Studies in Copper

Alex Orfaly

General Info

Year: 2008
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Cost: Book Cost - $19.35   |   Supplemental Books - $0.00

Chapters

Chapter I:
Chapter II:
Chapter III:
Chapter IV:
Chapter V:
Chapter VI:

Reviews

Student Reviews

Organization: A preface listing the five main points of focus in this book and a description of the author begin the book with no table of contents or index present. The rest of the book contains numbered etudes with a description present under each title. After the last etude, Etude #15, a roll study finishes off the book. The back cover restates the five points of focus in the book and some “praise” for the book.

Content: The five points in this book are sound quality, articulation, rolls, intonation, and rhythm and time. Sound quality is described as being achieved by the use of proper beating spots on the timpani and a relaxed technique to create an open sound. Articulation is expressed by evenness between hands while playing, not by using a harder mallet. Rolls are described as emphasizing “the ringing nature of the timpani…not the percussive qualities” which is a great way to express what percussionists strive to achieve when playing rolls on timpani. Intonation simply advises the player to maintain proper intervals between drums, especially if a pitch changes while playing. Rhythm and time covers mental subdivision while playing and keeping time while tuning, with some leeway given for players if they need more time to tune in these etudes although they will need to correct this later in the book. Each description preceding each etude states what purpose the etude serves and origins or inspirations for the studies. Etude #15 states that the reader should play through all previous etudes once reaching the end of the book and try to minimize or eliminate all tuning rests to provide a more realistic solo performance setting.

Uses: Many studies in this book are fairly challenging, so I feel they would be best studied by high school and college students, either in individual practice or with an instructor, as the etudes may be too difficult for younger students and too simple for professionals to build any of their skills effectively.

Rating: The etudes present in this book are challenging enough to develop one’s skills with the included rudiments, but I feel there could have been more focus on other techniques such as muffling or actual orchestral excerpts instead of ones inspired by popular orchestral pieces although it is fun to see an original etude instead of an excerpt which could be found in another book. If this book covered fundamentals, it would be a keeper but as simply an etude book for timpani, it does its job well. 4/5. User:Hondogracias

Works for Percussion by this Author

Orfaly, Alex. Studies in Copper, C. Alan Publications, 2008.