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Lame timpanists? Or lame instructors?


SWriverstone

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Qualifications:I'm a professional timpanist and occasional drum corps fan (meaning I dip in and out of drum corps every few years, but don't have time to follow it constantly). I graduated from Juilliard, and have studied timpani with Fred Begun (National Symphony), Saul Goodman (NY Philharmonic) and Roland Kohloff (NY Philharmonic). I've performed (on timpani) with the Colorado Philharmonic, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Venezuela Symphony, and many other ensembles. (Just so nobody accuses me of not knowing what I'm talking about!)

Rant: I'm in Allentown for the DCI East shows. I saw half of the current top 12 last night, and I've got to say that I was generally disappointed in the timpanists for ALL corps. For the record, the best was Greg Tsalikis (I think that's his last name) with the Bluecoats---excellent intonation and good sound...but even he suffered from my general complaint with everyone...

NOT ENOUGH VOLUME!

Somehow---and I have no idea how---pit instructors and arrangers seem to have gotten the notion that timpani are only to be played forte (f) and no louder. This is absurd! A timpanist must have better, stronger chops than any snare, bass or quad player...but I sure didn't see any sign of that last night.

Corps after corps, I watched in dismay as timpanists were completely drowned out by the horns...or (worse) sometimes drowned out by the other pit instruments. I'm a timpanist---I can easily see how much energy a player is putting into the drums by watching the motion of their wrists, arms, and mallet height---and nobody was putting much into it.

When I played timpani in professional orchestras, performing works like Mahler's 2nd Symphony or Stravinsky's "Le Sacre," it was a workout! I'd be putting so much energy into the drums my heart rate would soar and I'd be sweating! (And yes, I was in great shape.) That's because the timpanist has to drive the entire orchestra---the timpanist has to KICK the entire orchestra, including the brass players. It's no different in drum corps.

In DCI, timpanists seem to have been castrated. I see people relaxing on stools, casually hitting the drums, and not communicating anything. Judges and instructors seem to have been brainwashed into thinking the more "dainty" and "delicate" a timpanist looks, the more "musical" they are. (Laughing my butt off at this idea...)

I think a part of this is because pit arrangers are obsessed with making timpani a melodic instrument, writing melodic scales all over the place, and (I assume) petrified not to do it because they won't get as much credit by uninformed judges who believe the timpani are a melodic instrument.

I suspect some pit instructors also believe timpani sound "bad" if they're played louder than mezzo-forte. Again, this is absurd. Timpani are not only a harmonic instrument, they are a DRUM, and they should be played like drums when the musical context demands it! Of course, if the timpanist is constantly staring at tuning gauges with both feet on the pedals, I can understand why he/she is barely able to put any energy into the performance.

Pit arrangers need to back off on the tuning changes, and instead, focus on writing timpani parts that reinforce the bottom end of the musical sound more, with an emphasis on (yes) tonic, dominant, subdominant, etc. I'm not saying some wicked tuning changes now and then are bad...just that sometimes, a timpanist needs to be able to get off the stool, stand, and LET 'EM HAVE IT!!!

Just this morning, I watched the pit of a top 6 corps warming up. Every person in the pit was on keyboards playing away, while the timpanist just sat there. I was amazed---are this guy's chops so incredibly awesome that he doesn't need to work on them??? The pit arranger/instructor should have written timpani parts to go along with every mallet exercise---even the boring 2-mallet major scales/arpeggios exercises.

I should add that my rant isn't directed personally at the timpanists in today's corps---it looked liked many of them had talent, but were simply misled by their instructors and arrangers.

I hope to see something different tonight, but don't expect to. At the very least, if drum corps timpanists aren't going to project more, then PLEASE...AMPLIFY THEM! (Not just the keyboards!)

Scott Wilkinson

Edited by SWriverstone
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I'll make the assumption that you like the big 2-timp solo in the Nielsen 4th symphony :P

Anyway, I'd like to see some of them tackle, say, the Beethoven, Mahler, or Tchaikovsky symphonies (even Tchaik's Manfred).

Not much in the way of pedaling at all, so they can concentrate on proper dynamics (whether pppp or ffff) and musicality...which does, indeed, require some arm (always a fun thing). How would they fare?

I wonder how much the issue on the field has to do with mallet selection? I don't ever hear mallets that are all that clear from an articulation standpoint...not lighter (ie, less heavy) mallets at least.

Jason (also a timpanist, just without that impressive a resume)

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I don't consider myself an expert.....but did you notice the Cavalier's tympanist plays 'backwards'?

The tympani are arranged (left to right) from high to low......isn't that backwards?  It is to me

That is actually how many timpanists in Europe (and even some of the major US orchestras play).

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Yes, it is...

And, my brain hurts just thinking of setting them up that way :worthy:

It's way too ingrained into my brain to move to the left and expect a larger drum.

If this is the case, the Cavies have a new timpanist...I haven't seen them arranged that way, at least in any other year that begins with a 2

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I just want to say as a former timpanist Div 1 finalist that there are alot of issues that lead to what you have observed. I believe the biggest one is that alot of pit instructors rely on their timpanists to self-teach whenever possible due to the multitude of tasks pit instructors face (marimbas and vibes playing together, impacts, ensemble issues, etc). Another thing is many drum corp timpanists do not receive lessons from professional timpanists. I was never able to find one close enough to where I lived.

What the activity needs are more people like you who specialize in timpani and are willing to help out. In all seriousness, e-mail some percussion caption heads and ask them if they would be interested in having you come in for a winter camp or for a day during spring training. It wouldn't hurt. I sure could've used some help back in the days.

Edited by Sizzle
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I don't consider myself an expert.....but did you notice the Cavalier's tympanist plays 'backwards'? The tympani are arranged (left to right) from high to low......isn't that backwards? It is to me

Arranging the drums "backwards" is (as someone pointed out) a traditional German/Austrian arrangement. I don't know where the tradition came from. Here in the U.S., former Cleveland Orchestra timpanist Cloyd Duff arranged his drums in the German style, and many of his students do as well. There is no advantage nor disadvantage to doing this---it's really more of a personal "label" to say "I play German style" or "I studied with a Cloyd Duff student."

I'll make the assumption that you like the big 2-timp solo in the Nielsen 4th symphony.

Yes! I love that one...but alas, I've never performed it. :(

Anyway, I'd like to see some of them tackle, say, the Beethoven, Mahler, or Tchaikovsky symphonies (even Tchaik's Manfred).

Yes, driving a full, professional orchestra requires some serious power output. I've performed several of the Mahler Symphonies, and I can definitely say that they were exhilarating...but draining!

I wonder how much the issue on the field has to do with mallet selection? I don't ever hear mallets that are all that clear from an articulation standpoint...not lighter (ie, less heavy) mallets at least.

I don't think it has as much to do with mallet selection as dynamic range and power. That said, something I noticed a lot at Allentown was most timpanists switched to hard felt mallets when they wanted to play louder and/or with more articulation. This isn't necessary---in fact, it's better to go to softer mallets with larger heads when you need some serious volume...and with good technique you can articulate just fine with a medium mallet.

I just want to say as a former timpanist Div 1 finalist that there are alot of issues that lead to what you have observed. I believe the biggest one is that alot of pit instructors rely on their timpanists to self-teach whenever possible due to the multitude of tasks pit instructors face (marimbas and vibes playing together, impacts, ensemble issues, etc). Another thing is many drum corp timpanists do not receive lessons from professional timpanists. I was never able to find one close enough to where I lived.

Good points Sizzle. I'm sure that's true. When I was in high school in Virginia, I had to drive 4 hours (round trip) every week to study with Fred Begun of the National Symphony---it was a sacrifice, but it got me into Juilliard! And your point would explain why I've often seen pit timpanists "self teaching."

What the activity needs are more people like you who specialize in timpani and are willing to help out. In all seriousness, e-mail some percussion caption heads and ask them if they would be interested in having you come in for a winter camp or for a day during spring training. It wouldn't hurt. I sure could've used some help back in the days.

Good idea---I'll do that! I don't play professionally any more, but still enjoy teaching (and I love drum corps)...so that would be worthwhile. I'll work on it---because I'd love to see timpani in DCI be equal to what it is in professional symphonies---which with today's players, it has the potential to be!

Scott

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A quick report on Saturday's Allentown show...

I was hoping to hear more timpani the second night, but again was disappointed. As with Friday night, I saw plenty of good technique, except everyone was lacking in power. I was impressed with the female timpanist for the Colts (don't know her name?), who came closer than many others to actually projecting.

When Crossmen came on the field, I noticed they were actually miking the timps. "Great!" I thought, "Now I'll hear them!" But no...even with individual mics on each drum, Crossmen's timps were no louder than anyone.

When Carolina Crown (I think) came on the field with two sets of timpani, I thought "Cool! Now I'll hear them!" But alas, it wasn't to be. Other than a couple solo licks, they were a silent movie.

-----

Sizzle made some good points above about drum corps timpanists simply not having access to high-quality, professional instruction. I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing the folks who play timpani for drum corps, because I'm not. As I've said, I saw lots of people playing French grip (the best grip, in my opinion) with good technique. I just didn't see evidence of chops.

It's not surprising, I guess, that people don't consider timpani as a "chops" instrument like snare...but it is! A huge amount of time as a timpanist must be dedicated to nothing other than building tremendous strength and endurance in your arms, wrists, and fingers---no different than any other battery instrument.

I think I'll work on getting a website online with tips, pointers, etc. and see if I can spend some time at camps this winter working with timpanists.

Scott

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