ensemble guide and battery technique

Ensemble Guide and Battery Technique

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The purpose of this guide is to refresh the more experienced percussionist and

further teach the beginner to intermediate percussionist in mastery of technique and

approach to playing and musicianship. It is the goal of ONE Percussion to establish a

tradition of excellence and exciting musical/expressive performances. ONE Percussion

was founded to promote percussion education, encourage continued involvement in

the performing arts, and to create an ensemble in which percussionist can come

together to learn and experience the excitement of excellence in percussion

performance.

Within this handbook you will find detailed descriptions of the technical

approach for battery percussion and definitions of musical concepts. Detailed focus will

be placed on sound production, technique, and musicianship to achieve excellence.

The instructional staff is committed to teaching and encouraging your continued

development as a percussionist, and guiding you towards achieving successful and

rewarding musical performances and experiences.

Focus on Sound

As musicians and percussionist we strive to further develop our technical skills,

physical dexterity (skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands), musicianship

and rhythmic control. These components are necessary for sound production, sound

control, and to ultimately make music. We must be aware of the sounds we produce,

and also refine our ability to identify nuances within these sounds. It is the subtle

nuances in the sounds that will take the music from being ink on a page and noise in the

air to an artistic expression that emotionally moves the listener and the performer.

Components of sound that we will consider are:

• Tone – Tone will be one of our highest considerations, whether you are playing

a pitched percussion instrument or a non-pitched percussion instrument. We

will always strive to produce the characteristic sound of the instrument being

played with a tone appropriate to our performance venue. We must first be

aware of what a high quality, characteristic sound on our instrument is, and then

must always be working to achieve that high quality sound. Listening and being

aware of the sound(s) that are being produced are the keys to achieving a high

quality sound. Go beyond “how” is the sound being produced, and start focusing

on listening TO the sound being produced. Know that playing implement choice

will affect tone quality. Various musical situations may call for the use of specific

playing implements.

• Duration – Is the sound produced a long sound (“wet” sound), or short sound

(“dry” sound)? This can be affected by how loosely or tightly you are gripping

the implement (stick/mallet). A tight grip on an implement will result in a dryer

sound, or “choked” sound due to choking off the resonation/vibration of the

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implement. A relaxed or loose grip on an implement will result in a wetter

sound, or a resonant sound due to the resonation of the implement. Duration

consideration also applies to roll length (buzzed and multiple-bounce) and their

releases. We can also produce a wetter or dryer sounding roll by saturating the

length/space of the roll with more/less notes (i.e. switching the roll base from

triplets to 16th-notes, etc.) Factors that affect duration include tightness of snare

guts, tension of drum heads (especially snare-side heads), muffling/dampening

techniques, and pedaling (vibes & synths). Due to the acoustical environment of

playing in a gym, or arena, much consideration will need to be given to the

duration of sound.

• Consistency – We will strive to maintain a consistent sound from note-to-note,

from hand-to-hand, and player-to-player. Any change in tone, duration, or

timbre must be a conscious decision and must be done for the sake of musical

expression. Achieving consistency will require the most detailed listening and a

heightened awareness of the sound(s) being produced not only individually, but

also as an ensemble. We will not only be asking and evaluating “Does it FEEL the

same?”, but also asking and evaluating “Does it SOUND the same?”.

• Velocity – Velocity will be utilized in describing the “speed” in which the

implement travels to the playing surface of the instrument. Velocity will factor

into the sound that is being produced for both volume and articulation. We will

consider speed and direction in determining our velocity. Our direction is

constant as it will always be in a direct line to our playing surface. It is important

to maintain consistent velocity at all dynamic levels to achieve a full and

consistent sound. Slight adjustments in velocity may be made within the given

stick height to achieve the desired dynamic level. However, consideration must

be given to producing a consistent, balanced, and blended ensemble sound.

As you practice and prepare individually, and as we rehearse as an ensemble we must

always have a constant detailed awareness of these components of the sound(s) being

produced. We will strive to work towards achieving the ability to control slight nuances

within our sound and use those nuances as expressive tools within our playing.

Balance & Blend

Although we will focus on rhythmic clarity, as it is a necessity in achieving a high

quality musical performance, we will also focus on balancing and blending our sound.

Balance and blend are two separate concepts. To achieve a high level, expressive

performance, you must be able to balance your sound to the sound of others in terms of

sound quality and volume, and blend your tone and sound quality with others to create

a cohesive ensemble sound.

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Components that factor into blending our sound are stroke energy (velocity),

articulation, and controlling the response of the instrument (ex: rebounds, cymbal/gong

peaks, timbre, etc.). Blend requires development of detailed listening to each individual

player, and a heightened awareness of your sound within the ensemble sound. The

ensemble sound should be considered in layers to achieve balance: sub-sectional

ensemble (marimbas, vibes, snares, basses, etc.), sectional ensemble (battery section,

front ensemble), and percussion ensemble (all percussion).

Rhythmic clarity is necessary to achieve balance, and balance is necessary to

achieve blend. When all three are achieved, the result is an enhanced sense of

ensemble clarity that cannot be achieved by rhythmic clarity alone. Your utmost sense

of awareness, focus, and musicianship will be required to achieve this level of ensemble

clarity.

Articulation

A significant factor in each instrument’s ability to speak clearly within the

percussion ensemble and the percussion ensemble’s ability to speak clearly is your

individual ability to create a consistent articulation as defined by the music. We will

define articulation as the space, or lack of space, between each note. Although battery

percussion instruments generally have a naturally short duration of sound, we still

consider articulation in terms of the style of stroke used (legato, marcato, staccato) and

how the beginning of each note (attack) sounds (accents, tenutos, etc.).

For both Battery and Front Ensemble, a factor that will affect articulation is how

firm or loose we are gripping the playing implement. A firm grip on the implement will

produce a more pronounced marcato articulation with a shortened sound; a loose or

more relaxed grip on the implement will produce “softer” legato articulation with a

more resonant sound. We will be detailed and utilize a heightened awareness of

articulations in our playing, but will strive to maintain a consistent tone and utilize

proper mechanical skills. You are encouraged to practice each exercise in both the

legato and marcato articulation styles to explore the resulting feel and sound.

Dynamic Interpretation

We will often refer to stroke size (stick heights) as a guide to achieving

uniformity in the “look” of dynamics and a general guide to mechanically achieving

dynamics. However, we must always think of dynamics in terms of volume and sound

quantity, and understand dynamics are relative to the larger ensemble situation. For

example, mp can be played at multiple stick heights as long as the volume and sound

quantity is consistent and in an appropriate relation to the overall ensemble musical

situation to achieve balance. We will use a “Dynamics Level” system to define how to

physically achieve our dynamics and our stick heights:

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• 1 = fingers �� pp *Primarily grace notes/flams*

o Bass drums using a “knocking” motion only

o Wrist stroke for mallets

• 2 = slight wrist drop/fingers �� pp – p



• 3” = wrist drop �� p



• 6” = small amount of wrist �� mp



• 9” = relaxed normal wrist �� mf

o Natural arm movement…nothing extra

o Wrist stroke with natural arm movement for mallets

• 12” = full wrist extension and a little arm �� f

o Wrist stroke with a little arm for mallets

• 15+” = full wrist extension and slightly more arm �� ff

o Wrist stroke + more arm hinge at elbow for mallets,

used sparingly

It is important to maintain velocity at all dynamic levels and stick heights…even

when playing at 3”. This will help us produce a consistent and characteristic sound

across the full dynamic range, and will prevent a thinning of our sound when playing at

low dynamic levels. Inversely, when playing at higher dynamic levels, be sure to

maintain consistent velocity and let the stick height and weight work to achieve the

dynamic level. We want to avoid an excessive increase in velocity at higher stick heights

and abusing instruments for the sake of “playing loud”. Remember, you are first and

foremost a MUSICIAN. Always listen intently to be sure dynamics are accurate in

sound, not just accurate in height. For example, a f should be twice as loud as a mp and

so on. We will generally play in the 3” – 15” range, however, dynamic levels will be used

as necessary to achieve a high level, expressive musical performance.

Efficiency

We will focus on playing, rehearsing, and learning in an efficient manner. This

will require the utmost responsibility on the part of the performers to be prepared for

rehearsals. The performers will be responsible to be prepared to learn at rehearsals and

be prepared to perform at rehearsals both musically and visually regardless of the stage

of learning. Mistakes are guaranteed to happen in the earlier stages of learning,

however, we must still be efficient in how we approach recovering and learning from

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mistakes and correcting them. Your instructional staff is here to teach and guide you to

fulfilling your greatest potential in an efficient manner.

We will approach the physical and mental nature of percussion with efficiency,

from the posture and stance aspect to the playing aspect, and everything in between.

As you play, you should always strive for a relaxed physical sensation, including in your

posture, stance, and the way you carry your body and equipment. The stronger a player

you become and the more “chops” you develop (playing chops and physical movement

chops), the more efficient and more relaxed you will become and the better you will

perform. Physical relaxation and efficiency also pertains to your brain and state of mind

as you play, perform, practice, and rehearse. You are setting yourself up for success by

having a strong and positive mental approach to your playing and performing no

matter what musical or physical responsibilities you may have. Practicing, developing,

and using GOOD habits will certainly help. This will lead to consistency and efficiency

with the end result being a high quality, expressive performance you will be proud of!

Preparation and Individual Practice

ONE Percussion will achieve its fullest potential and excellence in high quality

performances through each musician committing to individual practice and preparation

of technique, music, and visual elements. Sectional time will be allotted during

rehearsal blocks, however, it is important to understand ensemble rehearsals are for us

to refine and develop our ensemble performance (focus on sound, balance, blend,

expression/musicality, ensemble cohesiveness, and look/visual). This can only happen

when individuals come to rehearsals well prepared.

When practicing, start out slow and focus on the details; 15 minutes of

detailed, specified practice everyday will have better results than hours of practice once

or twice a week. Set individual practice goals for each practice session and develop a

process/routine that will guide you in achieving those goals. Consult your instructional

staff to guide you in practice strategies that will lead to your success and our

success…we are here to help you! Some practice tips for development and success:

• Start slow so you can work on muscle memory/development, be

detailed, and feel what you are doing

• Always, always, always listen and be aware of your sound; consider the

components of sound as previously mentioned

• Practice everyday.

• USE A METRONOME!

• Be detail-oriented, aware of what the music is requiring, and use your

utmost musicianship

• Remember, you are first and foremost a MUSICIAN

• Have fun!

Music is fun, and achievement of excellence is even more fun! “Music-ing” with

others that enjoy “music-ing” just as much as you is quite possibly the most fun!

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Battery Technique

GENERAL IMPLEMENT GRIP

A great quality of sound and approach to the instrument begins with the grip of

the stick. We will always strive to achieve a full, resonant tone from the instrument. To

achieve this, it is important that your hands maintain a relaxed grip around the stick at

all times to allow the stick to resonate in your hands. If you grip the stick too tightly, or

“squeeze” the stick, then you dampen the natural vibrations of the stick. The result is a

thin, choked off sound. Physically, the impact of the stick hitting the playing surface is

transferred directly to your hand causing fatigue, soreness, and possible injury. Think

about letting the stick “breathe” in your hands. At times the music situation may call for

a slightly firmer grip on the implement; however, we will not use a “squeezing”

approach.

TENORS: Your hands should be slightly turned outward from a flat top of the

hand to almost a 45-degree angle. Fingers should maintain contact with the stick at all

times, cradling it in the palm of the hands.

BASS DRUMS: The grip is very similar to matched grip, except the hands are

rotated so the wrists are vertical rather than horizontal. The thumb and index finger still

form the fulcrum. This fulcrum must be present at all times to maintain control of the

mallet and the response of the mallet.

PLAYING POSITION

With your arms relaxed by your sides, raise your hand up from the elbows until

your forearms are parallel with the ground. Bring the beads/mallet heads over the

center of the playing spot for your instrument. The arms should be relaxed with the

elbow resting near the body, but not touching. Avoid tension in the shoulders, arms,

neck, and face; think RELAX.

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SNARES:

The fulcrum points of the hands should be lined up; make sure the stick angles

are the same. The general playing spot will be in the center of the drum head. The

beads should be resting about ½” apart, and about 1” off of the drum head. It is

essential the beads remain in close proximity in the center of the drum head, or other

playing location on the drum head as determined by the music. If the beads are

separated or not playing in the same playing spot, then different sounds will be

produced resulting in sound inconsistencies from hand to hand and ultimately player to

player. If playing with the beads in different locations of the drum head, it must be due

to a conscious decision to achieve a desired musical effect.

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TENORS:

The bead of the stick/mallet should be resting about 1” off of the drum head,

sloping downward at approximately a 10-degree angle. The general playing spot for

each tenor drum will be about 1 ½” inside the rim (spock playing spots will be in the

center of the head). The default tacet position will be defined as sticks splitting over

drums 1 and 2 (right hand over drum 1, left hand over drum 2). Stick movements prior

to playing will be determined by the music. We will use the “T’ed” up approach for the

outer drums. Notice the beads are still in

close proximity and equidistance from

the rims.

When traveling from drum to

drum, maintain movement in an arc

(horizontal motion); avoid pulling the

elbows back. When moving to the spock

drum(s), the elbows will pull back, but the

shoulders will remain low and relaxed.

Remember, RELAXATION is the key.

There is an element of finesse when

playing tenors. Finesse can only occur

when relaxed.

BASS DRUMS:

The forearm should be parallel to the ground. The drum height on the stand and

carrier should be adjusted to facilitate this arm position. Your thumb should be near a

straight line with the wrist; no break or “kink” in the wrist either up or down. A break in

the wrist will cause tension. Wrists, arms, and shoulders should be free of tension.

Remember, tension means more work is being done than necessary and is less efficient.

It can also cause soreness, muscle fatigue, and possible injury. All of the fingers must

remain in contact with the mallet for control.

The general playing spot for bass drums is

located in the center of the drum head. Playing in

this spot will produce a full, resonant, yet articulate

sound. However, the music may call for a different

tone or timbre from the bass drum line in which you

will need to play off center or close to the rim.

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THE STROKE

We will primarily use two styles of strokes: legato and marcato. We will also

focus on understanding the mechanics and differences of two types of strokes: up-

strokes and down-strokes. Every stroke will initiate from the wrist with the bead/head

of the stick moving first. The wrist will be essential for every stroke/note played.

Although we will rely on wrist movement to produce the stroke, we will not restrict arm

movement in our playing and attempt to play with wrist motion only. As your wrist

moves, your arm should naturally move as well.

Legato Stroke

The legato stroke is often referred to as the rebound stroke because the player

allows the stick to “rebound” (bounce) off of the drumhead and produce a full, resonant

sound. The legato stroke should have a fluid/smooth look to it. The player makes the

initial effort to throw the stick toward the head, with the tension from the drum head

causing the stick to naturally rebound to its starting level; or in the case of a

“controlled” legato stroke, the stick will be allowed to rebound to a lower stick height

while still producing a full, resonant sound from the initial stroke. The key to playing a

legato stroke is not restricting the rebound of the stick. The motion of the stick should

only quickly and naturally stop to change directions – it is always moving either toward

or away from the drumhead. The characteristic sound of a legato stroke will come from

the grip on the stick. The grip should be relaxed allowing the stick to vibrate and

contribute to the resonance of the sound. All fingers should remain on the stick at all

times, but they should not hold the stick against the palm restricting the rebound, or

squeezing the stick restricting the vibration of the stick. The arms, wrists, hands, and

fingers remain relaxed, naturally moving with the motion of the stick.

Marcato Stroke

We define a marcato stroke as a “controlled rebound” stroke that produces a

shorter sound with a more pronounced articulation. The marcato stroke should have a

less fluid and more controlled look. When playing marcato, the rebound of the stick is

restricted by using your fingers to stop the stick after the stick has come in contact with

the playing surface. The fingers provide resistance against the stick motion to keep it

from rebounding, rather than traveling with the natural rebound motion of the stick.

The characteristic sound of a marcato stroke will come from the grip on the stick and

the use of more velocity. Your grip should be firmer than that of a legato stroke, just

enough to restrict the vibration of the stick, but not squeezing the stick. Make sure to

maximize efficiency by only using enough energy to get the job done. Tension should

always be avoided.

Up-Stroke

An up-stroke starts at a low stick height, plays a note from that height, and ends

at a higher stick height than what it started. For example: your starting stick height is

3”, you play a note at 3” and “pull” the stick up to finish at 9”. Remember to use

consistent velocity to achieve the 3” (or less) note first as it is part of the desired sound

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to be produced. The tendency will be to over-focus on the upward motion and under-

achieve the actual note to be played. An up-stroke type of stroke can be played using

either a legato or marcato style of stroke.

Down-Stroke

A down-stroke initiates from a high stick height and ends at a low stick height.

For example: your starting stick height is 9”, you play a note at 9” and stop the rebound

at 3” or less. Use the fingers to help stop the rebound of the stick without squeezing the

stick. Consistent velocity should always be used to achieve a characteristic sound

quality. The tendency will be to over-squeeze the stick in order to stop the rebound. A

down-stroke type of stroke can be played using either a legato or marcato style of

stroke.

BASS DRUM CONSIDERATIONS:

The stroke will be initiated by the mallet head moving first, as previously

mentioned. The motion of the stroke for bass drum should resemble a “knocking”

motion rotated to the side. Various dynamics may call for the “knocking” motion with a

slight rotation of the arm added to it. Because the stroke is rotated to a sideways

“knocking” motion, bass drum players have to fight against gravity. Bass drum players

must be aware of their arm positions to maintain playing in the desired playing spot,

and maintain consistent and high velocity to produce a full sound. As with any battery

percussion instrument, the mallet head should be allowed to freely rebound from the

drum head, unless the music situation requires the use of a marcato style stoke or

down-stroke type of stroke.

The tension of the drum head will affect the amount of rebound; higher tension

results in more rebound (top two bass drums), lower tension results in less rebound

(bottom two bass drums). Keep this in mind as you begin playing multiple bounce rolls

and flams. Bottom bass drummers may have to use more effort to achieve the desired

rhythm/rudiment and sound. This approach to the bass drum stroke should be used

regardless of playing location on the drum head.

Muscle Groups

We will focus on 3 levels of muscle groups to produce our stroke and control our

sound: arms, wrist, and fingers. Think of it like gears in a car; sometimes the music will

require us to use a low gear, sometimes it will require us to use a high gear. This will be

dependent on dynamic level/stick height, tempo, and the level of control necessary to

achieve the demand of the music. The muscles that control the arms, wrists, and

fingers must be present to allow you to execute any stroke in the music at anytime.

Because of this, individual practice is essential to develop the muscle groups, muscle

memory, and develop dexterity.

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The Snares

The snare drum provides the soprano voice in the battery choir. It is a unique

instrument that can contribute multiple timbres to the overall sound and provide

rhythmic support for various musical lines. Because the snare drum has a short and

precise sound, it is essential for snare players to be responsible for their playing with a

heightened sense of rhythmic clarity and articulation. As a line, the snares must

simultaneously achieve a uniform approach to technique (visual and playing),

efficiency, touch, rhythm, and space. It is essential for snare players to be accountable

as individuals for their performance and to be aware and know their musical role within

the battery section and the percussion ensemble. The snare line must function as a

single entity.

The Tenors

The tenors provide the tenor voice in the battery choir. They can produce

multiple unique timbres that can support or enhance the snare line. Because the drums

are tonal in nature, they easily lend themselves to doubling melodic contours and

adding counter point textures. It is important for tenor players to be accountable as

individuals for their performance and to be aware and know their musical role within

the battery section and percussion ensemble. As a line, the tenors must simultaneously

achieve a uniform approach to technique (visual and playing), finesse, rhythm, and

space. The tenor line must function as a single entity.

The Bass Drums

The bass line serves as a foundation for all of the sounds around it. It is the bass

voice of the battery choir. Along with being the support of the battery section, the bass

drum section also plays a major role within the entire music ensemble by providing

rhythmic and spatial reference points along with volume, impact, and motion. An

effective and impressive bass line will know their musical role and responsibilities and

approach the music accordingly.

The bass line consists of four or five individuals with exact interpretation of

rhythm, space, volume, touch, sound quality, and flow. Ensemble cohesion often

depends on exact clarity in all fundamental aspects of the bass line (technique,

approach, rhythmic interpretation, musical expression). The role of the bass drum

player is one that requires many levels of accountability. It is important for bass drum

players to be accountable as individuals for their performance and to be aware and

know their musical role within the bass drum ensemble, battery section, and percussion

ensemble. All of these elements combined create a seamless bass line with all of the

qualities desired for perfect blend, balance, articulation, and musical expression.

Although the bass line consists of 4 – 5 individuals playing a fourth or fifth of the part, it

must still function as a single entity.

ensemble guide and battery technique

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