
Ken Mazur Artistry
Silverdot Architectural Renderings and Residential Designs
Rhythm Architecture Music • Electronic Percussion Artist
Great art is complex in the mind of the inventor..... simple to those who witness it.

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Private lessons are 45 minutes and includes a small warm-up so the student doesn't have to play the lesson cold.
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Individual rudiments and sticking combinations are studied first for technique and execution.
Longer exercises follow with attention to how combinations go together.
Music examples or playing to tracks ends the lesson with work on phrasing, tempo control and dynamics.
Students are encouraged to practice to music tracks of their favorite genre and familiarize themselves with different types of music for future marketing of their skills.
My lectures are an expansion of articles published by the Percussive Arts Society:
“The Perfectionists – The History of Rudimental Drumming From Military Code to Field Competition” (April 2005)
“Advanced Rudimental Training Techniques” (Spring/Summer 1980).
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Excerpts from "The Perfectionists - A History of Competitive Rudimental Snare Drumming"
Information is engaging and informative for students, percussionists, music educators, judging associations and historians. It is distributed using either a one hour format or two forty-five minute segments with a short intermission. A question and answer period is included.
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Pricing is determined by the length of the lecture and if an accompanying masterclass is wanted afterward on technique for high school or college students. Use the "Contact Page" for a quote.
The price is flexible if other schools in your region are interested, allowing for reduced transportation costs and time between sites. I am available when not performing my electronic percussion act “Rhythm Architecture" and ongoing project deadlines involving design and architectural rendering services for my Silverdot Illustration & Design firm.
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​How did drum codes changed from simple march cadence via the use of “fillers” into a musical art?
The material crosses the borders of economics, the birth of cities, nationhood, the economy of war, mores and habits of previous cultures and decisions that pressured generals, knights, kings and queens. Today, we face many of the same decisions of centuries past but with far more powerful technologies, giving the world an ability to inform and educate itself… or make similar mistakes.
The lecture expounds on major shifts in weapon technology and therefore field maneuvers that made the need for a command structure all the more important as they didn't have watches. How did drums help stop the "motorcycle gangs of the day" from robbing the first banks in 14th century? Orders needed to be carried out more rapidly as firepower and weapons technology increased. When was the king no longer needed on the battlefield? Why did drummers learn to play hand to hand? This gave rise to common sticking patterns and duties across all languages, especially after a large gut snare was placed under the drums in about 1510AD, doubling the intsruments range.
The change from battlefield drummer to competition displays the new instruction techniques that befuddled high schools and colleges for decades. The gap between drum & bugle and fife and drum technical skills finally closed after a discussion over a few beers at a local bar after a rehearsal. The result of that night affected the next 40 years of competitions and has merit today. There are many pleasant surprises and quotes by many of the greatest teachers, judges and players of our history.
All the different snare genre finally come together under one judging system with fife & drum, Swiss, Pipe Band and orchestral concepts hitting the field and individual contests in the mid-20th Century. This became a zenith in economy and skill, when competitions sprouted all over the East Coast and Midwest.
Speed drumming, backsticking and complex visuals are of recent history, achieved a quarter century before the movie “Drumline”. Olympic training methods and changes in equipment technology were absorbed by drumlines through individual competitors regimen. The information is timely. Rudimental coordination easily transfers to drum set, strengthening ones “recall library” and “chops", an advantage at any audition or public performance.
Another lecture I present is on Advanced Rudimental Training Techniques for drummers.
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This involves maximizing rehearsal hours to gain clean speed, coordination difficulties and increased concentration abilities. Much of the material comes from individual competition practice regimen and training the Phantom Regiment drumline for their performances.
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Discussions and exam[ples involve basic technique and its effect on difficulty, coordination exercises and endurance. Olympic training techniques are discussed such as the use of "interval training", "tracking", "The Seven Second Rule", types of muscle and their recovery, center of gravity and moment of inertia principles in technique, including the development of concentration at a championship level.
This is a performance situation with many "hands on" examples for the audience. Drum set examples are also given. A masterclass usually follows.
Irish Reel - Fast Flam/Roll Sweetening/40th Base Rolls
(Typical of advanced Olympic styled solo training​)
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24th Note Flam Triplets 22nd Note Padaflas w 24th Note Flam Triplets Reverse Decrescendo 5 Singles w Flam Release Sweetened 40th Note Reverse Tap 6 Stroke Roll Decescendoed 20th Note Padaflas H to H 40th Base Tap Roll 48th Base Roll 32nd Sweetened Drags 32nd Flam Drags Swiss Triplets Sweetened Drag Paradiddle No. 2 Backward Flam Triplet (Duchudas) 40th Note Hemiola Ratamacues
36th & 40th Base Tap 6 Stroke Rolls
32nd Backsticked Paradiddles
Fast Fours (One Handed Huertas)
18th Note Double Flam Triplets
Complex Dotteds