How picky do you get when teaching the percussion section? How far do you break things down. Today for a hour I had them play the prep stroke and the first note of an accent taps exercise. We broke it down to the 16th note with the prep.

I am on this quest to be better than I have ever been before as an instructor. So tell me what you do with your students.

The things that most people would consider "picky" are actually some of the most important aspects in rudimentary drumming that are often overlooked, and as a result creates bad habits. I'm talkin' about things like fulcrums, fingers, stick angles, wrist rotation, sticks-out, tension -- all these things should be addressed in detail, maybe even taking a day or two, before the student should even hit the drum. I won't get into detail, but to answer your question: Yes, be very picky about everything from attacks to accent/tap timing. Inforcing these "picky" things will make your students better drummers in the long run.

The pickier the better. My students get annoyed when I cut an exercise even before a note is played, because the sticks out was sloppy. Then it moves on to the first note wasn't together, followed by the first lefthand was not placed properly. These are the minute details the seperate the good drumlines from the great drumlines.

It's a matter of time management. I get as picky as I can within the time I have, with consideration for the other aspects of rehearsal, such as learning new material or tightening show music and/or drill. Picking apart technique is great to be able to do, if you have the time, but sometimes other things need to take priority and you need to keep looking at the big picture.

I definitely agree with Zack. If you're in a drum camp situation you have more time to be "picky". But if you're in an everyday practice where you only have 45 minutes before you start ensemble or visual practice, then you really have to pick and choose which things you want to hunch down on and which ones you're willing to let go.
What happens is you get more picky the better the students get. The quicker they learn and respond to utilizing the intricacies, the more time you have to focus on them.

I get ultra picky at first when it comes to technique. Once they are comfortable with that, I know that technique will not be the problem normally so I can work on the music issues and what is going wrong with the music. Once it comes to music, I have to agree with the last two guys, get as picky as you can without wasting others' time and your time. There are just some things that should be fixed in outside sectionals.

depends on the standards, I would say keeping the standards as high as possible at all times is the minimum. Attacks, releases, musical phrasing generally takes priority to technique when working with a younger line like a HS and even College...in corps, the sky is the limit...you have many hours to devote to the details.

I think it depends on the level of teaching, your schedule and what you are trying to accomplish. I try to set goals for each rehearsal and try to get through specific tasks. If I can't meet them by a certain time, I move on. Again, it depends on the overall goal of the program.

I've been mulling over this question for awhile now. I think it depends. For example, I am very picky when it comes to playing with proper technique. I actually agree with all of the previous posters. It depends on the goals that are set for your program. If you are out there to win trophies I feel you have to be "stricter" and "pickier". In my experience, I have found that if you're too strict on the high school level then you will lose people from the program. (Most students are there to have fun..Not be drilled into the ground.) One argument is then let them quit, but I guess it depends on what your programs goals are. I usually ask the students what they are wanting to accomplish. Are they there for just fun, or do they want to go "trophy hunting". Either way I will push them until I sense that if I push harder they will "break". Another thing that I try to remember is that a High School Marching band will never be a Drum Corps and you can't expect to push them that way. (All too often I talk to other instructor's who are trying to make their high school program a Drum corps style experience. I think that takes away from the high school marching experience.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that there isn't a definite answer to how picky you are. We have to adjust to the program. If we are teaching a young group, then we can't expect them to perform the same as an experienced group. (Remember that we are there to push them to improve..not push them until they get frustrated and quit.) If don't think it's fun anymore then will they continue to give you their all? Of course this is for pre-college, non drum corps instructing. (And it's just my opinion.)

You know Bill, that response is spot on!

I'll tell you right off of the bat that I am extremely picky about technique in all contexts (Rudimental, Orchestral/Classical, etc.) with all of my students at all grade levels. I think that really should go without saying and that you should pick your battles about everything else. You are there as a teacher or instructor to teach music, first and foremost...

The thing that I am becoming more and more picky about is writing the appropriate parts to fit the music and most importantly when writing at the HS or MS level is the difficulty level of the music, particularly when it comes to how far you should strach the student's musical vocabulary within any one season...

Again, pick your battles! You will not be able to get that lick you heard from your favotite DCI line or your favorite WGI PIW or PSW group unless your students have gone through a similar training process.

I think that more instructors should be picky about the training process PRIOR to and during the season and how that translates into what you are able to write for any given season. Also, you should be picky about what is being taught and reinforced during the band class...

That, however, is another post...

NL