Teaching the Drum Set

Instruction in the drum set can be approached both conceptually and instrumentally. For example, students' introduction to the drum set can begin with learning a few historical or cultural concepts regarding the use of the drum. Gaines (1996) points out that the importance of beginning instruction merely by talking to students about the multiple uses of drums, such as how drums have been used as a viable cultural voice for many West and Central African cultures. Such a discussion, Gaines reports, should emphasize the musical character of tonal languages, the function and use of music and language, and the role of the talking drum in the maintenance of archaic forms of (tonal) languages.

Another conceptual or beginning approach to teaching drums, according to Leto (1996), is to focus on rhythmic notation using percussion instruments such as timpani drums, tambourines and rhythm sticks. Leto recommends su

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f such things as the physical design of the instrument, ideal tone quality, correct note length, and rhythm. Nobel tested the method through the development of a program for teaching instrumental music for beginning band pupils; the program was taught during the first 12 weeks of their instruction. Eighteen randomly selected schools from Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming provided fifth-grade students (nine control classes and nine experimental classes) who met in classes of 18 pupils for two 50-minute periods per week for 12 weeks. Students were evaluated using the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale and the Colwell Elementary Music Achievement Test. An analysis of the data was said to indicate that the concept approach to teaching beginning band pupils was of benefit to students in several ways: (1) superior to traditional methods for teaching students to perform on woodwinds, upper brass, and drums, (2) especially effective in teaching students with high or average music ability as well as students with low or average intelligence, (3) as effective as traditional teaching methods for developing aural-discrimination skills, (4) equally effective with boys and girls, and (5) superior to present teaching methods in developing perf
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