20 Modern Snare Drum Solos: Snare Drum Book & Online Audio

Bédard has created a collection that moves far beyond parade-ground rudiments. Each solo tackles a genuine compositional challenge, whether through polyrhythmic complexity, meter changes, or the integration of drumset vocabulary. Your students get repertoire that respects their intelligence and ambition.

The collection spans from controlled, methodical etudes to energetic modern pieces that demand focus and precision. You'll encounter the meditative quality of working through odd meters and the visceral satisfaction of nailing a tight polyrhythmic passage at tempo. Bédard's writing balances technical challenge with musical phrasing.

Percussion students working toward high school jazz ensemble, audition prep, or solo recital material need solos that genuinely stretch their rhythmic literacy. This collection serves intermediate to advanced players seeking modern repertoire that respects both snare technique and contemporary compositional language.

• Record yourself on each solo and listen critically. What sounds rushed? What needs more articulation? A playback habit builds independence faster than any comment from the director.
• Approach the polyrhythmic solos by isolating the rhythmic cells at a comfortable tempo first. Once those patterns lock, the speed will follow naturally.
• Apply the drumset applications immediately after mastering the snare version. The transition reveals how classical technique informs modern kit playing.
• Use a practice pad for precision work, then transfer to the snare to recalibrate your sense of rebound and tone quality.

Feature solos from this collection at your spring percussion showcase, pairing them with traditional rudimental contests to show the breadth of what snare drummers can perform. Assign specific solos as technical prerequisites for students auditioning into jazz band or drum line camps. The range of tempos and styles means you can pull a solo that fits nearly any point in the percussion curriculum.

• Reading and executing polyrhythms (2 against 3, 3 against 4, and more complex ratios)
• Playing in odd time signatures and mixed meter passages
• Controlling dynamic range across slow and fast tempos
• Applying rudimental foundations to contemporary contexts
• Transferring snare technique to drumset (coordination and voice distribution)
• Independence between hands through rhythmic displacement and syncopation