Drummers: Back in the Day Question

[Beau R]

In the years I marched in Spirit of Atlanta, everyone in the percussion section (both battery and front ensemble) read music.

[CANDRUMMER]

When I started playing in a small Baton and Drum Corps back in 62 even the Instructor couldnt read.!!His "writing" would consist of writing out the rudiments/music in long hand ie: paradiddle paradiddle flam tap flam tap 9roll/25 25 6ruff tap.

A lot of the "rudimental" style of drumming I found was rudiment IDENTIFICATION. You saw a single paradiddle and played it by looking at the stickings etc.Most guys I marched with learned by "rote" watching and LISTENING to others

When I later got to middle school Grs 6 7 8 and got into the band program I really learned how to read. It helped a lot over the years from playing teaching arranging etc. In High School I found the drum parts BORING!!! lots of boom tick boom tick boom tick tick tick etc.I asked the teacher if I could write new parts and he said YES!! I taught the other drummers basic rudiments and we sounded and looked a lot better.

Being from ONTARIO CANADA you Americans had it over us in a big way. High School Marching Bands are almost UNHEARD OF up here!!!!! There are a few but NOTHING like you have in the US.

Now ALL kids I believe read very well You almost have to just to audition. Is it a good thing I guess sure helps the Instructor if the line can read and doesnt have to spend time with members "breaking down" the parts bar by bar as in the "old days"

Hey hornlines did the same thing with the X AND O method X valve IN O valve OPEN or later R for rotor B for both valve and rotor.

Some used the 1-2 and 1/2 method 1 valve 0 open 2 rotor B valve rotor OR 1 2 valve NOW its 1 2 OR 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!

Edited August 15, 2010 by CANDRUMMER

[CANDRUMMER]

See above

Edited August 15, 2010 by CANDRUMMER

[sagnasty]

I kan reed musik reel good. I kan spel good to. Drum Core taght me how to be whoo i am too dae.

[ajlisko]

I kan reed musik reel good. I kan spel good to. Drum Core taght me how to be whoo i am too dae.

... and that's what Rote is all about ...

:-)

[Jim Nevermann]

I started drum lessons and reading in 1957, going on to jr high and summer school band, orch and even concert percussion ensemble of sorts. I joined [and was instantly addicted to] D&B corps about halfway through my sophomore year in HS, 1965. However, although our unquestionably corps-experienced drum instructor could and did write all the drum parts out, he wrote in what I'll call an 'imprecise' or 'not always correct' notation. I thus learned our snare parts by a combination of interpretation and rote.

It wasn't until late '66 or early '67 that I came across "The Badger Strut" [author?] and especially "Tornado" by Mitch Markovitch --they and related pieces published, I think, by Ludwig-- that their distinctly precise, correct notational style --originated and championed by Mitch-- really opened my eyes; made my "Aha!" light come on; radically affected how I understood and thus more accurately played corps/rudimental drumming for the first time. Mitch's notational style has, I believe, come to be used universally now.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Jim Nevermann