Timpani tunings

[Hector Pascal]

Hi all,

I once asked this before, but feel the need to ask again:

Should one include timpani tunings in the score and part? As a composer, I track them as I write.

Gould says not to provide them. But when I was at uni, my professor used to get us to provide them as a matter of course.

HP.

[N Grossingink]

As long as you're noting them on your manuscript Finale score, I'd say keep them in. However, this may be one of those little breaches of protocol where timpani players prefer to sort tunings out on their own and somehow feel offended if the information appears in the part. I'd ask a good pro or semi-pro player.

N.

[zuill]

Usually, simple 2 timpani parts have 2 starting pitches, and not too hard to figure it out. Quite a few traditional parts have the 2 notes indicated. As the number of timpani increases, it is probably more important to indicate the pitches. Take a look at the timpani part to The Planets. Two players. Also, check out Mahler's 1st. Another good thing to indicate is how many timpani will be needed. 2-4 is standard, with 5 added on occasion. 2 players can be found elsewhere, aside from the 2 aforementioned examples.

Zuill

P.S.: Also, changes can be indicated in the score as well. A player can put their own in, but it is common to have them provided.

[motet]

I leave them out, but I know nothing from a player's perspective. I've seen my parts marked with things like G->F, meaning that the drum is tuned to G should now be retuned to F. But I imagine the player sometimes has leeway as to when to do that. I would think such things in a printed part would be helpful but I would get advice from a timpanist.

[MikeHalloran]

I leave them out, but I know nothing from a player's perspective. I've seen my parts marked with things like G->F, meaning that the drum is tuned to G should now be retuned to F. But I imagine the player sometimes has leeway as to when to do that. I would think such things in a printed part would be helpful but I would get advice from a timpanist.

Back in the day, I appreciated such markings and would pencil them in if missing.

I agree that you should fly it by a player.You don't want a player lining through your directions and writing his/her's in if you can help it, right?

[bkshepard]

I put the tunings in the part, but not the score, the conductor doesn't really need that info.

If you're not a player, I strongly second (or is that third) the previous comments about running it by a player for guidance.

Please realize also that even though you might have a really well worked-out set of tuning changes, the player might still change them for a variety of reasons. Since the ranges of the drums overlap each other, many pitches are available on more than one drum and the player may prefer to use one of the alternate drums. My "default" position is to write the part and it's indications in such a way that if the player only gets one shot at it (sight-reading), everything works. If they have more time or rehearsals, they might change things, but in almost every case, that doesn't bother me.

As a player (retired after 30+ years), I always liked having them, even if I ultimately changed them. It gave me a good place to start and also showed that the composer/arranger had actually thought about what they were asking me to do.

[Hector Pascal]

Thanks, everyone, for the excellent input.

To date, I've always included tuning changes. That's why I feel it would be a pity to simply delete my tunings in deference to a player (i'm not sure who the player will be at the moment). I've been doing them 20 years now, so have become ok at it.

Having read the input above, I guess I could prepare the timpani part with my tunings, and then save a copy without the tunings, to give the player the choice!

Thanks, all.
Hector

[zuill]

Personally, I would do one or the other, depending on my own preference. If the timpanist has an issue, they need to get over it. I tend not to be concerened by fussiness on the part of some players. They can be replaced.

Zuill

[ebiggs1]

I always include the tunings. Always have. Going to keep doing so.

[Peter Thomsen]

Just a thought:

Instead of including tuning change (such as G->F), you could include a survey of the tones needed in the following section.
In simpler Timpani parts this may be sufficient.
I doubt that any timpani player would feel offended by a survey of the tones needed in the following.

In that way you leave it to the Timpani player to decide, what drum(s) to tuning-change - and on what exact measure/beat in the rest measure(s) to change the tuning.