Rhythms & Rests: Mallet Percussion Book

Erickson solves a genuine teaching challenge: percussion students often treat rests as dead time rather than as rhythmic architecture. By front-loading rest notation and varying the rhythmic contexts across five different meters within a single unit, this book forces students to attend to silence with the same precision they give to notes. The full band arrangements at the close of each section give students immediate musical payoff for their technical work.

Purposeful and grounded. This is not flashy repertoire; it is working music designed to shore up foundational clarity. The rhythm drills feel like honest craftwork, and the etudes offer moments of genuine musicality once the technical scaffolding has done its job.

Mallet percussionists in concert band settings who need systematic, structured work on rhythmic accuracy and the orchestration of rests. This material suits students progressing from basic eighth-note patterns into more complex meters and deserves classroom time for anyone whose rest notation is sloppy or whose rhythmic security wavers when meters shift.

• Count rests aloud during the preparation drills before attempting to play them silently. Vocalizing the entire rhythmic phrase, including the silence, anchors understanding before adding motor control.
• Practice the etudes at a deliberately slow tempo first. Once the rhythmic patterns feel secure, increase the speed incrementally rather than jumping to performance tempo.
• When pairing etudes as duets, establish a shared pulse before starting. Have one player count four beats while the other listens, then reverse roles to ensure both players feel the same underlying beat.
• Use the full band arrangements as listening references. Have students play through their mallet part while listening to a recording of the complete band arrangement to hear how their rhythmic accuracy integrates with the whole.

Integrate one unit per rehearsal cycle, dedicating focused time to the preparation drills and etudes before the band tackles the final full arrangement. The progression works well as a daily warm-up sequence during fall and winter rehearsal blocks when technical fundamentals need reinforcement. Alternatively, assign individual etudes as part of sectional rehearsals to build independence while the full band arrangement serves as the collective payoff.

• Reading and executing rests in varied rhythmic contexts
• Playing in meters beyond 4/4 (5/8, 7/8, and other asymmetrical divisions)
• Matching rhythmic accuracy with changing eighth-note patterns
• Coordinating rhythmic lines with other percussionists in duet format
• Translating solo technical work into ensemble contributions