Brian Travelsted

A New Year, A New You: Drumming and Health

With every new year comes the possibility of improvement and change in our lives such as striving to be healthier, relaxing more or do something new to learn. One of the most common New Years resolutions is to work on our health/mental health. There are many great resources that demonstrate the benefits of drumming as improving both your health and mental health. Drumming can help with things such as stress relief, mental awareness, cardio and help increase energy amongst many other benefits. Whether you are an experienced drummer or a casual drummer the benefits of playing for 20 – 30 minutes a day can improve your quality of life in many ways. The activities involved in many types of drumming revolve around movement, so it makes sense that there would be so many benefits to taking part in this activity on a regular basis. Whether it is sitting down behind your drum set for a few hours a weeks or takin part in a group drumming session, your health will be improved. We hope everyone will take some time this year to drum a little more, focus on their heath and learn something new. Happy New Years to all and

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Jan 5, 2021 No Comments

Malletech World Vibes Congress 2021

                    This coming weekend Malletech is hosting a virtual clinic event known as the World Vibes Congress. There will be performances, clinics, discussions and listening sessions with some of the best vibraphonists in the world.  With names like Friedman, Locke and Harris, this one of a kind event will be on that you do not want to miss. This event is FREE to the public covers a variety of musical styles in diverse sessions that will deliver over 9 hours of streaming content! You can find all the information for the event at the following link (including YouTube link and schedule): https://malletech.com/wvc2021/ In addition to this you can check out this short promo video for a sneak peek of what is to come. Be sure to check out this great educational opportunity on January 2nd and 3rd!

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Dec 29, 2020 No Comments

Chops Percussion Holiday Hours 2020

Just a couple of notes on our holiday hours. We’ll be open on December 24th (Christmas Eve) from 10am – 2pm. We will be closed on Friday, December 25th for Christmas Eve and Saturday, December 26th.  We will also be closing at 2pm on Thursday, December 31st for New Year’s Eve and we will be closed Friday, January 1st, 2021 for New Year’s Day. We’ll be back to normal hours on Saturday, January 2, 2021 from 10am-4pm. Here’s a run-down: Thursday, December 24th: Open 10am-2pm Friday, December 25th: CLOSED Saturday, December 26th: CLOSED Monday, December 28th – Wednesday, December 30th: Open 10am-6pm Thursday, December 31st: Open 10am-2pm Friday, January 1st: CLOSED Saturday, January 2nd: Open 10am-4pm Happy Holidays from all of us at Chops Percussion! Here’s to a great 2021!

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Dec 23, 2020 No Comments

Yearly Maintenance Tips: A Comprehensive Guide

As the new year approaches, your program is likely going into the busiest time of year with concert band, solo and ensemble, jazz band and indoor percussion all happening at the same time.  Often times you may not think about taking a little extra time to do a thorough inspection of your gear, but it will go a long way in getting the most out of your investment. 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

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Dec 9, 2020 No Comments

IN STOCK: Pearl Decade Maple 5 Pc. Drum Set

We currently have a full stock of Pearl Decade Maple 5 Piece Drum Sets in stock in the Classic Satin Amburst Finish. These would make any beginner or advanced drummer excited to sit down and practice every day. The quality of these drums are unmatched in this price range and would make a great holiday gift for any aspiring drummer! You can even package them together with Sabin XSR cymbals for a Rent-to-Own option. For $69 per month, you will now be able to rent the Pearl Decade Maple set with 830 series hardware, a Sabin XSR cymbal package (14” hi hats, 16” and 18” crashes, 20” ride), and a Pearl D930 drum throne. We’ve had many requests for drum set outfits with upgraded drum and cymbal options, and this package definitely fits the bill. Do you want to hear the Decade in action? Please check out this video (best to listen with headphones or high-quality speakers): *prices shown in video may not be accurate for current pricing* To learn more about Sabian XSR cymbals, check out this video: https://sabian.com/en/videos/xsr/226055911 If you are a drummer, or have an aspiring drummer at home looking for an equipment upgrade, we hope you’ll

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Dec 1, 2020 No Comments

2020 Indiana Percussion Association Virtual Clinic Week

WHAT: 2020 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Week WHEN: Monday: November 30th, 2020 thru Saturday: December 5th, 2020 WHERE: IPA You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJIuk3ChZTcTdQqyZLdujew With many great clinics lined up throughout the week, this is FREE week long clinic being put on by the Indiana Percussion Association in support of the many students and directors for the upcoming 2021 indoor percussion season. A great opportunity to keep your students engaged and learn from some of the best people in the activity. The week-long clinic will culminate with performances by High Octane, Ball State University Percussion Ensemble, Indiana State University Percussion Ensemble, Mark Ford, and Jeff Queen and Nick Angelis with Blast from the Past! In addition to the great clinic opportunities, they will be giving away a free lesson with Dr. Jimmy Finnie, percussion professor at Indiana State University. This is open to an student in IPA, great for college prep, individual/ensemble feedback. Spots are limited so sign up soon at this link: http://www.tinyurl.com/IPAfreelesson Keep an eye on all the Indiana Percussion Association social media posts throughout the coming weeks for updates. This free clinic is one of a kind opportunity that you don’t want to miss. Follow the Indiana Percussion Association

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Nov 24, 2020 No Comments

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Meinl Drumsticks and Brushes

Meinl is well known for the versatile line of cymbals they produce for styles ranging from fusion, rock, pop and more. They are known for producing cymbals that really allow you to find your “sound” and have the most individualized sound possible. With the relatively new line of drums sticks from Meinl, you can take this individualized sound even farther with many variations on popular models such the Standard 5A, Heavy 5A, and Hybrid 5A. Each stick is made from American Hickory wood and produced in Germany with the highest in weight matching standards. If you are looking for even more unique sounds, check out their different lines of brushes, hot rods and drum set beaters. Meinl has focused on creating drum sticks and brushes that give you the drummer the ultimate voice! Check out the video linked below to see even more detail about why Meinl started  making drumsticks and stop in today if you would like to check out some sticks for yourself!

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Nov 17, 2020 No Comments

What’s Old is New – Getting Rid of Rust

A majority of percussion equipment contains some type of metal that is prone to developing rust after years of wear and tear.  This could be an old snare drum with rusted out lugs, rusty rims and rust on the shell, or an old set of bells that has lost its shine. Don’t let the rust stand in the way of an instrument being used properly and sounding great.  With a little bit of time and some elbow grease you can make those OLD instruments look and sound NEW again. You can quickly and effectively remove rust on your percussion equipment by following a few steps: Step 1: Remove parts from the instrument so that all areas can be exposed to cleaning.  Do not try to clean or remove rust with parts still attached the instrument.  For instance, remove all lugs from the drum so they can be cleaned individually and all the way around.

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Sep 29, 2020 No Comments

Get Your Percussion Gear Ready For The New Year

As the new year approaches, your program is likely going into the busiest time of year with concert band, solo and ensemble, jazz band and indoor percussion all happening at the same time.  Often times you may not think about taking a little extra time to do a thorough inspection of your gear, but it will go a long way in getting the most out of your investment. 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

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Dec 10, 2019 No Comments

It’s Vintage: Restoring a Ludwig Drum Set

Every once in a while we will get a call from a customer that is somewhat out of the ordinary.  I recently visited a local summer camp that had a few drum sets that were in need of some work.  When I arrived to inspect the drums I was able to piece back together two drum sets that needed new heads and cleaned.  I was not expecting to find a vintage set of drums. The 1967 Ludwig Club Date that I found had all the original parts except for the cymbal arm and a hoop on the mounted tom.  While I knew it would be a challenge, I was determined to make these drums look and sound great again.  Below is a basic breakdown of the steps taken to get the drums back into excellent condition.

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Jul 16, 2019 No Comments
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