Mr. Mayo’s Resources

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Considerations For Those Looking to Play The Percussion

  • A true percussionist is well rounded in all aspects of percussion.  This includes drums, mallets, accessories, cymbals, etc.  It is not about laying just one instrument.

  • Percussionists must be dedicated, as there are numerous techniques to play every instrument. 

  • Percussion students have to practice more than many of the other instruments in order to be successful in playing the variety of instruments.

  • Students who only think percussion is playing one instrument are in for a disappointment. Percussion students must practice each instrument consistently.

  • Students will use both treble and bass clef when learning percussion.

  • Percussionists must have good timing, as they often maintain tempo for the band. 

  • Students with formal piano experience tend to thrive as a percussionist. 

  • Percussion can be very rewarding if you put in the time commitment necessary to be successful.

  • Ultimately, students who work hard, practice consistently, and are driven to better themselves will likely have the greatest success no matter the instrument.

Considerations When Buying Percussion Equipment

  • Beginning – Most beginning percussionists start off with a snare drum/bell kit or a practice pad/bell kit.  They also usually buy a stick bag with standard snare drumsticks, xylophone mallets, marimba mallets, and timpani mallets.  Different school require different materials.

  • Intermediate – Most intermediate level musicians tend to focus on building their stick and mallet collection in order to acquire more sounds while playing the instrument.  This could consist of higher quality drumsticks and different hardnesses of mallets.  They sometimes also purchase an upgrade to their snare drum and/or bell kit.  For concert snare drum, they look at higher quality drums that get a better sound.  For mallets, they usually look at practice xylophones or practice marimbas. 

  • Advanced – Serious musicians tend to really invest in their collection of percussion items.  This tends to be a variety of sticks, mallets, accessories, cymbals, and other instruments.  Those looking to become professional percussionists often invest in their own larger mallet instruments.  Some even invest in a set of timpani.  They most often look at owning the most common percussion instruments and accessories.

  • If you do not know what these differences are or know if they would be valuable to you, consult a professional. I am not claiming to be a professional, but you could contact me as well. A simple google search can also inform you of the basics. 

Recommended Brands of Instruments

  • Yamaha

  • Pearl

  • Mapex/Majestic

  • Grover

  • Black Swamp

  • Zildjian

  • Sabian

  • Meinl

  • Marimba One

  • Malletech

  • Latin Percussion

Recommended Brands of Sticks/Mallets

  • Vic Firth – Disclaimer: I am a Vic Firth artist.  That can make it seam biased that I recommend them.  However, I truly believe in their company and believe they make the best product.

  • Innovative Percussion

  • Sawyers Percussion

  • Promark

  • Marimba One

  • Mallatech

  • Encore

  • Balter

  • Cooperman

Recommended Brands of Drum Heads

  • Remo

  • Evans

Recommended Listening

  • Keiko Abe

  • Nancy Zeltsman

  • Mark Ford

  • Michael Burritt

  • Evelyn Glennie

  • Andy Harnsberger

  • Ney Rosauro

  • Chris Lamb

  • Rob Knopper

  • Ted Atkatz

  • Bob Becker

  • Tim Genis

  • Bill Bachman

  • Bill Shaltis

  • Ivan Trevino

  • Alan Abel

  • Christopher Deane

  • Casey Cangelosi

  • Paul Rennick

  • Leigh Howard Stevens

  • Gary Burton

  • Buddy Rich – Drum set

  • Steve Gadd – Drum Set

  • Jojo Mayer – Drum Set

 

Some Recommended Method/Technique/Etude/Collection Books

  • Wessels – A Fresh Approach to Mallet Percussion

  • Davila – Impressions on Wood

  • Whaley – Primary Handbook for Mallets

  • Samuels – Contemporary Vibraphone Technique

  • Glassock – Mallets for Drummers

  • Hearnes – Mallet Player’s Toolbox

  • Wylie – Simple Steps to Successful Mallets

  • Koshinski – Two

  • Gottlieb – Masterworks for Mallets

  • Howarth – Simply Four

  • Stevens – Method of Movement

  • Goldenberg – Modern Method for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone

  • Ford – Marimbe: Technique Through Music

  • Friedman – Vibraphone Technique

  • Green – Instruction Course for Xylohpien

  • Peters – Fundimental Method for Mallets

  • Peters – Fundimental Solos for Mallets

  • Lipner – Vibes Real Book

  • Whaley – Fundimental Studies for Mallets

  • Whaley – Musical Studies for the Intermediate Mallet Player

  • Whaley – Primary Handbook for Mallets

  • Zeltsman – Four Mallet Marimba Playing

  • Delecluse – Twelve Studies

  • Delecluse – Method for Snare Drum

  • Peters – Elementary Studies

  • Peters – Intermediate Studies

  • Peters – Advanced Studies

  • Peters – Dexerity

  • Goldenberg – Mondern School for Snare Drum

  • Cirone – Portraits in Rhythm

  • Pratt – 14 Modern Contest Solos

  • Stone – Stick Control

  • Stone – Accents and Rebounds

  • Whaley – Fundamental Studies

  • Whaley – Musical Studies for the Intermediate Snare Drummer

  • Whaley – Primary Handbook for Snare Drum

  • Morello – Master Studies for Snare Drum

  • Podemski – Standard Snare Drum Method

  • Alfred – Drum Method

  • Wilcoxon - The All-American Drummer

  • Nard Drum Solos

  • Aleo – Advanced Etudes

  • Vic Firth – Solo Snare Drummer

  • Goodman – Modern Method for Timpani

  • Carrol – Exercises, Etudes, and Solos for the Timpani

  • Firth – Solo Timpanist

  • Peters-  Fundamental Method for Timpani

  • Tafoya – Working Timpanist’s Survival Guide

  • Hinger – Virtuoso Timpanist Series

  • Lepak – 32 Solos for Timpani

  • Freytag – Rudimental Cookbook

  • Bachman – The Logic Series of Books

  • Wooten – The Drummer’s Rudimental Reference Book

  • Queen – The Next Level

  • Freytag – Just Desserts

  • Johnson - Progression

  • Reed – Syncopation

  • Wessels – Fresh Approach to Drumset

  • Alfred – Beginning Drumset Method

  • Rothman – Basic Drumming

  • Bachman – Stick Technique

  • Igoe – Groove Essentials

  • Puente – Drumming with the Mambo King

  • Eduardo and Kumor – Drum Circle

  • Reed – Bongo and Conga Drum Technique

  • Davila – Jingle Jamz

  • Uribe – The Essence of Afro-Cuban Percussion & Drumset

  • Uribe – The Essence of Brazilian Percussion

  • Saleh – A Percussionist’s Handbook

  • Aleo – Complementary Percussion

  • Whaley – Audition Etudes

  • Payson - Techniques of Playing Bass Drum, Cymbals and Accessories

  • Cirone, Grover, and Whaley – The Art of Percussion Playing

  • Epstein – Cymbalisms

  • Chapple – The Packet

  • Grover and Whaley – The Art of Tambourine and Triangle Playing

  • Cirone and Whalet – The Art of Bass Drum and Cymbal Playing

  • Cirone and Whaley – The Art of Percussion Accessory Playing

  • Hannum – Check Patterns

  • Primatic - Percussion Methods

  • Davila – Play at First Sight

 

Percussion Literature/Books

  • Saleh – A Percussionist’s Handbook

  • Cirone – On Musical Interpretation

  • Schick – The Percussionist’s Art

  • Drum and Percussion Cookbook

Some Solo Literature

  • Rosauro – Three Preludes

  • Abe – Works for Marimba

  • Sammut - Libetango

  • Smadbeck – Virgina Tate

  • Peters – Yellow After the Rain

  • Peters – Sea Refractions

  • Glennie – Three Chorales

  • Drucjman – Reflections on the Nature of Water

  • Zivkovic – Llijas

  • Schwantner - Velocitie

  • Gomez – Rain Dance

  • Stout – Two Mexican Dances

  • Smadbeck – Rhythm Song

  • Sammut – Four Rotations

  • Muramatsu – Land

  • Stout – Astral Dance

  • Burritt – offering

  • Ford – Polaris

  • Ford – Moon Chasers

  • Maslanka – My Lady White

  • Ewazen – Northern Lights

  • Thomas - Merlin

  • Trevino – Strive to be Happy

  • Cangelosi – White Knuckle Stroll

  • Burrett – Peludes

  • Lin – Wind

  • Lin – April Sky

  • Coco – Gordon’s Bicycle

  • Stevens – Rhythmic Caprice

  • Friedman – Mirror from Another

  • Zivkovic – Suomineito

  • Green – Xylophone Rags

  • Rosaro – Conertos

  • Creston – Concertino

  • Kreislet – Tambourin Chinois

  • Musser – Etudes and Preludes

  • Ewazen – Concerto

  • Miki – Marimba Spiritual

  • Zivkovic – Funny Mallets

  • Breuer – Mallet Solo Collection

  • Markovich – Solos for Snare Drum

  • Tompkins – French-American Rudimentals Solos

  • Cangelosi - Meditation

  • Cangelosi – Tap Oratory

  • Trivino = Spur

  • Rennick - Slopes

  • Floyd - Triptych Boom

  • Carter – Eight Pieces for Four Timpani

  • Beck – Sonata for Timpani

  • Cahn – Raga

  • Willmarth – Bushido

  • Bergamo – Four Pieces for Timpani

  • Goodman – Ballad for the Dance

  • Kraft – Concerto

  • Firsth – Solo Impressions for Timpani

  • Cirone – Sonata

  • Xenakis – Rebonds

  • Kopetski – Canned Heat

  • Kraft – French Suite

  • Kraft – Morris Dance

  • Kraft – English Suite

  • Tagawa – Inspirations Diabolique

  • Hollinden – Cold Pressed

  • Lang – Anvil Chorus

  • Campbell and Hill – Music for Multi Percussion

 

Recommended Stores For Instruments and Equipment

 

Recommended Websites

Recommended Apps

  • Bandmate Chromatic Tuner

  • Tonal Energy Tuner

  • Sight Reading Factory

  • Smart Music

  • Intunator

  • StaffWars

  • Tunable

  • Master Ear Training

  • Theory Lessons

  • Tenuto

  • APS Trainer

  • tuneUp

Must Have Accessories

  • Stick Bag

  • Drum Pad

  • Tuner/Metronome - app or physical device

  • Music Stand

  • Pencil

Additional Possible Accessories

  • Breath Builder

  • Moon Gels

  • Ear Plugs

  • Tuning Forks (timpani)

  • Triangle Beaters

  • Triangle Clips

  • Drum Mute

  • Bees Wax (Tambourine)

YouTube Channels to Follow

Instagram Accounts to Follow

  • Percussive Arts Society - @percussivearts

  • Percussion IQ - @percussioniq

  • Percussion Pal - @percussion_pal

  • Vic Firth - @vicfirth

  • Eastman Percussion Studio - @eastmanpercussion

  • Chris Pun - @chrispunpercussion

  • Nazzo - @practice_percussion

  • Samuel Keh - @samkeh_percussion

  • Innovative Percussion - @innovativepercussion

  • Pearl/Adams Perussion - @pearladamspercussion

  • Gridbook Percussion - @gridbooknation

  • Mark Ford - @markford

  • Ivan Trevino - @ivan.drums