Contemporary Studies for the Snare Drum

Fred Albright

General Info

Year: 1963
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: Adler
Cost: Book Cost - $0.00   |   Supplemental Books - $0.00

Overview

Albright, Fred. Contemporary Studies for the Snare Drum. New York: Henry Alder, 1963.

This book is for advanced level snare drummers. Today, there are contemporary composers who expect much more from the percussionist than they ever have before. With this in mind, these studies work to improve sight reading and technique. When playing these studies, it is advised that the percussionist should strive for accuracy first and then gradually increase to the marked tempo. A metronome must be used. In most of these studies, there is a note at the beginning with directions or practice techniques of the piece. The first few work on open and closed rolls of varying durations with very specific directions on how to play it. For example, the third study has these directions:
1. Groups of any 2 notes, use flam tap or single drag.
2. Any group of 3 notes, use rudiment flam accent or single ratamacue, which ever is required.
3. Any group of 4 notes, use paradiddle, flamacue or flam paradiddle, which ever is required.
This shows that it isn't simply eighth and sixteenth notes, but a more difficult passage. He also writes identical rhythms using different notations which challenges the performer to read carefully.

Chapters

No Table of Contents, but it contains 62 studies.

Reviews

This book contains 64 pages of which 62 pages are advanced etudes for snare drum. The text is limited to a few very brief remarks at the top of some pages. The emphasis is on advanced reading material. The studies exploit in a great variety of ways two of the most important aspects of contemporary composition, namely: (1) artificial divisions, and (2) changing, asymetrical meters (i.e. 5/4, 7/4, 3/8, 5/8). This book is one of the finest new collections of etudes for the professional and college level percussionist.

Student Reviews

I think this is a very useful book for a college or upper level percussionist. Personally, I would buy this book because I know it would make me a better player. Plus, Fred Albright studied with Alfred Friese, who has played with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, so the studies in this book are written by very successful people.
Rating: I
Review by Ashley Feist

Works for Percussion by this Author

Albright, Fred. Contemporary Studies for the Snare Drum. Henry Adler, Inc., 1964.
Albright, F. (1997) Polyrhythmic Studies for the Snare Drum. Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp.