Saturday, May 31, 2008

Wanna Get Your Kids Into A Summer Drumming Camp?

It's about that time of year and kids will be finding a lot of idle time on their hands. I encourage all parents to look into a music / drumming summer camp for your kids. Any music student would benefit from the reading and rhythm aspect and may find they like drumming. Another is for those kids that have never experienced playing an instrument. This will get them involved in group (teamwork) environments that will help build their social skills and be a part of a team.

No matter what area you are in there is sure to be a program of some kind near you.

I, as an instructor in Frederick, MD , am looking to see if there is an interest of kids wanting to do this. If so, I will look into the logistics to getting a camp lined up. If there is anyone that already has plans for a camp and needs a drum instructor then contact me here.

Kids today are spending way too much time on video games and not enough activity. Drumming camps can really help with the activity, teamwork, social skills, focus and other things that kids have a hard time with.

Again, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Kenneth Ray Sword Jr

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Badassdrumming.com has teamed up with 4tests.com

Badassdrumming.com is all about education and training and has now teamed up with 4tests.com to help you with preparations for college.

Here is some of the ways we can help.

General

We also offer you online practice exams so help you prepare for college and other certifications.

Exams:

  • Educational Exams
  1. High School Exams - SAT ACT AP; Biology, Chemistry, US History and more
  2. College Exams - Many CLEP Exams, TOEFL and TOEIC
  3. Graduate Exams - GMAT, GRE General, LSAT and MCAT
  • Computer Exams - Microsoft, A+, Sun, Cisco, Oracle
  • Professional Exams - Postal, Legal, Medical, Educator, FAA and Military (ASVAB)
  • Fun Exams - Movie, Religion, TV
All practice tests are free and a great way to see how well you will do on the real tests.

Just go to our home page and browse through the many tests offered. Bookmark us and return as often as you wish.

Again, we are all about education and are glad to help you in any way possible.

Keep learning and swingin'

Ray Sword

Mannette Steel Drums is holding the Festival of Steel 2008

Mannette Steel Drums is holding the Festival of Steel 2008
July 6-12, 2008
WVU Creative Arts Center, Morgantown , WV

Dr. Ellie Mannette, famed steel band innovator, hosts the Festival of
Steel each year. The event attracts participants from all across the
United States (and beyond) to spend an intensive week immersed in steel
band’s performance, education and history.

The 16 th Annual Mannette Steel Drum’s Festival of Steel will take
place July 6 - 12, 2008 at WVU's Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, West
Virginia
. Dr. Mannette and his staff look forward to seeing you this
summer in Morgantown ! Enrollment is limited and is expected to fill
quickly.

Continuing Education Credits (CEU's)/College Credits are available for
participants through West Virginia University. Click on the
Participant Info link on the right.

For more information contact the Workshop Coordinator at Mannette Steel
Drums at (304) 296-6405, (866) 237- DRUM or by email at
workshops@mannettesteeldrums.com .

Faculty:

Ray Holman
Andy Narell
Jeff Narell
Tom Miller
Jim Munzenrider
Alan Lightner
Chris Tanner

Components

Performance Bands: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Lectures
Seminars
Community Program

Schedule of Events

7/6 Registration & Kickoff Concert (formerly Faculty Showcase)
Daily Schedule TBA
7/10 Jam Session (tentative)
7/12 Final Concert

FESTIVAL of STEEL 2008

Mannette Steel Drums and Dr. Ellie Mannette invite you to Morgantown,
West Virginia
and West Virginia University ’s Creative Arts Center for
a week- long celebration of the steel drum art form.

For more than a decade, Dr. Ellie Mannette, widely regarded as the
"Father of the Modern Steel Drum", has been training a team of gifted
apprentices in Morgantown . These apprentices are now master craftsman and
comprise the staff of Mannette Steel Drums, Ltd. under the leadership of
Chanler Bailey, President and CEO. They are devoted to crafting the
finest steel drum instruments in the industry and continuing the legacy
of Ellie Mannette.
Each summer for the past 16 years, Dr. Mannette and these dedicated
colleagues have hosted a summer workshop designed to celebrate the steel
drum art form and to provide a venue for enthusiasts, educators and
professional players to exchange information.

PERFORMANCE

The workshop is a highly performance oriented experience. Whether you
are a professional musician seeking other players of your caliber and a
challenge, an educator looking to collect information to better your
program and expand your repertoire, or a beginner with no musical
background at all, you will find this an incredible experience. World renowned
performers, lecturers and clinicians will be leading Advanced,
Intermediate and Beginner bands in daily rehearsals, culminating in a
performance at the end of the week
HISTORY

Would you pass up a chance to meet Stradivarius? Shake hands with
Einstein? Not many legends are recognized for greatness during their
lifetime. Dr. Ellie Mannette is one of the fortunate few. Lectures will cover
topics on:

• Steel band's early history
• The evolution of the various instruments
• Mannette's personal experiences and observations of steel
band's development in the US and abroad
Trinidad 's Carnival and Panorama
• Current building and tuning demonstrations with the staff of
Mannette Steel Drums, Ltd.

Did you know that steel drums are the only family of acoustic
instruments invented in the twentieth century? Dr. Mannette is responsible for
much of the innovation of the family of steel drums, and for taking them
to an unparalleled level of tonal sophistication

EDUCATION

Daily seminars will be led by some of the most well respected and
talented steel band directors and performers in the industry. Integral to
the week- long immersion in this art form is the provision of additional
information in a lecture setting for the music educator as well as the
steelband performer.

Topics may include information on:

* Arranging Techniques
* Performance Techniques
* Engine Room fundamentals
* Repertoire
* Fundraising

Every steel drum player is an educator. As performers, we must be aware
that many in our audience are experiencing this instrument for the
first time. With this awareness comes the responsibility for providing
more information about its origins and capabilities than that of musicians
of more familiar instruments.
Community Program

Designed for area residents, the community program includes 3 evening
sessions providing an introduction to the steel band and steel drum
performance in a fun and informative setting.

Keep swingin'

Sword

Sunday, May 4, 2008

A Supplement to the Scales book will be released free of charge

From BadAssDrumming office:

May 04, 2008

Kenneth Sword reports that he has a supplement coming out to all those that bought the original ebook The Big Book Of Scales for Mallets. Those that purchased a copy already will receive the supplement free.

Kenneth is in the stages of redoing the book so the supplement information will be included in the revised book to replace the current one.

Purchasers need not to do anything extra to get it. They will be contacted and told where to get their copy. 


Thursday, May 1, 2008

Big Book of Scales Being Released Today

Badassdrumming.com's creator, Kenneth Ray Sword Jr, has just finished his new book in .pdf format called "The Big Book of Scales for Mallets. Over 300 pages with diagrams of each scale in each key. Over 650 keys.

"This undertaking has been in the works for over 2 months and I am glad to have it finished and ready." Sword said.

Sword handed out rough drafts to colleagues and professors around the US, mostly in Texas, to get their feedback and to test the book with students.

Quoted from Robert Soto ...

"Ray,

I love the e-book buddy! I think it's a great tool, and a must have. I would love to get a copy of the whole thing, how much? This book is similar to Jazz Patterns by Jerry Coker, but I think you've complied more scales and diagrams for your project. I once envisioned doing something like this when I was in high school, but I'm glad you're the one who did it, major applause my friend! ... I think this is a great idea, and it's something to have especially when teaching young jazz musicians.

Robert

Robert Soto M.M.
Bass Trombonist
basstrebor@????????.com
www.myspace.com/rsotomusic"

Robert really understands theory and the importance of scales. He's an educator and performer with Fuego Latino, playing Salsa and Meringue. He is very active in the Jazz scene and symphony scene, too. He received his Bachelor's at UTEP and his Masters at Yale in Music.

The best part is anyone can get this book and benefit. Based on theory studies and yet anyone in music will gain great practice from it.

It's worth looking at to see if it will help you and/or your student(s).

Frank Gonzalez, 2006 DCI Solo Marimba Champion, has been trying it out with his students with much success.

Art Avila, endorsed by Promark Drumsticks, is using it with his frontline players that he teaches in El Paso, TX.

See more about it here. Big Book of Scale for Mallets

Welcome to BadAssDrumming Blog

Ray Sword here to greet you to our new blog. For all of you drummers we will be bringing you some of the most sought after and less known things about drumming and percussion. It free to join our site and we continue to grow and expand the site weekly.

Just locked in a new endorsed artist - Frank Gonzalez, educator for Promark Drumsticks. He joins the ranks with Art Avila. We also have Ricky Malichi, Jazz drummer endorsed by SPAUN Drums.

All of these guys will be bringing videos, lessons, articles and more to give to you, our drumming friends.

Be sure to join up for free.

www.badassdrumming.com - Are you a bad ass? Join and prove it.

Ray Sword
Founder of BadAssDrumming. com