Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Percussion Concert 2/22/2011

I was notified by someone in the music office that programs were unavailable for the percussion concert last night. If you went to the concert, the only way you will receive extra credit is to do the following:

1. On a separate sheet of paper write your name, student ID#, and "Percussion Concert 2/22/11"
2. Write 4 things you liked about the concert. These need to be complete sentences (you can number your statements 1 - 4 if you'd like).
3. Submit this sheet in place of a concert program with your other extra credit materials for the quarter.

Your statements about the concert need to be very specific. If all 4 of your statements are vague, we will assume you did not attend the concert and you will not receive credit. If you would like to have your responses checked, to make sure you will receive credit, bring a hard copy (a paper copy) to Jason's office hours or to class for Jason/Nicole to check before/after class. If you email us your statements to check or for final submission we will not check it, nor receive it as credit.

Unfortunately, these things sometimes happen and we all need to be flexible. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Hopefully these instructions are clear. If you have any questions please do NOT email them to us. Speak to us in person during office hours or before/after class on Tuesday.

Thank you,

Jason and Nicole

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Office Hours

Nicole's office hours for the rest of quarter are going to be by appointment only due to scheduling conflicts. Please email her at bowties185@gmail.com to request a meeting time with "REQUEST FOR MEETING WITH NICOLE" in the subject line.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Lecture: 2/8/11

YOU WILL BE QUIZZED ON THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION!




Tom Collier – Percussion Ensemble 2/22/11, Meany Hall 7:30 p.m.


Percussion is probably the oldest known instrument.
It’s believed that the first percussion instruments were used in hunting.
Percussion is now entering its Golden Age.
Percussion is heard in almost every genre around the world.


Three major types/families of percussion instruments:

Membranophones – This type of drum has a skin or a membrane that is struck.  The material is stretched across a frame.  Plastic has replaced skin.

Metalophones – Made of metal: cymbals, gongs, triangles, vibraphone.

Idiophones – Made of wood: xylophone, marimba (largest of all mallet instruments), clave.


Types of repertoire that will be presented in the concert:

Avant garde/contemporary.
Gamelan style/eastern influence.
Jazz improvisation.
Marimba and electronics.




Example instruments:

Snare drum – A membranophone.  First used by Hadyn in a symphony, Drumroll Symphony.  The snare drum also played a roll in the military, where it was derived from.  Snare drummers would use different patterns to communicate to the soldiers in the field, amidst all of the war noises.

Sticking pattern – paradiddle, RLRR or LRLL
Rolls – RRLL or LLRR
Flam – A double strike on the drum when one strike occurs immediately after the other strike.

The aforementioned strokes were first used in the military, and eventually adapted by different styles from around the world.

The tightened strings underneath the snare give the drum its definitive sound.


Vibraphone - A metalophone.  Invented in the 1920s by an American drum company.  The company wanted to extend the range of the glockenspiel.  Lionel Hampton made the instrument popular in the 1930s.  Lewis Armstrong hired Lionel Hampton to play drums.  Lionel noticed the vibraphone in the recording studio at NBC and began to play it.  He picked up the instrument very quickly because it represented the piano.  The studio director said they use it for the famous NBC tune.


Improvisation exists in all musical cultures, however, it is most prominent in jazz.  You can even find improvisation in orchestral pieces, such as a concerto.

Example of improvisation - “Magic Fingers” by Frank Zappa


Different mallets produce different sounds: wood mallets, rubber mallets, yarn-wound mallets.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Office Hours Today (2/8/11)

Unfortunately, I will not be in my office hours today due to emergency. If you need to see me this week, please email me at bowties185@gmail.com to set up an appointment.

Thank you for understanding,

Professor Nicole Secula (Harreld)