Percussion Tips

By: Megan E. Thomas

Repinique

Last month we had a brief introduction to Brazilian Percussion. This month we are going to touch on the basics of the Repinique. Discussed will be a description of the instrument, its role, basic playing technique, and a few exercises.

To start things off the Repinique seems to be a difficult one to pronounce. The 12"x12" drum is pronounced "hep-in-nek" or "heh-pee-nee-kuh". The 12" deep by 10" diameter drum is pronounced "hep-in-ee-key". The drum is made of metal and has two heads (see picture above). Traditionally it is worn on a sling over ones shoulder and played standing. Of course, this instrument has now made it into several genres of music and has been added to the drum set and percussionist set-ups as well. When this is done it is usually mounted on a snare stand. The repinique is commonly played with a stick (usually in the right hand) and by hand (usually with the left). There are some situations where two lighter sticks are used. We are going to discuss the more traditional approach of one stick and one hand.

The repinique is commonly the lead instrument in a bateria, or samba group. The drum plays the starting and ending cues as well as the cue for the breaks. The repinique is also a solo instrument itself. The playing technique consists of three main strokes with the stick, hitting the drum head, rim shots, and rim. The hand can play open, muffle, or slap tones. Open tones are produced by hitting the drum with the hand and lifting right away to achieve a ringing tone. The muffle tone is played by simply leaving the hand on the head after striking the head. The slap tone is a little more difficult to produce and may require a teacher to demonstrate if you are not familiar with the tone. It is a "popping" sound that is produced by waving the fingers into the head of the drum and leaving them on the drum. Much easier to show than to describe.

The following is a basic exercise. All the R (right hand) notes will be played with a stick and the L (left hand) note will be played by hand. Mix the hand tones up. Try all open, then muffled, then slap, and any combination of those tones.

KEY

These are written below the staff.

R = right hand
L = left hand

These are written above the staff.
H = hand
D = drum head
RS = rim shot
R = Rim

The Repinique can be a very involved instrument and can require instruction from a teacher depending on the application in which it is performed. Hopefully this introduction is helpful on what the instrument is, how it looks, the role it plays traditionally, and the basic playing technique. Have fun with it and feel free to add it to your drum set in a snare stand or maybe next to your timbales in your percussion set-up. Study traditionally or do YOUR thing!

Meg Thomas Bio

Meg Thomas, percussionist from Chicago, is an active performer and teacher who received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Millikin University. Meg performs and teaches several different percussion instruments such as congas, drum set, bongos, timbales, djembe, tabla, cajon, darbuka, berimbau, cuica, bodhrán, and other percussion instruments.

Meg is involved in several original music projects as well as being an avid performer in the festival and jobbing band circuits. Meg has played in numerous bands over the years, playing in venues that range from House of Blues to Alpine Valley to The Park West to The NBC/Disney Holiday Parade to thousands of clubs, festivals, and bars. Meg has performed on local and national TV, and has also been on local and internet radio. She has experience in a plethora of genres: rock, soca, pop, calypso, blues, punk, fusion, latin-jazz, metal, salsa, world, folk, classical, reggae, disco, R&B, percussion groups, dance ensembles, etc.

In addition to being an active performer, she plays sessions at recording studios, puts on world percussion seminars, facilitates drum circles, teaches private lessons, and writes the Drum and Percussion Tips of the Month column for the webzine, ChicagoMusicGuide.com. Meg is part of the Vic Firth drumstick and mallet company's Education Team as a Vic Firth Private Drum Teacher and has endorsements with Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and Evans Drumheads.

Visit Meg's website:
www.MegThomasPercussion.com

Visit Meg's myspace page:
www.myspace.com/mtpercussion