Percussion and Drum Stuff's Best of 2011

It's that time of year. Let's look back at our most popular posts from 2011:

1. Snare Drum Sheet Music - Rhythm X 2010: "Inspired"
2. Snare Drum Sheet Music: Cavaliers Flam I Am 
3. Drumline Sheet Music: Double Drizzle Cadence 
4. Marching Snare Drum Sheet Music: Blue Devil's Dick 
5. Tenor Sheet Music: Rhythm X Quad Solo 2002 
6. Snare Drum Sheet Music: Blue Devils 2003 Opening 
7. Drumline Sheet Music: Music City Mystique 2011 
8. Radiohead deput new song with two drummers 
9. Sheet Music: Glassmen Cadence 2003 
10. Snare Drum Sheet Music: Arcadia High School 2011

We aim to make 2012 even better! What are you looking forward to in the new year? I personally cannot wait for indoor drumline shows to start. I'm also going to be seeing the Blue Man Group perform this February in Columbus, Ohio which I'm super stoked for!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Percussion and Drum Stuff!

Steve Young on DCI

I found this video to be pretty interesting. Steve Young is pretty well spoken and I totally agree with his assessment (isn't he a lawyer too?).

Video of "Bassman" performed by a steel drum band

Check out this video of "Bassman'" by Winston "Mighty Shadow" Bailey, arranged by a former co-member of the University of Toledo drumline, Aaron Ziegler, and performed by the University of Iowa's steel drum band.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Drummers

Looking for that extra special holiday gift for your drummer friend? Here are a few suggestions on gift ideas for percussionists.

RealFeel by Evans 12" 2-sided pad has a large playing surface that fits inside a standard snare basket, a natural gum feel on one side for realistic stick rebound, and a harder recycled rubber surface on the other for a real workout.

Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro-Drum and Pro-Cymbals Kit. 4 Durable drum pads / Metal-reinforced kick pedal / Sound-dampening, velocity-sensitive heads for more expressive performances. Wireless connectivity/3 AA Alkaline batteries included.

 

Once you've seen Drumline: Special Edition, halftime shows will become works of art. This formulaic yet surprisingly captivating movie honors the military precision of college football marching bands, those battalions of eager, sternly disciplined brass sections, drummers, and fly girls who turn halftime shows into well-oiled Vegas variety acts on steroids. 

The Blue Knights are a competitive indoor drumline from Denver, CO. Every year they travel to Dayton, OH to compete in the Indoor Drumline World Championships. Watch On the Line today!

Blue Man Group takes the audience on a 90-minute journey that pushes the boundaries of the rock concert experience. Filmed during their summer rock tour, The Complex Rock Tour Live is a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and themes surrounding the tour. 

Finale SongWriter lets you hear your music play back, print sheet music, share songs with the free downloadable Finale Reader, and save MP3 files for your iPod. From the creators of Finale, the world's leading music-notation software, SongWriter is perfect for songwriters, band and choir directors, church musicians, students, and other musicians. 

 

Virtual Drumline 2.5 by Tapspace. The world's most powerful, complete marching battery and concert percussion sample library ever recorded - featuring the 2004 world-champion Santa Clara Vanguard percussion section. 

On The Beaten Path: The Drummers Guide To Musical Styles & The Legends Who Defined Them (Book & CD). Learn to play the most legendary drum beats and solos ever recorded! This book is your essential guide to the biggest & best drummers to ever grace the instrument, the music they played, the gear they used, and the drummers that influenced them. Pick up your copy today!

 What are your drummer gift ideas?

VDrums : Friend or Foe? - Gigging with a VDrum TD20

Hello, my name is Chris B. Olds, I’m a Pro drummer on an Indie tour right now with my own Band, Buddhahead Groove Faktory. http://reverbnation.com/buddhahead - I’ve been on Tour on and off for the last 25 years, most recently with the Jonathan McEuen Band. I purchased a Roland VDrum set, so I’ve been using this TD20 for a couple of years now and I don’t mind sharing the experience...which has been pretty great so far! Yes there have been a couple of times I was concerned..like “Holy S*** what if the electronics fail !! “ and ..Well that honestly is a possibility, even so, I try and keep my mind on more constructive thoughts in general...( hoping I can afford a backup brain soon.. )

Here is one example, I was playing a show outdoors last summer and I found out a big no no for this platform...The Sun, or Direct Sunlight. No good, the LCD Display started failing and I could not tell if that was all that started to go. So make sure you have plenty of shade or throw something over it if you Must Play in the Direct Sun for a Show.

Additionally, Moving this VDrum kit seems to be OK, I have it down to a science now as I did with my Traditional Drum Kit for 35 yrs...so now, it’s just a little change of my system, and blammo...50 Drum kits in one. That’s what comes with this drum set from the Factory but it looks like there is room for 100. I have not had time to customise or custom program anything...yet.

So there they are... a couple of key points that I love about this kit, the portability and the versatility. The cymbal and or hi hat action is the only serious detractor I can think of really. I like my Master Sound Zildjian Hats and these things do not even come close to the kind of response I need from my hats. So I live with it...seriously, I paid a lot of money for this bad boy and I love all the benefits of owning a Roland VDrum TD20...and I would recommend it to anyone considering buying an electronic drum set.

I’ll be back soon with an update on the VDrum kit and some thoughts on Recording Art and working in the studio with the VDrums. 

Thanks to Chris Olds for becoming Percussion and Drum Stuff's first guest blogger. Contact me if you are interested in writing or sharing an article with us.

Something I Can Feel - MORO

Introducing MoRo… The four piece London band releasing their debut album, Slow River, on 5th December 2011. Written and produced by themselves with the help of engineer Mo Hausler (U2, Lily Allen) and mixer Adrian Hall (Alicia Keys, Sinead O'Connor).


Slow River, is a collection of 10 songs that draws inspiration from old soul and motown, but it's a record that never loses the energy of a young rock-n-roll band enjoying their music. Have a listen, check out some live videos and ink Dec 5th in your calender...

Here's my favorite song by MoRo. I'm totally digging in the drum work!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from Percussion and Drum Stuff blog!

It's amazing isn't it? The holiday season is upon us! Oh, how time flies. Soon it'll be time for some indoor drumline shows. Until then it's time to start thinking about what's on your shopping list. The easiest way to avoid all the inconveniences of holiday shopping lines and crowds is to order your gifts online. But what does this have to do with this blog? Well, why not help support this site and get your holiday shopping done at the same time? I would really appreciate it if you can help support this site by using our Amazon.com search box. It's simple to use: just type the name of the product you are looking for in the Amazon.com search box and it will automatically take you to the Amazon website of the product. Simply order the gift as normal and a (tiny) fraction of what you spend will go to this site. Thanks!

Drum Up Some Excitement with The Epcot Jammin' Chefs

I found another video of a Disney drumming group today. While the Epcot JAMMitors are world-famous for their percussive tunes on trash cans, the Jammin’ Chefs utilize kitchen utensils, ovens, pots and pans to serve up some palate-pleasing percussion. After awhile it starts to sound like pounding to me but it would still be a fun group to be a part of. The Jammin' Chefs are making an appearance during the final weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Anyone know how you become a Disney drummer?

Blue Knights Auditions 2012

What are you doing this winter?

Wishing well - Blink 182 drum cover

Rhythm X Presents "enLIGHTened" in 2012

In 2012, Rhythm X will bring ‘enLIGHTened’ to life. Look for themes of Personal Enlightenment, the Age of Enlightenment and many actual lights to combine with Rhythm X’s trademark athleticism, musicality and innovation.

Rhythm X will be performing locally in the Mid-East Performance Association and nationally at the WGI Dayton Regional, Indianapolis Regional, Mid-South Percussion Championship and World Championships.

Rhythm X was founded in 2002 and is under the direction of Tim Jackson and Craig Dunn. In their inaugural season in WGI, Rhythm X was the PIO Champion and since joining World Class has medalled six times, winning the PIW Championship in 2008 and 2009. Designing together since 2008, Tim Fairbanks, Tim Jackson and Andrew Markworth all return to the design team to bring you Rhythm X 2012... “enLIGHTened”.

“He who knows others is wise.
He who knows himself is enlightened.”
Lao Tzu

Northcoast Academy 2012 Drumline Exercises

Looking for drumline sheet music? Are you looking to audition for an indoor drumline? Northcoast Academy recently released their audition packet for the 2012 line. Download the exercises here for snare, bass, tenor drums and cymbals.

Up All Night - Blink 182 drum cover by trout

In the Lot: Bluecoats Drumline 2008 Video

Here's an in the lot video I shot of the 2008 Bluecoats drumline. Yeah, they're pretty smokin'.

Snare Drum Sheet Music: Phantom Regiment 2010 feature

Keep your chops up by practicing some snare drum sheet music. Here's Phantom Regiment's 2010 snare drum percussion feature available for you to download below. Can't wait for the WGI season to start!

 

Download 2010 Phantom - Drum Break.pdf

APPLYING GRIPS TO PLAYING POSITION

Start by standing away from the drum, sticks in hand, and arms relaxed at the side. The
arms should feel like a heavy, dead weight. While maintaining a relaxed, heavy weight
from the shoulder through the elbow, lift the left forearm. The elbow shouldn’t move
from where it was while relaxing the arms at the side, and the forearm should be nearly
parallel to the ground, with the hand being just below the elbow. The wrist joint should
be locked so as to not have a broken wrist. Rotate the forearm counter-clockwise
While maintaining a relaxed, heavy weight from the shoulder through the elbow, lift the
right forearm. The elbow shouldn’t move from where it was while relaxing the arms at
the side, and the forearm should be nearly parallel to the ground, with the hand being just
below the elbow. The wrist joint should be locked so as to not have a broken wrist. Turn
the thumb toward the ground so that the back of the hand is nearly flat. Moving the
elbow away from the body slightly, bring the bead of the right stick in toward the bead of
the left stick, reaching a ½ inch away from the left bead (as you move your elbow away
from your torso, don’t let the wrist break).

In this position, walk up to the drum and put the beads over the center of the head. If the
beads aren’t a ½ inch above the head, adjust the stand/carrier so the drum meets the beads
with the proper distance between the two. Each stick should be a two finger-width
distance from the rim (this can vary depending on the bead style of the stick being used).
From here, the “V” position of the sticks should be at about a 90 degree angle. In a
horizontal sense, the right and left fulcrums should be aligned. Using traditional grip
means that the left hand will actually be lower than the right hand, because the left is
mostly under the stick whereas the right hand is mostly on top of the stick.
It is absolutely imperative to use these guidelines in order to have a perfectly symmetrical
look and sound. If the fulcrums aren’t aligned, if the beads aren’t in the center of the
head, and if the two finger-width angles of the sticks aren’t accurate, the sound CANNOT
be produced similarly from hand to hand.

Technique: How to hold a pair of drum sticks

This is taken from Northcoast Academy's 2012 Battery Percussion program.

Right Hand Grip

Start by holding the right hand palm up, fingers together and thumb

open (creating an “L”). Place the stick across the hand so that 1/3rd of

the way up the stick, the shaft lies on the middle knuckle of the index

finger. Next, the shaft near the blade of the hand should contact the

palm about a ½ inch below the pinky knuckle. From here, curl the

fingers around the stick and follow that by pulling the thumb into the

stick, effectively closing the hand. As you look at your grip, your thumb

should be just slightly to the left of parallel with the shaft of the stick.

The space between the thumb and index should be minimal, if there is

any space at all. The back of the stick should never slide into the crease

in the middle of the palm near the wrist at any time.

Left Hand Grip
Start by holding out the left hand, as if shaking someone else’s left
hand. Place the stick as far back into the pressure point between the
thumb and index finger as it can go; squeeze the thumb toward the
hand, gripping the stick. The stick should be gripped at this point 1/3rd
of the way up the stick. Curl the index finger on top of the stick, and
place the thumb on the index finger. The thumb should contact the
index finger either on the 3rd knuckle or between the middle and 3rd
knuckles. The index finger (from tip to middle knuckle) should be just
about perpendicular to the thumb (The position of the index fingers and
thumbs of both the right and left hands should be nearly identical, with
the exception of the space between the thumb and hand). Next, curl the
middle finger next to the stick in the same manner as the index, with
the tip of the finger sitting on top of the stick (the middle finger should
never be used to produce a stroke). The ring finger should be curled
under the stick and support it from underneath, with the stick sitting
between the 3rd knuckle the cuticle. The pinky curls in next to the ring
finger and is always relaxed. Looking at the grip palm down, there
should be little or no space between each finger.

2011 Howl-O-Scream Monster Stomp Rehearsal

Experience the revamping of a classic - vampires have come to the monster stomp party, and they are dying to have a good time. Witches, skeletons and beasts join them in Busch Gardens' high powered musical "rockstravaganza." This show contains adult themes. Parental supervision is advised.

Reminds me of this.

WGI Partners with Dayton Through 2019

Good news for us WGI fans who reside in Ohio. World Championships will remain in Dayton through 2019. Here's the full press release:

WGI Sport of the Arts along with the Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greene County Convention & Visitors Bureau held a press conference at the Dayton Dragons Professional Baseball game on Monday evening, August 29th to announce that WGI has committed to keeping the World Championship events in the Greater Dayton area.

The festivities were kicked off by a performance from the Centerville High School Drumline. President & CEO of the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB, Jacquelyn Y. Powell stated, “We were pleased to work with our hospitality partners to put together what we felt was a creative and competitive bid to present to WGI. We are thrilled that WGI has voted to continue to host their World Championship events in Dayton through 2019. Additionally, we are extremely proud to be affiliated with an organization as outstanding as WGI. We applaud their commitment to excellence, to youth around the world, to education, to creativity and freedom of expression through the unification of pageantry and the performing arts. WGI fosters growth and leadership skills, teamwork, individuality, healthy recreation, educational and cultural opportunities that enrich not only the participants, but all of our lives.”

“WGI is proud to call Dayton our home,” said WGI Director of Operations Bart Woodley. “The Dayton community always makes our competing ensembles feel welcome and special. There is always a special buzz in the air when it is WGI time. The Convention and Visitors Bureau has been instrumental in helping this event become a community wide affair.”

Mr. Woodley also added, “The staff at the University of Dayton Arena, Wright State University’s Nutter Center, the Dayton Convention Center and James Trent Arena are extremely helpful and take great pride in their facility. Those staff members are committed to providing a quality experience for our 10,000 young performers who passing through them each year." 

11 month old conducts Blue Devils

Check out this awesome video of an 11 month old conducting the Blue Devils drum corps in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Northcoast Academy 2011 online workshop/audition

NorthCoast Academy Percussion Ensemble just posted this on their Facebook page:   

Dear friends, online workshop/audition RSVPs will be up by the end of the week! In the meantime, share this page and help us break 2,000 fans! 

We're pleased to announce the date for the annual NCA Workshop!

The Workshop is NOT a part of the audition process. It is a no-pressure event geared towards prospective auditioners who are looking to learn NCA's approach to technique or get a feel for the NCA audition and rehearsal process.

All positions are open! We are looking for snares, tenors, basses, cymbals, marimbas, vibes, 2-4 rack/oil drum, guitar, bass guitar, 2 synth, and movement line. Members of the movement line should have some gymnastics and movement background.

Online RSVP will be available at northcoastacademy.org in a few days. Please "Like" NCA's Facebook page to stay updated. 

All dates will be held at Reese High School from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
1696 S. VanBuren
Reese, MI 48757

Fee is $40 and covers all three weekends.

Visit the link below to submit any questions to director Diane King.
http://www.northcoastacademy.org/contact

Like Northcoast's Facebook page today!

DCI 2011 Results

The Drum Corp International 2011 World Championships were held last weekend in Indianapolis. Here are the score results:

The Cadets of Allentown, PA won their 10th title. Congratulations to the Cadets!

DCI 2011 Update and Video

I had every intention to check out the DCI show in Dayton this past week but after viewing the weak performance lineup online I decided it just wasn't worth the drive. So I'm kind of bummed I probably won't be seeing any DCI shows in person this season. To cheer myself up I watched some online videos. Thank goodness for YouTube! Here are a few of my faves.

Also, I would appreciate your help in a design contest I've entered. Vote for me here: http://apps.facebook.com/dassault-catia/profile/150.html Thanks! I appreciate the support.

DCI.org News: Southern Live Learning Events this week

"Performance” at Blue Man Group goes beyond technical skill. Each performer must bring a core set of values to the work including the art of listening, commitment, open mindedness & versatility, dialog & conversation, support and trust. Join Blue Man and drum corps alumni Anthony Parrulli and Blue Man Group Music Director Jeff Quay for a discussion about the key concepts and values every Blue Man Group performer brings to nightly performances of the production around the world.

Read more: http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=d1d4b97c-38af-4a45-8898-d5037d794d13#ixzz1TM7KOcCP

Music City Mystique Drumline Audition Music Download

 Ever wonder what the audition music is like for one of your favorite drumlines? Well, wonder no more. I've just uploaded that audition packet for Music City Mystique's 2007 indoor drumline. Yeah, it's pretty challenging. Download the packet now and see if you've got the chops!

Don't forget to check out some of our other battery sheet music downloads! Any requests?

Music City Mystique Drumline Audition Music Download.pdf

Goofy Jams On Drums at Walt Disney World Resort

I got a kick out of today's Disney Parks Blog video. This time it's Goofy showing off his unique drumming skills during the 2011 Vex Robotics World Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Check it out – even the JAMMitors were surprised. This video really reminds me of something, I wonder where they got the idea?

Also, don't forget to enter our contest for a chance to win $100! It's very easy so hurry on and sign up before the August 1st deadline.

2011 Legends Drumline - Festival of Brass - July 1, 2011

http://www.drumlinetv.com/drum-corps-shows-2011-07-01.htm
These are video segments of the 2011 Legends Drumline warming up prior to the Festival of Brass show held on Friday, July 1, 2011 at Ken Pickerill Stadium (Oswego H.S.) in Oswego, IL.

Main Website:

http://www.drumlinetv.com/

Win $100!

 Welcome to Percussion and Drum Stuff's very first contest! It's easy to enter and you could win $100 (via PayPal). To enter the contest you MUST do two things:

(1) Become a follower of my blog by pressing the "Follow" button on the right hand side
(2) Leave me a comment on this post letting me know you are now a follower

But wait, there's more! You can earn more chances to win by sharing my blog to others, including but not limited to:

1. Tweeting the post and following me on Twitter
2. Signing up for RSS feed
3. Sharing on Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.
4. Mention this post on your blog
5. Subscribe to my YouTube page

That's it! Simple, isn't it? To win you MUST have a PayPal account.

IMPORTANT!! - Make sure you leave a comment here so I can add you to the drawing. Each action you take will give you one entry into the drawing which will take place on July 20th, 2011.  (I do take bribes for extra entries, but they must be over $100 You don’t have to do all of this stuff to get an entry but I’d REALLY like it if you do and if you don’t and you win you will feel extremely guilty!!  When you leave your comment just let me know what you did so I know how many entries your name gets.

Thanks and good luck!

(Due to an apparent lack of interest I have increased the prize to $100 and extended the contest until the end of July. Must have a minimum of ten participants in order for a prize to be awarded. I will give each current follower an entry into the contest for each friend you refer). 

Happy Fourth and an Update

Sorry for the lack of regular updates lately but I have a big surprise for you. Within the next few weeks we'll be launching our very first contest in which you could win up to $100 cash! Stay tuned for details. Have a happy and safe fourth of July weekend!

Radiohead deput new song with two drummers

Radiohead keep up the surprises this year and have now uploaded a new track on YouTube. The song ‘Staircase’ is included in their From The Basement session.

Drummer Philip Selway writes: “And no, you’re not seeing double. The doppelganger drummers are myself and Clive Deamer. Clive has long been one of my favourite drummers and so I was really excited when he agreed to perform with us. Hope you like what we’ve all done.” You might know Clive Deamer from his work for Portishead, Roni Size and Robert Plant.

For those who want an mp3, download the song without the intro and outro. Cheers.

Drumline Sheet Music: Music City Mystique 2011 Opener

Here is the sheet music for the opener of Music City Mystique's 2011 WGI show "Mantra", which won first place at World Finals in April. Below is the tenor and snare drum sheet music as well as a great video of the smoking drumline tearing it up.

MCM 2011 Mantra Opener

Snare Drum Sheet Music: Arcadia High School 2011 Snare Break

Arcadia High School's 2011 WGI show "Rise" has grown on me even more since first seeing it at the 2011 WGI World Championships and has quickly become one of my favorite shows of all time. Below is the sheet music for the sensational snare drum solo. And, of course, I've embedded a video so you can play along!

And here is all the body movement that goes with it. Pretty challenging!


Download the Arcadia HS 2011 snare solo pdf.

Drummers Unite: Get the Word Out! We Need Your Help!

There is strength in numbers, and the only way for WGI’s “Big Idea” to become reality is to have you and all of your friends, students, neighbors, parents and co-workers take the time to vote for WGI, and then have them tell everyone they know.

Please take moment to change your status on facebook, twitter, and any other way to announce to the world that the Sport of the Arts is an important cause! Ask your friends to do the same.

You can also take this image and change your profile photo!

Step One
Allow your Facebook page to connect with the Chase Community Giving app so you can vote. Just hit the "like" button at the top of the page.

Step Two
Vote for each organization:
•WGI Sport of the Arts 
•Drum Corps International
•Music for All/Bands of America

Step Three
Share with your friends like crazy!

Snare Drum Sheet Music: Verbatim

I'm not really sure where this came from but here is the marching snare drum sheet music for a piece called Verbatim. Anyone know who played this or who KW is?

WGI World Championships PIW and PSW Finals Review

I know it's been awhile but, finally, here is my review from WGI World Championships held in Dayton, Ohio at the University of Dayton arena on Saturday, April 16, 2011. I was actually able to attend the Percussion Scholastic World and Percussion Independent World finals, which started at 5pm and lasted through 11pm. Parking was $5 and general seating tickets were $40 which is kind of steep (though it makes Cedar Point/Kings Island amusement parks look cheap in comparison). I think this was the first indoor drumline show I was able to go to in three years.

PSW
Milton HS had a bunching of spinning things and played "Like Spinning Plates" by Radiohead. I really enjoyed Walled Lake's show "Barriers" and thought it deserved a higher score as it was more entertaining than many of the others Walled Lake Central (MI) (8th- 90.950). Center Grove probably had the best all around synergy with their theme of a snake and I really liked the idea of the parents in the crowd with shakers imitating a rattlesnake. The PSW winner was Arcadia HS (CA) (Gold Medal- 97.525) and deservedly so. I thought they had the most innovative drill I've seen in a long time. They did a lot ofplaying on their knees, turning around, standing up and down. Their show "Rise" was really challenging and demanding on their bodies. They could play really well too. I would've liked to see more emotion and facial expressions but that's my only complaint. "The line displayed an amazing level of body control, as members were continually in kneeling or crouching positions with perfectly sculpted angles from person to person, and racing around the floor at warp speed velocities when moving. " You really need to watch this show!


Read other reviews here.

Aside: what is with all of the talking shows? If you need someone to explain what your show is about then it is too complicated in my opinion.

PIW
Blue Knights and Northcoast Academy had the most entertaining and crowd pleasing shows (stuff non-drummers in the audience could appreciate). I thought Rhythm X was bkind of boring this year. I felt bad for them that they had to perform after the two highest energy shows of the night. Riverside Community College and Music City Mystique definitely had the most musical and cleanest shows. After watching MCM in the lot videos, them cats can play!

One group played a horrible cover of Jonsi's "Go Do" but I don't remember which one it was.

Sorry, since it's been so long since finals I got a little lazy and shorthanded this review. But, if you have any specific questions or want to know what I thought of any groups please comment below and let me know and I'll gladly discuss it. Thanks.

Official review found here at wgi.org

Live from World Championships

I'm finally going to my first indoor drumline show since going to world finals in 2008. I'll be tweeting live from WGI World Championships at UD arena on Saturday night so be sure to follow me @NTWProductions. So hopefully that means pictures, video, and reviews will be coming soon!

NorthCoast Academy 2011 - "Balance", Full Community Show Performance

Want to make a career out of drumming?

World Beat Drummers at Islands of Adventure

 From Orlando Theme Park News: As you know, since Islands of Adventure had a huge boost in attendance last year, the Universal management started to put many small shows and entertainment bands around the parks. This year, near Jurassic Park River Adventure we can find the World Beat Drummers, which are great in interacting (or at least trying to interact) with guests passing by.

Read more: Orlando Theme Park News: World Beat Drummers at Islands of Adventure

 

Rowan Atkinson - Invisible Drum Kit

Rowan Atkinson comes across an invisible drum kit while sweeping. He's not too bad with it.

NorthCoast Academy 2011 - "Balance", Full MCGC Novi Performance

The cymbal solo is pretty badass.

Vote for Conan

This is not percussion or drum stuff related by I would really appreciate it if you could take a minute and vote for my dog Conan (the Barbarian) in this contest. Thanks! http://bissell.promo.eprize.com/mvpcontest/gallery?id=112588

Drumline Sheet Music: Rhythm X "Wired" battery opener

I recently uploaded the battery opener for Rhythm X's 2005 show entitled "Wired." Watch the show and download the sheet music.

Wired battery opener sheet music.pdf download

DCI Scotland Drum Corp

This is a message from Carl Williams posted to Percussion and Drum Stuff's Facebook page wall. I'd thought I would share it here with al of you as well. Carl wrote:


"Hi to all drum corp players! Great to be a member of this Facebook page of drumming. Just letting you all know that we in Bonnie Scotland are setting up a DCI Scotland Drum Corp this April with all Grade 1 pipe band drummers.......... Any DCI drummers coming to Scotland in the near future please get in touch with us, we would really like to meet up and get more info on drum line scores, also any Blue Devils music word be great...Thank to all are drumming friends in DCI.....
Kind Regards
Carl Williams, Director of http://www.facebook.com/l/0baea/www.cwpercussion.co.uk"

Drumline Sheet Music: Tom Aungst's "Alan" Exercise

This is one of my favorite exercises or warm-ups of all time. "Alan" by Tom Aungst was written either for the Cadets or Dartmouth High School, I'm not sure, but it's a really fun piece to play. Enjoy the full ensemble sheet music drumline score.

Snare Drum Sheet Music: Rhythm X 2008 Gone

Download the snare drum sheet music for Rhythm X's 2008 show "Gone." Embedded below is a video from Rhythm X's performance at Centerville High School the Wednesday before WGI World Championships. This show won first place at Finals that year. Download the snare drum sheet music for Gone here.

Rhythm X 2008 Gone Full Show Sheet Music Snare Drum.pdf download

WGI 2011 Video Update

2011 is shaping up to be a great year for indoor drumline! Check out these 2011 performances from Rhythm X, Riverside Community College, Redline, and Music City Mystique.

Percussion and Drum Stuff Android App Suggestions

I'm currently learning how to write apps for Android phones. However, I need a goal to work towards. I was wondering if any readers had any ideas or suggestions for a Percussion and Drum Stuff phone app (or any other related apps). I'm trying to think of something somewhat simple to start off with but could be added onto later or inspire new ideas. I think the ideal model is the have a basic version which is free to download but more advanced users could then download a "pro" version for a small fee.

Maybe I could do an app for my WGI or DCI contest scores, or something like that. What do you think? Any suggestions? Please comment below or on our Facebook Fan Page!

Also, how many Android user vs. iPhone users are out that which use this site?

Snare Drum Sheet Music: NorthCoast Academy Lick of the Week #5

It's time for North Coast Academy's Lick of the Week. This is lick number five, another snare drum masterpiece. View the sheet music above and watch the video below. Take the challenge! Download the sheet music and respond with your own video!

WGI Season is here!

Indoor drumline competition season officially began this weekend (at least here in Ohio) as it was the first weekend for MEPA contests (Mid-East Performance Association). I plan on going to at least one MEPA show and hopefully I'll actually make it to Worlds this year. What contests are you planning on attending?

Tenor Sheet Music: NCA Lick of the Week #4

Above is the drumline sheet music for North Coast Academy's Lick of the Week #4, this time featuring the tenors. Below is a video to play along. Enjoy!

Upgrading Music Lesson Videos

Have you ever tried to transcribe a drum lick by watching a video on YouTube? It's a bear to translate since you can't watch the video in slow motion. Well, I recently became aware of a site which DOES allow you to slow-mo those YouTube drum features. EmbedPlus player has a slow-motion and zoom feature to watch drum practice/training videos from YouTube (which doesn’t provide these by default).

EmbedPlus wants to hear from you. They are actively adding features, and perhaps there’s more they could do for us instrumentalists and drummers in general. I'm sure they would love to hear any new ideas on how the platform could further accommodate music lessons/training from experts like you. Please take a look around and see if anything comes up. Comment below any new ideas you might have! Thanks.

Snare Drum Sheet Music: Northcoast Academy Lick of the Week #1

Northcoast Academy indoor drumline has started an excellent YouTube series called "Lick of the Week" where they post a short video of a sweet drum lick. The best part? The sheet music is included and they encourage you to post a response video of yourself playing the lick or making up your own. How cool is that? Posted above is the snare drum sheet music for Lick of the Week #1 as well as the video embedded below. Subscribe to NCA's YouTube page for more!

Original Composition: Rock This Bitch Cadence

I've got a treat for you today. One of my friends and I wrote a cadence awhile back. Pictured here is the snare drum sheet music to "Rock This Bitch" (named after the Ben Folds song) that I wrote in high school for Thomas Worthington's drumline. I've got lots of solo and cadence ideas and would be more than happy to write some beats for your marching band or indoor drumline. I will be posting more original composition soon to showcase some of my work.

Colby Beers 2007 I&E Solo Sheet Music

Here is the sheet music to Colby Beers 2007 DCI I&E tenor solo called "Free Mind." Download it here. I've also embedded a video of his incredible performance below. He was a 2007 DCI Champion.



Colby Beers 2007 I&E Sheet Music.pdf