Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

ment for Snare Drum discusses the common mistakes made by student drummers and how to correct them. It calls for audience practice right after each example while the instruction is still fresh in mind. The demonstrator starts by emphasizing correct grip of the sticks, for without this basic knowledge one cannot apply drumming fundamentals correctly. He then proceeds to demonstrate the fundamental rudiment— the single shoke roll— and calls attention to the students' neglect of the wrist motion and failure to decrease the height as the speed increases. Comparing the earh' strokes of the drummer to the bowing of a violinist, lie demonstrates the downstrke, upstroke, full stroke and tap while the appropriate notation for each stroke appears on a comer of the screen. Continuing with the rudiments, he shows how to do the flam which is a combination of the upstroke and downstroke. A drummer too often makes the mistake of "airing" the sticks all at once while doing the flam-accentnumber-one. This looks awkward aside from producing the wrong sound and rhythm. This can be corrected, according to the demonstrator, by using a tap for the first note and an upstroke, slow and graceful, for the second note. Whether playing a drum solo or in a concert group, a drummer is judged on his ability to make a roll. The demonstrator executes the fundamental rolls and demonstrates the five-strike roll on paper and carbon to show how even the strokes should be. He plays drum music to illustrate the lerUo and allegro tempo. Very often the drum tone is criticized as rattly or tinny. The demonstrator shows how a misadjusted drum with either a loose batter head or snare head or both produces unsatisfactory sound. Poor sound may also be attributed to the use of incorrect sticks such as large street sticks on an orchestra drum or small orchestra sticks on a large drum. Appraisal .\ how-to-do-it fUm, Musical Performance: Improvement for Snare Drum, would be of interest to drum students. Band directors would profit from it because mistakes as well as their corrections are demonstrated. Definitely not for beginners, the film is aimed at drummers on the junior high school level through college who have had some experience and is to be used as a check up and improvement on their playing. Though the film covers many skills, it is well done and well explained, besides providing for practice on the part of the audience. However, in the closing sequence on drum adjustment and use of sticks, the evaluators are at a loss to know what is to be practiced. Too, the demonstrator could have maintained more eye contact with the audience. He seems iU at ease and keeps looking sidewise off-screen as if he is being cued, or down as if he is reading from a script. Overall this film offers both instruction and opportunities for practice in the use of fundamental drum techniques to help the average beginner become a more skilled performer. —Herminia Barcelona Electromagnets: How They Work (Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, 1150 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois) 11 minutes, 61mm, sound, color or black and white, 1960. $120 or $60. Teacher's guide available. Description Electromagnets: How They Work uses simple laboratory demonstrations and commonplace examples of the application of electromagnets to explain their operation and usefulness to man. As a youngster is shown experiment PHILCO advances the science of visual education WITH NEW TRANSISTORIZED CLOSED CIRCUIT TV SYSTEMS Visual education, through the use of closed circuit TV, is being adopted rapidly by schools throughout the nation. Philco's broad experience in educational TV is yoiu assurance of obtaining the greatest flexibility and economy. Philco's new all-transistor equipment is your guarantee of maximum reliability, freedom from maintenance and ease of operation. Write today for information and your copy of the Philco Closed Circuit TV Systems Plarming Guide. Government & Industrial Group 4700 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia 44, Pa. In Canada: Phitco Corp. of Canada, Ltd., Don Mills. Ont. Philco Closed Circuit TV Systems permit multi-group instruction, with full audience participation. PH I LCO. Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — September, 1960 495