How to Play the 8th Note Bucks Marching Drum Exercise

Learning to play a marching snare drum can be a fun and exciting experience, but as with any instrument, it takes dedication and practice. The eighth note bucks are an important part of playing the marching snare drum and should be learned thoroughly and efficiently. These steps explain a 12-inch accent and a 3-inch tap. This refers to the position of your arm and the drum.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Understand what tap accent control is. Tap accent control is the difference between an accent in a tap. You should have a flat wrist and be 12 inches perpendicular to the ground, with 3 inches coming from the set position.

2. Know the eighth note buck exercise. It is named that because it consists of only eighth notes. Play this with a bar of eighth notes constant, but with accents on the beats and a tap on the inner eighth notes.

3. Fill in the inner notes using your left hand to make sure your sixteenth note check is solid. This allows you to hear the eighth notes within that sixteenth note check. This allows you to check yourself when playing with your right hand only.

4. Practice this technique slowly and repeatedly until your hands become familiar with the movement and your ears become familiar with the sounds and rhythm. This may take a few times to accomplish, but it is necessary for playing the marching snare drum. Bring the exercise up to speed once you are comfortable with the technique.