Week 1: Introduction to Drumline
- Objective:Introduce students to the drumline, the instruments, and basic drumming concepts.
- Activities:Overview of the drumline, drumming posture, introduction to the different types of drums (snare, bass, tenors, cymbals), and basic stick handling techniques.
Week 2: Basic Rhythms and Sticking Patterns
- Objective:Learn basic rhythms and sticking patterns essential to drumline performance.
- Activities:Practice single-stroke roll, double-stroke roll, and paradiddles. Introduction to reading basic rhythms from sheet music.
Week 3: Dynamics and Articulation
- Objective:Understand and apply dynamics (volume) and articulation (style) in playing.
- Activities:Exercises focusing on playing at different volumes, and using accents to articulate notes differently.
Week 4: Introduction to Marching Fundamentals
- Objective:Introduce the basic concepts of marching while playing.
- Activities:Basic marching in place, understanding of marching tempos and steps, coordination exercises.
Week 5: Incorporating Movement
- Objective:Develop the ability to play while moving in formation.
- Activities:Simple drills that involve moving in lines and curves, while maintaining playing technique and timing.
Week 6: Ensemble Playing and Listening
- Objective:Learn to play as part of an ensemble, focusing on blending and balance.
- Activities:Group playing sessions focusing on listening to each other and adjusting dynamics accordingly.
Week 7: Advanced Rhythms
- Objective:Introduce more complex rhythms and sticking combinations.
- Activities:Learning and playing sixteenth notes, triplets, and flams.
Week 8: Speed and Endurance
- Objective:Improve hand speed and playing endurance.
- Activities:Speed exercises, playing for longer durations, and endurance challenges.
Week 9: Music Memorization
- Objective:Begin memorizing pieces for performance.
- Activities:Strategies for memorizing music, group practice on selected pieces.
Week 10: Performance Preparation
- Objective:Polish pieces for performance and refine marching drills.
- Activities:Ensemble rehearsals focusing on musicality and visual uniformity, individual feedback sessions.
Week 11: Full Run-throughs
- Objective:Conduct full run-throughs of the performance set.
- Activities:Dress rehearsals, identifying and correcting any issues in music or marching.
Week 12: Final Review and Performance
- Objective:Final preparation and performance for an audience.
- Activities:Last-minute touch-ups, performance for friends, family, and the community.
