Tuned percussion student page 1

Tuned percussion instruments have a layout similar to the picture shown below.
The upper notes (e.g F#, G#) are called accidentals and the lower notes (e.g F, G) naturals.
Music uses a combination of accidentals and naturals or all of one.

Accidentals

Naturals

* **

What to do
a. Place the music stand just above the instrument and in the middle of the range of notes you will play.
b. Look at the music as much as possible and use your peripheral vision to see the instrument.
c. Use alternating sticking where possible. Mark all other sticking with a pencil.
d. Play in the middle of the notes for the best tone.
e. Play quickly off the notes so that you can move in different directions easily.

The C major scale

The C major scale shown in exercise ones has eight notes: C*, D, E, F, G, A, B, C**.
The note names and scale degree number are shown below e.g C1, D2 etc.
There are semitone intervals between E and F and B and C and two semitones or a tone for all others.
All major scales have the pattern of intervals Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone.

1. **
4 * *
& 4 ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
™™
C1 D2 E3 F4 G5 A6 B7 C8 B A G F E D C
L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L

C major arpeggio (1,3,5 and 8 of the scale)

2.
& ™™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
C1 E3 G5 C8 G E C
L R L R L R L