Accent on Achievement, Book 3: Percussion---Snare Drum, Bass Drum & Accessories Book

Book 3 finally gives percussion students the technical depth they've been waiting for. While the first two books established fundamentals, this volume treats snare drum and bass drum as serious melodic and rhythmic instruments with studies in all 12 keys, giving percussionists the same rigorous development that brass and woodwind players receive throughout the series.

Studying from this book feels like finally being treated as a real musician. The progression from foundational coordination exercises to complex rhythmic studies in every key mirrors the respect and challenge that brass and woodwind players experience, making percussion study feel integrated and essential rather than supplementary.

This book is designed for percussionists in grades 5 through 8 who have completed Books 1 and 2 of Accent on Achievement. It serves students ready to deepen their technical vocabulary and coordinate with advanced harmonic and rhythmic material across the full band.

• Work through the rhythm studies methodically before moving to full band arrangements; isolated mastery prevents the percussion section from dragging during ensemble passages.
• Approach the studies in all 12 major and minor keys as an extension of the band's overall tonality work. When the woodwinds practice scales in a key, assign the corresponding snare drum or bass drum study to reinforce harmonic listening.
• Use the chorale excerpts to develop dynamic control and phrasing. Snare drum and bass drum students often think percussively rather than musically; these sections train them to listen for the melodic arc the whole band is creating.

Use Book 3 as your core percussion study material once the band has solidified fundamentals in Books 1 and 2, typically in grades 7 and 8. The technical studies in all 12 keys align naturally with the band's scale and key work, and the chorales provide accessible entry points into music reading for bass drum students who may be newer to staff notation.

• Technical control and independence of snare drum and bass drum
• Reading and executing rhythmic notation in all 12 major and minor keys
• Dynamic shaping and phrasing awareness in percussion writing
• Coordination of multiple percussion voices within ensemble texture
• Sight-reading facility across varied rhythmic patterns and key signatures