Timpani composition question
Hi, composition question. Is there a timpanist or otherwise savvy person out there who could tell me if ~30 seconds is enough time to modulate three timpani drums up a half step each for a key change? Thanks!
Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.
Comments
Dunno, but I remember attending a symphony performance where (sitting in a section behind the orchestra as we often do ...) I couldn’t help but notice that there were two tympani setups. I wondered why, until I heard the piece.
The piece of music changed keys, and, when it did so, the tympanist simply moved over to the second set of drums. When the key dropped down again, he moved back!
Undoubtedly, each drum-set was tuned to a different pitch. By the very simple expedient of having two sets, the need for an on-the-fly retuning was entirely avoided. I could not see the score, but I would logically expect that it contained two separate staves.
In reply to Dunno, but I remember by mrobinson
I could see that being an easy solution for sure, but I don't think that's standard (especially not for musicals, which this is part of) and I don't want to be the a**hole composer who has to rely on that
Update: I wrote the rest of the interlude and it actually ended up being about 45 seconds. From what I've been reading online it sounds like that should be enough if the timpanist has certain things set up beforehand, but if there's anyone who can reassure me that'd be great.