Good intonation is one of the pillars of musicianship for those of us who play pitched instruments. It's also an area in which many timpanists struggle; it was one of the major issues which kept applicants from advancing at last year's DSO timpani/percussion audition, and I'm certain that my colleagues would agree that it's one one most persistent problems to pop up in timpani lessons and masterclasses. At every level, timpanists' intonation skills seem to lag behind those of