Percussion Method Books

As it turns out, there's a lot more to percussion than just hitting skins or bells with sticks. In fact, for the professional player, that's only the surface layer on a foundation of skill and technique that involves an impeccable sense of timing, plenty of musical knowledge and a solid understanding of the deeper theories of rhythm. Anybody can pick up a pair of sticks and bang the drums, but becoming a great musician relies on mastering those underlying concepts - which starts with the sort of in-depth instruction you'll find in these percussion method books. Covering skill levels from novice to advanced, they're ready to help beginners get started and make good percussionists even better.

To pinpoint the best percussion method books for you, the first step is to look for titles that match up to your individual style and instrument. For instance, if you're a snare drummer in a marching band, check out books like the Carl Fischer Snare Drum Method Book or Hal Leonard Snare Drum for Beginners. Want to improve your knowledge of percussion fundamentals? Take a look at the Alfred Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer Book. Dreaming of playing in an orchestra? In that case, maybe you're after the Alfred Modern Method for Tympani Book. There are method book options for virtually every type of percussion.

Of course, not all of those involve drums - in fact, some of the most intricate method belongs to melodic percussion, which can produce wildly different sounds depending on playing technique and mallet choice. A few examples of method books to consider for the melodic percussion player include the Hal Leonard Essential Elements for Band - Percussion and Keyboard, the Alfred Fundamental Method for Mallets Book 1 and the Alfred Modern School for Xylophone Marimba Vibraphone.

With so many percussion method books to choose from, the easiest way to start narrowing down the options is to choose your instrument from the filter menu in the sidebar. Once you've trimmed out all the books not related to your specific instrument, you'll be left with just the relevant titles - and from there, deciding on the best choices for your needs will be a piece of cake. Once you have your new method books, you'll be ready to carry on building your percussion skills and taking them to the next level!