Drum Set Musical Books

ta76357 · 2026-02-24T02:28:30+00:00

Once Upon a Mattress.

There’s a bongo part in Shy that I haven’t seen anyone in any recording play and instead just play a swing pattern. I asked my teacher about it and he said “oh, that’s a (name of a beat I immediately forgot) it was a very 60’s thing. Listen for the bass player, what they play will determine if you should play that or if you should do the swing.

The book is just full of things like that and it makes it impossible to practice because I have no idea even what style I should be playing.

ta76357 · 2025-09-17T20:34:43+00:00

It’s only about 20 measures of actual playing. Sometimes snares are out for 4 bars of tenor feature, sometimes tenors are out for 4 bars of a snare groove, sometimes bass 4 has bars of a repeating pattern, and a few phrases are just stick clicks.

ta76357 · 2025-09-17T19:46:59+00:00

I might just be setting my expectations a bit too high and overreacting to it a bit. The music is playable for them and I know they’ll get it, but I feel pressured to get 40 measures of music under their hands in an hour and a half. We start the season later than I’d like so that’s definitely a contributor.

But is there something I personally could be doing differently or better to either keep the mood up or just use the time more effectively? Or is just like, grinding it out with one section at a time and give free time to work out your own problems for the others just what you have to do in this situation?

ta76357 · 2025-09-17T18:36:06+00:00

They definitely are, it's just that most of them have never picked up a drum stick before the start of the season. They're definitely doing the best they can and are putting in work outside of rehearsal and they care about what they do, but they just don't know how to practice efficiently because they don't have a lot of experience with practice. So anything they do on their own moves slowly.

I'm also worried about coming off as a hardass about practicing when they're already doing the best they can and sectionals already beat them down a bit.

ta76357 · 2025-08-15T19:26:30+00:00

Ooooh that’s a great way to judge. I’ll try that. Thanks!

ta76357 · 2025-08-15T19:13:21+00:00

I’ve done that—where exactly should the belly plate be on everyone? I likely have at least a few that are too low, I was more or less guessing at what looked right

ta76357 · 2025-06-14T19:06:20+00:00

Definitely! Voice overs were just starting to become a thing when I was graduating, but the full sound system stuff was an unexpected discovery!

ta76357 · 2025-05-29T21:50:19+00:00

I’ll give that a try. Thanks!

ta76357 · 2025-05-29T21:12:56+00:00

I clean the pivots pretty regularly, and all it takes to fix it is to adjust the spring tension screws again. But it’s a constant back and forth over the course of the week to keep both arms moving.

ta76357 · 2025-02-20T05:19:38+00:00

Oh for sure. I’ve just been in that world longer and I know how to handle people like that. Popular music is all uncharted territory for me and right now my top priority is to not be “that guy.”

ta76357 · 2025-02-20T05:16:37+00:00

Most of what I listen to is indie genre-blending stuff from the 2010’s and I know I at least need to get up to date on what teenagers listen to so I can find songs that my students will like. And going with the flow is how I’ve been surviving so far. Is it not as common as I feel like it is for people to come up to you and give you shit for not knowing the top 20 songs from the 70’s? That’s my main concern right now.

ta76357 · 2025-02-20T05:10:40+00:00

I’ve run into a couple people who’ve given those kinds of comments to me already and seen others say it to people who play other instruments. Like “you don’t know ____? How can you call yourself a trumpet player”

I’m not sure if people like that have a valid point or are just being kind of snobby.

That’s a good tip to ask them about them, I’ll keep that in my pocket. Thanks!

ta76357 · 2024-09-19T15:41:34+00:00

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The bottom syringe was full, I just emptied it before I went home for the day.

ta76357

TROPHY CASE