This is a subject of much debate – one of those things where if you ask 10 percussionists what their favorite books are, you’ll probably get 10 different answers. That being said, there are some books that are classics and widely used among percussion educators – canonical texts, if you will – and I’ve combined those with a few of my personal favorites to create this list. Enjoy!
***Note: Rather than organize this list by instrument (snare, keyboard, etc.), I’ve chosen to organize it by developmental level. What constitutes beginner vs. intermediate vs. advanced is definitely subject to interpretation, but I’ve used my experience as a guide. In general, Beginner is appropriate for elementary and middle school/junior high, Intermediate for middle school/junior high and early high school, and Advanced for high school and early college. MANY books contain a range of difficulty levels and therefore may appear on more than one section of the list. If you have feedback, suggestions, or questions, please drop me a line via my contact form. Thanks for visiting!
Intermediate
Five-Minute/Nine-Minute Drill, Rath/Hicks – written to work a variety of techniques in a short period of time in a full-band setting; improvement/development occurs by using the drill(s) on a daily basis.
Intermediate Snare Drum Studies, Mitchell Peters – a fantastic collection of pieces that covers a wide range of rhythms, time signatures, and techniques. All are only one page, so they are less intimidating for a younger musician to prepare. The first few pages contain developmental etudes for single rhythms/techniques, including multiple versions of the classic Three Camps solo. I love this book because the pieces offer opportunities for some interpretive musicianship for younger players.
Developing Dexterity, Mitchell Peters – A collection of patterns and exercises to develop sticking, accent/tap control, and grace note figurations (flams and ruffs). Ranges from beginner to advanced, depending on tempo and application.
The Blue Book, Vols. 1 & 2, various composers – a comprehensive pair of book of solos for rudimental snare, marching tenors, drumset, and multipercussion that range from easy to very advanced. The variety and range makes this set a great investment for a school library.
Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba and Vibraphone, Morris Goldenberg – a comprehensive text that covers note reading and keyboard skill development for two mallets, from beginner to advanced.
Sight-Reading Skills for the Mallet Percussionist, Eric Martin – this book is fantastic for training and reinforcing the visualization of music theory and notation on the keyboard. While the initial lesson or two is fairly basic, the ideas and tunes get more difficult quickly, and lines are written in a wide variety of keys.
Masterpieces for Marimba, Thomas McMillan – Classical pieces, transcribed and/or arranged for marimba. A great compliment to the Goldenberg book, this music offers younger players the opportunity to perform Classical-era works on our primary solo keyboard instrument.
Spinning Yarns & Motor On, Matt Weyer – developmental solo books for vibraphone and four-mallet marimba, respectively. Tuneful, musical, and enjoyable for the student and teacher.
Marimba: Technique Through Music, Mark Ford – a classic set of four-mallet etudes and solos that range from fairly basic/single-technique to advanced/multiple-skill pieces. They cover a wide variety of musical styles, giving students an opportunity to prepare more musically challenging pieces while still developing their technique.
Fundamental Method for Timpani, Mitchell Peters – a “how to” manual that covers every aspect of playing timpani, with developmental etudes to match.
Intermediate Timpani Studies, Mitchell Peters – building on the Fundamental Method book, this book offers more than 30 etudes that offer experience in tuning changes, moving around drums, multiple time signatures and more. Difficulty ranges from a couple of fairly introductory etudes up through a few advanced pieces.
Pedal to the Kettle, Kirk Gay – a fantastic developmental timpani solo book that ranges from the very basic to fairly advanced.