How can I improve my marching snare skills?

howsar0

New Member
Hello,

I made snare (I’m a freshmen) at my high school. The other snares are upperclassmen and they are so much better than me. I kind of feel like I’m sucking right now. I practice for at least 3 hours a day, but I’m just not seeming like i get any better.

The thing I struggle with the most are my diddles, paradiddlediddles and technique.

Any suggestions?
 
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Take a video of your doubles, and show us what you've got so far. Help us help you! Teaching experience tells me that it's impossible to help without seeing you play. 3 hours is a lot, but if you're not slowly practicing useful techniques, all the practice in the world won't get you there. Also, be warned that new techniques take a while to sink in, even with daily practice. But, if you're not seeing results in six weeks, something's very wrong.
 
Ah, those pesky learning plateaus.

Recognize there is always a new plateau following the one you are trying to get past and welcome them as the opportunity to progress that they are...and always examine your practice regimen with someone you trust.

...its not specific to marching...nor is it specific to Drumming...learning this will benefit all parts of your self development for the rest of your life.

Gratz on making the line, BTW!
 
Whatever warmup exercises your line uses, practice them at various tempos while focusing on making every stroke—whether it's a single, diddle, flam, roll, etc.—extremely consistent in volume, stick height, note length, etc. Don't play any accents, just play every note as consistent as possible while keeping your grip relaxed. Once you can comfortably play through all the exercises in a highly consistent manner, then go back and add in the accents, being sure to keep your accented and non-accented notes very consistent with the others. This isn't something that's likely to show results immediately, but if you stick to it, should make a pronounced difference within a few weeks.
 
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Hello,

I made snare (I’m a freshmen) at my high school. The other snares are upperclassmen and they are so much better than me. I kind of feel like I’m sucking right now. I practice for at least 3 hours a day, but I’m just not seeming like i get any better.

The thing I struggle with the most are my diddles, paradiddlediddles and technique.

Any suggestions?
Excellent work making snare as a freshman! 🙌
Glad to hear that you feel sucky, that means you’ve got the drive to master whatever it is you’re diddling around with. :ROFLMAO:
Seriously, 99.9% of your peers think that they are much better than they actually are, so you’re light years ahead in your thinking and wanting to improve. Knowing your own weaknesses is paramount to conquest. Do everything to the absolute best of your ability and don’t worry about how good everybody else is. Beginning to outperform those who’s ability we once aspired to achieve is a sweetness that only those willing to put in the hours ever taste.

Practice with purpose anything you want to master and don’t relent until it is done. Nothing can stop you except you.
 
Congratulations on making the snare drumline! My assistant band director was a percussionist and I took lessons from her. Having a teacher that can guide you goes a long way.
 
Not via text on a message board I'll tell you that much.

Get with some better players and chop out.

Get with a proper instructor.

Visit Snare Science.com

also look up @BillBachman and talk to him... send him a message or find him on Facebook. ... trust me


You're welcome

MG beat me to some of the good advice...(I have been at band camp all week...teaching doubles and other stuff to the new crop of kids)

but we would need to see video of your playing to help...

it also depends a lot on the technique system your line uses...is it a rebound, through the drum type? Is it more 90's era downstroke technique? Do you guys use "Full/Down/Tap/Up" stroke system?

Do you play traditional? Matched?.

Is it a DCI/WGI corps style and? HBCU Showstyle? Old school military?

Would e glad to help, but need more information.

My current snareline is 3 seniors and a sophomore, and last year, it was the same 4 as 3 juniors and a freshman...
 
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Congrats Howsaro for making the snare line as a freshman! The same thing happens to me forty years ago! I did all four years of high school marching band, and although I never went to college band or DCI, I’m really I did at at high school marching. It helped provide a solid foundation, for which I am grateful.

The drumming part was not too much of a problem for me, but being a somewhat uncoordinated 14 year old complicated things when I actually had to learn the matching routines and play the snare drum at the same time. I’d recommend, you “mark time” with your feet while you practice. Also if you have access to the recording/videos of the music , listen to them a lot , slow down the recordings, play and march along . I wish we had that technology when I was a youngster!
 
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