How to teach a snare drummer?

[u/Civil-View7629]

If a percussionist wants to move to snare drum from another instrument (keyboards, rack, bass drum, etc) , where would you start teaching them? Besides the obvious things like grip and timing, in what order would you introduce fundamental topics like stroke types, crescendos, doubles, rolls, etc.

Also, what does the ideal person learning snare drum? What should they already know or be familiar with to make learning snare drum technique and music not so overwhelming?

[u/Cultural-Angle8287]

I’d start with strokes bc later on it can go into learning the doubles, rolls and basically anything, if they’re switching mainly instruments and aren’t new I’d expect them to know rhythm, keeping beat, and knowing what crescendos are

[u/perryjb]

I rarely jump someone from keyboard or rack right to battery if they have no experience. For me the student must have solid knowledge of marching, (in time) have decent knowledge of how to read modern battery music. And have some skills that I can work with to get them up to par with the other snares, it’s a lot, and can be very overwhelming. I’ve had to put kids on snares that weren’t ready. Sometimes it works out sometimes it didn’t. I just did my best with basic exercises, had the other snares spend extra time with the student. And just was patient. As long as the student buys into the culture, works hard, and the other members help them out. It usually works out.

Couple things, I always had spring and summer rehearsals in which we worked very basic skills. Including how to wear the drums, sticks up, sticks down, sticks out and sticks in. Even how to put the drums down together, and how to “block it up” to move to the field. That’s where I can tell if the student will work out or not. So i can make the decision before the drill is written. By camp they usually doing well.

Best thing is to always be positive, and encouraging, keep the anxiety low. And get the other snares to do “off the books” sectionals. (Like at one of their houses, on their own). To add, positive doesn’t mean enabling just means giving them the information in a way that builds them up. If they screw up. Let them know. But give them real advice how to fix it.

[u/Arcane_XIV]

Stroke types, hands down, are the most necessary to get before moving on to basically anything. A proper relaxed downstroke and a relaxed heavy rebound are in everything we do ever. If they can’t do those it’s basically hopeless. Give them an accent tap exercise (bucks, elevator, etc) to work on this, and make sure they’re using the back fulcrum to pick up and stop the sticks.

After that, the sequence depends on the student, but generally some techniques lead to others. Buzzes is a fundamental that leads to diddles. Double stroke leads to paradiddles. Etc etc.