Upgrade to remove ads
Only $35.99/year

EE Book 1 Percussion Terms, pp. 4 - 11

Terms in this set (54)

Beat
The pulse of the music.
Quarter Note
Gets 1 beat of sound.
Quarter Rest
Gets 1 beat of silence.
Percussion Clef
Clef used for instruments such as snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, and drum set.
Treble Clef
(G Clef) indicates the position of note names on a music staff: Second line is G.
Bass Clef
(F Clef) indicates the position of note names on a music staff: Fourth line is F.
Time Signature
Indicates how many beats per measure and what kind of note gets one beat.
Sharp
Raises the note and remains in effect for the entire measure.
Flat
Lowers the note and remains in effect for the entire measure.
Natural
Cancels a flat or sharp and remains in effect for the entire measure.
Double Bar
Indicates the end of a piece of music.
Repeat Sign
Without stopping, play once again from the beginning.
Bass Drum
This instrument is one of the most important instruments in band. Hold it's mallet with your right hand (matched grip). Place your left hand on the head opposite the striking surface. Stike the instrument half-way between the center and the top rim, pulling the sound out. B.D. is the abbreviation for this instrument.
Half Note
Gets 2 beats of sound.
Half Rest
Gets 2 beats of silence.
Alternating Sticking
A hand to hand sticking pattern usually beginning with the right hand. R L R L
Whole Note
Gets 4 beats of sound.
Whole Rest
Gets 4 beats of silence.
Multiple Bounce
This sticking is the first step to learning the roll. Simply let the stick bounce freely on the drum head.
Duet
A composition with two different parts, played together.
Key Signature
Tells us which notes to play with sharps or flats throughout the music.
Fermata
Hold the note (or rest) longer than normal.
Rudiments
These are the basic techniques of playing snare drum. You should practice and memorize these to improve your skill.
Flam
The small note is a grace note. It has no rhythmic value and sounds just ahead of the regular sized, or primary note. The primary note sounds on the beat.
Right Hand Flam
Hold the left stick about 2 inches above the drum head. Hold the right stick in the "up" position. Move both sticks at the same speed. The left stick will hit the drum just before the right stick. Let the left stick rebound to the "up position, and the right stick rebound to the 2 inch position.
Left Hand Flam
Hold the right stick about 2 inches above the drum head. Hold the left stick in the "up" position. Move both sticks at the same speed. The right stick will hit the drum just before the left stick. Let the right stick rebound to the "up position, and the left stick rebound to the 2 inch position.
Harmony
Two or more notes played together. Each combination forms a chord.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Austrian composer (lived 1756-1791) was a child prodigy who started playing professionally at age six, and lived during the time of the American Revolution. Mozart's music is melodic and imaginative. He wrote more than 600 compositions during his short life, including a piano piece based on the famous song, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
Triangle
This instrument should be suspended on a clip and held at eye level. Use a metal beater and hit the instrument opposite the open end. To stop the sound, touch the instrument with your fingers. Tri. is the abbreviation for this instrument.
Eighth Note
Gets 1/2 beat of sound.
Eighth Rest
Gets 1/2 beat of silence.
Doubling or Double Sticking
A pattern in which two consecutive notes are played with the same hand (R R L L, R R L L).
Pick-Up Notes
One or more notes that come before the first full measure.
Paradiddle
A snare drum rudiment with stickings R L R R, L R L L
Dynamics
How loud or soft music is.
Forte
Play loudly (lift sticks higher)
Mezzo Forte
Play moderately loud (normal stick height)
Piano
Play softly (bring sticks close to head)
Multiple Bounce Eighth Notes
Connect eighth notes so the bounces sound even and consistent.
Suspended Cymbal
One single cymbal suspended on a stand. Always use yarn mallets, not timpani mallets. Sus. Cym.. is the abbreviation for this instrument.
Wood Block
Cup your palm to form a resonating chamber under this instrument.
Gioacchino Rossini
Italian composer (lived 1792-1868) began composing as a teenager and was very proficient on the piano, viola and horn. He wrote "William Tell" at age 37 as the last of his forty operas, and its familiar theme is still heard today on radio and television.
Crash Cymbals
Hold the left cymbal in front of you at a slight angle. Allow the right cymbal to be positioned slightly above and slightly in front of the left cymbal.
Learn the basic stroke for a quarter note. Using a glancing stroke (and gravity), allow the right cymbal to drop into the left cymbal and follow through. This same motion is used for half notes, but slower in speed. For whole notes, the same motion is slower than for half notes.
To stop the sound of the cymbals, bring both edges of the plates against your body.
Choke = muffle (or stop) the sound immediately.
Cr. Cym. is the abbreviation for this instrument.
2/4 Time Signature
Gets 2 beats per measure with the quarter note getting the beat.
Flam Tap
After you play a flam, play a tap, always with the low hand. This will keep your hands correctly positioned for the rest of the exercise. Remember, a tap is played with the stick closest to the drum head.
Solo
In ensemble music, this marks a passage where one instrument takes a leading part.
Tempo
The speed of the music.
Allegro
Fast tempo
Moderato
Medium tempo
Andante
Slower walking tempo
Tambourine
Hold this instrument steady in your left hand at a slight upward angle. Your right hand strikes the head of the instrument according to the written dynamics:
Soft light sounds use one or two fingertips near the edge of the head.
Medium loud sounds use tips of all fingers one-third of the way from the edge to the center.
Loud sounds knuckles on head, half-way between edge and the center. Use a motion similar to knocking on a door.
Crescendo
gradually louder
Decrescendo or Diminuendo
gradually softer
Suspended Cymbal Roll
With yarn mallets on a suspended cymbal, use a rapid series of alternate strokes on the opposite edges of the cymbal (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock). Increase the speed of the roll to build an effective crescendo.
Sets with similar terms