All too often, percussionists live within two different musical aesthetics. One is the world of metronomic and rhythmic precision, pyrotechnical displays of rhythmic complexity, unwavering dynamic relationships, uniformity of tonal quality, etc. The goal of this aesthetic is to “play the ink”. This style of percussive interpretation is most often displayed when the percussionist is performing on non-pitched instruments such as snare drum, tambourine, bass drum, wood block, triangle, etc.
The second world is inhabited when these same players perform on keyboard percussion instruments such as the marimba, vibraphone, orchestra bells, or xylophone. When performing on these instruments, the goal is often to play musically, with interpretation, and with style. Yet these familiar terms are quite difficult to accurately define. They are also difficult to assimilate without a deep understanding into how some of the world’s best musicians get “inside the printed page” to make their performances come alive with meaning and sincerity. TOUCH can help you achieve this elusive goal.
Gaining the ability to breath personality into a written musical passage by making artistic decisions based on the consideration of all musical parameters, is the intended purpose of TOUCH.
The second world is inhabited when these same players perform on keyboard percussion instruments such as the marimba, vibraphone, orchestra bells, or xylophone. When performing on these instruments, the goal is often to play musically, with interpretation, and with style. Yet these familiar terms are quite difficult to accurately define. They are also difficult to assimilate without a deep understanding into how some of the world’s best musicians get “inside the printed page” to make their performances come alive with meaning and sincerity. TOUCH can help you achieve this elusive goal.
Gaining the ability to breath personality into a written musical passage by making artistic decisions based on the consideration of all musical parameters, is the intended purpose of TOUCH.
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Percussionists search their entire lives for just the right touch. It’s an elusive quality because good touch on an instrument is more than just good technique. It requires context in the form of applying just the right energy at just the right moment. Until now that seemed like alchemy, but Norman Weinberg’s fascinating new book TOUCH, with its 25 études built upon well-known orchestral excerpts, stresses nuance and subtlety, the very components of good touch. Student percussionists who work through Weinberg’s book with open ears and minds might find that developing a good touch is not as elusive as it seems.
steve schick
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Norm Weinberg's new book, Touch: Developing Subtlety and Nuance for Percussionists, focuses on the most important aspect for students: real music! This book is unique and progressive as it requires students to listen to orchestral masterworks while also learning touch and timing on the snare drum. Weinberg's book actually trains the students' ears as it addresses musicality, balance and phrasing. Quite an achievement!”
Mark ford
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As a musician, having a great touch means truly allowing the instrument to speak. The human is the mind behind the music, the implements are the tools, and the instrument itself is the voice.
megan arns
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Think of every stroke – loud or soft, big or small – as impacting a living thing.
Bob becker
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Musicality and touch on percussion instruments is the core to developing into an expressive and communicative musician. Norman Weinberg’s fantastic book entitled Touch embraces subtlety and nuance and gives percussionists a path toward musical expression and thoughtful sound production. This book is an invaluable resource to all percussionists at any level and age.
Keith Aleo
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Touch brilliantly bridges ‘personality’ and the demand for technical proficiency in a way I have always felt was missing from the customary approach to teaching orchestral works and excerpts for percussion. Weinberg’s fresh approach is both novel and technically demanding, and one I am excited to add to my methodology of teaching.
morris palter
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The sense of touch can be the most profound sense of connection we have to our world. For musicians, touch is the glue to our sound story; it is the bridge that defines us as sound creators. Touch is a form of listening internally, our bodies becoming a huge ear, transforming what is within outwards. Whether we touch another human, an animal, a flower or a musical instrument it generates emotions that light up all of our senses. Touch is like a river – always flowing; a never-ending journey of discovery that ignites new wonders and appreciation towards our skills to paint sound onto our performance canvas.
Evelyn Glennie CH, DBE
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When it comes to percussion, touch has everything in the world to do with tone. A hard or brittle touch will result in a hard, brittle sound. A touch that allows the stick or mallet to breathe and the surface of the instrument to sing will produce a musical tone. This is true for the timpani, marimba, triangle, ride cymbal, or tom-tom. The word that most comes to mind in terms of musical association with touch — after tone — is ‘legato.’ The musical soul seeks notes, utterances and sounds that connect to one another.
peter erskine
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Articulation, weight, lightness, brighter sound, darker sound, legato, punch, shimmery, thin, rich, whispering, soaring, longer, shorter, crunchy, smooth, sharp, smooth: sounds that have these qualities are created by using touch – how you strike the instrument. Listening – to yourself and to great music is the most important thing in developing your touch. Then experimenting with your grip on the stick, pulling back, playing in, loose grip, tight grip, playing area, playing angle, – finding a way to get subtly different sounds out of your percussion instrument that enhance and personalize your interpretation. Using this brilliant and wonderful resource that Norman Weinberg has created is a great way to explore touch and take your playing up to a higher level of musicianship.
rebecca kite
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Sound is the most important part of what we do—just think of how you characterize your favorite artists. ‘She sounds amazing.’ Literally every conversation about a moving musical experience starts and ends that way. Sound encapsulates literally everything, and all begins with touch.
john parks
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When you purchase TOUCH, you'll get an email for an instant download - PLUS - once registered, you'll have access to the TOUCH Member Page.
When you purchase TOUCH, you'll get an email for an instant download - PLUS - once registered, you'll have access to the
Exclusive TOUCH Member Page.