It is your responsibility to acquire materials recommended by your teacher and you should own all the equipment required to complete your degree program. Expect to allocate $200-300 per semester for instruments, music, books, and related gear.
Required items:
1. Percussion Retailers. The following mail-order sources specialize in concert percussion instruments and music. Local retailers may not stock these items or special orders may take too long. However, I would recommend that you frequent the Drum Shop in Struthers and Hubbard Music.
A. The Percussion Source, Coralville, Iowa. www.percussionsource.com
B. Steve Weiss Music, Philadelphia, PA. www.steveweissmusic.com
2. E-mail account. Notify me immediately of any address change.
3. Academic Datebook. Bring to all classes.
4. Portfolio three-ring binder 2” maximum. Include loose-leaf ruled writing paper and loose-leaf manuscript paper. Bring to all classes.
5. Ear Plugs. I recommend either a pair of high quality audiologist fitted plugs from Westone or Microsonic or “Hearos” which are available from stores such as Guitar Center. Audiologist plugs cost about $130. Order the 15 dB attenuators. Avoid cheap foam plugs as these compromise your performance. Bring to all percussion events.
6. Metronome. Recommended models – in order of preference - Yamaha Click Station and Roland Dr. Beat.
7. 9” gum rubber practice pad. Recommended models are ProMark, Reel Feel, Yamaha.
8. Mallet cases.
A. Briefcase, small suitcase, or large stick-case for all orchestral related sticks and mallets. Recommend Innovative Percussion Bag or the Mike Balter large mallet bag
B. Medium-large stickbag for drumset sticks and mallets.
C. Small briefcase for timpani mallets and related gear.
9. Portable recorder. Digital recorder, microphone, and headphones. Used to record lessons, practice sessions, clinics, and performances. Bring to all lessons.
10. Timpani tuning. Freshmen should own F-F chromatic tuning pipe and sophomores an A-440 tuning fork. Electronic tuners are useful for practice, but a tuning fork is necessary for ensembles.
11. Drum key. Keep in your stickbag.
Frequently Used Books:
Discuss proposed purchases with your teacher so they may recommend appropriate books. Most of these are available from Steve Weiss Music. Dr. Schaft’s books are available from him via cash or personal check.
Snare drum
•Glenn Schaft – Snare Drum Handbook
•Charles Wilcoxon – All-American Drummer
•Mitchell Peters - Intermediate Snare Drum Studies
•Mitchell Peters - Advanced Snare Drum Studies
•Guy Gauthreaux II – Six Classic Snare Drum Solos
•Gary Chaffee – Rhythm and Meter Patterns.
Keyboard
•Glenn Schaft – Keyboard Handbook
•Mitchell Peters - Fundamental Method for Mallets, V. 1 & 2
Volume 1 - freshman.
Volume 2 - sophomores
•Gifford Howarth – Simply Four. www.tapspace.com
•David Friedman – Vibraphone Technique-dampening and pedaling
Timpani
•Glenn Schaft – Timpani Handbook.
•Mitchell Peters - Fundamental Method for Timpani.
Drum Set
•Glenn Schaft – Chops and Concepts
•Mick Berry & Jason Gianni – The Drummer’s Bible. Sharp Press, 2004. www.seesharppress.com
•Ed Uribe – The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion and Drumset
•Ed Uribe – The Essence of Brazilian Percussion and Drumset
•Congas and Orchestral Accessories
•Michael Spiro – The Conga Drummer’s Guidebook. www.shermusic.com
BM Jazz Emphasis and Recording Technology Degrees
•John Riley – The Art of Bop Drumming
•Gary Chaffee - Technique Patterns
•Gary Chaffee – Time Functioning Patterns
•Gary Chaffee – Linear Time Playing
•Zoro – The Commandments of R&B Drumming
•Ed Uribe – The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion and Drumset
•Ed Uribe – The Essence of Brazilian Percussion and Drumset
•Arthur Lipner – Vibes Real Book
Mallets
See The Percussion Source catalog for descriptions.
•One pair concert snare drum sticks. ProMark - Tom Freer - General Orchestral model – general purpose hickory model. These must be straight, pitch matched, and the same weight, i.e. within 1-2 grams.
•Two pair size 5-A wood-tip hickory drumset sticks with acorn shaped tips. These must be straight, pitch matched, and the same weight.
•Pair telescoping wire brushes with rubber handles and wire end rings. Regal Tip, ProMark, or Zildjian. Plastic brushes are not acceptable. Be sure they do not rattle.
•Pair of natural rubber mallets on rattan shafts. Tom Freer FRK3 light green natural rubber model on rattan shafts or Malletech - Natural Rubber NR13R model, rattan handles.
•Set of 4 yarn wrapped marimba mallets on birch or maple handles. Medium hardness.
•Set of 4 cord wrapped vibraphone mallets on rattan shafts. Medium hardness.
•Pair xylophone mallets suitable for rosewood instruments, rattan handles. Tom Freer – FRK9 Large Brown Linen Phenolic or Black Swamp Inaki Sebastian 28mm rosewood core on rattan handle. Hard plastic mallets are not acceptable as they dent rosewood instruments.
•Pair medium-hard timpani mallets. Clevelander, Cloyd Duff, Black Swamp, Vic Firth- European Series, etc.
Instruments
•Snare drum (5 or 6.5”x14”) in a case, suitable for orchestral and rudimental studies. I will help you customize the drum with appropriate cable snares, heads, and dampening if necessary. I recommend Black Swamp concert snare drums.
•Contact me before bringing drumset or other large instruments to campus, as space is limited.