Drum Solos: Snare Drum Book

Moving through this book is like walking through a museum of American percussion tradition. You'll find the martial precision of parades alongside the flowing elegance of waltzes, the playful character of pieces like Kitten Kaboodle and Poppycock, and the familiar comfort of standards like When the Saints Go Marching In.

Snare drummers preparing for festival competition, recital, or jury evaluation, particularly those working at an early intermediate level who need solid, proven repertoire. Directors building a percussion program will appreciate having thirteen contest-ready solos in one book rather than hunting for individual pieces across multiple sources.

• Establish a consistent grip and posture before tackling the march pieces; the repetitive patterns in Dress Parade and First Parade will expose any tension in your shoulders or wrists.
• Work the waltz pieces at a slow tempo first to hear the subdivision clearly, then gradually build speed while maintaining the lilt of the 3/4 meter.
• In pieces like That's Tough and Poppycock, mark your sticking patterns in the book during practice so you stay consistent during performance pressure.
• Record yourself playing each solo at performance tempo, then listen back to spot any rushes or drags that don't show up in real time.

Pull solos from this collection throughout the year rather than learning one at a time; having multiple pieces in rotation keeps students engaged and gives you flexibility when scheduling contests or recitals. The variety means you can match each student to repertoire suited to their technique, or assign a waltz one month and a march the next to develop different rhythmic vocabularies.

• Reading and performing simple march rhythms with consistent pulse
• Playing triplet-based waltz patterns in 3/4 meter
• Controlling dynamic contrast between single strokes and diddle figures
• Managing tempo consistency over longer solo forms
• Interpreting articulation and phrasing within solo contexts