District Jazz Band Drum Set Audition Materials (Year 3)

Students should prepare the following styles, in this order, using the guidelines below: Swing:

1. Quarter note = 160, 4/4 time, play exactly 32 full measures as written, idiomatic comping/fills, kick the written figures, solo as indicated, using sticks, “feathering” the bass drum is acceptable

2. Quarter note = 60 (first half), 120 (second half), 4/4 time, play exactly 7 measures of

straight eighth-note ballad time, set up the double time in bar 8, switch to double time swing in bar 9 and play exactly 8 bars in the new tempo, playing the figure written in bar 16, observe the dynamics, idiomatic comping throughout, use brushes throughout, “feathering” the bass drum is acceptable

Fast Waltz:

3. Dotted half note = 60, 3/4 time, jazz waltz, play exactly 16 full measures, kick the figures, observe the rests and dynamics, idiomatic comping/fills throughout, using sticks, “feathering” the bass drum is acceptable

12/8 Afro-Cuban:

4. Dotted quarter note = 120, 12/8 Afro-Cuban time with left hand on cross-stick and tom toms and right hand on ride cymbal bell, play exactly 16 full measures, solo in the measures indicated, no comping is required for this style but can be added if the player wishes, a strong idiomatic groove and sense of time should be present throughout

Sight Reading: Students will be asked to sight read an excerpt from a big band chart. The style will be

swing in 4/4 and might include, but is not limited to; “kicking” ensemble and/or section figures, solo fills, “2 feels”, brushes, double-timing and/or half-timing, changes in dynamics, articulations and rests.

q=160 Swing

STYLE 1

Year 3District Jazz Band Drum Set Audition

Drum Solo

Time

Drum Solo

p

p f

f

ff

q=60 Straight Eighth Ballad with Brushes

STYLE 2

Year 3District Jazz Band Drum Set Audition

Set up Dbl. X Swing

Dbl. X Swing q=120

mf

f

mf

sub. p f

=60 Fast Waltz STYLE 3

Year 3

District Jazz Band Drum Set Audition

Time

Bell

Tom 1

Tom 2

BD

HH

=120 Afro-CubanSTYLE 4

Year 3

District Jazz Band Drum Set Audition

Solo Fill

Time

Solo Fill