Percussion
This guide provides selected resources for Percussion studies. DVDs, CD's, scores and method books for Percussion are located on Level 1 of the Matheson Library, and can be most easily found by using Monash Library Search to find a Call Number.
Example of an ebook:
Performance Practice in the Music of Steve Reich by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018Performance Practice in the Music of Steve Reich provides a performer's perspective on Steve Reich's compositions from his iconic minimalist work, Drumming, to his masterpiece, Music for 18 Musicians.
Example of a method book found on level 1:
Phrasing and Freedom with Brushes by Call Number: Online and Print S786.9193 S786PPublication Date: 2020A comprehensive method for playing with brushes which includes online access to fully notated interpretations, lead sheets and play-along recordings.
Example of a book available on and as a print book on level 4:
Percussion: Drumming, Beating Striking by Call Number: Online and Print 786.81224 M936P 2002Publication Date: 2002A book about the importance of percussion for cultural studies and critical theory as well the history of music, rock-and-roll and drumming.
Scroll down to see more scores and books.
Percussion Scores and Methods
Beginner's guide to Big Band drumming by Call Number: Online and Print S786.9193 S786BPublication Date: 2018With simple descriptions of articulations and note lengths the author shows how to approach section figures in terms of timbre of the saxophone, trumpet and trombone sections and how to approach ensemble figures, rests and fills. There are over 50 exercises accompanied by play-along mp3s at slow to fast tempos and video demonstrations of all exercises and charts are included.
Odd Time Reading Text for all instruments : rhythmic studies designed to develop accuracy and speed in sight reading; as applied to add time signatures by Call Number: SF781.423 B448.OPublication Date: 1985
To find more method books browse the score collection from SF786.9 .... You can also enter SF786.9* into the library search.
Use the following subject headings:
Snare drum -- Studies and exercises
Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer by Call Number: SF786.92193 R326PPublication Date: 1996
Advanced Funk Studies by
Advanced Funk Studies will help take your groove to the next level. With author and renowned drummer Rick Latham as your guide, you'll learn hi-hat, funk, and fill patterns. Many of the ideas in this book are derived from some of the most famous and proficient funk drummers. The accompanying audio CDs provide examples of the exercises.
Call Number: SF786.921655 L352APublication Date: 2009
Modern Classic Solos for Snare Drum: recently discovered solos from the archives of Saul Goodman. by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2003
Drumatrix: A System for Linear Drumming Creativity by
A 15 Level course for the beginner to advanced drum kit student. Kelvin Sugars graduated from the Elder Conservatorium of Music (Australia) in the year 2000 with a first class Honors Degree in Jazz Performance on Drum Kit. He has been involved in the music industry as a performer in many varied ensembles and bands covering a wide variety of music styles. He's also worked in the studio environment as a audio recording engineer and producer.
Call Number: 786.9076 S947D 2012Publication Date: 2012
Portraits in Rhythm: 50 studies for snare drum by Call Number: SF786.94193 C577.5PPublication Date: 1985- The all-American drummer 150 rudimental solos byCall Number: S786.94193 W667A
- The Noble Snare: Compositions for Unaccompanied Snare Drum (vol. 1-2, 4)Call Number: P780 DI S661.1 NOBPublication Date: 2014 (2nd edition)
- The Noble Snare: Compositions for Unaccompanied Snare Drum (vol. 3)Call Number: P780 DI S661.2 NOBPublication Date: 1988
- Wrist twisters: a musical approach to snare drumming byCall Number: SF786.94193 B154WPublication Date: 1999
The Complete Timpani Method by Call Number: Online and Print at SF786.9307 F912FPublication Date: 1985
The Cumberland recital studies for two, three, four and five timpaniCall Number: SF780 C969 31/RPublication Date: 1989- Recitative and improvisation for four kettledrums byCall Number: P780 DI C323 RECPublication Date: 1960
Four-Mallet Marimba Playing: a musical approach for all levels by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2003
The Techniques of Percussion Playing: Mallets, Implements and Applications by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2018- Method of Movement for Marimba: with 590 exercises by Call Number: S786.843076 S844.2MPublication Date: 1979
Solos for Marimba: two, three and four mallet solos for the advancing student by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 1985
Online scores are available at Classical Score library.
Solo repertoire and reductions of works for solo instrument and orchestra are located at: P780 DI: e.g. Percussion solo, Percussion and piano, Percussion duets
Some repertoire remains in the S/SF and SE/SEF collections and you need to also browse by composer at 31 for percussion.
For example:
SF780 C131 31/C
Child of tree for percussion solo by John Cage
SF780 K88.7 31/F
French suite for percussion solo by William Kraft
SE780 K18 31/B
Beginnings to no end : for solo percussion by Australian composer Dominik Karski
SEF780 X5 31/P
Psappha pour percussion solo by Xenakis
Examples of Text-Based Notation
Cat Hope discusses three Australian works in a 2017 article in the journal Contemporary Music Review : Wording New Paths: Text-Based Notation in New Solo Percussion Works by Natasha Anderson, Erik Griswold, and Vanessa Tomlinson
Natasha Anderson
The Snakes are Loose
Erik Griswold
Stars of Ours
Vanessa Tomlinson
Still and Moving Paper 2014
- Flash for solo marimba by Australian composer. Duration: 5 min. Difficulty: Advanced Written for: Claire Edwardes Commission note: Commissioned by Ars Musica Australis. First performance: by Claire Edwardes — 22 Oct 08. City Recital Hall, Angel Place, SydneyCall Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2008
- I Ching: for percussion solo by Edited by Gert Mortensen in collaboration with the composer. I. Thunder repeated : the image of shock : (hexagram numbers 51) -- II. The taming power of the small : (hexagram numbers 9) -- III. The gentle, the penetrating : (hexagram numbers 57) -- Towards completion : fire over water : (hexagram numbers 64).Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 1982
More online scores from Classical Scores Library by Peter Maxwell Davies, Bent Lylloff, Scores for percussion.
For example:
Etude for snare drum : Århus etude No. 9 by Bent Lylloff
The Århus Etudes are written for ensembles for 3 to 6 musicians. Århus etude No. 9, however, is a solo for snare drum.
Solo for Percussion by Michel van der Aa
Click the following to see more online sheet music:
Marimba
Timpani
Vibraphone
Selection of online scores, Chamber Music with Percussion
- Black chickens : per flauto, clarinetto, vibrafono, glockenspiel, drum set, quartetto d'archi e pianoforte by Written in 2000. For flute, clarinet, vibraphone, glockenspiel, drum set, string quartet and piano.Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2000
- Thracian sanctuaries (2015) by Full score and 27 parts to a work by a Bulgarian composer, who is a pianist and Chairman of the Composition Department at the Sofia State Academy of Music, where he also holds a piano professorship.Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2015
Books & Audiovisual
Global Contemporary Percussion Innovations: The Australian Perspective by Call Number: Online and Print AvailablePublication Date: 2018The role of Australian activity is not yet embedded in the wider narrative of international contemporary percussion, nor is the significance of developments in contemporary percussion practices fully realised in the context of Australian music history. In this monograph, political, social and cultural influences on this art form are examined for the first time in a historical survey of contemporary percussion music in Australia from 1960 to 2010. The rise of the percussion ensemble in the twentieth century to a standard chamber music ensemble is now recognised as one of the major advances in western art music practice internationally and this books expands our understanding of the impact of Australian contributions to the international contemporary music scene while simultaneously examining how developments in contemporary percussion have contributed to Australia’s cultural identity.
Women drummers: a history from rock and jazz to blues and country by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2014In 1942, drummer Viola Smith sent shock waves through the jazz world by claiming in Down Beat magazine that "hep girls" could sit in on any jam session and hold their own. In Women Drummers: A History from Rock and Jazz to Blues and Country, Angela Smith takes Viola at her word, offering a comprehensive look at the world of professional drumming and the women who had the courage and chops to break the barriers of this all-too-male field. Combining archival research with personal interviews of more than fifty female drummers representing more than eight decades in music history, Smith paints a vivid picture of their struggles to overcome discrimination--not only as professional musicians but in other parts of their lives. Women Drummers outlines the evolution of female drumming from pre-biblical times when women held important leadership roles to their silencing by the church during the Middle Ages to spearheading the fight for women's rights in the modern era.
Kick It: A Social history of the Drum Kit by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2020Named one of the "Best Books of 2020" by the Financial Times, Kick It is a provocative social history of the instrument which looks closely at key innovators in the development of the drum kit: inventors and manufacturers like the Ludwig and Zildjian dynasties, jazz icons like Gene Krupa and Max Roach, rock stars from Ringo Starr to Keith Moon, and popular artists who haven't always got their dues as drummers, such as Karen Carpenter and J Dilla. Tackling the history of race relations, global migration, and the changing tension between high and low culture, author Matt Brennan makes the case for the drum kit's role as one of the most transformative musical inventions of the modern era. Kick It shows how the drum kit and drummers helped change modern music--and society as a whole--from the bottom up.
I Drum, Therefore I Am by
Despite their central role in many forms of music-making, drummers have been largely neglected in the scholarly literature on music and education. But kit drummers are increasingly difficult to ignore. While exponents of the drum kit are frequently mocked in popular culture, they are also widely acknowledged to be central to the musical success and aesthetic appeal of any musical ensemble in which they are found. Drummers are also making their presence felt in music education, with increasing opportunities to learn their craft in formal contexts. Drawing on data collected from in-depth interviews and questionnaires, Gareth Dylan Smith explores the identities, practices and learning of teenage and adult kit drummers in and around London. As a London-based drummer and teacher of drummers, Smith uses his own identity as participant-researcher to inform and interpret other drummers' accounts of their experiences. Drummers learn in multi-modal ways, usually with a keen awareness of exemplars of their art and craft. The world of kit drumming is highly masculine, which presents opportunities and challenges to drummers of both sexes. Smith proposes a new model of the 'Snowball Self', which incorporates the constructs of identity realization, learning realization, meta-identities and contextual identities. Kit drummers' identities, practices and learning are found to be intertwined, as drummers exist in a web of interdependence. Drummers drum; therefore they are, they do, and they learn - in a rich tapestry of means and contexts.
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2013
Stick figures : a celebration of Australian drummers in the studio by
David Hicks, a well-known Melbourne percussionist and educator, has brought together seven of Australia's top drummers for this close-up look at their work in recording studios. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular drummer. There is also a special tribute to session pioneer Stewart Speer.
Call Number: S786.9092 H631SPublication Date: 2002
Timpani Tone and the Interpretation of Baroque and Classical Music by Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2010
- Kinetic hues: live at Fat Cat by Credits: The Ari Hoenig Group: Ari Hoenig, drum; Jean-Michel Pilc, piano; Matt Penman, bass; Jacques Schwarz-Bart, tenor sax. Live recorded on 9/12/03 at Fat Cat Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, NYC. Table of Contents Giant steps / Coltrane -- Pilcing around / Hoenig -- Summertime / Gershwin -- Invitation / Kaper & Webster -- For Tracy / Hoenig -- Con Alma / Gillespie -- I man you / Monk -- Ska / Hoenig.Call Number: 781.65 K51 2005
- Touch the sound a sound journey with Evelyn Glennie This documentary includes a biography of Evelyn Glennie and opens the door to a world where sight, sound, and touch magically converge to elevate our everyday sensory experiences.
- Masterclass with Dame Evelyn Glennie, Marimba spiritual & Toccata for marimba and vibraphone In this masterclass, Evelyn Glennie, the most renowned percussionist performs two famous pieces dedicated to the marimba, an exotic and elegant instrument. In this sequence, she is working on two compositions from the twentieth century: Marimba Spiritual by Minoru Miki, inspired by Japanese traditional music, and the internationally renowned Toccata for Marimba and Vibraphone by Anders Koppel.
Basic Afro-Cuban rhythms for drum set and hand percussion by
Monzón, a teacher at Berklee, demonstrates the patterns and instruments that form the beating heart of the Afro-Cuban tradition on: clave, timbale, guiro, congo, bongo, standard drum set.
Call Number: 786.907 B311 2003Publication Date: 2003- Big, beautiful, dark, and scary: Bang on a Can All-Stars Credits: Bang on a Can All-Stars (Ashley Bathgate, violoncello ; Robert Black, bass ; Vicky Chow, piano ; David Cossin, percussion ; Mark Stewart, [electric] guitar ; Evan Ziporyn, clarinet, saxophone (9th work), gongs). Principally recorded June and Dec. 2010, James L. Dolan Music Recording Studio, New York University. Table of Contents Disc 1: Big, beautiful, dark, and scary / Julia Wolfe (8:59) -- Sunray / David Lang (10:15) -- For Madeline / Michael Gordon (7:53) -- Music from Shadowbang. Angkat ; Ocean ; Meditasi, head / Evan Ziporyn (13:10) Disc 2: Instructional video (1:50) ; Matt Damon (4:19) ; Breakfast at J & M (1:54) / David Longstreth -- Four player piano studies. Study 2a (4:00) ; Study 3a (4:39) ; Study 3c (3:24) ; Study 11 (3:29) / Conlon Nancarrow ; arr. Evan Ziporyn -- Life. Part I, Wind ; Part II, Couple ; Part III, In the distance ; Part IV, Light / Louis Andriessen ; with films by Marijke van Warmerdam (13:26) -- Ridgeway / Kate Moore (12:55).Call Number: 781.65 K51 2005Publication Date: 2010
- Marimba MusicIntermediate Masterworks for Marimba contains pieces from 24 composers as diverse as Carla Bley, Paul Simon, Louis Andriessen, Betsy Jolas and Gunther Schuller.
Streamed Video
- Martin Grubinger with the Berlin PhilharmonicMartin Grubinger's debut concert, with the Berliner Philharmoniker was described as a "multi-percussion star, who runs around between his many instruments during his performances with dizzying acrobatics” (Süddeutsche Zeitung). His debut included Peter Eötvös’s Speaking Drums demonstrating his breath taking versatility. This link is a more recent concert with the Berlin Philharmonic.
- Percussionists of the Berliner Philharmoniker and friendsThe percussion section with six members – including two timpanists – is the smallest group in the Berliner Philharmoniker in terms of human resources. At the same time, the number of instruments played per capita is by far the largest, amounting to up to two hundred! – and these are made from a wide range of materials in an endless variety of forms and involve multiple playing techniques.
- Master Class with Dame Evelyn Glennie: Marimba Spiritual & Toccata for Marimba and Vibraphonen this masterclass, Evelyn Glennie, the most renowned percussionist performs two famous pieces dedicated to the marimba, an exotic and elegant instrument.
- Étienne Perruchon's 5 Danses dogoriennesAs part of the Berlin Philharmonic Concert 'Tango and More' in July 2020, Timpanist, Wieland Welzel and cellist, Ludwig Quandt perform 5 Danses dogoriennes by Étienne Perruchon for cello and timpani and show how effective music in the reduced instrumentation can be for a melodic and a percussion instrument.
- Martin Grubinger with the Berlin Philharmonic performing Speaking drums by Peter EötvöSpeaking drums, Four Poems for percussion solo and orchestra by Peter Eötvös, conducted by Zubin Mehta in 2019.
Journals And Databases
Databases & Journals at Monash University Library
Monash University Library has tens of thousands of journals available online and in print.
Click the tabs above to see some of the best journals publishing new research in Percussion.
Monash University Library offers students access to databases of academic literature as well as sound and video collections.
Click the tabs above to access some of the databases collections.
- Naxos music library This link opens in a new window Naxos Music Library comprises a vast collection of classical music available in streaming audio format. The library offers the complete Naxos and Marco Polo catalogues plus the complete catalogues or selected titles from hundreds of other record labels, including EMI, Warner Classics and Sony Classical. Along with classical music, jazz, world, and pop/rock are also represented, with over 600 new titles are added each month. Additional resources include music notes, cover artwork, track listings, instrumentation and publisher information, libretti and opera synopses, composer and artist biographies, pronunciation guide for composer and artist names, glossary, guide to musical terms and work analyses.
- Berliner Philharmoniker digital concert hall This link opens in a new window The Digital Concert Hall is the virtual concert venue of the Berliner Philharmoniker on the Internet. Here you can experience the orchestra performing live at the Philharmonie in Berlin in more than 30 broadcasts every year. Database includes live streams, concerts, movies and interviews.
- Medici TV A collection of 1500 classical music videos: concerts, archives, documentaries, artist profiles and interviews with performers.
- Kanopy This link opens in a new window To log into Kanopy: - Click on 'Log In to Monash' - Enter your Monash credentials in the popup window - Click on 'Skip' for "Create Your Account" Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions, providing them with a dedicated and customizable website through which their users can stream films. The service includes features such as captions, transcripts, clip creation, and playlist creation. Kanopy works directly with filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases including titles from Criterion Collection, Universal Paramount, The Great Courses, New Day Films, California Newsreel, Kino Lorber, PBS, BBC, Media Education Foundation, Ronin, Documentary Education Resources, and more. More than 20,000 films and documentaries are available, and many cover a wide range educational disciplines.
- EduTV This link opens in a new window See also: Informit EduTV You can access Informit EduTV through Monash University library or remotely. If you access Informit EduTV through Monash University library you will be automatically logged in and have full access to the videos. If access is outside Monash library, you must now register by clicking the Register link at the top of the Informit EduTV screen and enter your details. Please use your institutional email address and not your private email address. Please note that this resource is for teaching use only.