Must-Have Percussion Books for All Students

Curated by Dr. Trevor Barroero, Principal Percussionist – Tucson Symphony Orchestra
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​Whether you're brand new to percussion or already developing your technique across snare drum, mallets, timpani, and drum set, having the right materials is essential. Below are my top recommended books for all beginning and intermediate percussionists. These are the exact materials I use in private lessons, school residencies, and my own professional practice. I’ve included direct Amazon links for easy access.

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🥁 For Complete Beginners

If you're just getting started and have never read music or played percussion before, start here:

1. Brian Harris – The Snare Drum Plays the Zoo
​A fun, imaginative book that uses animal rhythms to build your reading and sticking foundation. I personally learned with this book when I was 9 and now use it with students as young as 4. Brian was my teacher for over nearly a decade and owe so much to him for instilling my love for music at such a young age.
👉 Buy on Amazon

2. Mark Wessels – A Fresh Approach to Snare Drum
Perfect for older beginners who want a more traditional method. Great prep for school band and marching percussion.
👉 Buy on Amazon

​🎶 Beginning Mallet Players

If you're new to reading music on xylophone, glockenspiel, marimba, or vibraphone, start here:

3. Mark Wessels – A Fresh Approach to Mallet Percussion
This is my go-to method for teaching mallet literacy. It begins with the basics and builds up to full-length recital pieces.
👉 Buy on Amazon

​🥁 Beginning Drum Set Players

If you’re just learning how to play drum set, I recommend:

4. Mark Wessels – A Fresh Approach to Drum Set
This method breaks down coordination between hands and feet and introduces styles with play-along tracks. I’ve used it successfully with students from ages 6 to adult.
👉 Buy on Amazon

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​📘 Core Method Books for All Students

​Once you have some experience under your belt, these are the books I use across all lessons, from juries to recitals. These are required books for all of my advanced high school and college students:

5. George Hamilton Green – Instruction Course for Xylophone
A classic! Great for developing sight-reading, scale fluency, and two-mallet control. I still use it weekly in my own daily practice routine.
👉 Buy on Amazon

6. Julia Gaines – Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba (Book 1)
Fantastic for all four-mallet grips. Includes a tempo chart in each lesson so students can track progress. A recital favorite!
👉 Buy on Amazon

7. Mitchell Peters – Intermediate Snare Drum Studies
We use this for EVERYTHING: rolls, rudiments, ornaments—even to build skills for triangle, tambourine, cymbals, and bass drum. I use the first etude as a daily warm-up with six different sticking combinations.
👉 Buy on Amazon

8. Charley Wilcoxon – The All-American Drummer
Essential for rhythmic accuracy, hand development, and endurance. Once students complete the 150 solos, we celebrate by performing the entire book straight through (it takes approx. 60 minutes to play the book, cover-to-cover)! This is another book that I use as a daily warm-up resource. Try it at drum set, too, for added coordination!
👉 Buy on Amazon
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9. Mitchell Peters – Fundamental Method for Timpani
This comprehensive book covers every major timpani concept. We use different sections based on each student’s needs. The etudes at the end are perfect for performance prep, college auditions, and recitals/juries.
👉 Buy on Amazon

​🥁 Developing Drum Set Players

If you already know the basics and want to take your drum set playing to the next level:

10. Tommy Igoe – Groove Essentials 1.0
​A groove encyclopedia! Covers essential styles and feels required for orchestral auditions and real-world drum set gigs. I assign this book for all intermediate-to-advanced drum set students.
👉 Buy on Amazon

​Final Thoughts

All of these books are foundational in my teaching and performing career. Whether you’re learning your to hold your first pair of drum sticks or preparing for a solo recital, these materials will help you build the technique, musicianship, and confidence to succeed.
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If you have any questions about which book is right for your level, feel free to contact me or bring your current books to your next lesson and we’ll go from there! Remember: these books are always most effective when paired with quality weekly instruction from a professional! Happy practicing!