An Educational Dive into Joseph Tompkins 9 French-American Rudimental Etudes
For a little over a year now, I’ve been working to record all 9 of Joseph Tompkins’ 9 French American Rudimental Etudes, Vol. 1. I started this project as I was finishing up my last year as a doctoral candidate in percussion performance at Arizona State University. The project began as a way for me to both practice the etudes and create accurate recordings of these pieces on YouTube for others to watch. It evolved, however, into a significant amount of time spent wondering how to approach the whole book from a detailed point of view, mostly focused on how I would actually teach these to future students. This blog post is meant to include some of my ramblings on each etude I recorded in hopes that it may help other educators approach not only Tompkins’ pieces, but snare drum in general with more care.
As follows, you will find a separate section for each individual etude. Within the evaluation of each etude, I will present various considerations for study and performance, including problem areas, particularly tough passages, and potential solutions I have developed through my own study. I have attempted to organize my thoughts in a way that makes pedagogical sense, so the information one may be looking for is easy to find. I will also be providing a link to my videos after the explanation of each etude.
I
The first etude in this book has the performer immediately introduced to a theme carried throughout all nine pieces. That is, complex (yet fun for snare drum nerds like me) rhythmic figures set in a slower tempo. Many 32nd-note based fivelets are scattered throughout both pages of this etude, and figuring out hand speed for these with a metronome was the first hurtle I overcame while learning it. Many other rhythms that fall under an umbrella of three or six overtop certain passages are tough; a particularly hard one can be found in the third bar at letter A showcasing a 5:4.
There are also many dynamic considerations in this etude, so taking each challenge measure by measure was important in my own practice. Possibly the hardest dynamic change is in the second measure of letter C where Tompkins asks the performer to play a flurry of notes, each with their own wild and short crescendos, while simultaneously crescendoing the two beat macro phrase. I distinctly remember my teacher Shaun Tilburg claiming these 2 beats as some of the hardest in the entire book! Using check patterns is helpful and finding the macro rhythms can teach students to understand the faster sections.
My recording-
II
Upon flipping to the second etude in this collection, the performer should notice that there is a lot less “black” on the page than in the first etude. Much of this etude is centered around sextuplet rhythms and we become introduced to another very popular figure throughout this collection. This rhythm I have nicknamed the “skip” note, happens very often and is typically comprised of a dotted 32nd note and a 64th note. This figure is also similar to an inverted flam with the grace note played second and the primary note first. The “skip” note can be problematic for first time players of these etudes as the rhythm is fairly unique to this book. It is paramount for a snare drummer to really focus on this rhythm early on in their practicing as truly understanding it and playing it with consistency takes some time.
Another major consideration for this etude is how much the rhythms change from triple to duple bases. Accurate hand speed and constant subdivision is needed to tackle some of the more difficult switches such as two measures before letter C. As long as the performer has great control over hand speed changes, flams, and the “skip” note, this etude is particularly more manageable. In addition, practicing flam taps, inverted flams, and working upstrokes will help make easier work of letter B to C.
My recording-
III
I feel confident in saying that III is one if the most popular entries in this book. Many collegiate level players perform this piece and it is used on some orchestral audition lists. There are likely many reasons for this, but most notably, the piece includes many different techniques the performer must work on, plus there is no shortage of dynamics and other small details scattered throughout it! The “skip” note is on display right from the first measure and is the primary focus for the duration of the two pages. One tricky beat even utilizes this rhythm within a fivelet, seven measures after letter B. The same practice habits should apply here to master this “skip” note as I presented earlier.
Etude III is also the fastest piece thus far in the collection at quarter note equals 80bpm. Some of the faster passages, like the double barline before B and all the 32nd-note fivelets, may give players some trouble if they are not used to moving their hands at that speed. Extensive finger control is needed so I will detail a simple warmup routine laid out to me by Shaun Tilburg. For 30 minutes a day I would sit in my office and play 8 on a hand (8 eighth notes alternating between right and left hands every measure) from a very slow tempo to a very fast one. While I did this I would stop wrist motion and play ONLY with my middle finger moving the stick, and then only my ring finger and so on. Within about 2 weeks, I noticed how much more I could control fast passages at all dynamics. This worked perfectly for moments like letter B where there were difficult rudiments meant to be played at piano. Obviously I still utilize wrist and forearm in my own playing, but having the dexterity in my small muscle groups was extremely advantageous!
My recording-
IV
Number four is centered largely around fivelet groupings of notes, a theme given to us right from beat 1. Practicing fivelet hand speeds at many different tempos is important to solidifying this etude and the work in this regard will also have a positive impact on one’s snare drum playing in general. The odd numbered groupings continue on the second page where sevenlets are also introduced, with one even including the “skip” note as mentioned previously. Constant rhythmic changes are of course characteristic in Tompkins’ book, but IV really utilizes this technique to it’s fullest extent.
Another significant component the performer must work on within this etude are the short but fast flurries of notes in the form of buzz rolls and double stroke rolls as written in line three, one bar before letter A, the first bar of the last line on page one, and more. Perhaps more than many other etudes in this book, this one keeps me on my toes throughout it’s entirety. The more the percussionist focuses on check patterns and breaking down the odd groupings, the more success they will have in performing it.
My recording-
V
This next etude is one of my personal favorites from the book and certainly one of the “choppiest”, or fastest and most technical. The performer must possess the ability to play very quilckly and the coordination to play some of the more difficult flurries of notes, especially on page two. Building up triplet rhythms with check patterns should be the first concern for the tough passages right before and after rehearsal letter C. After this, basic triplet exercises should be implemented while working the tempo up to half note equals 80bpm. I set my metronome to 60bpm initially and grew in intervals of 5 until I felt comfortable at written tempo.
The hybrid rudiment '“hertas”, are scattered throughout this etude and are very easily broken down with right, right, left triplet sticking. Tompkins goes a step further than hertas and introduces the triplet rhythm with a grouping of sextuplets nested in a single triplet partial. These can be a very difficult rhythm to master but going over the check slowly and taking care to space the notes evenly over the triplet will greatly increase the rhythmic accuracy required to play this second page. One more measure of note is 1 bar after rehearsal B; playing with a metronome to achieve perfect upbeats is essential! Overall, rapid handspeed changes and fast choppy sections are what make this etude unique and fun to learn!
My recording-
VI
Upon opening the book to this particular etude, the performer may think “that is A LOT of notes”, and they would be correct. This piece begins with a rather fast and unforgiving cold attack. The training to accurately start with a 32nd-note based sextuplet is tough and requires an intimate knowledge of the piece’s tempo. The flurries of 32nd-note rhythms do not stop in the first line, and therefore the player should take care to make sure their technique is prepared for the faster passages. If anyone is playing through this book in sequential order, their hands should be set up nicely for this, and for many of the difficult fivelet rhythms, especially two lines before rehearsal letter C.
Our “skip” note is also back in this etude, nestled under sextuplet umbrellas. I had substantial difficulty figuring out the transition from measure 15 to 16. I played through the check pattern many times without the skip notes, and took care to play through the written stickings as much as possible. Eventually, I added the skip notes back in and made sure all of my accents were placed accordingly. Another, slightly lesser, concern for this etude is the amount of quick dynamic changes that should be noted, mostly on the first page. I tend to play through these etudes the first time with minimal dynamics, and gradually add them in as I break down each section. This piece requires careful detailed reading and very crisp rhythmic accuracy, so make sure to simplify everything as needed during personal practice!
My recording-
VII
Etude VII requires the player to perform a multitude of different techniques, possibly more than anywhere else in this book. The first two lines are relatively straightforward, except for some quick note base changes, mostly fivelets to sixteenth notes. The mezzo piano written for the first repeat, and the forte for the second time through need to be carefully practiced, and I have tried my best to exaggerate these dynamics slightly for a more dramatic effect.
Beginning at rehearsal letter A, there begins a theme of upbeat entrances. Tompkins has put a lot of detail into these measures rhythmically to make sure the player understands the difference in the drags and nested 3’s (such as in measures eight and ten). Here, I have tried to overstate the “similar” rhythms and really portray the subtle differences. After this section at B onward, a lot of control is needed to constantly change from sextuple- based rhythms to sixteenth-based ones. Some skip notes appear on the second page, so continuing the practice of becoming familiar with the check pattern is crucial. This etude needs some time with the skeleton, getting rid of diddles, to sound confident throughout.
My recording-
VIII
One of my other personal favorite etudes in this book is VIII, mostly because of the innate groove displayed throughout. There is a subtle backbeat amidst all the 32nd note based rhythms in this particular piece and portraying that in your playing can be rather difficult. First, executing the tougher rhythms like fivelet 32nd notes or the nested 3’s four bars after rehearsal A is important. Break down these rhythms to their simplest form in order to gain a deeper understanding of them. Second, mantain control over ALL accents to help push the groove of the etude along.
Some of the tougher sections in this etude need to be specifically highlighted so the performer can take extra care in practicing them. In bar five, Tompkins asks the performer to play a flam right after a double left-handed 32nd-note. Working on really soft 3’s should help make this one a bit easier. Timing wise, the bar before rehearsal A can be tricky, so practice without the drags as much as possible so the fivelets are extremely accurate. At rehearsal B the two grooviest bars in the entire book must be as relaxed and nuanced. I do this through minor stresses and other mini dynamics to keep a half-time feel going. If the performer has all base rhythms in this one locked down with a metronome, and all the accents in the correct places, then this etude really comes alive and can be one of the most enjoyable to listen to from an audience perspective.
My recording-
IX
The last etude in this series is relatively straightforward and fairly comprehensive in nature if you have read through the book from the beginning to this point. The first thing the performer should work on for this piece is the check patterns of all rhythms, because of the numerous embellishments on top of fivelets, sextuplets, and sixteenth notes. Once the check patterns are perfected, add the buzzes and diddles back in to assure the hand speeds are all cohesive. I worked on dynamics during this learning process pretty extensively too as there are some quick crescendos and diminuendos here. The player should also note that in these dynamic changes there are no indications of exact volume, so they should have a plan of how dramatic to make these swells.
The skip note should be built up from the base rhythms as the first page contains upwards of 10 instances. Quick flurries of notes are common on the short second page, so I singled out my hands individually and practiced one beat at a time. One last thing to note about page 18 of the book is the upstrokes and drop strokes. These should be given care as the upstrokes especially give way to a peculiar pop sound when played correctly. This is further indicated by the joint staccato and accent marking above the notes.
My recording-
Final Remarks
This book has dramatically improved my snare drum playing through it’s complex rhythms, many dynamics, and “choppy” sections throughout. Many parts of this selection of etudes require quickly switching the muscle groups used and force the performer to play with finesse and intensity simultaneously. The musical growth that students and teachers alike can gain from playing any number of these solos should not be taken lightly, and I implore you to add the book into your rotation of pedagogical materials.