off that Sousa Chat forum

  9. #9

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    Welcome to DC!! And I would suggest learning all you can from what you have already been doing. And having already been learning music on another instrument this will help you in the long run knowing how to read music. But I would really suggest some lessons. It's fine to go through books and watching instructional DVDs or what not, but it's hard to see yourself play from an outside view. You could be developing bad habits without even knowing about them. With an instructor watching you they can be sure to catch these at an early stage and provide some insite on how not to create bad habits from forming.

    Just my two cents...good luck with it!!
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  10. #10

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    you could post a vid here and we could have a look at let ya know, what about the guys in school ? any snare players want to help you out?



    Official cowbell hater.

  11. #11

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    Actually, not many of them really try to help. I could probably ask the quad player for help and keep bothering him about it, since he is the best on the snare.

  12. #12

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    fed his ego, tell him u want to play just like him and voila!! free lessons



    Official cowbell hater.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tockwork View Post
    Not only do the percussionists get the girls...
    Dude, everyone knows hurdy gurdy players score the real hotties!

  14. #14

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    Hey, on the bright side, Percussion players on marching bands aren't considered geeks!

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tockwork View Post
    Hey, on the bright side, Percussion players on marching bands aren't considered geeks!
    percussion players are NEVER geeks...........

    ( and remember , drums are a chick magnet )

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Roaddebris View Post
    Dude, everyone knows hurdy gurdy players score the real hotties!
    lol

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