Timpani - :P:\:D

[zfzgg]

Ok, i recently started at a fanciful music school (high school). I have joined the concert band and have been fine with playing all the instruments i've been assigned to so far. But with all the songs we've done...i haven't actually played timpani yet.

I am joining another concert band that my g/f is in (not school related). they only have two percussionists at the moment, so we will likely be fairly busy. (I went and saw them in concert last week).

In this band, i know that i will most probably be playing timpani. Given that our first rehearsal is Wednesday, and that i know very little about them, i felt that i need to ask a few questions.

The main thing that is worrying me....TUNING! How exactly do you go about tuning timpani? I know there is a pedal (and a gauge with notes written up the side? At least that is on the schools ones, the timpani at this new concert band look a bit lower in quality...but that will probably be debatable.). Is there even a uniform way that all timpani are tuned? How does the pedal factor into it? I've read "timpani are pedal-tuned" so many times, but no-one ever actually tells me how:P.

Anything else i need to know before i start? I think i should be alright at sight-reading bass clef, provided that the songs aren't too hard:P. I know to strike them about 4 inches from the edge of the heads.

- a very confuzzled zfzgg

[Seafroggys]

if the timpani has the note meter, and the timpani is tuned correctly, just follow it by using the pedal.

DO NOT bother with actually tuning the heads, leave that to professionals.

[DrummingBen]

You move the pedal around and get your teacher to tell you when you have the right note. You need some pretty sick aural skills to be able to do it by yourself.

[Josiah]

Ya, if it has the lil note gauge thing you are gold cause you can just look at that and see. If not, you better have a sick ear, like DrummingBen mentioned.
Some have a clutch lever you have to push to the side with your foot before adjusting the piitch.

Other then that, they use bass clef and generally are rather boring parts that you spend most your time counting bars going by, or at least waiting. Some tunes they can be very challenging and fun. Depends what the band director picks out.

[Seafroggys]

Timpani is my favorite concert instrument.

I don't need the note meters, since I have perfect pitch and I can tune the timps to whatever note I want. Really nice skill to have if the note meter is off (like it was last year at college).

[zfzgg]

ooohk...cool:D.

The timpani at school have a note meter, and i assume the set at the new place will too. They won't expect me to have perfect pitch.

You all mentioned that i use the pedal to change the pitch. That is all well and good...but...er...how exactly? Does it tilt left/right for raising/lowering the pitch? Forward and back? Something else?

[Suck My Squirrel 438]

Models will differ slightly, but moving pedal down will tighten the head (raise the pitch). Moving pedal up will loosen the head (lower the pitch).

If the note meter has been calibrated (like it should be), then it's simply a matter of moving the pedal up or down until the needle is at the right note.

[zfzgg]

Do you mean vertically up and down? how does one go about moving a pedal 'up'?

Haha....i r no0b :P

[Josiah]

The pedals have a rocker motion, pushing down on your heel or pushing down on your toe, or some have a rat trap catch so you can lift..

Various models, etc the idea is the pedal effects the tension on the head. Aka tuning it.

[zfzgg]

ahh...so basically, it's up to me to find out how to move this particular set of pedals to tune them?

I might not even have to tune them, though:P

[Josiah]

Not even that bad!!

There is only 1 pedal per drum... on the bottom (haha!)

You press the pedal down, aka rock it forward, it will bring the head tension up, aka raise the pitch. Rock the pedal backwards.. it will lower the pitch. Or wichever, you'll figure it out really quick.

Hopefully the Timp has a gauge on it, so you can see how much to move the pedal.

Also hopefully the Timp's are in tune, cause you really need to know how to do it to tune them.

[zfzgg]

Ahh ohk. Thanks to everyone for your input. Josiah especially:P.

[billdrum]

Never rely on the "note meter", or tuning guage as they're called. They are there for general reference only and are not always calibrated or accurate. Plus pitch fluctuates in an ensemble and you need to learn to use your ear to be in tune with the band regardless. If you're really going to take on the timpani, learn to sing scales and intervals, match pitch, and be able to tune the drums without help. Then practice scales and interval exercises on one drum or between two. Practice playing familiar melodies on them. Its not a quick process, but developing your ear will help you immensely as a musician in general.

[dairyairman]

when i was in the youth symphony i would carry a little pitch pipe thingy and tune the timps with that. you can't entirely trust those meters. the hardest part about the timpani is tuning. the people who are really good develop an ear for tuning and can do it fast without using a pitch pipe or meters. i was never that good.

[eatsleepandblink]

billdrum has is right. When your tuning the timpani, usually you'll either get the notes from a piano, or mallet instrument, or if your smart you'll bring yourself a pitch pipe, or tuning fork, anything like that.

drop the pedals to the lowest they go before tuning as well, then listen to the note your going to be tuning to, then tap the head either just with your fingers or lightly with a mallet, and glissando up to the note. thats just for getting like your starting notes for the start of the piece, if you have tuning changes in the middle of the piece, you need to learn your intervals, so if your at an A and need to go down to a D you just need to know what a major 4th is and be able to sing it. Timpani gets really hard...and if you really plan on getting really into it I would recommend getting private instruction. yup.

[zfzgg]

oooh...that all sounds rather difficult and good. But:

-I'm not planning on getting 'really' into it. I just want to play it for these two concert bands. And neither of these will rely on me being a timpani master.

But i understand that it would be good to start learning that aspect of it, anyway.

[iamjoe2]

heres the easy way have a set of bells next to the timps and tune it to the pitch of the bells

[poopoogaypoonn]

Never rely on the "note meter", or tuning guage as they're called. They are there for general reference only and are not always calibrated or accurate. Plus pitch fluctuates in an ensemble and you need to learn to use your ear to be in tune with the band regardless. If you're really going to take on the timpani, learn to sing scales and intervals, match pitch, and be able to tune the drums without help. Then practice scales and interval exercises on one drum or between two. Practice playing familiar melodies on them. Its not a quick process, but developing your ear will help you immensely as a musician in general.

QFT

[Tyman8929]

I'm in a freshman percussion ensemble at our school and our teacher makes us tune the timpani by ear by ourselves, I don't seem to have a problem with it. There's no note gauges or anything either. Also, most of us are beginner to intermediate percussionists.

[Gary Lover]

Wow, lack of timpani knowledge here, except Bill.

In reference to the different tuning mechanisms: Most timpani in the midline range you will come across will be the simple mechanism described earlier; to raise the pitch, press down with your toe, to lower, press down with your heel. There are however different versions, such as the Dresden system, which you use a clutch to disengage the pedal to tune, or some models where it is the exact opposite (press down with heel to raise pitch).

Tuning: If you are trying to be any sort of professional at your gig, and not look like a noob, you need a tuning fork. Pitch pipes are inferior. Tuning forks can be struck on your knee and placed to your ear for a reference note that only you will here. Most people use an A tuning fork. Next, you will need to work on your relative pitch abilities. The way you tune the timpani is by using the one tuning fork to get a reference note, then using your ear to hear and sing the pitches you actually want in relation to that. You sing it into the drum while slowly raising it's pitch. Once the drum is in tune, you will hear the drum "sing" back to you. This is because of its design of a paroblic shape, which shoots the pitch you are singing back into your ear. This is because it is resonating at the frequency you are singing, so stop raising the pitch when you hear this.

All of this takes practice and patiece. I suggest you check out my ear training lesson in the drum lessons section. I believe it is called "Recognizing Intervals". It teaches you to hear intervals in relation to a given pitch by memorizing melodies that relate to the interval needed.

So in summary: If you need to tune to Bb and F, let's say. Get your A from your tuning fork. Find Bb in relation to that (1/2 step above, or a minor 2nd) and tune your first drum. You can then find your F in relation to your fork again (Minor 6th) or what will be easier is gently tapping the Bb drum to get that pitch, and only loud enough so only you can hear it. Then sing a Perfect 5th above that to find your F. Simple enough. With practice you should be able to do this very accurately in a snap.

In reference to what some people said about timpani parts being "boring" or "simple": most beginner level or high school band level, etc parts ARE boring, but it is an extremely difficult instrument to play well. When you actually move onto serious orchestral repertoire and solo repertoire it is much much more challenging. Even when playing parts that are rhythmically simple in an orchestra, you still need to pay so much attention to nuance, articulation, intonation, dynamics, etc. Very very delicate and sensitive work. Stroke production is a very very difficult thing to do on timpani also. Perhaps I should make a lesson about it.

I realize many drum set players have a hard time grasping timpani stroke technique and usually just simplify it into "french grip". There is so much more to it, and it is hard to grasp for them because they are not used to trying to produce the most pure tones, or trying to match articulations and sounds of other instruments as much. Usually "long" and "short" translate simply into "drum" or "cymbal" in drum set, but they are entirely different instruments. Needless to say, training on timpani will help you as a drummer and musician as a whole. :)

Edit: Timpani mallet choice is so much more sophisticated than drum stick choice too, so make sure you have at the bare minimum, a set of medium, hard, and soft mallets. From there you should get some wood head, medium hard, medium soft, very soft, very hard, etc.

[billdrum]

Good post, Cam. I didn't have the patience to go into that much detail!

[Gary Lover]

yeah i figure it was probably a waste of time but today is my day off

maybe someone will read it and get enlightenment

[The Chemist]

Wow, lack of timpani knowledge here, except Bill.

In reference to the different tuning mechanisms: Most timpani in the midline range you will come across will be the simple mechanism described earlier; to raise the pitch, press down with your toe, to lower, press down with your heel. There are however different versions, such as the Dresden system, which you use a clutch to disengage the pedal to tune, or some models where it is the exact opposite (press down with heel to raise pitch).

Tuning: If you are trying to be any sort of professional at your gig, and not look like a noob, you need a tuning fork. Pitch pipes are inferior. Tuning forks can be struck on your knee and placed to your ear for a reference note that only you will here. Most people use an A tuning fork. Next, you will need to work on your relative pitch abilities. The way you tune the timpani is by using the one tuning fork to get a reference note, then using your ear to hear and sing the pitches you actually want in relation to that. You sing it into the drum while slowly raising it's pitch. Once the drum is in tune, you will hear the drum "sing" back to you. This is because of its design of a paroblic shape, which shoots the pitch you are singing back into your ear. This is because it is resonating at the frequency you are singing, so stop raising the pitch when you hear this.

All of this takes practice and patiece. I suggest you check out my ear training lesson in the drum lessons section. I believe it is called "Recognizing Intervals". It teaches you to hear intervals in relation to a given pitch by memorizing melodies that relate to the interval needed.

So in summary: If you need to tune to Bb and F, let's say. Get your A from your tuning fork. Find Bb in relation to that (1/2 step above, or a minor 2nd) and tune your first drum. You can then find your F in relation to your fork again (Minor 6th) or what will be easier is gently tapping the Bb drum to get that pitch, and only loud enough so only you can hear it. Then sing a Perfect 5th above that to find your F. Simple enough. With practice you should be able to do this very accurately in a snap.

In reference to what some people said about timpani parts being "boring" or "simple": most beginner level or high school band level, etc parts ARE boring, but it is an extremely difficult instrument to play well. When you actually move onto serious orchestral repertoire and solo repertoire it is much much more challenging. Even when playing parts that are rhythmically simple in an orchestra, you still need to pay so much attention to nuance, articulation, intonation, dynamics, etc. Very very delicate and sensitive work. Stroke production is a very very difficult thing to do on timpani also. Perhaps I should make a lesson about it.

I realize many drum set players have a hard time grasping timpani stroke technique and usually just simplify it into "french grip". There is so much more to it, and it is hard to grasp for them because they are not used to trying to produce the most pure tones, or trying to match articulations and sounds of other instruments as much. Usually "long" and "short" translate simply into "drum" or "cymbal" in drum set, but they are entirely different instruments. Needless to say, training on timpani will help you as a drummer and musician as a whole. :)

Edit: Timpani mallet choice is so much more sophisticated than drum stick choice too, so make sure you have at the bare minimum, a set of medium, hard, and soft mallets. From there you should get some wood head, medium hard, medium soft, very soft, very hard, etc.
I only have one argument: I have Timpani knowlege! Anyways, my medal rack says so...

Gary is spot on about the timps. I prefer to use medium mallets, because you can still do thundering fortissimo rolls, but play the littel nuances of pianissimo.

Try tuning with a digital tuner. (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Korg-CA30-Chromatic-Tuner?sku=210527)
Korg makes very nice tuners for this kind of thing, and using a digital tuner has two destinct avantages. 1st, they are usualy never wrong, and 2nd, it can train you to recognise the approximate tuning of your timpani. Being able to recognise if your Timps are 'ballparked' is something you develop, and a digital tuner will help.

Also, you have to consiter the make of your Timpani. The Timps I use are old Copper Ludwigs, and they put out a very resonant, cutting tone. Fibreglass usually have a more blending tone, and are beter suited for rolls, cresendos, steady rhythms. Copper, on the other hand, are ver cutting, and are crisp, therefor are good for intricate passages (Think: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace: Peice: Dual of Fates) very intricate Timpani parts if you get the full version.

Good choice on choosing Timpani, man, and rock out!:chug:

[The Chemist]

I mostly use medium.
I didn't say i didn't use the others, I juist prefer to use medium. Except when I get to play the ET theme. Then it's wood all the way.

[Pearldrumguy]

My band director makes us tune by ear and only get one note and most of the time its not even a note we are playing. He was in the drum corps star of Indiana's pit. It seems bad at first but it really pays off in the end. It is easier to sing the note or hum it..you may think this is dumb but it works well. Also start with the pedal down and tune up to the note. It is much easier that way. Also just a tip do not touch the head or your mallets felt a lot or even at all...also try to cover the felts. The mallets will last much much longer that way.

[mamcdonald]

Never rely on the "note meter", or tuning guage as they're called.

Finally someone said it! I was reading through and thinking, "Please someone call it the correct name.

However, I have to disagree slightly. Depending on the repertoire you are playing, sometimes a gauge is absolutely necessary. In modern concert band music, often times the composer will write tuning changes to be done in as little as four measures or so. Sometimes you even have to tune ALL of the timpani within this time. I don't care if you have perfect pitch or not, this is DIFFICULT...and absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to try to get a reference pitch from a fork/pitch pipe and tune within this time.

You did say youth "orchestra" so I'm assuming you will be playing mostly classical music, correct me if I'm wrong. Lucky for you, about 99% of "classical" music has extremely simple parts when it comes to timpani tuning. Why? Well, because when these pieces were written, it simply was not possible for timpanists to perform the crazy tuning changes that are demanded by modern composers. Old timpani did not have pedals but instead were tuned by a "hand crank" sort of mechanism (it was actually a key that turned a chain that tightened or loosened all the lugs on the drum at the same time). So if you truly are playing classical pieces, you shouldn't have to worry too much if you don't have perfect pitch or even relative pitch for that matter. When classical composers wrote in tuning changes they were sure to give plenty of measures of rest in which to change tunings. So you have that working for you.

About mallets: Gary Lover is right. I say for a starter "set," you need at least three, ideally four, pairs of mallets:

(in order from most to least importance)

1. general
2. staccato
3. roller
4. ultra staccato/chamois.

For classical, I usually lean more towards softer mallets. For concert band, harder. It is also important to learn when to use each mallet. Experiment in rehearsals. If the general doesn't cut enough, go up to your staccato, and vice versa. I had a bad habit early on of using nothing but my general's, which is fine if the piece calls for the sound that mallet produces. But for the most part, general mallets are just that: general (good at everything, great at nothing). In fact, there are very few pieces in which either a softer mallet or a harder mallet would not sound better than your generals. But unless you're ready to spend $200+ on a full set of timpani mallets, generals are your best bet. As these may be your only pair of mallets, be sure not to just buy the cheapest pair, either. I highly suggest the Tim Genis signature line by Vic Firth (I use his GEN5's exclusively as my set of general mallets [I'm using them for Saint-Saens "Danse Macabre" right now]). Other brands to look for are Black Swamp, Grover, and Pro Mark (or, if you really have the money, California Percussion [love them to DEATH but very expensive]).

Lastly, as Gary Lover said, your stroke is of utmost importance. Your $30,000 set of Ohio/Majestic/whatever timpani don't matter at all if you can't play them worth a poop. Although you have a bit more leniency with timpani than snare drum, you still need to be focusing on your stroke more than anything.

Anyway, I hope some of this helps. If you have any other questions, ask me or the other people who actually seem to know some things. I'd be happy to help. Have fun playing!

[Caleb_Pickering]

i tune timpani buy ear and then double check with a mallet instrument. but get a tuner for it, just like the ones a wind instrument/strings would use.

[wesm9787]

I want a set of timpani... bah.

[The Chemist]

I use a Korg electri tuner to tune mine. Eb, Bb, F.

[Jeppen]

http://www.vicfirth.com/education/stutimp.html

Yeah, were just white kids from the suburbs so we use a Korg Chromatic tuner.

[drummguy731]

Yeah, use your ears. Have a bell player play the notes you need and tune 'em up to that. My director just has the whole band play a(for example) Bb concert scale. I tune them from there. The more you use your ears, the better they'll get at recognizing matching pitches. Good luck!

[Sabian4015]

I think the only time a tuning meter should be used is when you have to re-tune your timpanies in the middle of a piece and don't really have time to use a tuning device. And on most tuning gauges ( that i've had experience with ) are adjustable, so if it is wrong, you can find the note using a tuner/tuning fork/pitch pipe and you can move that note to where the tuning meter is. And maybe i have a good ear or something but before we start warming up I usually hit the 3-4 notes I need on the xylo and I can hum that back when I move to the timpani.

[We_Love_Lime]

Has anybody said strike near the edge, and not in the middle?
I mean I guess you could strike the middle/center of the timpani, but your generally not going to get the suond you want.

[drummguy731]

Lime's got it right, if you play in the center, there will be no resonance. Play near the edge to get the best sound out of a timp.

[oops]

Arrrr. All this talk about timpanis is getting me right lusty.

I played the timps for three years at school and it was a blast. Our director made us play scales between them, and check each note with an electric tuner. (which was good, except our F timp, the lowest one, was a load of crap, and the tuner couldn't pick it up...). Someone mentioned something about having to retune the timpanis in 4 measures? We seriously had a bar to do it in. But with enough practice, its not hard.

I memorized the foot 'positions' if you will, how it felt to hit certain notes with the pedal, and then you can do it mostly without checking your tuning. If you hear it's out, you can readjust. It's ALL in being able to hear if you're playing in tune or not.

One of the hardest things I've done is trying to retune a timpani by ear while the rest of the band is playing fortissimo. Practice matey, and you'll get it.

[MeaninglessPhoto]

Always hit the drum lightly with a mallet at the edge. If you can, use a tuning pipe or a set of bells to tune.