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Elements in Time - Developing
Master snare drummer Danny Raymond's Elements in Time series starts off with the DEVELOPING edition. In this collection, Raymond delivers three intermediate level snare drum solos designed to educate and entertain, qualities which are trademark Danny!
Uncommon Ground (1:50 - Medium)
In Uncommon Ground, the performer must navigate a series of five-beat phrases reminiscent of 5/8 time, but delivered here as 3/4 + 2/4 time signatures at a quick tempo. Stick clicks, rim shots, and simple visual embellishments make the piece fun to watch and to play, and the easy-to-follow musical phrasing will stick in your head like a pop song!
The Waco Kid (2:20 - Medium)
"Well, raise my rent! You ARE the Kid!" The Waco Kid is essentially a shout-out to fans of the Mel Brooks classic comedy Blazing Saddles. The personality of this solo is self-evident; the wild west, galloping horses, and big hats all come to mind when listening. Technically speaking, there are a handful of flams to contend with and two moderate triplet roll passages to challenge young cowhands. (See what we did there?)
Transformer (2:50 - Medium)
As the title of the last piece in this collection subtly implies, Transformer revolves around the perfomer switching his or her playing grip back and forth between matched grip and traditional grip. This solo would be a good choice for a snare student looking for more experience with each grip and serves as an introduction into some of the material one might encounter in a marching band setting. Performers will encounter a number of paradiddle-like sticking variations as well as some quick metering changes between 8th-note, triplet, and 16th-note rhythms. Short, strictly-metered buzz roll passages will help players learn some discipline with their rolls. Lastly, there are some fun visual elements that will engage an audience without being overly difficult.
As part of the “Elements in Time” series, this collection of three snare drum solos is written for the developing drummer. While the solos are rhythmically simple, they employ many effects such as buzz roll, open and muted sounds, cross-stick, rim, swiping with stick or brush, ghost notes, back sticking, and many others. These are all included in a notation key that is included in several of the “Elements in Time” snare drum solo collections.
“Uncommon Ground” is quite simple in scope, using only quarter notes and eighth notes. However, the tempo is marked at quarter note equaling 234 and using several musical and visual effects as well as mixed meters. “The Waco Kid,” inspired by a character in the Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles is a little more rhythmically diverse and uses flams and double strokes. It begins with galloping horse sounds on the rim and moves to a brisk 144 bpm. The final solo, “Transformer,” has the player changing from matched grip to traditional grip and back again several times. Triplets and sixteenth notes with challenging stickings and accent patterns make up the bulk of the solo.
These three pieces will be inspiring for a young snare drummer to work on and perform. Using a wide variety of sounds from the snare drum, they would be a refreshing change from the typical fare played at music festivals and recitals.
—Tom Morgan
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
Master snare drummer Danny Raymond's Elements in Time series starts off with the DEVELOPING edition. In this collection, Raymond delivers three intermediate level snare drum solos designed to educate and entertain, qualities which are trademark Danny!
Uncommon Ground (1:50 - Medium)
In Uncommon Ground, the performer must navigate a series of five-beat phrases reminiscent of 5/8 time, but delivered here as 3/4 + 2/4 time signatures at a quick tempo. Stick clicks, rim shots, and simple visual embellishments make the piece fun to watch and to play, and the easy-to-follow musical phrasing will stick in your head like a pop song!
The Waco Kid (2:20 - Medium)
"Well, raise my rent! You ARE the Kid!" The Waco Kid is essentially a shout-out to fans of the Mel Brooks classic comedy Blazing Saddles. The personality of this solo is self-evident; the wild west, galloping horses, and big hats all come to mind when listening. Technically speaking, there are a handful of flams to contend with and two moderate triplet roll passages to challenge young cowhands. (See what we did there?)
Transformer (2:50 - Medium)
As the title of the last piece in this collection subtly implies, Transformer revolves around the perfomer switching his or her playing grip back and forth between matched grip and traditional grip. This solo would be a good choice for a snare student looking for more experience with each grip and serves as an introduction into some of the material one might encounter in a marching band setting. Performers will encounter a number of paradiddle-like sticking variations as well as some quick metering changes between 8th-note, triplet, and 16th-note rhythms. Short, strictly-metered buzz roll passages will help players learn some discipline with their rolls. Lastly, there are some fun visual elements that will engage an audience without being overly difficult.
As part of the “Elements in Time” series, this collection of three snare drum solos is written for the developing drummer. While the solos are rhythmically simple, they employ many effects such as buzz roll, open and muted sounds, cross-stick, rim, swiping with stick or brush, ghost notes, back sticking, and many others. These are all included in a notation key that is included in several of the “Elements in Time” snare drum solo collections.
“Uncommon Ground” is quite simple in scope, using only quarter notes and eighth notes. However, the tempo is marked at quarter note equaling 234 and using several musical and visual effects as well as mixed meters. “The Waco Kid,” inspired by a character in the Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles is a little more rhythmically diverse and uses flams and double strokes. It begins with galloping horse sounds on the rim and moves to a brisk 144 bpm. The final solo, “Transformer,” has the player changing from matched grip to traditional grip and back again several times. Triplets and sixteenth notes with challenging stickings and accent patterns make up the bulk of the solo.
These three pieces will be inspiring for a young snare drummer to work on and perform. Using a wide variety of sounds from the snare drum, they would be a refreshing change from the typical fare played at music festivals and recitals.
—Tom Morgan
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015
