Photo by Scott Pickering

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Two-tone Drumstick

When you find yourself in that musical moment that requires the sharp attack of a drumstick bead or shaft AND a less pointed sound (soft mallet) but no time for a stick /mallet change, this simple modification can help you deliver both timbres.


Take any drumstick and wrap some "Cushion Tape" (like 3M Nexcare Absolute Waterproof or Dr. Scholl's Moleskin) around the lower shoulder / upper shaft area of the stick. (App. 3 inches of tape)

That's it!  Give this treatment to a couple of sticks and you can easily play that suspended cymbal roll and move instantly to using the bead on the snare drum--or the butt end on the cowbell. 

You can even generate a decent suspended cymbal roll with one stick.

I keep a "doctored pair" in my mallet case.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Setup Of The Month December


Here's the setup that was used this past weekend at the Plymouth Park United Methodist Church (Irving, TX) performance of the Benjamin Harlan cantata, A Candlelight Christmas.

I played percussion along with my college-age drumming daughter, Anna.   We played all the timpani parts (quite a bit) on the Handsonic 15...and the conductor was quite happy with the "digital kettles."   Notice my electronic tuner on the trap table to boost my confidence in the timpani pitches.  



Saturday, December 1, 2012

Sleigh Bells--Just In Time

December is here and it is my solemn duty to repost my sleighbells tutorial video.

If you are a percussionist---Don't leave your home without the sleighbells for the next 24 days!