Marching Percussion 

Building Blocks 

 by Rich Viano

Several weekends ago (September 29^th) I was invited to be a guest clinician at the Percussive Arts Society Day of Marching Percussion in North Florida.  It was a non-competitive format involving 10 percussion programs and three clinicians.     

Each group performed up to 10 minutes of music from their fall program and/or exercise book.  The three clinicians critiqued each program on tape and then I gave a 20 minute “hands on” session with each line.    

After the third line had performed, I knew I was going to write about this day for the newsletter. 

While each school did a good job and several programs appear to be headed in the right direction, I found most programs to be stuck in similar predicaments: not enough focus on the basics and too many notes.  

Most high school teachers are groomed in high school programs or drum corps.  I would guess that band directors around the country are composed of very few percussionists.  Most of the programs I come in contact with have independent instructors and designers.  As “adjunct” teachers, we have a huge responsibility to our students, which in most cases goes unsupervised.  Band directors hire us because they need our experience.  They trust us to handle their programs with care and they trust us to build fundamentally sound sections.

With that in mind, I have to wonder what the goals of percussion instructors are for their programs.  For me, especially at the high school level, I am focused on the long-term success of the program.  I have decided that taking my time with kids in the beginning will bare more fruit in the long run.  I have put together a few check list items that I feel will benefit any teacher in any situation. 

IDENTIFY THE TRUE LEVEL OF TALENT. 

This point is ground zero.  How can you build a program or arrange music without HONESTLY determining the level of the performers AS A UNIT?  Many of us are blessed with a hand full of accelerated students.   Keep in mind, your program performs together as a unit.  If you compete, you will be judged as a unit.  If you pace your program around a minority of talent, you have to consider the side effects for the majority.

Every program, regardless of talent, needs to learn how to play together.   Your basics program should contain well-balanced exercises that are constructed to define and reinforce great sound quality, great technique, style and musicianship.  Don’t fall into the “fancy/funky” trap.  While I agree, traditional exercises can be perceived as stale, do your best to focus on the function of each exercise rather than the “coolness” of each exercise.   I am not telling you that block form exercises are the only ones that work.  In my experience, the best exercises are ones that are simple and focused.  If you can find a way to get that done and satisfy “coolness”, more power to you. 

GET THE FEET MOVING RIGHT AWAY

We don’t call it “Marching” Percussion for nothing.  If your program plays exercises and show material standing still, don’t expect that sound to transfer on to the field.  It is imperative that you get your kids moving immediately.  This is another reason to keep the exercises simple.  Getting the feet to cooperate with the hands is essential.  At Morehead State University, Mr. Oddis would teach us to think of our feet “playing the big drum”.  He couldn’t have spoken any truer words.  Each member of the ensemble has to be accountable to his or her own feet.  As a judge, I look at the feet right away.  It’s a good indicator of tempo control and is often overlooked.

Remember:  the advanced rudiments and phrases that we all want our programs to achieve are extensions of solid drumming habits.  If a student can not play sixteenth note check patterns with a good sound and technique, it is very likely that adding flams and diddles will only diminish the level of quality. 

WRITE OR ADAPT YOUR MUSIC FOR SUCCESS

As the teacher, you have tricky decisions to make as your season progresses.  What licks can the kids handle?  What parts are essential to the musical integrity of the program?  Are we asking more of our students than can REALISTICALLY be achieved in one season?  Is the music written to serve the music and musicians or is it written to serve the “ego” driven rudimentalists?  All of these questions have to be answered with honesty and experience.  

One of the hardest things to do as a writer is take an eraser to your work.  I make it a rule not to be “married” to any arrangements.  If the ensemble is best served with a change, I don’t want my ego to influence a bad decision.  

I saw a lot of lines this weekend performing books that were way over the heads of the performers.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am not trying to lead a crusade against challenging your students to take on advanced material.  They need to grow.  What I am trying to encourage is smart and patient pacing.  Lots of kids learn advanced licks and they spend most of their time working on the lick.  Let’s encourage our kids to work on fundamental drumming, so they can learn ANY lick, with quality. 

In closing, I want to establish my intent.  I care about kids.  I am not professing to know all that there is to know about percussion technique.  I have been teaching long enough to have strong feelings about approach and in my tenure I notice the more successful programs are on similar paths.

Plan your work and work the plan.  If you get your program focused on solid skills, there is no doubt in my mind that the success you are looking for will arrive faster.  Remember: everything is hard until it’s easy.

As always, good luck and I hope your season is a success.,

Rich Viano

Rich Viano is the Manager of the Express Music Publishing Percussion Division. He is also the leader of the Village Beatniks at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and the Percussion Designer/Writer for the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps.

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