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The 15 Minute Bucket Drumming Challenge

12/1/2020

4 Comments

 

What is it?

  • A bucket drumming curriculum set up like a video game. YouTube Playlist with all the videos (click me!)
  • 6 Levels of increasing tempo and difficulty
  • A final Boss Level with all 30 grooves in a row
  • A bunch of distracting backgrounds
  • Probably best for grades 5 and up (I tested it with my 7th and 8th graders)

How do I use it?

  • Just turn it on and play along, use the notation or just copy what you see
  • Start with Level 1 and progress to Level 2 etc...
  • Once you/students are able to play all the videos, have them play the Boss Level
  • Post it for your students on Google Classroom, Schoology, etc. 

Is there sheet music?

Yes, indeed there is!


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Click to Download PDF
PictureClick to download pdf





​ 

How do I assess my students?

  • Students can post a video of them drumming along to a level on Flipgrid
  • Have them create a "how to" video breaking down and teaching a specific groove
  • Students can compose new grooves to the existing backing tracks
  • Give out Badges online and a Certificate of Completion (just like recorder karate but louder and more awesome!) Download the badges and a certificate template by clicking this link Edit the template to add student names and your signature or just print and write by hand
Picture
Picture

How do I personalize it for my students?

  • Too difficult?
    • Slow down the playback speed using the youtube gear icon
    • Pick one groove and use the corresponding backing track to practice (⬅️click here)  until comfortable
  • Too easy? 
    • Speed up using the youtube gear icon
    • Play a groove with a different backing track (ex. Groove 3 with the 184 bpm track)
    • Use one hand
    • Play with your eyes closed

What else should I know?

  • Students don't need buckets. I've had students use yoga blocks, a Halloween pail, and a laundry bin. Wooden spoons, pencils, or cardboard tubes work for sticks.
  • You might also be interested in:
    • Seven: a drumming duo designed for remote learning
    • Home Bucket Drumming for Beginners:  6 sequential lessons for bucket drumming beginners. Sheet music included as well as playing along with real  musicians. 
4 Comments

Online Learning: Bucket Drumming Duet

3/26/2020

7 Comments

 
Well, here we are: distance learning until at least the first week of May. 
​
Maybe this can help: 

I created two videos that teach your students how to play a bucket drumming duet. The duet is called Seven which is a piece I composed last spring. This new duet version has a break down of how to play it and then has students rehearse the piece along with a recording in a virtual duet.


How to use this for distance learning:

Send your students one of the videos and have them learn it. Maybe you could pair students up and after they can play it, have them record themselves and share the video with their partner. They can then play along with their partner's video like an in person duet.

Or take it a step further and challenge students to edit the two videos together to make it look like they are playing together. Maybe edit together an entire class to create a virtual percussion ensemble. Make sure to let me know if you try this!

Recording tip:

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Tell students to wear headphones when they record and to play along with the video or have them play to a click at 120 bpm. That way all the recordings will be at the same tempo.

Below are the two videos along with a link to the parts and a full score. Let me know how else I can help. I plan on posting a full distance bucket drumming unit in the coming weeks, so stay tuned and subscribe to receive email updates.

And don't forget to cross your fingers: maybe you will even get a chance to rehearse them in person sometime soon. ????????????

Download PDF Part for Player 1
Download PDF Part for Player 2
Download Full Score ​
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Seven: an easy bucket drumming piece.

4/22/2019

0 Comments

 
​Seven is an easy bucket drumming piece that is suitable for students in 3rd grade and up. The piece is written for two parts and is called Seven because the main motive comprises seven notes. The two parts sometimes interlock, contrast, or play together.

Seven can be played by any number of players and may be taught by notation or by rote. Score and Parts can be downloaded below, as well as a lesson plan and a Cheat Sheet in case you wish to make your own arrangement. Here is a video of a basic arrangement (don't be fooled by my serious expression, it's a really fun piece!):
How to Teach it:

Whether teaching by notation or rote, I have students do a lot of movement and chanting/counting out loud before they begin to play the bucket.

I typically start by teaching the two transitions with students counting "1 2 3 4" or "1 2 3 4 5 6 7" out loud as they play. This is an easy way to start and gets the group playing together in unison before they have to play separate parts.

Transition 1 (Letter D) is most successful when students move their bodies to the beat.

Transition 2 (Letter F) involves dynamics, so it's convenient to talk about how to play at a musical dynamic by using appropriate stick heights, as bucket drumming can get loud if you're not careful.
Body Percussion GrooveMain Groove Combined
After teaching the transitions, your next goal is to get the students to play the main groove first on body percussion and then with sticks.

On the score, the main groove is found at Letter C and on the Cheat Sheet it is Bucket Part 1 and Bucket Part 2. If students first learn a composite part that contains all the pats and claps and 
then learn their individual part, things tend to go smoother. (See the measure labeled: Body Percussion - Combined). 

Then play Body Percussion Part 1 and Body Percussion Part 2 together. Transfer that experience to sticks and buckets and the hardest part of the teaching is done. The claps become stick clicks and the pats are either bucket center or rim depending on the part.

Then all there is left to teach is the slow groove at G, the flashy but simple stick clicking at H, and the roll at the end. Put it all in order and the piece is done.

Click on the image below to download!

Seven Download
Click on the image to download
Some other useful posts:
  • Ultimate List of Volume Hacks for Bucket Drumming
  • Let this video teach your students a bucket drumming groove
  • 2019 Summer Junkyard Percussion Workshop (Registration is now open!)
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Let this Video Teach Your Students a Bucket Drumming Groove (Video/Lesson Plan/mp3)

4/26/2017

0 Comments

 
Ok ok, you'll need to do a little teaching. But that's about all the energy I have left this time of year: a little. You can tell it's spring because the students start acting a little more wild, a little shorter on attention span...a little more squirrely. Add in concerts and grading and it's amazing any of us are still standing.

So you might be in the market for a lesson plan that works in just a single period and one you can use with multiple grade levels. And maybe one where you don't have to sweat too hard.

Maybe this groove can help...Below you'll find a lesson plan, play along track, video and song suggestions.

Here is how I'd teach it:

4-Part GrooveClick to Download Printable PDF Lesson Plan
  • 1. Start by teaching everybody the Bucket 1 part with body percussion and chanting. I'd use pat/clap and a neutral syllable like "Ba," but use whatever syllables/body percussion you like. If you feel unsure teaching this, check out this post. 

​2. Have half the class keep a steady beat by snapping/clapping/stomping and half play Bucket 1 on body percussion. Switch.

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3. Teach Bucket 2 with body percussion just like Step 1.  Perhaps use "Snap Snap Pat Pat Pat." Repeat Step 2.

4. Add instruments. Start with the Bottle rhythm and Bucket 1. Add in the other instruments when the groove feels stable. Click here to download the full lesson plan (PDF).

But wait, there's more!

PDF Lesson PlanClick to Download
Turn on the video and have the students play along by watching their part on the screen and playing along. This is great because it's sometimes difficult to model more than one part at a time.

Next, turn on this play along track and have students play along. Download it here (don't forget to download the printable Lesson Plan too!)​

Then find some tunes and have the students play along with the music. They'll love it and offer a bunch of song suggestions. Once you 'safety check' their suggestions, turn on the song and play along.

​The tunes in the video include:
  • We Found Love - Rihanna and Calvin Harris
  • Hey Boy Hey Girl - Chemical Brothers
  • Outside - Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris
All are at 128 bpm, but this groove works at slow, medium, and fast tempo. Here are some other suggestions:
  • I Feel Good - James Brown (kind of quick, but fun)
  • Happy - Pharrell 
  • Oye Como Va - Santana version
To learn more, be sure to check out the Summer Junkyard Percussion Workshop. In 2017, it will be held on June 22nd from 9:00-4:00 pm in Minneapolis, MN. Lesson plans, process, repertoire and more are all covered in a fun, hands-on way. And delicious food! There is more information on the Workshops page. Happy drumming!

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How Junkyard Percussion Can Save Your Sanity During the Month of May (Part 1 of 3)

5/20/2015

3 Comments

 
Summer is coming. I can feel it. And so can the students...
How Junkyard Percussion Can Save Your Sanity
Soon, so soon...
During the month of May, my lesson planning sometimes comes up short and other times the tail end of a unit simply gets destroyed by the warm weather, field trips, and squirrelly student behavior that only seem to happen in May. Long term objectives can take a back seat for a couple classes during May in the interest of keeping things sane and keeping the kids engaged in making music.

The activities in these next few posts work really well in May and June since they don't require any week to week development and require minimal convincing/explaining/begging with students.
Teach this Piece: One Bucket Groove - Theme and Variations
This activity uses one rhythm in four different ways. Teach the first groove that uses just the rim and center of the bucket. Then proceed to the other variations. Feel free to download the sheet music and project it on the board for your students (or yourself!). 

Watch the video below while following the music but don't get overwhelmed; You don't need to learn all the variations or play them one after another. Just teach the variations that you can easily play confidently. 
Bucket Drumming Theme and Variations
Click to Download
Another idea is to only teach the first groove and then have students come up with their own variations. If an Admin walks in the room, explain that you are teaching a "Theme and Variations" lesson with student composition. Smile and give yourself a high five for being awesome in the month of May.  
Why will it work during the final months? 

It only uses one rhythm pattern which:
  • simplifies student focus
  • reduces the number of things students have to attend to at once
  • reduces the number of things the teacher has to attend to 

Learn other survival skills at the Summer Junkyard Percussion Workshop. An all-day professional development workshop that shows you everything you need to teach bucket drumming. 
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    Author

    I'm David Birrow. I teach and play percussion. This blog is a companion to The Bucket Book. Contact me at : David@TheBucketBook.com or learn more about me at: www.DavidBirrow.com

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