Beginning Percussion Curriculum

Details, handouts, and music from a presentation given at the 2020 Massachusetts Music Educator’s All State Conference.

Vic Firth Video Libraries

Hundreds of videos showing different percussionists, drummers, and their instruments:

• Concert Performances
• Jazz Keyboard Performances
• Marching Percussion Performances
• Drum Set Performances

Percussion 101

Videos about how to play the bass drum, cymbals, gong, timpani, tambourine, triangle, wood blocks, drum set, and more.

40 Essential Rudiments

Videos about how to play the bass drum, cymbals, gong, timpani, tambourine, triangle, wood blocks, drum set, and more.

The Complete Percussionist

by the United States Army Field Band

Speed Note Reading Tutor

a fun game for learning notes on the keyboard & music staff.
NOTE: this requires Flash Player, a now out-dated and unsupported platform. You can still use it in Google Chrome (click on the circled “i” to the left of the web address, then Site Settings > Flash > Allow.

Recommended Books for Beginners

• A Fresh Approach to Snare Drum, by Mark Wessels
• A Fresh Approach to Mallet Percussion, by Mark Wessels

Famous Percussionists & Drummers

To be a great percussionist & drummer, you need to know what a great percussion sound is. Search YouTube for the names below to search for videos of them playing: