We will have a small list of demo gear on sale following the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) conference coming up next week. We have partnered with Pearl/Adams Percussion to supply gear for the event and be able to pass along savings to you on very lightly used gear, as everything will have only been used for the IMEA Junior All-State Band rehearsals and performance from January 16th – 18th, 2025. If you are looking for a chance to save on lightly used gear that is in like-new condition, here is your chance. Give us a call to check on availability on these items after the conference or arrange to pick up in Fort Wayne if you are attending the event. For the updated sale list on current availability you can use this link: IMEA Demo List – Price List – Updated Be sure to stop by the Paige’s Music booth and say hi, while you are attending IMEA as well. It is always great to catch up with everyone at these events!

We are very excited to announce that we will be hosting Mark Ford right here at Chops Percussion on January 15th, 2025! Mark will be conducting a masterclass that covers many aspects of marimba performance. This FREE event will start at 6:30 pm and open to the public. The clinic/masterclass will last approximately 2 hours. The event is sponsored in part by Tama/Bergearult, Innovative Percussion, and Sabian Cymbals. This event will cover many aspects of marimba performance and may include opportunities for students to perform for Mark and get direct feedback while at the event. If you are looking for the can’t miss clinic to start off the year for percussion education here in Central Indiana, stop by in a few short weeks. You can RSVP to attend the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mark-ford-marimba-masterclass-tickets-1129127393429?aff=oddtdtcreator We look forward to seeing you on January 15th! About the Artist: Mark Ford Mark Ford  is a marimba artist and the Coordinator of Percussion at The University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, Texas. As a Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society and the coordinator of one of the largest percussion programs in the world at UNT, Ford is an active performer and composer. Mark has been featured

Are you in the market for a new set of marching drums? Have a limited budget but still need a high quality sound? Not sure what you are looking for and wanting to try something new? Pearl Drums has exactly what you need with their Finalist Series marching drums. If you are looking for the same quality sound that Pearl marching drums are known for, then the Pearl Finalist series may be exactly what you need at a more affordable price point. While the Finalist series have been on the market for a while, we thought we would do a deep dive on some of the differences and similarities between the Finalist and Championship drums, and point out some of the excellent features the Finalist series has to offer you. Shell Type The Finalist Series Shells offers a birch shell as compared to the maple shell that is offered on the Championship Series of drums. These 6-ply, 5.4mm thick shells give the drums a cutting tone and most importantly offer a lighter weight than the Championship Maple drums. With 6 strategically located vent holes on the Finalist series drums they have been able to balance the volume, snare sensitivity and

As the Bands of America Grand National Championship Grand Nationals descend upon Indianapolis this week, we thought we would highlight the many bands performing from around Indiana and offer a comprehensive list of performance times. Prelims for the event start of Thursday November 14th and will continues through Friday November 15th. Bands advancing to the Semi-Finals will perform Saturday 16th morning/afternoon, with the Finals performances taking place on Saturday night. Below is a list of all #teamindiana groups performing this week. Thursday November 14th, 2024 8:15 am – South Dearborn HS 8:45 am – Batesville HS 10:15 am – Ben Davis HS 11:45 am – IPS School Showcase 2:00 pm – Greenfield-Central HS 2:45 pm – Noblesville HS 3:00 pm – Marching Price of Lawrence Township 6:30 pm – Floyd Central HS 6:45 pm – Monrovia HS 7:45 pm – Center Grove HS 8:00 pm – Avon HS 9:00 pm – Brownsburg HS 9:15 pm – Sound and Spirit of Columbus 9:30 pm – Carmel HS 9:45 pm – Fishers HS 10:30 pm – Castle HS Friday November 15th, 2024 2:45 pm – Shawe Memorial HS 5:00 pm – Goshen HS 6:30 pm – Homestead HS For more information or

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As PASIC 2024 descends upon Indianapolis in just a little over a week, we thought we would share some of the top sessions we feel would be valuable to a music educator attending the event. There are so many options to choose from when attending PASIC and we tried to balance variety of sessions while also highlighting certain sessions we feel a music educator specifically would benefit the most from attending, with a few must see/can’t miss clinics thrown in as well! Wednesday November 13th, 2024 8:00 pm – Antonio Sanchez & Bad Hombre with Thana Alexa, BIGYUKI & Lex Sadler Sagamore Ballroom One of the best professional drummers in the world, Antonio Sanchez has been lighting up the stage for years and has even being selected as Modern Drummer’s “Jazz Artist of the Year” in the past. Joined on stage by an awesome line-up of musicians, this concert will be an excellent way to start PASIC 2024. Grab a bite to eat in Downtown Indy and find your way to Sagamore Ballroom where you can sit back, relax, and take in the good fun that is sure to happen on stage.

Keep improving and preparing as a student percussionist! Chops has several drum sets and keyboards available for rental that are perfect for home practice. Now is a great time of year to think about doing an upgrade that will help you prepare for spring semester work on solos and ensembles or even jazz band. See the options below. Pearl Export Drum Set We have many drum set options to choose from in our rental pool that includes the Pearl Export 5 Piece Drum Set. As one of the most sold drum set models ever, the Pearl export stands the test of time for both quality and durability. All drum sets come with the full set of hardware and a throne. We also offer two cymbal packages with the rental depending on your needs with either the Meinl HCS or the Zildjian S Series (price varies depending on cymbal option). Available in select colors. Adams MSPA43 Soloist Series Marimba Adams Soloist Series Marimbas offer the precision construction methods and many of the great features found on the Artist and Concert series instruments, and combine them with a number of keyboards and size options ideal for beginners and schools looking for a

As we move into colder nights and early mornings around the country, drumlines across the land will start to face one major issue: KEEPING DRUMS IN TUNE! We thought we would take some time this week to share some of the top tips we have for keeping your drums in tune with extreme weather changes from indoors to outdoors. Tip #1 – Let Things Adjust First If you are going outside to warmup, rehearse, or perform have on a cold morning/evening, let a little time pass before you starting playing on the drums or tuning them outside. Get the drums outside in the cold weather in their cases and then after 10-15 minutes remove them from their cases and let them adjust to the outdoor temperature before you have students start playing or you start tuning. This will allow the heads to expand/constrict with the weather and be in the optimal position for tuning and playing. Tip #2 – Tune According to Performance Venue Let’s say you know you will be performing indoors at a large stadium for state finals, and you get to warm-up inside. In Indiana, the ISSMA state finals are held in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of

Everyone goes through ups and downs as a musician, and young musicians trying to get better are no strangers to those struggles. It is easy to get lost in the grind of practicing everyday to improve and at times hitting a wall that can be hard to push through. It is easy to find yourself getting “burnt out” when working so hard on something you are passionate about or striving to reach a goal that your are currently struggling with. We wanted to share some tips and thoughts that we hope can help you avoid burnout and reach your goals as a young musician. Balancing the Schedule One of the first steps in avoiding burnout is maintaining a balanced schedule. For instance, if you practice violin for three hours straight, it’s important to take regular breaks to rest your mind and body. Integrate non-musical activities into your day, such as reading, walking, or spending time with friends. This balance ensures that you’re not overloading on practice and gives your mind time to relax and rejuvenate. Prioritizing Physical Health Good physical health is crucial for musicians. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep are vital. Musicians often face repetitive strain

It’s that time of year when you may start reflecting and considering a change in your head selection for the upcoming marching band season. While there is some variety in marching snare and bass drum heads, there is a large variety of tenor head options available for you to choose from. Hopefully this product breakdown will give you more insight into the most popular options, as well as how each option might work for you and the overall sound of your band. We have listed some of the more popular models from both Remo and Evans below with the characteristics of each listed. Remo Marching Tenor Heads Remo Pinstripe Clear:**popular model** Sound: Clear and controlled sound with internal dampening process. Projection: Outstanding attack, clear projection. Durability: Very durable, suitable for high-tension tuning. Materials: Made from two 7-mil Mylar plies with a dampening agent. 14 mil total Remo Emperor Clear:**popular model** Sound: Provides bright and open tones with plenty of sustain. Projection: Increased volume and overall projection Durability: Good durability, although not as robust as the Pinstripe. Materials: 2-ply 7.5mil clear film, 15mil total. Remo Emperor Renaissance:**popular model** Sound: Warm tone with controlled sustain Projection: Clear articulation yet controlled and refined.

The IPA (Indiana Percussion Association) State Finals at The Hulman Center (Indiana State University) will require an outside warm-up next weekend. Those groups who have performed in Dayton for WGI Championships or participate in circuits in warmer regions of the country know this is a normal process. The outside extended warm-up can be very beneficial to preparing for the large arena environment. But for those who have not gone through that process before, here are some tips to make sure the experience is smooth and beneficial for everyone. KEEP A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THE WEATHER. Be prepared for cold, rain, wind and heat. Take jackets and coats to warm-up. Have a parent push around a large plastic trash can for the kids to ditch their jackets as they enter the arena. They might not need them, but it’s better to be prepared. Standing in a parking lot freezing before your final performance isn’t going to help you have a relaxed, confident performance. Be prepared to change on the bus. If you aren’t showing up in uniform, don’t plan to go inside to change. This may be a possibility, but it is usually much easier and quicker to take turns changing

Time to rehash another blog post that is very relevant this time of year! With concert season in full swing, we thought this would be a quick reminder on things you can check out on your snare drum if you are having issues. There are some common maintenance issues that will arise over time with relation to your concert snare drum. While most of these are fairly simple we have tried to highlight issues that can be taken care of by you with little knowledge of percussion repair. Cleaning: Wipe down each drum with a soft cloth, including the hardware and the shell. If there is extreme dirt or grime, you can use denatured alcohol diluted in water. If you have anything that is extremely sticky use a small amount of valve oil. In both cases, put the product on the cloth instead of spraying directly on the drum. Parts Inspection: Do a visual inspection for any missing or broken parts that may need replaced. Some common parts missing or broken include the following: Bent Tension Rods Damaged Tension Posts or Tubes Bent Strainer from overtightening snare strands Bent or out of Round Rims Inspect the bearing edges when heads

Common Timpani Issues With contest season in full swing, you may start to notice some issues with your timpani. Timpani are one of the more misunderstood percussion instruments with regards to function and reparability, but knowing some common issues that occur can give you a better understanding of what to check. Issue #1 – The Pedals Slip (Won’t stay in position) When the pedal on timpani is not holding either in the high or low position it is more often than not related to the range of the drums.  Over time, the heads continue to stretch and can cause the drums to become out of range and thus not allowing spring and head to be balanced with tension.  This is the first thing to check if you have pedal issues.  You should check that the lowest note on each drum is correct as seen below: If the pedal slips forward from the lowest position, it likely means that the drum is too low and needs to be brought up to the correct low note.  Holding the pedal in the heel down (low position) make small adjustments to each tension rod until you have the lowest note. If the pedal is

  Chops Percussion will be selling Tama gear used by Pi Percussion during the 2024 WGI season. This is a HUGE opportunity to save on gear that has only been used for a less than 2 months. If you’re looking to upgrade your battery percussion or your front ensemble gear, this is the time to do just that. In order to reserve an item we must have a PO from your school, check or credit card payment. We will arrange delivery to you in the final weeks of April/May 2024. Keep an eye on the list to see what is still available and give us a call to get more information! To check out the currently available gear, click here!

With the weather we experienced across Indiana last weekend, we though it would be a great idea to share some tips we have found useful over the years that will help you be prepared for anything on the day of the show. What are some useful tips you can share with others? Be sure to check the weather report the day before the event Think about what the students will wear when uploading your trailer and moving equipment inside. Have students bring a change of shoes and socks to keep their feet dry and free from slipping on the tarp. Have covers and tarps ready in case of unexpected rain or snow. Plan on spending a little extra time tuning indoors if your equipment sat on a trailer for a long drive or the night before. Have some hand warmers on hand to help get students hands warm before going into warmup. Be sure to check all electronics and cables for excessive moisture once inside. And have some extra on hand just in case. Have extra towels and cloths to dry equipment after moving inside for warmup. This will not only help protect the equipment but your mallets and sticks

  Chops Percussion will be selling all of the Pearl/Adams gear used by Veritas Percussion during the 2024 WGI season. This is a HUGE opportunity to save on gear that has only been used for a few months. If you’re looking to upgrade your battery percussion or your front ensemble gear, this is the time to do just that. In order to reserve an item we must have a PO from your school, check or credit card payment. We will arrange delivery to you in the final weeks of April/May 2024. Keep an eye on the list to see what is still available and give us a call to get more information! To check out the currently available gear, click here!

Welcome back to the Chops blog.  The Indoor Percussion Association (IPA) season is about to begin, and we’re proud to once again be the presenting sponsor for the Indiana Percussion Association!  Indoor Percussion continues to grow in popularity within the state and across around the world.  We’re lucky to have one of the best and largest indoor percussion circuits in the country, and we’re proud to support the efforts of IPA and all of the participating groups. Along with local IPA contests, there’s also a national WGI regional, hosted by Franklin Central, where you can see performances by ensembles from all over the Midwest. Here’s a schedule of remaining contests to help you find a show near you!

We thought we would re-post this as a great reminder for things not to forget as you prepare to venture out into the wild this indoor season! With indoor percussion shows starting to happen on a weekly basis, we thought it would be a good idea to give you a small reference of items you should always keep on hand during show days in case of an emergency. While you can’t always predict when an emergency or accident will happen, you can be prepared for some of the most common issues by having a proper percussion repair kit available to you and your students at all times. A great idea is to get a tackle-box or divided toolbox that is always with your percussion section whether it is during travel to a show, a concert in the auditorium, or a rehearsal on the field.  By keeping the following items in your kit you will be able to address many repairs quickly and efficiently. The following items are standard tools and supplies to keep in your toolbox:   Tools Drum Key (Standard)  SAE/Metric Wrench Set Drum Key (High Tension T-Style)  Screw Drivers (Various – Phillips and Flat) Drum Dial  Medium Sized Vice