Bushwackers 2017

Technique Packet

Introduction
Hello, and thank you for your interest in the 2017 Bushwackers Front Ensemble. First
and foremost, the Front Ensemble Staff is honored that you have chosen to audition here for the
2016 season. We are very excited to meet you and begin working with you during the audition
camps. This packet is designed to inform you of the techniques we utilize in our ensemble and
the qualities we look for in our members. Hopefully, it will give you all the information you
need to audition.

The audition weekends will consist of two types of evaluation of your playing ability, mental
focus, and attitude:
1.) The Group Setting: We will rehearse exercises and music as an
ensemble while evaluating individual skills. During this phase of
auditions, it is important to see how you react to instruction and how well
you sync with the ensemble.

2.) Individual Audition: Each performer will receive an opportunity to display their
abilities in a 10-15 minute individual audition. This audition will be in front of one of the
arrangers/instructors at some point during the weekend. Although, EVERYONE gets
nervous for auditions, we would like the entire weekend and in particular, your
individual audition, to be as relaxed as possible. We are looking to see your best playing,
so prepare yourself for this experience by running down your solo and exercises in a
mock audition setting. Beyond the playing, we will also sit down and speak with each
member about their previous playing experiences and their current percussive situation
(college, high school, drum corps, etc.)

What to Bring

A Good Attitude - We are looking for much more than just great playing ability. We are
looking to find great team members with positive attitudes. A Front Ensemble is a unique
collection of people, as those 15 players spend all day together. When you meet only on the
weekends its important that we have members that buy into a team attitude and are able to
effectively receive instruction from the admin, staff, and section leaders to achieve our goals on
a very limited amount of time.

Music and Solos- Please bring a copy of all the audition material and your
marimba/vibe/xylo/timpani/piano solo with you to camp. It is usually best to organize this in a
3-ring binder. Also, bring writing implements to make notes and fill out forms.
Mallets- For the group portions of the weekend we would like you to use OUR Vic Firth
mallets. If you wish to perform your solo with mallets other than ours, we encourage you to
bring them.

3 Ring Binder- This should have all the music, exercises and technique guidelines organized
inside of page protectors. It would also be a good idea to bring a pencil to mark anything
necessary in your music.

What to Prepare
Keyboard Audition: (includes Marimba, Vibes, Xylo,)
1. Please prepare a SHORT (1 to 2 minute) excerpt of a marimba, vibraphone, or
xylophone solo. If you do not have a solo please play something that you are
comfortable with that demonstrates your skills. Preferably not something from this
packet.
a. This will ONLY be performed in your individual audition.
b. Pick something you are very comfortable with.
2. Familiarize yourself with the 2 and 4 mallet technique guidelines and be able
to work through all the necessary techniques at a high level.
3. Memorize and Prepare all the exercises and music within this packet

Synthesizer:
1. Be able to demonstrate all major and natural minor scales.
2. Prepare the Synthesizer/Piano parts in the audition materials and do your best to
learn the keyboard part on the others that do not have a specific synthesizer part.
3. Prepare a short 1 - 2 minute etude that best showcases your range of
abilities

Once again, thank you for your interest in the 2016 Bushwackers Front Ensemble. We are
excited to meet you and work with you in the individual and group setting. Please stay tuned
for updated information through the summer and fall on additional material leading up to our
first audition camp.

 The 2017 Bushwackers Front Ensemble
2 and 4 Mallet Technique Guidelines

2 Mallets:
The Front Ensemble employs a front fulcrum/full hand approach to all 2-mallet
passages.
Grip Guidelines:
1. The Fulcrum should be formed between the first knuckle of your
index finger and the pad of your thumb, NOT completely in the
second knuckle of the index finger
2. Wrap your fingers around the stick naturally
3. In the set position the back of the hand should be close to
parallel to the ceiling while having a SLIGHT natural angle.
4. There should be little to no space between the thumb and the
side of your index finger/hand.
5. The back fingers have a non-squeezing presence in the back of
the hand for non-fast passages. The faster the passage the more
the front fulcrum presure is utilized.

Starting Position:
1. The two mallet starting position is DOWN unless otherwise
stated for exercises.
2. We will implement a sequence of two wrist snaps before we
begin any segment of music to visually define the tempo
3. There will always be a prep to the appropriate height depending
on the dynamic.
4. We will set the mallets a relaxed 1 inch off the keyboard.
5. Before playing we look in at the center and match preps while
looking through the attack to insure rhythmic and visual
accuracy.

Basic Stroke Guidelines:
1. The path of the stroke is straight up and down.
2. The wrist is employed in EVERY STROKE WE PLAY, regardless if
the fingers and arms are also involved.
3. Movement around the instrument:
a. The wrist is responsible for the vertical motion
b. The arm is responsible for the side to side (across
the keyboard) and forward and back (toward
accidentals) motion.

Types of Strokes:
2. Legato Strokes: This stroke is defined by having the
speed of the down-stroke and up-stroke be the same.
There is no stopping point between the end of the
upstroke and the beginning of the next downtroke.
3. Piston Strokes: Also called staccatto strokes, this stroke
is defined by having consistent down and up stroke with a
tacet space at the top of the up stroke before the
beginning of the downstroke. Piston strokes start and end
in the up position and usually have much faster stroke
speeds then legato strokes.
4. Floating Legato Strokes: These strokes have slower
up-strokes than downstrokes to simulate a more musical
eleongated note length. Vibraphones often use this stroke
type very often.
5. Dead Strokes: These are defined as having no rebound at
all and the head of the mallet is pushed into the key upon
contact at a slightly downward point angle.
Heights System:
The height system will be based on inches and corresponding
angles where a full stroke is equivelent to a 90 angle mallet
position to the keyboard and a stroke is equivelent to a 45
angle:
ffff = 15 inch wrist stroke + extreme arm movement (21)
fff = 15 inch wrist stroke + arm movement (18)
ff = 15 inches (full stroke, vertical wrists, with arm)
f = 12 inches (3/4 stroke, vertical wrists, no arm)
mf = 9 inches (1/2 stroke, just wrist)
mp = 6 inches (1/4 stroke, just wrist)
p = 3 inches (1/8 stroke)
pp = 1 inch

2 4 mallet Articulation and Balance:
For most mallet work we will play with a high level of articulation
playing with enough velocity to reach the core of the mallets. This is
when the hight system will come into effect. There will be stylistic
exceptions to the height system as the music allows which will be
defined as they occur. This may include instnaces of floating legato
strokes and touch sensative musical moments when different
velocities will be required.




4 Mallets:
We employ the Stevens Technique for all 4-mallet passagework, regardless
of instrument.
Stevens Technique Guidelines:
1) The thumbnail should be parallel to the ceiling. The only
exception being when one is playing smaller intervals
(2nd, 3rd), it is appropriate for the thumbnail to be turned
in slightly.
2) For intervals of a 4th, 5th, or 6th. Your index fingers should
be pointing at each other (Left Hand-East and Right
Hand-West). This should be your general playing position.
3) For intervals of a 2nd or 3rd both index fingers will face
South.
4) For intervals of a 7th or an octave, you will roll the mallet
out on you index finger, so that your Left Index Finger is
pointing Northeast and your Right Index Finger is
pointing Northwest.
5) The octave grip is employed for notes of an octave or
greater. The octave grip is achieved by moving the bottom
of the inside mallet from the center of the palm of your
hand (which is the position utilized for intervals of a 4th,
5th, 6th) towards the webbing between the middle and
ring finger. Generally, the base of the mallet will not enter
the webbing, but stop just shy of this area. This is not
optional the only effective way to perform octaves
consistently is to utilize this grip!
6) The bottom of your hands should never sit below the
plane of the natural notes.

Starting Position:
1) The Four Mallet Starting Position is DOWN,
approximately 1 3 inches off the keyboard.
2) There will always be a prep stroke before we play higher
than the starting height.

The Three Elbow Positions:
1) Square to the body: This position occurs when both
mallets in your hand are both on the natural notes, or
both on accidentals. Your elbow should be naturally in line
with your shoulders, about two to three inches from
 touching your rib cage.
2) Elbows out: This position occurs when your outside
mallet is on an accidental and your inside mallet is on a
natural. Your elbow should extend out away from your
body. Your wrists should remain straight.
3) Elbows in: This position occurs when your inside mallet
is on an accidental and your outside mallet is on a natural.
Your elbow should be touching your rib cage. Your wrist
may also need to be bent inward.
4) In all cases the angle of your wrist should try to be in a
position where it is bisecting the angle of your mallets.

Stroke Guidelines:
1) Double Vertical Stroke: This stroke should be performed
with a relaxed wrist pop. A wrist pop is achieved by the
top of the wrist moving upward when the mallet heads
descend down toward the instrument and the top of the
wrist moving downward when the mallet heads ascend
back to the UP position. This wrist pop will be quite
noticeable at slower tempos, but will start to turn into a
fluid wrist motion at faster tempos.

2) Single Independent Stroke: The mallet NOT hitting the
keyboard should be rotating in a tight, circular motion to
allow the mallet that IS hitting the keyboard to travel to
and from the bar.
a) When striking the instrument with the INSIDE
mallet, the outside mallet should be static about 3
inches from the keyboard in the DOWN position.
b) When striking the instrument with the OUTSIDE
mallets, the inside mallet should be in the Up
position.

3) Single Alternating: Each mallet should rebound back to
the starting position. An image to think about while
performing this stroke would be the motion of dribbling
two basketballs in an alternating fashion, one in each
hand. If you are doing this stroke INCORRECTLY, the
stroke will resemble a see-saw motion.

4) Double Laterals: The double lateral is a combination of a
vertical motion and a rotary motion. The stroke begins
 with a vertical descent from the mallet performing the
first note, and is followed immediately by a rotation
towards the mallet performing the second note. The
combination of these two movements result in a singular
swift and efficient stroke, causing two notes to sound from
one fluid motion.

5) One Handed Roll: A one-handed roll is a rapid toggling
between two pitches in one hand, which is intended to
impart the illusion of a sustained sound with one hand,
leaving the other hand free to play other rhythms and
melodies. This toggling would be that of an extremely
rapid and continuous see-saw motion between the
mallet heads. This is the OPPOSITE of a single-alternating
motion.

Visual Responsabilities:
Posture: The general posture behind the keyboard should be
relaxed but have a stronge presence. Elements such as feet apart
or together, or widening our stance to get lower to the keyboard
will be implemented factors.
Pulsing: We will have body pulsing and swells initiated by the
head, upper body, knees and feet for many elements of the
performance to communicate tempo and exhibit performance
energy.
Performance: Being able to perform behind the keyboard with
varying choreography and facial emotions while upholding
technical excellance on the instrument will be expected.




Bushwackers 2017
Exercise Packet
Double-Stop Variations is a 2 mallet double-stop exercise. It focuses on agility across the
keyboard, step-wise and non-step wise leaps, note accuracy, and hand to hand evenness in rhythmic consistency
and balance. Here are few things to remember:
1) Always maintain your 2 mallet grip guidelines and play with an even sound.
2) Maintain the height you start with all the way till the end.
3) This exercise will also be played with inside mallets (2,3) when playing with 4 mallets
4) Use the slow tempos to build 100% consistency in sound quality and technical approach.

Scales is a 2 and 4 mallet inside 16th note run exercise. Section A focuses on rhythmic turnarounds in a continuous
16thnote pattern. Section B focuses on scale degree skips and Section C focuses on rhythmic variations.
Here are some things to think about:
1) Rhythmic perfection and extremely consistent sound quality are the ultimate goal.
2) The first two measures of each section are the most important, as they set the sound quality you will maintain once
you start moving across the notes
3) Be aware of 16th 8th transitions and giving even space to 8th notes and check patterns.
4) Be aware of first left hand entrances, turn-arounds, and larger spans of distance for note and rhythmic accuracy.
5) At slower tempos forcous on consistent sound quality and perfect execution of rhythmic and note accuracy.


 Double Vertical Interval Spreading (DVIS) works on the players ability to
change their 4 mallet intervals in rapid succession including both step-wise and leaping shifts and ocataves.
1) This exercise is meant to be played one hand at a time. Either with mallets 1,2 with the left hand or 3,4 with the
right hand.
2) Play slowly at first to allow your hands to move to each interval and play in the center of each of the keys.
3) Rebounding from each interval should be fluid.

Double Lateral Break Down The Double Lateral Stroke is a combination of a Double
Vertical Stroke, followed by a rotating Single Independent Stroke. This exercise breaks down those two motions,
beginning with the vertical, and then adding the rotary motion.
1) Be sure to practice this exercise in the UP position and make sure each mallet is striking from the same height.
2) Strive for an even sound. Do not close down the space between the outside and inside mallet rhythmically.
3) Play through the exercise at different hights and speeds while repeating the last measure 2x, 4x, 8x, etc.
4) You should try to achieve double laterals at four different speed/hight ranges: slow and high, fast and high, slow
and low, fast and low all while being rhythmicaly and sonically consistant.