Often times I discuss with people the interesting techniques that modern composers devise to extend the sound palette of percussion instruments. Sure, we all know about a bowed tamtam, dipping a gong into water to lower it's pitch, or using a hard rubber mallet to bend the pitch of a vibraphone, but finding some new and interesting technique for the snare drum is hard to come by.
Recently I ordered a few new pieces of music from some of my favorite Japanese composers: Takayoshi Yoshioka's Suite No. 1, 2, and 3 (for solo marimba) and Rhapsody for Marimba, Flute, Clarinet, Contrabass and Drums, Akira Nishimura's Improvisation (for solo marimba), and Shin-Ichiro Ikebe's A Snare Growls, and He Flies (for snare drum solo).
Perusing new music is always fun. Japanese music looks almost as good on the page as it sounds when performed.
When turning the pages of Ikebe's A Snare Growls I came across the composer's request for the performer to do a few non-standard techniques; play on the stand of the snare drum, stomp on the ground with the foot, and (my favorite) "rub [the drum] with super-ball (small)". Personally I have not seen the super-ball used as an implement prior to this occasion, but I'm guessing it creates a buzzing sound with friction against the drum head. A picture is worth a thousand words, so...
Look for another article, coming soon, that demonstrates the sound of this trick! Right now, I'm off to look for a super-ball...
04 October 2008
New Advances in Snare Drum Techniques
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1 COMMENTS:
An alternative to a super ball for this sound, is to use the tip of your middle finger. Bend the tip down so it is almost vertical to the drum and run the whole hand slowly across the middle of the drum head. The Technique is very similar to a "moose call" often used on congas but you don't support the finger with the thumb behind. Instead you let the finger go very loose at the first knuckle and that whole finger tip vibrates across the drum.
Jim
www.sticktechnique.com
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