Natural Beat Natural Beat Description Pedagogy Natural sticking

Natural Beat

Natural Beat - Description & Pedagogy “Natural sticking” is the combination of rights and lefts that a performer uses for each basic sixteenth note rhythm. The song “Natural Beat” demonstrates each of these three rhythms with natural sticking in a fun and melodic way. The opening two measures have drastic dynamics creating excitement and maximum impact for the audience. In letter “A” the instruments are layered one after the other to build the groove and overall energy. Letter “B” has a featurette each for the snares, tenors, and basses, all with sixteenth note rhythm variations in natural sticking. This is followed by a full ensemble impact in measure 14. Letter “C” is a brief return to the main groove, followed by the same two measures as the introduction for a high impact “bookend” ending. The mallets play the sixteenth note rhythm on beat “ 1” in contrast to the tenor’s rhythm on beat “ 3”, creating a call and response melody between the two voices. The mallets also play major triads following the circle of fourths. (each chord resolving the previous one).