A Tribe Called Quads-SAMPLE by Tapspace

8 PROGRESSIVE SOLOS FOR MARCHING TENORS BY ANDREW SMIT

TSPB-57

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Cover art: Eddie Montoya

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Contents Acknowledgements and Introduction 2 Notation Key 2 Solo Notes 2 Maiden Voyage 4 Diddle Sandwich 6 Para-Trip-a-Stick-a-Diddle 8 Flamazon Prime 10 Kane Bub 12 Criss-Cross Applesauce 14 Barely Scraping By 16 A Tribe Called Quads 18

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND INTRODUCTION

I would first like to thank my students—past, present, and future. You all are the inspiration for these solos and many of my other compositions. I would also like to thank my former teachers who taught me everything I know today. Thank you Kim Coughlin, Clif Smith, Bert Johnson, Ben Collins, Kirk Hickman, Adam Cowger, Dave Schmuck, Brian Spicer, Joel Brainard, Ben Handel, The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, John Tafoya, Steve Houghton, Kevin Bobo, and Micael Spiro.

These solos were written with the beginner/intermediate tenor drummer in mind—someone who is not new to marching percussion literature or vocabulary but who might be new to the added variables that playing quads brings to the table. These solos are designed to help introduce the performer to the motions, shapes, vocabulary, and overall vernacular of playing the marching tenor drums. My hope is that by progressing through these solos, you will have a great sense of how to move around the drums and perform confidently. Enjoy, and happy practicing!

–Andrew Smit

NOTATION KEY

SOLO NOTES

Maiden Voyage

This solo is designed to be a performer’s first piece of “real music” on tenors. It introduces some of the basic motion commonly used and has very achievable vocabulary throughout: 5-stroke rolls, 9-stroke rolls, isolated flams, paradiddles, and some common sticking patterns. This solo is less about playing a ton of notes or choppy rudiments and is more about learning the feel for getting around the drums. It is primarily constructed of alternating stickings that yield common voicings on the drums, and more complex sticking patterns are occasionally used to create different melodies.

Diddle Sandwich

This solo is another excellent introduction to the basic motion of quad drumming. The vocabulary itself is minimal, consisting primarily of duple 8th-note rolls. The less demanding vocabulary allows the performer to focus on moving around the drums while hitting all the right playing zones. The B section is an introduction to some polyphony common in quad drumming—playing an ostinato on the spock drum(s) with the right hand and a melody on drums 1-4 with the left hand.

A TRIBE CALLED QUADS 2

* Solos are written for 6 drums, but if playing on a set of 5 drums, simply play both spock parts on the single spock drum.

Para-Trip-a-Stick-a-Diddle

This solo is an exercise in stick control. So often in quad drumming, one must play uncommon sticking patterns in order to achieve the correct voicing of the music. Uncommon sticking patterns are a path for quad drummers to eventually play all the “cool licks” that are always crowd-pleasers.

Flamazon Prime

This solo provides an opportunity to incorporate flams around the drums. Be sure to master this solo on one drum before you start to move it around the drums. Playing zones, heights, and fluidity of motion need to be as consistent around the drums as on a single surface.

Kane Bub

This solo has a wider vocabulary than all the previous pieces, including triplet rolls, double stops, hertas, paradiddles, and triple strokes. Although the vocabulary is more diverse, it is woven together in a manner that starts to bridge the gap from “easy” arounds to more challenging arounds. As you work your way through this one, you will see that even though the arounds become more challenging, they should always feel comfortable and idiomatic.

Criss-Cross Apple Sauce

This solo works on crossovers, which are another common element to quad drumming. They look cool, they sound cool, and they make the music more fun to watch and listen to, but be sure to keep hitting the right beating spots, and always make it feel as good as it does on one playing surface.

Barely Scraping By

This solo is your introduction to one of the best parts of playing quads: scrapes. This technique is also referred to as sweeps or doubles. Whatever you call it, DON’T HIT RIMS! To achieve a scrape, perform a double stroke like you normally would but use your arm to move the stick/mallet to a different drum for the second stroke so that the double-stroke is performed on two different drums. Make sure that your horizontal motion (what drums you are hitting) does not affect your vertical motion (wrist turn, rebound from the drum, etc.). Again, playing the arounds always needs to feel as smooth and comfortable as it does on one playing surface.

A Tribe Called Quads

This solo is the final stop. It has all the elements we’ve seen so far and then some. It draws inspiration from the legendary hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. The name also holds true because the culture of quad drummers is unique. We are a special breed of drummers crazy enough to carry those heavy drums all season long. So if you’ve been bit by the tenor bug, enjoy the challenges this solo offers. There are many rhythmic quotes from Tribe’s extensive anthology sprinkled throughout this one. Can you kick it? Yes, you can ... but only if you practice slowly and with a metronome!

A TRIBE CALLED QUADS 3

ANDREW SMIT R � L R L R R R R � R R R � L L R L L R A R L R L L R R L L R L L 4 4 / > > > q = 1 6 4 - 1 9 2 / > > 5 / > > 9 / > > 1 3 / > > > / > > > > 2 2 / > > 2 7 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ MAIDEN

Level: Med-Easy Approx. playing time: 1'15" 4

VOYAGE

L L R R � L R L R L R f L L B L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R f L / > > > > > > > > > ^ > > 5 5 3 3 3 1 > > 3 3 3 > > 3 D . C . a l F i n e œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ ‰ œ j œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ 5 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

ANDREW SMIT R f R � R � L L A R � L L R � L L R � L R L R R R R R 4 4 / > > > > > > ^ q = 1 4 4 - 1 7 2 / > 5 / > > > / > > > 1 3 / > > > 1 7 / > > 2 1 / -2 5 œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj

Level: Med-Easy Approx. playing time: 1'05" 6

DIDDLE SANDWICH

R R L R R R L R L R L R R R R R L R R R R R R R R R L R R R L R L L / - - -> ^ > > - - -- - 2 9 --^ > œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ ‰ œ j 7 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

PARA-TRIP-ASTICK-A-DIDDLE

ANDREW SMIT R � L R L L R R L R L L R R � L R R L L R L A R � L R R L L R L R � L R L R R L R B R L R L R R L R 4 4 / 3 3 q = 1 2 0 - 1 4 4 / 3 3 3 5 / > > 3 3 3 % / > > 3 3 3 1 3 / > > 3 3 3 / > > 3 3 3 2 1 œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Level: Medium Approx. playing time: 1'05" 8

L L R L R R L R L L R L R R C R R L R L R L L R L L R L L / > > > > ^ ^ > > > 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 > ^ ^ 3 3 3 3 3 a l F i n e œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ œ ‹ œ œ Œ 9 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

ANDREW SMIT R � L L L R R L R L R L R L R R R L L R � L R L R L A R L R L R L L � R L R L R 4 4 / > > > > q = 1 3 6 - 1 8 0 / > > 5 / > > 9 / >> - 1 3 / > > % / > > 2 1 / > > 2 5 œj œ œ Œ œj œ  œ j œ œ Œ  œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H œ œ

Level: Medium Approx. playing time: 1'30" 10

FLAMAZON PRIME

L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R R L L R L L R L L R R L R L L R L L R R L R R L R R L R R L R R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R f / > > > > > - >> - > - >>> 2 9 To C o d a > - > - > - >^> - >> > 3 3 D . S . a l C o d a > > > > œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œj œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ  œ j œj œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œj  œ j œ œ œ œ  œ j œ œ œ œj œ œ œj  œ j œ œ œ œ  œ j œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹  œ j œ œ  œ j œ œ œ  œ j œ œ œ œ œ  œ j œ œ œ œ  œ  œ j œ œ H œ  œ j  œ j œ œ œ œ H Œ 11 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

ANDREW SMIT f R p L R L R f R p L R L R f L ™ ™ A R L R R L 2 R R R L L L 4 4 / > ^ 3 q = 1 4 4 - 1 8 0 / > 5 / R L spo c k d r u m s: pse l o w e r d r u m s: � a R R R L R L > > > / R L R R R L R L > > > 1 3 / ^ 3 1 7 / >>3 3 2 0 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Level: Medium Approx. playing time: 1'20" 12

KANE BUB

L L L R R R L R L L L R R R L L L R L R R R L R L R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R L R L R L R L R L R L / >>> >>>> > - > > > > ^ > 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 > > > > > 3 3 3 3 3 > > > > > > 3 3 3 3 3 > > > > >> >^ > 3 3 3 D . C . a l F i n e œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ 13 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

CRISS-CROSS APPLESAUCE

ANDREW SMIT R � L R L R R R L R L R L R R R L L R R L L L L L L R R R R R R R L L R 4 4 / q = 1 2 0 - 1 4 8 / > > > 4 / 7 / > 1 0 / > 1 3 / 1 5 œ œ œ œ œ H œ œ œ H œ œ H œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Level: Med-Advanced Approx. playing time: 1'05" 14

L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L L R R L L R L L R L R L R L R f / > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 6 6 B > > > > > > > > ^ ^ > D . S . a l F i n e œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ ‰ œ j æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H œ H œ œ œ œ œ œ H œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ 15 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

ANDREW SMIT R � L R L R R R L R L R L L f R R L � R R L f A L � R R L L R R L L R R L � R � L L R L L B R L L R L 4 4 / ^ q = 8 6 - 1 1 2 / 3 / >> / 8 / >1 1 / > > / > > 1 5 æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Level: Med-Advanced Approx. playing time: 1'20" 16

BARELY SCRAPING BY

R L L R L L R R L L R L L R R L R L R R L L R R L L R R L L R L R L R L R L R L L R L L R L R R L L R L R R R L R R L R L R L R L R L R R L R R L R R L R R L R C R R L R L L R L R L L R L L L R L R L R 12 8 / > > > > > > > > 1 7 > ^ > ^ > ^ ^ > ^ > ^ > ^ x = e ^ > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > ^ > > > > œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H H œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ ‹ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ œ H œ œ œ ‹ œ ≈ ‹ œ ‹ œ ‹ œ ‹ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ œ ™ Œ ™ Ó ™ 17 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

ANDREW SMIT f R L R L R L R L R L R L p R L R R L R L L R R R L L L f R L R L R L A L R L R L R L R 4 4 / > > > > > > ^ ^ ^ > > > 5 q = 1 0 5 / - - - - -5 4 / - > 6 / 8 / > ^ > > 1 0 / / > > > > > 1 5 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ™ œr œ œ œ œ ¿ œ ¿ ¿ œ  œ j H ‹ œ ≈  œ j œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

CALLED

Level: Med-Advanced Approx. playing time: 1'55" 18

A TRIBE

QUADS

L R R L R R R R L L L R R R L L R R L L R L R ( L ) R � L L R R L R L R R B R R L R L L R L R L R L R � R R R L L R L R L R L R C R L R R L L R R L R L R L R L R f L L R R R L R L L L R L R R L R R L R L R L L L R � R L R R L L R L R L / > > ^ ^ 3 3 1 8 > > > > > > > 3 6 > ^ > > > ^ ^ ^ 3 3 ^ ^> > > ^ 3 > > > > > > > > œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ H H H œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ Œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ ‰ ‹ j œj œ œ œ œj œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ æ œ æ œ æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ ‹ œ ≈ œ œ æ œ æ œ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‰ ‹ œ ‹ 7 œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ æ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œj œ œ œ œj œ œ 19 A TRIBE CALLED QUADS

R L R L R R L R L R L R L R L L R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R R L R R L R L R L R � R L R R L R R L L � / > > > > > > > > ^ > ^ > 3 3 3 3 8 / > > . . 4 1 / ^ > > 5 4 4 / > > 4 7 æ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ ≈ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ æ œ æ œ ‹ œ ‹ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ 7 œ 7 œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ æ œ ‹ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ A TRIBE CALLED QUADS 20

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