Tunes with Changes you Can Use: Percussion Book

Contemporary and accessible, with the flavor of working jazz and pop arrangements. The tunes breathe naturally and invite the percussionist to make real musical decisions rather than follow a predetermined template.

Percussion students who have moved past basic timekeeping and are ready to understand how the rhythm section functions in a small ensemble. This works for high school jazz bands, chamber orchestras with rhythm components, and serious music students preparing for college auditions.

• Listen closely to the string parts to understand the harmonic movement beneath your comping choices. Your role is conversational, not mechanical.
• Experiment with different groove intensities during rehearsal. Some tunes work better with a lighter touch early on; let the ensemble dynamic tell you when to settle in.
• Mark the changes on your part and anticipate harmonic shifts. This trains your ear to hear chord progression the way a jazz musician does.

Pair these with your string orchestra repertoire when you want to add a contemporary rhythm section layer. They also function as excellent standalone material for after-school jazz groups or small ensemble projects where percussion needs meaningful material.

• Harmonic navigation and chord progression recognition
• Comping techniques appropriate to jazz and contemporary styles
• Listening and ensemble interdependence with strings and other rhythm players
• Improvisation and musical decision-making within structured changes
• Time feel and groove flexibility across multiple contexts