Coordination and control of instruments
- Play the drum kit pedals with increased control
- Play with some independence between the hands and feet on the drum kit
- Develop the technique of simultaneously damping one drum/note whilst playing another
- Develop the technique of simultaneously playing one drum whilst retuning others
- Develop skills on a variety of orchestral/Latin percussion instruments, planning for moving efficiently between instruments
- Further develop the breadth of instrumental skills, playing with increasing control and movement as appropriate for instruments
Ask learners to keep a steady quaver pulse on the hi-hat and practise opening and closing the cymbals on different beats. Add in other limbs one at a time to build up complete rhythms.
Ensure that the heels of each foot remain in contact with the pedals at all times to develop pedal control. Encourage learners to execute this technique slowly before increasing the tempo, and to consider the balance between parts.
Help learners to explore bass drum pedal techniques including heel-up, heel-down, ‘rocking’, burying the beater and bouncing the beater. Ask learners to experiment and encourage them to select appropriate techniques for the musical context.
Ensure that learners are secure with basic hand drum-strokes on one drum before proceeding to more complex patterns involving two or more drums.
For instruments producing a sustained sound, e.g. cymbals, timpani, remind learners to play the ends of phrases with appropriate damping.
Ensure that the sticks continue to strike the instrument(s) in the optimum position and that the hands damp in that position.
Ask learners to practise picking up the crash cymbals by grasping the whole strap with the fingers and thumb on top and as close to the bell as possible.
In orchestral situations, ensure that learners do not put their wrists through the straps on crash cymbals.
To avoid airlocks, encourage learners to practise playing the crash cymbals with the plates very slightly offset.
Encourage learners to dampen the cymbals by pulling them in to their stomachs rather than to their chests.
Support learners in planning their movement between instruments when playing multiple orchestral instruments within one piece, e.g. bass drum to cowbell to glockenspiel.
Demonstrate to learners how to move appropriately when playing requires it, e.g. changing octaves on the marimba.
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