Shades of Black by C. E. Gardner

Shades of Black was written under the influence of the Vietnam War. The idea for the title came from a popular song during the sixties called “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones. Tension and multiple layers are spread throughout the piece giving a dark and confusing atmosphere. Shades of should be played on three different sized snare drums beginning with four soft marimba mallets to represent helicopters flying overhead. The brush and stick section is challenging and requires complete independence in the hands.