UMass Drumline Tech Class

Want to join the UMass Drumline? Get a head start. Join us at our spring Tech Class. Classes are free & open to interested high school and college students.

What is Tech Class

“Marching Percussion Techniques” class is an hour & a half of pit & battery rehearsal. We learn & rehearse our cadence, Thom’s Check Patterns, and most of the 40 PAS Rudiments. In the past, the Tech Class has performed at UMass Athletics events like basketball games (but this doesn’t happen every semester).

This class is where we get better. Practicing show music in the fall is great, and we do a lot of it. But the real growth and improvement happen here. It’s where we get ready for next fall’s show season.

What you need to know

Before attending class, all students are required to purchase their own copy of our three textbooks. The instruction given in class directly reflects the instructional concepts found within the three books listed below. The text found within the books should be read and applied consistently throughout your preparation of the musical exercises.

Our textbooks

  1. Championship Concepts for Marching Percussion – Workbook
  2. Championship Concepts for Marching Percussion – Textbook
  3. A Percussionist’s Guide to Check Patterns

All three books are available on the Mobile Percussion Seminar website.

Additional exercises

In addition to the books and exercises found within, everyone in the UMass percussion section will be required to know Full/Down/Tap/Up and the Rudiment Ritual. Each of these can be found on our music page.

What to bring

In addition the three books listed above, all students (pit and battery) should bring their own sticks/mallets. For battery students, please bring whatever instrument you’d like to play (snare, tenors, bass, cymbals). For pit/front ensemble students, you’re welcome to play on our keyboards.

If you can’t bring an instrument, we may be able to provide one for you, but please let us know ahead of time, as our equipment is limited.

Where & when

Tech Class is held on Monday & Wednesday nights, from 4:40-6:10pm in Grinnell Arena on the UMass campus. Classes will run through mid-May.

Interested? Let us know

If you’re interested in attending Tech Class (even just once or twice to see what it’s like), please contact us & let us know. Everyone is welcome, but we’d like to know you’re coming ahead of time.

Tell us you’re coming