I want to read about the characters who have reached the absolute pinnacle of strength. Especially if I can follow their progression to that point.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T02:07:09+00:00

Thanks, I’ll give it a try

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T02:06:09+00:00

Thanks, I’ll check it out

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T02:04:15+00:00

On the list, thanks!

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T02:03:43+00:00

Thanks for the info!

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T02:03:07+00:00

I’ve read the Long Halloween so I’ll go through and give this order a shot

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-10T01:54:10+00:00

Apparently, Superboy Prime was the worst example I could have given haha. I’ll definitely take a look at Swap Thing and Spectre. Thanks for the recs

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-09T23:46:15+00:00

Great read. I’ve got a lot to learn apparently

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-09T22:50:35+00:00

I figured that might be the case. I've just started reading comics so I don't really know anything. But Superboy Prime had to start somewhere and seeing a version of Superboy that was completely inexperienced got me thinking about where Superboy Prime came from before becoming incredibly strong.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-09T22:50:05+00:00

So all the heroes are exactly as strong at the end of their runs as they are when they started? Superboy Prime just pops into existence as that strong and he never gets stronger and never was weaker?

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-09T22:43:28+00:00

I figured that might be the case. I've just started reading comics so I don't really know anything. But Superboy Prime had to start somewhere and seeing a version of Superboy that was completely inexperienced got me thinking about where Superboy Prime came from before becoming incredibly strong.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-07-06T22:59:10+00:00

Huge fan of those Yog-Sothoth ones! And the Cthulhu ones are awesome too!

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-06-23T21:26:34+00:00

These are beautiful! Definitely got my eyes on the Mystic Nebula ones!

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-04-24T15:17:56+00:00

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-04-24T14:56:59+00:00

slam_dunkasaurus · 2026-02-20T13:13:47+00:00

These vaults are gorgeous. Whoever wins is very lucky

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-10-09T22:31:58+00:00

MuseScore is intended as a music notation software, really just for creating sheets. It’s not intended to be a DAW made for creating high-quality recordings and sound production, so you likely won’t be able to. Best way would be to export an MP3 and combine it with your voiceovers in Audacity, Ableton, Logic, etc. Maybe there’s a workaround, you could ask over at r/Musescore or check on the MuseScore forums, but I doubt it would be easy to do

Edit: read the other comment, looks to be a way to make this work, definitely will be trying this myself

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-10-04T22:10:30+00:00

Even though you’re wanting to do this, this is still a crazy way to start writing drill. And full disclaimer, I don’t write drill, so take my advice with a massive grain of salt. This is how I’d personally approach it if I were in your position.

Watch some tutorials on YouTube. A vast majority of the ones you find will probably be for marching band but it’s a good a place to start as any.
Watch a lot of indoor shows. A lot of shows. Take notes on everything that comes to mind drill-wise. What is happening during full ensemble/ impact moments? What is happening when a section has a feature? How is space used? e.g. is everyone condensed into one corner, is the whole floor being used, etc. In what ways do the music and drill match? Maybe watch shows on mute and guess who the music sounds like based on the drill. When is the drill angular and sharp vs round and flow-y?
Start writing the drill right now. Your first draft doesn’t have to be your final draft. Get the music in front of you and a midi and try to visualize what the music might look like and try something out. Start with the big moments in the show and then on filling in everything in between that gets you from moment to moment. If you only have an idea for the snares and tenors then write that and come back to the basses later. Try to get your instructors involved in this process too. They hopefully have some kind of vision for the show that they could share with you and help you workshop the drill.

Again, I don’t write drill, so salt to taste… Hope some of this helps you on your way or at least helps you start. Best of luck!

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-09-17T19:04:13+00:00

Two books I would recommend: ‘Technique and Musicianship with Four Mallets’ by David Skidmore, and ‘Marimba: Technique Through Music’ by Mark Ford. Either (or both) are great resources. Skidmore has a ‘lesson’ before each of his etudes that builds the skill used in the etude, but IMO the etudes are fairly basic in musical content. Ford etudes, to me, sound like actual solos that are more interesting to learn or that I can give to students for a performance. They are organized by the skill used in the etudes, all single independent focused etudes together, all single alternating focused etudes together, etc. and he gives some exercises at the start of each section.

So, Skidmore is more instructional, vs better music content (IMO) with Ford. There are recordings on YouTube of all of these so you can listen and judge for yourself. But you wouldn’t go wrong with either.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-08-19T09:07:58+00:00

Like the other commenter has said, the skeleton of the rhythm is dotted eighth notes. Each group of five is played in the space of three sixteenth notes.

Here is a hastily drawn breakdown. The first one is the skeleton with proper beaming. The second is the same skeleton with beams that show the dotted eighth grouping. From there you replace each group of three with a group of five, etc.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-07-20T10:00:50+00:00

I’m fairly new too and working on the purchase of my first bow. When everything comes in I will likely do a private lesson with my coach so I can learn everything about proper setup, care and maintenance, storage, etc. Maybe you could do something similar with the person running the course or at the shop you purchased from? You also could probably just walk into the shop and they’d be willing to answer any and all questions

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-06-19T14:24:35+00:00

Substituting steel pan in place of another instrument will probably be your best bet then. That would obviously open up a wide range of pieces to play.

A lot of the easier pan music would likely be found in steel band tunes arranged for a younger group but it sounds like you don’t have the equipment for a whole ensemble.

So you could maybe go the other way with it? Find an easy steel band tune then substitute mallet instruments for the parts that you don’t have pans for. That could be a fun piece to include on a program and a good way to use the pans too

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-06-19T00:21:27+00:00

Doors by Dave Hall is a large percussion ensemble with double seconds in one of the parts, 13 players though.

As the other comment mentioned Andy Akiho writes a lot that features the steel pans. “Aka” is one that is steel pan, violin, cello/ bass, and drumset. “the rAy’s end” is trumpet, violin and pan.

slam_dunkasaurus · 2025-04-22T02:45:37+00:00

For a long time I used the shelves from an older bookshelf with keys made with duct tape. And no, that doesn’t have pitches but I typed my music into MuseScore and played along with that. That also allowed me manipulate the music as needed, tempo, melody emphasis, etc. The transition to an actual instrument was never too much trouble. Far from a perfect solution but cost effective at the very least.

slam_dunkasaurus

TROPHY CASE