THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME TIPS FOR ACHIEVING PROPER TECHNIQUE IN FLOURISHING. THESE ARE NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION, BUT MERELY AS A LEARNING AIDE. PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW RULES IN FLOURISHING. I AM NOT ASSERTING THAT MY WAY IS THE ONLY CORRECT METHOD. I AM SIMPLY SHARING WHAT I HAVE FOUND TO WORK BEST IN MY EXPERIENCE.
There are three basic piano movements which are commonly used in the Eastern United States. They are: traditional piano, regimental four-beat piano and regimental three-beat piano.
TRADITIONAL PIANO: Start with both sticks on the shoulders.
Bring down the right stick and strike the drum, then bring the stick out to the right side at about waist height.
Bring down the left stick and strike the drum, then bring the stick out to the left side at about waist height.
Bring the right stick back in and strike the drum, then return it to the right shoulder.
Bring the left stick back in and strike the drum, then return it to the left shoulder.
Begin again: right strike and out, left strike and out, right strike and up, left strike and up.
Continue.
Bear in mind that once you have the flow of this movement, you will not always bring the sticks all the way up to the shoulders. Whether there is enough time to bring the sticks to the shoulders and return to strike the drum on time depends on the tempo of the tune. But the shoulders are a good starting point from which to learn the movement.
Also keep in mind that the first right hand strike coming down of each set of four beats is typically the strong beat, and the other strikes of the drum are typically much softer. Striking every one of these beats at the same volume would not be complimentary to the music.
Click here for a video demonstration of traditional piano.
REGIMENTAL FOUR-BEAT PIANO: Start with both sticks on the shoulders.
Bring down the right stick and strike the drum.
Switch: bring down the left stick and strike the drum, while the right stick returns to the right shoulder.
Tuck the left stick along the waist, so that the fur end is below the right elbow. Cross the right arm over the tucked arm and strike the drum.
Bring the right stick back to the right shoulder as you untuck the left stick and strike the drum.
Then begin again by switching: bring the left stick to the left shoulder and bring the right stick down and strike the drum.
Switch: left strike and right up to shoulder.
Tuck.
Untuck.
Switch, switch, tuck, untuck.
Continue.
Bear in mind that once you have the flow of this movement, you will not always bring the sticks all the way up to the shoulders. Whether there is enough time to bring the sticks to the shoulders and return to strike the drum on time depends on the tempo of the tune. But the shoulders are a good starting point from which to learn the movement.
Also keep in mind that the first right hand strike coming down of each set of four beats is typically the strong beat, and the other strikes of the drum are typically much softer. Striking every one of these beats at the same volume would not be complimentary to the music.
Click here for a video demonstration of regimental (4-beat) piano
REGIMENTAL THREE-BEAT PIANO: Start with both sticks on the shoulders.
Bring down the right stick and strike the drum.
Switch: bring down the left stick and strike the drum, while the right stick returns to the right shoulder.
Tuck the left stick along the waist, so that the fur end is below the right elbow. Cross the right arm over the tucked arm and strike the drum.
Bring the right stick back to the right shoulder as you untuck the left stick and strike the drum.
Switch: bring the left stick to the left shoulder and bring the right stick down and strike the drum.
Tuck the right stick along the waist, so that the fur end is below the left elbow. Cross the left arm over the tucked arm and strike the drum.
Begin again by untucking the right stick and striking the drum as you bring the left stick to the left shoulder.
Switch: right stick on shoulder and left stick strikes drum.
Left stick tucks and right stick crosses over and strikes.
Right stick on shoulder and left stick untucks and strikes.
Switch: left stick on shoulder and right stick strikes drum.
Right stick tucks and left stick crosses over and strikes.
Continue.
Bear in mind that once you have the flow of this movement, you will not always bring the sticks all the way up to the shoulders. Whether there is enough time to bring the sticks to the shoulders and return to strike the drum on time depends on the tempo of the tune. But the shoulders are a good starting point from which to learn the movement.
Also keep in mind that the first right hand strike coming down and then every subsequent strike after untucking (every third beat) are typically the strong beats, and the other strikes of the drum are typically much softer. Striking every one of these beats at the same volume would not be complimentary to the music.
For more help with basic piano, consider Tenor Tutor
Tenor Tutor is a digital download video instruction collection. For more information or to purchase, please click here.
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