Percussion Education Hub

As a college percussion student, your gear is an extension of your musicianship. Having dependable instruments with a full palette of sounds gives you freedom to explore repertoire, meet audition requirements, and respond quickly in ensemble settings.

Outfitting a college percussion studio is a long-term investment—not only in instruments, but in your students’ experience, growth, and preparation for the professional world. Unlike high school programs, college percussion gear often balance ensemble performance, solo study, and chamber music, so your gear should reflect a higher level of flexibility, sound quality, and durability.

Black Swamp Percussion offers six distinct jingle types, and each one creates a signature tone that can enhance or clash with the color of the ensemble. If you’ve ever wondered why one tambourine sounds glassy and another rich and dark, you’re not alone. In this post, we’ll break down what each jingle alloy offers, how to listen for the right character, and how professional players approach their setup like a painter choosing brushes.

The triangle is one of the most deceptively simple percussion instruments. But in the hands of a skilled player, it can be a source of exquisite musical expression. In this post, we’ll explore how to play triangle with confidence, focusing on a professional player’s insights that can help you unlock its true potential.

If you’ve ever struggled with achieving a smooth, consistent tambourine finger roll, you’re not alone. It’s one of those deceptively simple techniques that can make or break your performance. But with the right approach, you can take your finger rolls from inconsistent to impressive.

Outfitting a high school percussion section can be daunting. Beyond the basic drums and cymbals, lies a world of nuanced instruments and techniques that can elevate your ensemble's musicality. In this guide, we'll explore essential percussion gear for the high school educator, with insights from a professional player on achieving depth and subtlety in performance.

Dive into the essential musical concepts that define successful multiple percussion playing, guided by professional insights from Ryan Lewis. Whether you’re tackling your first solo or refining your ensemble skills, this guide will help you turn chaos into clarity—and gear into artistry.

Lt. Kijé is one of those deceptively simple orchestral snare drum excerpts that separates the good from the great. At soft dynamics and fast tempos, every detail counts—and audition panels are listening for nuance, not just notes. In this lesson, Shaun Tilburg, Principal Percussionist of the Phoenix Symphony, walks us through his thoughtful, musical approach using his daily method, The Regimen.

Castanets may be small, but in the right hands, they can add color, character, and complexity to some of the most exciting moments in orchestral music. In this lesson, Dr. John W. Parks IV from Florida State University breaks down how to make musical decisions that go beyond simple execution—focusing instead on expression, dynamics, and style.

For percussionists playing instruments with natural calf heads, learning how to protect and maintain your tambourine is as essential as practicing your rhythms. In this guide, we’ll break down how to preserve your sound in extreme conditions, when to choose synthetic heads over calf, and what to do when your instrument needs a refresh.

Shake rolls are just the beginning. If you're ready to take your tambourine playing to the next level, it’s time to dive into the world of hybrid strokes—a combination of shaking and striking that gives you unmatched control and musical expressivity. This post breaks down the approach step by step, so you can build coordination, refine your sound, and apply it musically.

When the tempo kicks up and the dynamics demand more than one hand can deliver, your tambourine technique needs to evolve. That’s where the knee/fist method comes in—used by top orchestral players to maintain clarity, articulation, and musical shape in high-energy passages. In this post, we’ll break down how to play tambourine using this method, guided by performer and educator Keith Aleo, and offer practical advice for applying it in your own playing.