Notes​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Performer

Most​ ​of​ ​these​ ​pieces​ ​are​ ​written​ ​to​ ​be​ ​songs​ ​for​ ​the​ ​snare​ ​drum.​ ​They​ ​were​ ​written
on​ ​a​ ​14x6​ ​concert​ ​snare​ ​and​ ​14x14​ ​marching​ ​snare,​ ​but​ ​can​ ​be​ ​played​ ​on​ ​many​ ​different
types​ ​of​ ​drums.​ ​I​ ​imagined​ ​XIV​ ​and​ ​XV​ ​on​ ​a​ ​rope​ ​drum.​ ​XI​ ​and​ ​XVI​ ​may​ ​sound​ ​better​ ​on​ ​a
smaller​ ​piccolo​ ​snare.​ ​Many​ ​of​ ​these​ ​solos​ ​such​ ​as​ ​IX,​ ​X,​ ​and​ ​XV​ ​can​ ​have​ ​a​ ​kick​ ​drum
accompaniment​ ​on​ ​each​ ​downbeat.

Solos​ ​IX,​ ​X,​ ​and​ ​XV​ ​are​ ​all​ ​great​ ​standalone​ ​pieces​ ​that​ ​contain​ ​many​ ​thematic
elements.​ ​Pay​ ​close​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​stickings​ ​and​ ​rudiments,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​may​ ​return​ ​in​ ​various
contexts​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​piece.

XII​ ​is​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​be​ ​an​ ​homage​ ​to​ ​Bob​ ​Becker’s​ ​playing​ ​and​ ​composition​ ​style.​ ​I
suggest​ ​looking​ ​up​ ​a​ ​youtube​ ​performance​ ​of​ ​Mudra​ ​for​ ​a​ ​better​ ​explanation​ ​of​ ​how​ ​the
snare​ ​drum​ ​should​ ​look​ ​and​ ​sound.​ ​Don’t​ ​worry​ ​too​ ​hard​ ​about​ ​keeping​ ​extremely​ ​low
taps-flow​ ​and​ ​comfortability​ ​should​ ​take​ ​the​ ​front​ ​seat​ ​in​ ​this​ ​solo.

XIII​ ​and​ ​XIV​ ​are​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​theme-and-variation​ ​based.​ ​They​ ​offer​ ​many
opportunities​ ​to​ ​iterate​ ​themes​ ​in​ ​different​ ​ways​ ​and​ ​styles.​ ​Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​can​ ​convey​ ​the
variation​ ​in​ ​an​ ​obvious,​ ​clear​ ​way​ ​visually​ ​and​ ​musically

XI​ ​and​ ​XVI​ ​provide​ ​much​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​visually​ ​enhance​ ​your​ ​performance,​ ​with
notes​ ​to​ ​help.​ ​In​ ​these​ ​solos,​ ​it​ ​helps​ ​greatly​ ​to​ ​play​ ​with​ ​a​ ​“showy”​ ​style​ ​that​ ​appears​ ​fun,
relaxed,​ ​and​ ​cool.

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