Now is a great time to do some general equipment maintenance and cleaning that can ensure you are ready for the busy months ahead.  Having your students actively participate in this process will help them take pride over equipment that will be used long after they leave your program and can help the process move along faster and seem less overwhelming. Below are some quick and easy tips for making sure your gear is in top shape to start the new year: Take an inventory of all your equipment at the end of each semester. Clean all equipment using a soft cloth to remove any dirt or grime that has built up over time.  A small amount of diluted rubbing alcohol can help remove major build-up. Inspect your instruments for any missing parts. Check for broken or damaged areas on your equipment that may require repair or replacement. Ensure that all frame bolts, nuts, carrier parts, etc. are at the correct tightness. Cover all instruments daily and keep small instruments stored properly.  Don’t leave equipment on the truck for long periods of time. For a more exhaustive list of maintenance and specific things to look for you can download the pdf file here: Comprehensive

WHAT: 2023 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Day and I&E Competition WHEN: Saturday, December 2nd, 11am-5pm (on-site registration begins at 10:30am) WHERE: Plainfield Community Middle School HOW TO REGISTER: For Individuals or group pay by CC: Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door (Pre-registration closes on December 1st) To buy your ticket, please CLICK HERE. For schools paying with school check: For school groups, please send an email to BROOKE at [email protected] with the following information. You will be sent an invoice for school check payment. *School name, Number of tickets requested DETAILS: Come listen, watch and learn from amazing percussion educators at the IPA Clinic Day! Participants will visit multiple clinics throughout the day, hearing from some of the best performing artists and educators on all areas of percussion. Clinic sessions run from 11am-5pm with a lunch break. Lunch will be available for purchase at Plainfield Middle School or students may provide their own. **Please plan on bringing your own sticks, mallets, and pads** I/E COMPETITION: Individual and Ensemble Competition will be held during the day. The categories are: Snare Drum, Tenors, Keyboard, Timpani, and Percussion Ensemble. The entrance fee for a solo is $12. The fee for an ensemble is $8

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

We are proud to now be able to offer another excellent option for all your marching percussion cart needs, by way of Synced-Up Audio. Synced Up offers a variety of synth, speaker, mixer, and auxiliary percussion carts.  Synced-Up is made of a team of current and former percussion educators and sound designers that understand the unique style of carts needed for both the indoor and outdoor marching arts. Synced Up is also able to offer a relatively quick turnaround time on many of their cart options, with many of the options being available in 2-5 months. This along with the top-quality materials and construction make them a great option for all your audio/percussion cart needs. Below are some examples of their current offerings: (For more details information you can visit www.syncedupaudio.com) Synth/Mixer Carts Synced Up offers open and enclosed synth carts, which allows you to get something that best meets your budget and needs. The Shielded Synth Cart (SY2) includes an Edison power inlet and a horizonal accessory rail, making this a great option if you need also have your synth players cover some acoustic percussion parts. The Enclosed Synth Cart (SY3) is completely enclosed and give you the max

There are a ton of options in the market now when you are looking for suspended cymbals to enhance the sound of your front ensemble. We thought we would take some time to give you some of our top recommendations if you are looking to upgrade your sound this fall.   Things to Consider when Purchasing  When considering what option may be best for your ensemble, it is important to think about the following:  What is the size of your ensemble? Consider both your percussion and wind players.  Are you looking for year-round use or just for marching band? If you do indoor percussion you may want to have different options available.   How many people do you see playing suspended cymbal rolls at a time? This relates to question 1 about the size of your ensemble.  What Size of Cymbal Should I Use?  While there are many great options from 16” – 20” for suspended cymbals, for our recommendations below we are using 18” cymbals. We would suggest that you consider using different sizes across your front ensemble if possible. But if you are looking for a more unified sound from all performers the 18” cymbals tend to sit in middle

Band directors and percussion directors are always looking for budget friendly accessories that hold up to the constant use that happens in middle school and high school programs. The new Overture by Black Swamp Percussion instrument line is a start of that vision from one of the most reputable companies in concert percussion instruments. Long known for their top quality instruments such as snare drums, tambourine, triangles and more, Black Swamp recently released a new series of instrument that will bridge the gap and give their same great quality instruments at a budget friendly price. For now, the Overture series includes a tambourine, castanet machine and woodblocks. We take a look in todays blog, what each instrument has to offer from this new series. TDOV – Tambourine The Overture Series Tambourine (TDOV) has actually been in the Black Swamp line-up for a while and has quickly become a favorite among middle school directors.  The textured brass jingles give this tambourine a bright sound and combined with the Remo Renaissance Head that gives a pure tone when struck. The increased durability of the synthetic head also allows for the purchaser to know they are getting a tambourine with durability and longevity

As with many things in percussion, tuning drums is a very personal thing that is often guided by preferences picked up in past performance and teaching experiences. This has never been more true than in how a group will tune their concert bass drum and this is often overlooked when preparing for the upcoming season. We thought we would offer a few good ways to tune your concert bass drums in this week’s blog. Before we dive into the various tuning methods we suggest you try, let’s talk about the many things that will affect how you might ultimately find your preferred sound. What sort of things will affect the sound of my drum? Depth/Diameter The diameter and depth of your drum will definitely play a large role in ultimately finding the sound that you prefer. If you have a 32″ x 16″ drum you can’t expect it to have the same full, deep sound that a 40″ x 22″ drum will have. However, you can still find a nice low sound that will work best for you drum. When it comes to the depth and diameter of your drum, it is important to keep your expectations relative to those

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. Following up on a successful year for indoor percussion here in Indiana at both IPA and WGI this year is sure to be one of the best ever! With the new Regional A class and some groups returning to the marching idiom after a few years in concert class we can’t wait to see everyone get their season underway. Here’s a schedule of remaining contests to help you find a show near you!

Chops Percussion will be selling all of the Pearl/Adams gear used by Veritas Percussion during the 2023 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 2023. 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!

Concert season and indoor percussion is here and there’s no better time to get your instruments evaluated than now! Chops Percussion and Paige’s Music’s repair department are willing to send a trained specialist to your school to assess your percussion inventory. Our percussion repair specialist, will work with you in deciding the best course of action to get your inventory back in its best shape! Paige’s Music offers on-site repair for large percussion instruments such as timpani, mallet instruments, concert bass drums, etc. This service is intended to alleviate the need to send in large instruments with your District Manager and be without them for several weeks. If an instrument is not repairable, we will recommend the best replacement options to best suit your ensemble’s needs. No more waiting for your large instruments or going without because the instrument is waiting in the shop! Small percussion instruments can be paired with a large percussion instrument request for added value. If interested in an equipment evaluation or on-site repairs, please email [email protected] for more information.

As we move into the latter part of the fall marching band season, we’re faced with weather hazards that can do much damage to our instruments. It’s near the end of the season, so we can’t just escape inside to rehearse music if rain and very cold weather continues to hit during rehearsal times. Eventually, you have to go outside. There’s also the possibility of having to deal with these elements during a contest performance. Here are some tips to help make sure your instruments survive the elements this fall. During Rehearsals and Performances Use covers as much as possible for your mallet instruments, especially when drill is a focus and the pit isn’t playing all the time. If raining during rehearsal, keep mallets dry and use old mallets if available. Keep your “show mallets” in good condition. Try to avoid too much water collecting on your drum heads and dump if needed. Keep tenor drums down in playing position and don’t allow the inside wood shells to get soaked if raining heavy. Keep stick tips and bass drum mallets dry. Use old sticks and mallets if possible. Use a window squeegee to clear water collected on timpani heads In

While many percussion students will start with a bell kit or small xylophone when they start band in middle school, these instruments are meant to help you learn the basics of playing mallet percussion instruments and come with limitations if you plan on getting more serious and want to practice at home. We would like to take some time in today to cover some of the key advantages to upgrading to either the Adams AMPD33R or the Adams MSPA43 marimba. The starter mallet percussion instrument is designed to help facilitate young percussion students at learning the basic fundamentals of technique, but most importantly how the notes are laid out on the instrument and how that relates to the music on the page. These instruments are often limited in the range of the instrument, general sound quality, and nuance in technique as a percussion student grows older. Here at Chops Percussion we offer students the opportunity to upgrade from their starter percussion instrument into a marimba by offering good quality and affordable at home practice instruments that can help a student move passed the beginner stage and become truly great keyboard percussion players. We believe the following points are the biggest

We have recently updated our demo/clearance list with more products at a great price. Everything from marching drums, carriers, stick bags, sticks, and more. We even have two Roland SPD-X Drum Samplers on Clearance that are brand new! With many great offers take a second to check out the list at the link below and give us a call to check on availability as the list and quantities are constantly changing. We are sure there is something on the list that you can get at an amazing price that will be a great addition to your percussion gear! https://www.chopspercussion.com/run?useUX=true&id=8&opid=712&_tid=379 Note: All sales are final for all items on the clearance list and are not able to be returned. Call us today to check for stock availability – (317) 813-2070.

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 Grips Timpani Key (Ludwig/Yamaha vs. Adams)  Needle Nose and Regular Pliers Scissors SAE/Metric Allen Key Set Lighter  Supplies White Lithium Grease (Tube or Container)   Various Size Cymbal

While the SPYR series of mallets from Promark have been out for a few years, we thought we would take some time to review what the series involves and some of the different options available within the series of mallets. Promark began a new process for making all their mallets where they do more of the processing in house and have new technology for attaching the shaft to the mallet balls/cores with epoxy and threaded molds. This new technology has increased the durability of their mallets to allow them to be used longer and have less issues with the mallet heads. The SPYR series is a collaboration with world-renowned percussionists, designers and educators Kevin Shah and Tony Nunez. They have designed this with the educator in mind and these are also budget friendly options that can cover the multitude of mallet percussion instruments. With 20 different models tthere is a mallet for every situation you can think of in your percussion literature.  These mallets would be a great lineup for middle school directors looking to have options but on a budget. With a clear color coding system for soft to hard mallets it is very easy for even the untrained

Whether out of necessity or by design front ensemble set-ups sometimes need to be smaller or more compact given the number or performs or amount of equipment you might have at your school. In today’s blog, we are going to give you some recommended series of mallets that would be great if you have a set-up that involves one performer playing two instruments throughout the show. You will see more and more smaller front ensembles utilizing mallet players to play marimba and then swap to another instrument such as the vibraphone or bells or even a mounted xylophone. We wanted to highlighted some recommended mallets that we feel are a great choice for these type of set-ups and why they can be beneficial to your students development and playing conditions. Marimba/Vibraphone Mallets There are two series of mallets that we feel would make a great set of mallets as a performer who needs to play both the marimba and the vibraphone in quick succession or make many mallet changes through the show. The Vic Firth Iain Moyer series and the Innovative Percussion Tom Rarick series of mallets are great for this type of set-up. The reason we feel these work

Image by Drum Corps International Welcome back to the Chops blog!  It is a special year for the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships as they celebrate 50 years, right here this week in Indianapolis!  It takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium and surrounding areas.  The competition inside Lucas Oil stadium isn’t the only thing to see.  There are many events throughout the week, most of which are free and open to the public! Here’s our basic guide to help you take in some of the action. Drum Corps Competitions Monday, August 8:  Open Class Prelims – Wildcat Stadium (Marion, IN) – 4:00 pm Tuesday, August 9: Open Class Finals – Wildcat Stadium (Marion, IN) – 6:00 pm Thursday, August 11:  World Class Prelims – Lucas Oil Stadium – 10:30 am Thursday, August 11: Big, Loud, & Live – Select Cinemas across the U.S.A. – 6:30 pm Friday, August 12:  World Class Semi-finals – Lucas Oil Stadium – 1:00 pm Saturday, August 13:  World Class Finals – Lucas Oil Stadium – 5:30 pm Ticket prices vary by event.  See DCI Tickets for details. SoundSport International Music & Food Festival & DrumLine Battle (Food Trucks!) Saturday, August 10, 10am – 2:30pm Lucas Oil Stadium,