A Study of Percussion Pedagogical Texts and a Percussion Primer

My dissertation project is in two parts; the first part examines and evaluates percussion pedagogical literature from the past century, while the second is a percussion primer of my own authorship. The primer, which assumes a basic knowledge of standard musical notation, provide a structured system of teaching and learning percussion technique; it is supplemented with videos to utilize current technology as an educational resource. Many percussion method books have a narrow focus on only one instrument. There are few comprehensive resources that address the entire family of instruments, but they generally cater to a college level audience. My research focuses on the layout of the comprehensive resources while utilizing the narrow sources to inform my exercises. This research helped me find a middle ground, providing the technical development of the narrow focus resources while covering the breadth of topics in the comprehensive resources. This, in turn, help me develop an informationally inclusive yet concise resource for instructors and for students of all ages. My primer contain lessons on snare drum, timpani, and mallet percussion, and complementary instruments, such as bass drum, triangle, and cymbals. After introductory lessons on the snare drum, primer chapters discuss more than one instrument to build versatility, and interconnected etudes will encourage ensemble playing in a classroom setting. The primer is structured around a weekly lesson schedule and contains comprehensive exercises at the end of each chapter to function as an evaluative test for students and teachers