Tapspace

Tapspace Tapspace is a publishing company from Portland, OR. We publish sheet music for inspired performers,
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20 years later, "UP FRONT" is still an essential, go-to resource for front ensemble instructors. At a whopping 225 pages...
07/01/2023

20 years later, "UP FRONT" is still an essential, go-to resource for front ensemble instructors. At a whopping 225 pages thick, this book explores the numerous details of a successful front ensemble sure to provide years of insight. Topics include equipment, instrument ranges, transporting, instrument care, technique, exercises, teaching techniques, arranging, and much more. It's meant to be an all-encompassing guide for pit members and educators of any experience level. Grab a copy today!

https://www.tapspace.com/books-education/up-front

06/21/2023

Check out this awesome performance of "Phylogenesis" by Russell Wharton!

Congratulations to Bao Tran on their 1st finish in the College Snare Drum Division of the Black Swamp Percussion Ensemble Showcase.

Grab yourself a copy of the music at the link below!
https://www.tapspace.com/snare-drum/phylogenesis

"A Tribe Called Quads" by Andrew Smit is designed to help the beginner-to-intermediate rudimental player get their start...
06/08/2023

"A Tribe Called Quads" by Andrew Smit is designed to help the beginner-to-intermediate rudimental player get their start in basic marching tenor drumming. The book starts with a foundation of basic drumming skills that are then applied to various quad logistics, skills, and variables. Each of the eight solos addresses a new skill unique to tenor drumming while progressively getting more and more challenging. "A Tribe Called Quads" allows students to be fluent in many of the motions, shapes, and overall vernacular of playing the marching tenor drums.

https://www.tapspace.com/books-education/tribe-called-quads-a

06/03/2023

"Stormbreak" ⛈ was written by Jim Casella for intermediate ensembles as a sequel of sorts to Technology, another moderately simple piece for percussion octet by Casella that has since become quite popular. Opening with nature-effect sounds, the storm breaks into a rhythmic “tip of the hat” to Technology on the rim of the snare drum. As rhythmic layers add in, the syncopated motif of Stormbreak becomes clear and continues to drive the piece throughout.

05/02/2023

This piece is perfect for aspiring marching bass drummers! "Arrhythmia" by Walker Martz is a fun and energetic percussion quartet for middle school and high school level percussionists playing four-pitched toms. The piece features hocket melodies between the performers that were inspired by split marching bass drum parts. A steady eighth-note rim pattern helps students keep their place in the hocket melodies. This is an excellent stepping stone for musicians wanting to play marching bass drums!

04/28/2023

The phones and internet are on spring break at Tapspace HQ today, so our office will be closed until Monday. Sorry for any inconvenience!

04/13/2023

It's time to face "The Final Boss" in Andrew Smit's energetic percussion ensemble work based on the final level of a video game! This piece provides an engaging opportunity for developing players to explore an aggressive, urgent feel. It also serves to strengthen the players’ comfort with syncopated rhythms and the Phrygian mode. Perfect for younger groups or college methods courses!

04/11/2023

"Gymnopédie No. 1" is a vibraphone arrangement of one of Satie's most treasured works for piano. The arrangement adheres to the original rather closely, although the key has been changed from D to F to better accommodate the range of a standard vibraphone. It's also a deceptively tricky study in mallet dampening and requires sensitivity and precision in order to bring out the melody with a clear presence over the harmony.

We've got 2️⃣ new colors in our classic Tapspace tee! These ultra-soft, poly-blend tees are simple, stylish, and oh-so c...
04/08/2023

We've got 2️⃣ new colors in our classic Tapspace tee!

These ultra-soft, poly-blend tees are simple, stylish, and oh-so comfortable. Seriously, they feel great!

Gear up for warm weather and rep your favorite percussion music publisher today! 😉

03/23/2023

Brian Mueller's “Big Adventure” was written in 2017 for the Middle Tennessee State University front ensemble. In it, Mueller uses many common keyboard percussion techniques so the piece can function as a warm-up or etude.

It’s scored for four mallet percussion instruments that can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled to suit the needs of any ensemble – concert or marching. The mallet parts are accompanied by a rhythm section comprised of a drumset, congas, piano, and electric bass. The piano part is simple enough that it can be managed by a non-pianist.

Although "Big Adventure" was originally conceived and composed as a front ensemble “lot tune” it can help round out any concert program by adding a little lightheartedness and fun!

03/21/2023

📢The phone lines at Tapspace HQ are currently undergoing an upgrade. Unfortunately, this means you won't be able to reach us that way.

Please contact us online in the meantime. https://www.tapspace.com/contact

We expect to be back up-and-running sometime on Thursday. Thanks for your patience, and apologies for any inconvenience!

03/21/2023

"Blue Sly," a medium-advanced marimba solo by Chad Floyd, gets its title from the “sly” movement of the left hand which supports the melody in the right. A rhythmic motive is presented at the beginning and is utilized throughout the piece along with a recurring melody that varies and intensifies as the piece develops. A sneaky sense of groove is conveyed in the writing, and the performance should be “slyfully” fun.

03/15/2023

"Year One" by Kyle Peters is an intense percussion quintet for budding percussionists packed full of exciting rhythmic interplay and stark dynamic contrast. This enthusiastic work for emerging percussionists is perfect for teaching students the importance of individual confidence while simultaneously sharpening their awareness of the bigger musical picture.

03/11/2023

John Willmarth’s timpani solo "And They’re Off" was inspired by the Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY. The thematic material is derived from the iconic “Call to the Post” bugle call, typically heard 5 to 10 minutes before the start of a horse race. 🐎

This piece is a great vehicle to assist developing timpanists perfect their tuning of a major triad. As Willmarth advises, players should strive to create an exciting and energetic performance throughout. He recommends using an articulate mallet to provide clarity on denser rhythmic passages.

03/04/2023

"... like a burden too heavy" is a medium-level marimba solo by composer/percussionist Brian Blume. It’s written to reflect the struggles and limitations we face in conjunction with the “human condition.” There is a heaviness and sadness in Blume’s harmonic treatments which flow seamlessly to create a lyrical work that stands on its own regardless of the fact that it was written for marimba.

02/27/2023

"Original Rags" pays homage to the great ragtime giant, Scott Joplin. This historic rag has been hailed as “a charming and auspicious beginning to the life work of the master ragtime composer” by historian Rudi Blesh.

Michael Huestis’ arrangement is full of energy and spirit, featuring a xylophone soloist, marimba ensemble accompaniment, and an optional drumset with the added colors of cowbell and woodblock. This ragtime classic is sure to delight any audience and is perfect as a recital encore or percussion ensemble piece!

02/25/2023

"Prattamacues" by Jason Tiemann was written in honor of the late, great rudimental snare drum composer John S. Pratt (1930-2020) who played a profound role in the development of innumerable percussionists. This solo explores the three variations of the ratamacue, which is common in traditional snare drum pieces. This piece, which is perfect for solo recitals, contests, or just for fun, may be played on a concert snare drum or marching snare.

Check out this awesome interview between our friends at Steve Weiss Music and Tapspace artist Joe Hobbs! Be sure to chec...
02/16/2023

Check out this awesome interview between our friends at Steve Weiss Music and Tapspace artist Joe Hobbs!

Be sure to check out 32:03 for an inside look at Joe's method book "The Starting Line."

https://www.tapspace.com/books-education/starting-line-the

Jeff Phipps from Steve Weiss Music talks everything from breaking into the drum corps educational scene, to judging, teaching, and what its like to be a per...

It was great to be back in Texas for  ! We had a wonderful time connecting with music educators and our Tapspace artists...
02/15/2023

It was great to be back in Texas for ! We had a wonderful time connecting with music educators and our Tapspace artists. And having a little fun too...

1️⃣ TMEA was busier than ever this year. We couldn’t have asked for a better crowd to hang out with for a few days!
2️⃣ A quick photo op with Ralph Hicks and Eric Rath. Ralph and Eric are the authors of the popular method books “Beyond Basic Percussion,” “Five Minute Drill,” and “Nine Minute Drill.”
3️⃣ Tapspace Artist Scott Fairdosi checking out his snare drum solo, "Deleclusiastics."
4️⃣ Ryan and Murray casually playing Pong while waiting for the flight home 🕹
5️⃣ Percussion trailblazer, Lauren Vogel Weiss, with cofounders Jim Casella and Murray Gusseck
6️⃣ New artist, Darrien Spicak, with his new p! We had a wonderful time connecting with music educators, and our Tapspace artists, and having a little fun too.
7️⃣ TMEA Tapspace Crew 💪
8️⃣ More pre-flight shenanigans 🤪

We’re officially open at  . Look for the tall orange banner and swing on by!
02/09/2023

We’re officially open at . Look for the tall orange banner and swing on by!

We're gettin' back in the saddle! 🤠This will be our first year back at TMEA Convention since 2020. We're eager to get ba...
02/08/2023

We're gettin' back in the saddle! 🤠

This will be our first year back at TMEA Convention since 2020. We're eager to get back and connect with all of our Texas music educators! We'll be posted up in Booth 1168.

The Texas All-State 5A Percussion Ensemble conducted by James Campbell will be performing a few Tapspace publications including Fuerza Negra (Francisco Perez) and Mayhem (Daniel Montoya Jr.) at the showcase concert on Saturday, February 11th, at 11:00 a.m. in Lila Cockrell Theatre. Be sure to check it out!

02/07/2023

🌎 "Pale Blue Dot" by Alex Stopa is an advanced level four-mallet marimba solo based on the imagery of Earth taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. Shot from four billion miles away, the photograph shows our home planet, Earth, as a tiny point of pale blue light, barely visible in the enormity of space. Stopa notes that the image is at once humbling and awe-inspiring, highlighting the fleeting nature of human existence. The piece draws its emotional thread from a quote by American astronomer Carl Sagan that accompanied the photo. Sagan’s message stressed the importance of compassion and the preservation of our planet.

"Pale Blue Dot" is a thought-provoking marimba solo that offers the performer unique musical and technical challenges. Repeated sextuplets flutter across the instrument creating a weightless and sparkling effect throughout the work. These patterns are encouraged to be performed in the same manner as a chorale with consideration toward melody, harmonic motion, and voice leading. The performer can play these figures in both triple lateral or single alternating sticking combinations.

01/25/2023

“Memory’s Lens” by Clayton Stroup is a thematic percussion sextet based on the way one feels when remembering their earliest childhood. While not overly complex in terms of technical skill, this medium-level piece is a great canvas to learn and explore the relationship between interrelated parts and musical nuance.

01/17/2023

"The Cape" by Kyle H. Peters is an excellent piece for players looking to improve the mobility and note accuracy behind the marimba.

The harmonic and melodic language in this piece allows for a variety of body and mallet positioning that encourages the performer to move around the instrument. Oh, and it's really fun to listen to!

https://www.tapspace.com/marimba-xylophone/cape-the

01/12/2023

New to four-mallets? We've got the piece for you!

"Stroll" by Kyle Peters is a perfect piece for the budding four-mallet marimba player. The piece introduces players to a chordal approach to the instrument through double vertical strokes, single independent strokes, and simple double lateral stroke arppegio figures.

Grab a copy at the link below!
https://www.tapspace.com/marimba-xylophone/stroll

01/03/2023

💨 "Breeze" through a wide range of dynamics and double lateral strokes in this fluid marimba solo. Kyle Peters creates a warm and reflective canvas for performers to craft their musicianship with interwoven melodic lines.

https://www.tapspace.com/marimba-xylophone/breeze

12/31/2022

We've been busy! We'll let the numbers do the talking... 🫢

12/31/2022

When you look at like this, it's pretty amazing, right? 6,335 customers, all 50 US states, 22 countries, 4 continents. 🤯 Thanks for trusting Tapspace in your percussion journey!

We couldn't have asked for a better year! Thank you for joining us and being a part of the Tapspace community in 2022. T...
12/31/2022

We couldn't have asked for a better year! Thank you for joining us and being a part of the Tapspace community in 2022. Take a look back at what made this year so special!

12/28/2022

Faith and Fortitude

This medium-advanced percussion ensemble piece by Julie Sutton Davila explores a range of emotions motivated by adversity and the resilience one can draw from such an experience. Davila completed the work after experiencing the trials and tribulations of her daughter's critical health experience, which reaffirmed her views on strength, perseverance, and faith. The piece draws specific inspiration from the word "faith" and its five-letter structure. This pentagonal structure prompts various five-note themes, quintuplet rhythmic figures, and other musical treatments based upon the number five. Its wide range of emotions will give performers opportunities to craft their musicianship and provide audiences with a relatable theme.

https://www.tapspace.com/percussion-ensemble/faith-and-fortitude

12/24/2022

Warm wishes this holiday season from all of us at Tapspace!

If you're attending The Midwest Clinic this week, plan on checking out these amazing ensembles performing Tapspace piece...
12/19/2022

If you're attending The Midwest Clinic this week, plan on checking out these amazing ensembles performing Tapspace pieces!

Ralph Hicks Clif Walker Olin Johannessen Michael Huestis Stephen Whibley Patrick Speranza Jim Casella John Willmarth Alex Stopa Brian Slawson

12/13/2022

🆕 Multipercussion Solo

"Southern Gothic" by Jason Baker is a medium-advanced multipercussion solo influenced by the literary tradition of the American South. The southern gothic subgenre of literature often contains themes of eccentric, flawed characters and decaying or haunted settings. Drawing inspiration from these literary works, Baker has crafted this piece by utilizing unpredictable, odd time signatures and recurring ostinati and polyrhythmic figures. Coupled with a variety of traditional and found percussion instruments, the piece brilliantly matches the troubled and disturbed tone of southern gothic literature.

Watch and listen to the full piece over on our website!
https://www.tapspace.com/multipercussion/southern-gothic

12/08/2022

Medieval Percussion Suite by Kyle Peters ⚔️

This medium-easy percussion ensemble is written for four players with minimal equipment requirements. It is comprised in three movements of contrasting styles, providing students with excellent opportunities for musical growth.

Movement 1️⃣ - Waltz: Teaches students about the waltz style and builds confidence in 3/4 time.
Movement 2️⃣ - Carol: Treats drums as melodic instruments where students can learn balance and listening to others while they play.
Movement 3️⃣ - Joust: A quick 2/4 movement with fast-paced dynamic changes.

This piece helps young performers explore new musical styles and explore different applications for traditional percussion instruments. Each movement could also be performed separately as quick concert interludes.

Check out the full work on our website!
https://www.tapspace.com/percussion-ensemble/medieval-percussion-suite

Looking for gift ideas this holiday season? 🎁We’ve put together an awesome list for you to snag all of the essentials fo...
12/06/2022

Looking for gift ideas this holiday season? 🎁

We’ve put together an awesome list for you to snag all of the essentials for the percussionist in your life.

Check out the full list here:
https://www.tapspace.com/holiday-gift-ideas/

Don't mind us...we're still daydreaming about   💭It was great to be back with everyone for an awesome convention. We're ...
11/30/2022

Don't mind us...we're still daydreaming about 💭

It was great to be back with everyone for an awesome convention. We're very grateful for all of the support, our artists, and Tapspace performances.

Oh, and scroll to the end for what really fuels the Tapspace team!

11/27/2022

Wanderlust ✈️🧳

Composer, Chad Heiny, captures his idea of wanderlust "...as a meandering of the mind that takes place (hopefully) for all of us a little each day. It's where dreams come from, as well as goals, ideas, etc... the good stuff."

Heiny crafts this sense of wonderment through a soundscape that features several unique elements, including improvised solo opportunities, an optional vocal part, steel pan doubling for several players, and a live looping section!

Check out the full work on our website!
https://www.tapspace.com/percussion-ensemble/wanderlust

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Tapspace! Wishing a safe and warm holiday with family and friends. 🦃And don't forge...
11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Tapspace! Wishing a safe and warm holiday with family and friends. 🦃

And don't forget to grab a nice, warm NAPSPACE for after dinner! 😴

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Portland, OR
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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
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Friday 9am - 5pm

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Creativity in Percussion

Tapspace is a publishing company specializing in creative percussion music. Tapspace was established in 1998 as a business in the USA with a niche focusing on rudimental percussion music, and concert percussion solos/ensembles. Stationed in Portland, Oregon, Tapspace products are available for purchase worldwide from the Tapspace website or from select retailers.

Tapspace continued on its course of creative innovation with the release of VIRTUAL DRUMLINE™, the world's most complete marching and concert percussion software instrument. VDL revolutionized a new way for marching percussion arrangers to write and is being proudly used all over the world.

With a powerful collection of respected authors, Tapspace continues to grow, offering some of the most innovative music written for the percussion world. Our works have been performed by members of such renown ensembles as The Cavaliers, Santa Clara Vanguard, Blast!, The Star of Indiana, The New England Conservatory, and The Concord Blue Devils. This makes Tapspace a premier source of modern drumline and percussion music and a growing resource for today's most creative percussion literature.

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Comments

Hello Everyone! Can somebody help me integrating my VDL with my Finale 26? Thanks. I´d really apreciate it.
Good afternoon.

I just changed my computer and also upgraded to sibelius ultimate. I am trying to get a link to reinstall my vdl, but I cannot sign in ; don't remember the password. I have tried to have email sent to me, so I can change my password, but it won't work. Please help.
Hello everyone, for many I tried to achieve this, when I found nothing I decided to try to write it, I hope it is to your liking, greetings from Mexico.

black life matters !!!!!✌️

(credits to whom it corresponds)

Thank you Tapspace for being part of our 2020 SCMEA Day of Percussion and for providing such awesome music!

ALL-COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

DR. THOMAS MARCEAU & JASON GIACHETTI, CONDUCTORS

*PROGRAM*
BEACONS OF LIGHT, CHAD HEINY (TAPSPACE)
DOPPLER, THOMAS MARCEAU
SCUTTLEBUTT, JIM CASELLA (TAPSPACE)
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCE, JIM CASELLA (TAPSPACE)
The SCMEA All-County Percussion Ensemble is proud to announce we will be performing three Tapspace publications on January 10, 2020.

No company makes selecting music easier than Tapspace. This is the model all companies should follow!

Scuttlebutt
Beacons of Light
Truth and Consequence
Hi. I am trying to figure a way to use VDL 2.5, East West Sounds (via composer cloud) with Sibelius 7.1.3. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Can you do a VDL explained video with the current version of Sibelius, instead of Sibelius 5?
Could someone please tell me which note I need to use in order to have marching bass drums play at the same time without inputting all the pitches? Thanks!
Anyone using write score templates with finale run into this before?? Ways to fix??
Quit suckin, Connor!
Andy Salmon and I are tossing out Tapspace shirts:

“Wow, they’re so soft and smooth”

“Like a babies bottom”

[9 teenage boys rubbing their shirts on their cheeks]

Had I been quicker with the phone, that would have been commercial gold right there :)
Feeling like the Tapspace poster boy today 😆
You guys ROCK!
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