A Guide to Timpani:

Set-up:
- Distance from drum to drum
- Hand to drum relationship
- Pedal to foot relationship
- You, the music stand, and the conductor

Grip/Stroke:
-Establish fulcrum STAY RELAXED
- Mallet height and beating spot
- LIFT!!! NO HAMMER STROKES!
-Stroke rebound and fluidity
* Play Goodman ex. 2-4
- Moving between drums
*Play Goodman ex. 5-6
The Roll:
- Single strokes
- Hands mallet length apart
- Both hands even from edge of the drum
- ROLL ONLY FAST ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN SOUND
(Typically the smaller the drum the faster the roll)
- Rolling from drum to drum
*Play Goodman ex. 11-12

Muffling:
- Happens most often rests following notes
- Muffle with the middle, ring, and pinky fingers
- KEEP FULCRUM
- Muffle with hand not playing*
(*Unless playing quick passages)
* Play Goodman ex. 15

Tuning:
- Move pedal all the way down (to lowest pitch)
- Get pitch from pipe/tuning fork
- Get pitch in your head (sing/hum)
- Strike drum ONCE and move pedal up to desired pitch
- DONT SING AND HIT DRUM AT SAME TIME
- Check pitch (sing pitch into head of drum)
*Goodman two drum exercises pg. 46

Tuning Changes:
- Get new pitches using relativity to current pitches
- Lower ear to drum and strike softly
- Tune up to pitch