Tagged As: How To Play The Snare Drum
Question:
I have a question for you. I just transferred to an undisclosed university as a composition major. I am a drummer, and since it is required that all music majors play an instrument, I wanted to play percussion. I've been playing for about 8 years, but I haven't honestly played anything but a drumset for about 4. So my snare technique is a bit rusty. So, of course, the percussion instructor asked me to play some snare drum music, and I did ok, it could have been better, but needless to say he wasn't impressed. I informed him that I had mainly been playing on the set for the last few years, and he replied, That's a myth. I don't buy that. People who say that they are good on the drumset but not on the snare don't know what they are talking about. If you can't play the snare, you can't play the drumset. (I didn't say anything about being 'good' at anything) So, is this true? What do you all think? Are there fabulous drummers that have never touched classical snare drum? I can see how snare drum helps your drum set playing, but is your snare drum playing a direct reflection of your drum set skill?
Answer:
Yes, snare drum is the heart of the set and everything else is and extension of the snare drum. It's not necessarily that classical snare drum mastery is a direct reflection of your drum set skill (I know several great symphonic players that can't play their way out of a paper bag on set), but it is your mastery of the two sticks whether it be orchestral, rudimental, fusion/jazz technique, etc. that determines your drum set chops. The actual instrument you play is the sticks. You learn how to do different techniques with them on different sound sources. All the drums are just pots and pans; Snare drum, drum set, timbales, electonic drums, tuned cowbells, etc. Your instructor could have said it nicer, but he is probably right about you needing to work on your drumming technique (ala snare drum) If you are there to study music, and percussion is your choice, there are only several avenues of traditional study of the drum sticks, orchestral snare or rudimental snare, and then there are melodic instruments, timpani, pther orchestral instruments, and the . What's your beef? What else did you think they were going to teach you at college? If you want to study with just a drum set guy, come study with me (but I'll give you hell too about your hand, stick, rudimental, reading and orchestral technique. just ask Mike: PALMS DOWN, MIKE!). BTW, if you don't really want to study snare drum, why don't you change to piano since you are a composition major? Makes more sense if you want to play drum set only!
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