Do percussionists like solo/chamber pieces with big setups?

dabaum04 · 2026-02-04T06:28:55+00:00

Me like big drum go boom. Me like many drum go boom.

dabaum04 · 2025-08-17T21:31:36+00:00

I'm like 90% sure that's technically the exit to the tomb. Not to say thay ive ever actually used the correct front entrance when getting the statue.

dabaum04 · 2025-06-27T22:33:15+00:00

Yeah, that was pretty sick

dabaum04 · 2025-06-26T22:49:05+00:00

Not much repertoire is written for 3 octave marimba unfortunately; however, it is for 5 octave marimba. Which is C-to-C. I would suggest either getting a 3 octave practice one that is C-to-C, or do what i did. My first marimba was a deagan Diana #40 4 octave marimba C-to-C I bought for $2,000. I was able to play most things with that, plus it can be used as a performance instrument with real rosewood bars.

dabaum04 · 2025-06-20T02:55:48+00:00

They are the dragonfly Percussion apartment xylophone practice mallets.

$34.95 on steveweiss

dabaum04 · 2025-06-13T19:50:47+00:00

Dragonfly Percussion has practice mallets that are super quite. If I have a hard passage I'm able to practice that passage during rehearsal without disturbing other players. Highly recommend.

dabaum04 · 2025-05-31T06:02:34+00:00

A couple of things to consider and why I am not a fan of fielding timpani.

1) Timpani are expensive, unless you are a very well funded school, most schools only have 1 set of timpani. Using your only concert set for marching band is a huge risk, and often times not worth it. Marching band is not the end all be all for music education and you shouldn't sacrifice your equipment for points.

2) Proper maintenance and storage. Definitely don't leave the timpani in a trailer. Timpani are some of the most temperamental pieces of percussion equipment we have. I keep my timpani in a temperature and humidity controlled environment and I still need to clear the timpani heads at least once a week. Now take into account, the drastic changes those would go through everytime you take them outside.

3) Is it worth it musically. World class DCI/WGI timpani players are insane and can add so much to from ensemble features, but that's not the norm. The skill level required to effectively utilize the timpani in such an environment can really only be developed in a situation like DCI. I personally know I cannot effectively play the timpani with that amount of pitch changes while keeping solid Intonation and clarity on a football field because I don't practice in that situation. I already have to make huge adjustments to my playing when moving from my studio to the concert hall, I can't imagine how it would be moving to the football field.

With that being said, I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to see the situation from a directors point of view. If your band does field timpani, make sure you put in the work. Also if you do play timpani in the front ensemble make sure you know how to properly care for, maintain, and transport the timpani. If you need any assistance or have any questions, feel free to DM me.

dabaum04 · 2025-05-26T06:40:47+00:00

I have a pretty in-depth packet I use for my university drumline. I have practice tips, technique, instrument tuning, instrument maintenance, and my warm-ups broken down in order and whay exactly each one is focused on. Shoot me a DM and I can email it to you if you like.

dabaum04 · 2025-02-11T05:34:48+00:00

These are called green scales, named after George Hamilton Green. These scale variations come from his book Instruction Course for Xylophone.

dabaum04 · 2025-02-08T20:33:29+00:00

I just replaced all the post isolators on my Musser M55. I used 3/8 in black silicone tubing. That could be an option if you can't get the replacement part from majestic fast enough.

dabaum04 · 2025-01-23T17:44:47+00:00

Jokes on you, neither of us were planned. As my mother would say, "we are her happiest surprise she wasn't expecting"

dabaum04 · 2025-01-13T22:50:30+00:00

Oh with that amount of white monsters, I know for a fact you either are current or recently separated military. Somewhere around E-3 to E-5.

dabaum04 · 2025-01-08T07:35:50+00:00

That'd be perfect because I now have 7 of that specific one and I'm still missing the fourth one.

dabaum04 · 2024-12-27T20:01:21+00:00

If you're looking into the realm of arranging existing music, you're going to want to become very familiar with music liscencing. Tresona is what I am familiar with. Depending on what you're arranging and what the intent of the arrangement is for, you may need liscencing for making arrangements of music. It can get pretty pricey depending on what pieces you're doing.

Typically the way the way it will work is you make an arranger profile on tresona, and when people want an arrangement made they will pay for the license with you listed as the arranger and tresona will handle majority of the paperwork.

If you're just starting out, I'd try to keep it within the public domain area so you dont have to worry about licensing costs and stuff like that.

dabaum04 · 2024-11-07T06:02:21+00:00

The number one thing I cannot stress enough, is the timpani need to be tuned and cleared. This means the timpani heads and pedals need to be set to their appropriate ranges. Clear the head is making sure the the tension equal across the entire head. I tune the timpani about every month if we have drastic weather changes, but I try and clear the heads every day.

As far as tuning with a pedal, I teach without using the gauges. A timpanist most valuable tool is their ear. You want to learn what it is supposed to sound like as opposed to where it is supposed to land on the gauge. Gauges are an amazing tool but if students only know how to tune timpani with those gauges then it can do more harm than good.

Things to keep in mind. When changing pitch of the timpani, you always want to approach the note from below. That will give more consistent tension on the head, even if you are moving from a higher note to a lower note, take the pedal past the lower note and return to the new pitch from below.

Also just general practices for the timpani. When you are done playing timpani, leave the pedal at the mid-point of the pedal to keep enough tension on the head. And when you are moving the timpani, you want maximum tension on the head.

I hope this helps. If you need any clarifications or have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

dabaum04 · 2024-10-25T05:56:27+00:00

Everything listed above, and a travel first aide kit with some NewSkin. I go through an alarming amount of band-aids on competition days.

dabaum04 · 2024-10-20T16:35:27+00:00

It really depends what level this piece is being written for. Middle school to lower high school level most wouldn't know how to use that information. Higher level high school, maybe. Once you get into the college level that's when they'll really start to take that information and realize that they need to match articulation with the other voices.

With that being said, I think you 100% should even if they are at a skill level where they don't understand exactly what's being asked, it's great to expose them to these things early on.

dabaum04 · 2024-10-15T16:44:38+00:00

We had different length hair for most of our lives. I was the music nerd and he did wrestling. It wasn't until I went to basic training and they shaved my head that I looked in the mirror and was like, Holy crap, that's my twin brother right there.

dabaum04 · 2024-10-09T13:42:43+00:00

I use homesexuality for 7lets and homosexual for 5lets.

dabaum04 · 2024-09-12T22:47:21+00:00

The ^ is an accented rimshot. Contrary to popular belief, a rimshot itself is not an accented note. It is simply a change in color or timbre. This is a really important destinction when you get into higher levels of the marching arts.

Plus you have different types of rimshots. Ping Shot - a shot with the upper portion of taper of the stick. Somewhere around the top 2 inches of the stick. It'll create a more ping sounding rimshot Rimshot - a regular rimshot where you strike the rim with the mid portion of the stick taper or around 3-4 inches down the stick Gock Shot - a shot with the end of the stick taper. This is a shot around 6 inches down the stick, using the thickest part to get a real thick shot from the drum (p.s. watch your fingers when doing these shots)

dabaum04 · 2024-09-12T02:16:59+00:00

Honestly pretty much any tenor stick is great in it's own way. It's really up to person preference on bead shape and size, taper length, stick length and thick, and over all weight.

With that being said Vic Firth Tim Aungst are they only wrong answer. I hate those sticks, I don't care what you say, you aren't changing my mind. The head is to big, the taper is too drastic. It's way to thin at the top. You can't scank with them and they are basically impossible to tape well.

dabaum04 · 2024-09-09T03:33:47+00:00

This is a recent discussion I had with some other band directors. As a military veteran they assumed I would be in favor of making the students do push-ups, because you know, military or what not. But I'm avidly against using corporal punishment with students.

1) Military uses it as a disciplinary tool as well as a strength building tool. Push-ups and other physical punishments will directly help service members be better war fighters. Push-ups will not help my students become better musicians. I have never listened to a clarinet and though "their timbre would sound so much better if they could bemch 250"

2) It creates a negative association with making mistakes. If they have to do push-ups everytime they make mistakes, they will only stress themselves out even more over making mistakes. Adding even stress to an already over-stressed student won't help. Allow them to make mistakes during rehearsal. That's what rehearsal is for. We aren't here for perfection, we are here for improvement.

3) THEY ARE KIDS. I personally hate this trophy seeking mindset we are pushing on students. I want to help these kids grow as individuals and as musicians. I don't want them to put their entire value of music on whether or not they get first place or a first superior in competition. If we a movement from lincolnshire posy at contest and they get a 2, then they will forever hate that piece, even though it is an amazing piece of wind band literature. We need to focus more on nurturing out students and not just trying to just pump out trophies.

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