You may remember that, sometime ago, I wrote an article showing various rolling techniques for tambourine. That article was "Tamborine technique V. Rolls".
Ross Antonich, a follower of this blog, has got in touch with me asking about the roll we named "Riq style roll" in that article.
Trying to clarify as many points as possible regarding this rolling technique, I recorded the following video. On it, I explain how to hold the instrument and the motions producing the roll, all of them coming from the riq tradition.
This technique is a very versatile one, allowing us to play very long rolls with total fluidity, at every dynamic level and, if so we wish, articulating its beggining and ending.
I hope this video clarifies all points regarding this technique and you find it useful.
As you already know, I love learning new "tricks" and techniques so I can integrate them into my "musical arsenal". If you know of any you think I should learn, do not hesitate to contact me to tell me about it.
Sometime ago, in the article "Percussion Orchestrations in Spanish", I showed you a website named "Percussion Orchestrations" administrated by Ed Cervenka which, among other services, explains the distribution and parts of percussion instruments for more than 7500 works of the symphonic, operatic and contemporary repertoire. On that article I explained how I translated that web into Spanish.
It also contains an instrumental dictionary in several languages, but at the moment it was decided not to translate it due to the very hard work involved. Well, we are not afraid of difficulties, and the website that is now a worldwide reference, can now offer that database in Spanish.
After a looooooooooong time without writing (will explain why in a future article), I´m back to the office, retaking Percusize Me!, and willing to update it with the frequency I used to.
I´m sure you all know the importance the bass drum part has in this piece... Well, my colleague Sam Staunton, in charge of playing it, hired the services of the "little boy" you can see here:
This bass drum was built by Empire Drums, legendary percussion company located in London. It closed down several years ago, and much of its material was purchased by Bell Percussion (in fact, I remember eBay auctions selling huge amounts of instuments when the company went out of business). This bass drum is now part of Bell´s backline, and it can be rented. You can see it HERE.
It measures nothing more and nothing less than 66" in diameter (around 1.70 meters). Taking into account that a 40" (1 meter) drum is considered "big", you can get an idea of the size of this instrument...
I couldn´t measure its depth (I normally don´t carry an imperial measuring tape arround...), but it´s fairly shallow. You can see it in the next photo.
In this other picture, I have used a Tom Gauger TG04 mallet as a reference. The stick is 15 3/4", so the depth of this drum is roughly 16". We shouldn´t be surprised by the shallowness compared to its diameter, as this is quite common with British bass drums ("gong drums" are quite popular in this country: fairly considerable diameter, shallow, single headed... Many orchestras still use this design nowadays, the London Symphony among others).
In the two following photos you can see the claws, tension rods and lugs controlling the counter-hoop. It´s pretty obvious they are not very practical, as you cannot access them from the front, and you need a key in order to manipulate them. You better like the sound Bell provides the drum with, as trying to change it is a pain in the ass.
With regard to the size of the head, well... you can get an idea! There´s no cow in the world with enough skin so as to make a natural head for this drum (we would need a diplodocus!). The head is synthetic, and was made on purpose by Remo. Even this maker had problems making a head this big... In the two following photos you can see a line crossing the head: that´s the point where two sheets of material were joined, as not even their biggest sheet was enough to cover such a big surface.
It also features a plaque honouring the builders of this instrument, but it´s a shame it doesn´t mention a date. Will try to get in touch with Bell and investigate the age of this bass drum.
Despite I used an oversized set of timpani (32", 32", 29" and 26", which is far for negligible in terms of size), they paled size-wise with respect to the "monster" I had next to me.
After that much information, the only thing left is to see it in action. This video was recorded during the first rehearsal by Phil O´Kane. The sound is not great, as a a domestic camera was used, but you can get a rough idea (although the ideal thing would be to feel its lows in person...).
By the way... Have you realized Sam, even when playing the tutta forza strokes, remains seated? This may remind you the "To sit, or not to sit? That is the question" article.
The "Individual Practising Techniques" Course took place in Vitoria-Gasteiz on November 5th-8th. It´s been organized by the municipality, at it was addressed to the members of the percussion section playing for the Banda Municipal.
The way these percussionists got to know about me is quite curious, as they wanted me to teach the course thanks to some of them knowing "Percusize Me!" and my YouTube channel. Being requested to teach by a group of professionals that know my online efforts is something I´m very proud about.
During the course we talked about concepts such as conscious practice, constant contact with the instrument, efficiency, simplicity, economy of means, physics, variables affecting sound, and tried to eradicate some of the many myths involved with percussion.
All these concepts were mainly practised on accesory instruments, as this was the instrumental family the students were most interested in. So, we worked on techniques suitable for tambourine, triangle, castanets, cymbals and bass drum. We also spent some time explain the way I understand snare drum technique, rudiments and the control of rebound. With just one afternoon available, some basic issues on timpani technique were covered.
I was delighted with the students and their attitude (naming them students makes me feel a little embarrassed, as they are professionals!), and their response was magnificent. Obviously, I have also learnt very much during the four days I spent with them.
I would like to thank Ricardo Espinosa (from the Local Council) and Iker Olazábal (Music Director) for their kindness and professionalism and, how not, all the members of the percussion section of the Banda Municipal for wanting me to teach them. To all of you: Thanks!
For right to left: José Ramón, Elisa, Carmen, Gorka and myself.
PASIC 2012 has taken place during the last days in Austin (Texas). It´s a convention were many concerts, conferences, master classes and events take place, and percussion related brands present their products and novelties.
I have already written about Malletech vibraphones and the absolute revolution its "Love Vibe" is. Thought this vibraphone was "da bomb"? Not happy with this revolution, Malletech has introduced a new model during this last PASIC: The "Omega Vibe" (maybe it´s been named "Omega" because this is the ultimate vibraphone, as "omega" is the ultimate letter in the Greek alphabet?).
Still hot from the oven, we can see a video produced by totalpercussionist.com, on which Leig Stevens himself explains the difference between the two models. Enjoy it!:
I still haven´t tried any of them yet, but I think the true revolution is in the "Love Vibe", being the "Omega" one a little bit more conservative. Should I had to buy a vibraphone, I think I´d go for a Malletech, and it probably may be the "Love Vibe".
New article on Percusize Me! after a period of inactivity. It is not that I´m getting lazy with my blogging, but there have been certain issues during the summer that kept me away from Percusize Me! One of them is me practising timpani like crazy, and it seems that practise has payed back, and will write about it in the future. The other, and the reason of this article, is that my website has been fully redesigned.
The site has a new design, new sections, the blog has been integrated, and surfing has been made much easier. I´m really excited about it, and I hope you find it useful.
