User Manual

VICKI PETERSON JENKS 2
Yamaha Corporation of America • Band & Orchestral Division
3445 East Paris Ave., SE • P.O. Box 899 • Grand Rapids, MI 49518-0899
www.yamahapercussion.com/band
Prior to beginning any formal exercises, it is advisable to get acquainted with
the instrument. Here’s an approach – pick out familiar melodies by ear, play
just the upper bars using pentatonic improvisation; play thirds and fifths on
the lower bars, try a simple C blues walking bass line, etc. Do not use sheet
music until the instrument’s “geography” is understood!
Place Preliminary Exercises 1 & 2 and a pencil on the music stand directly in
front of the bars to be played with the stand as low as possible. Establish a
field of vision where mallets, bars, and music can be seen. After finding “G,”
use “hard vision” to play Exercise 1 with one hand. While staring at the
pencil, switch hands and play the same exercise. Using “soft vision,” shift
your gaze up from the pencil to actual notation and play the next sticking
variation. Pretending to look at the conductor, play another sticking. Finally,
close your eyes and play the example again.
Preliminary Exercise 2 develops horizontal technique where you feel the
distance between bars using kinesthetic and aural senses. To improve
reading, I often enlarge music on oversized paper. Use multicolored hi-
lighters to pinpoint identical phrases within the music. I suggest optometric
visits regularly!
Here are some pointers for teaching homogeneous mallet classes:
1. Gather as many keyboards as possible. Include a piano, student bell kits
and electronic instruments. Assemble triangles, tambourines, finger
cymbals, wrist bells, wind chimes, mark trees, suspended cymbals, temple
blocks and rain sticks.
2. Place everything in a circle (with you in the middle), or a 180 degree arc,
or in parallel “streets” where “neighbors” (teams) face you on either side. Use
a “musical chairs” concept where no one plays the same instrument for the
entire class time. Teach holistic, total percussion musicianship from day one.
3. Vary lesson content with a mix of body percussion, dancing, singing,
memorization, improvisation and reading. Incorporate TV jingles, pop,
seasonal, patriotic, classical and multicultural folk music.
4. Feature your mallet ensemble at concerts by using special costuming, hats
and props.
5. Teach pride of ownership by requiring that each student own three pairs of
well-labeled mallets and a mallet bag.
Finally, there is a plethora of excellent beginning level mallet literature not
limited to, but including these fine composers: Thomas Brown, Anthony
Cirone, Randy Eyles, Sandy Feldstein, Murray Houllif, Ruth Jeanne, Arthur
Lipner, James Moore, Mitchell Peters, William Schinstine and Garwood Whaley.
“Roll up your shirt sleeves” and dig into the WONDERFUL WORLD OF
MAKING MUSIC WITH MALLETS!
Vicki Peterson Jenks
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Preliminary Exercise 1
Preliminary Exercise 2
a)RRRR RRRR RRRR RRRR
b)LLLL LLLL LLLL LLLL
c)RRRR LLLL RRRR LLLL
d)RRLL RRLL RRLL RRLL
e)RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL