Garner-First Year Percussionist

The First Year Percussionist by Ryan Gardner is designed to help students and teachers alike know how far the students should be developing in their first year of playing percussion. The instruction is divided in two ways: by instruments (snare, mallets, and auxiliary) and by school weeks. This book has 4 nine-week sections of instruction and exercises that have a playing quiz at the end to ensure progress is being made. It is recommended that the player starts with snare drum then joins the instruction with mallets (in week 4) as many of the skills for snare drum transfer to mallets. This book can be used as either a primary source to learn the basics of percussion or to be used as supplemental material around concert cycles. It can also make a great reference book for band directors when developing their curriculum for their percussion section.