Derek Felix

IPA Plainfield and Perry Meridian Contest Results

If you were not able to make it to either IPA contest last weekend or you’re not aware of how things played out, visit indianapercussion.org and check out the scores from this past weekend. The season is quickly coming to a close and things are starting to take shape. This weekend’s contests will be at Pendleton Heights High School and New Palestine High School. This is prelims week for Class B and the Winds groups, so everyone in those classes will be looking to have their best show of the season. Best of luck to all groups! The WGI Indianapolis Regional will also be taking place this weekend at Franklin Central High School. This is a Saturday/Sunday event. Information for this contest can be found here.

Mar 10, 2020 No Comments

IPA Greenfield-Central Contest Results

You can find the results from this past weekend’s IPA contest at indianapercussion.org. Congratulations to all the groups that competed at the show. The Plainfield and Perry Meridian contests are next up on the schedule. Best of luck to everyone on March 7th!

Mar 2, 2020 No Comments

Veritas 2020 Pearl/Adams Sale List – Reserve Now

This gear is going fast. Take a look at what’s left and see if there is something that suits your program’s needs. All gear will be available after the final 2020 performance by Veritas at the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. You can drive a trailer over to pick your instruments up, or we can make arrangements with you to deliver your order after WGI. To check out the list of available gear, please click here.

Feb 25, 2020 No Comments

Take Your Drumming to the Next Level with the NEW Pearl Decade Maple Rental Package

For several years now, we have offered a drum set rental package that included the Pearl Export EXX, Meinl HCS cymbals, and Pearl D790 throne. While the Export EXX pack is still available, we are excited to announce that we’re adding something new to our drum set rental offering. For $69 per month, you will now be able to rent the Pearl Decade Maple set (Black Ice finish only) 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): 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 consider the new Decade Maple package from Chops Percussion. Please feel free to call 877-900-DRUM or email [email protected] more details on our rent-to-buy program.

Jan 28, 2020 No Comments

Remembering Neil Peart

This is a tough blog to type. On January 7th, the music world lost a true giant and the drumming world lost one of the very best to ever play the instrument. Neil Peart passed away after a quiet, 3 year battle with brain cancer. When this was first announced on Friday, January 10th, I just remember thinking how amazing it was that his friends and family were able to keep his illness a secret. Instant information is all around us, but somehow, those closest to Neil managed to keep his condition private. I think that is the ultimate show of respect to a man that cherished his privacy and more than anything, just wanted to be a regular guy. I will always admire his band mates, family, and friends for honoring this man by saying nothing about what he was going through. Neil was a huge influence on me as a drummer. I, like thousands of other drummers, sat in my room and tried to learn every cool lick from “Moving Pictures”. To be honest, I’m still trying to learn! He played with such power and precision and nothing ever felt overdone. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever

Jan 14, 2020 No Comments

Chops Percussion Holiday Hours for 2019

Just a couple of notes on our holiday hours. We’ll be open Saturday, December 21st from 10am – 4pm. These are our normal Saturday hours. We’ll be closed on Sunday, December 22nd. We are also normally closed on Sundays. We will be closed on Tuesday, December 24th for Christmas Eve and Wednesday, December 25th for Christmas Day. We will also be closing at 2pm on Tuesday, December 31st for New Year’s Eve and we will be closed Wednesday, January 1st, 2020 for New Year’s Day. We’ll be back to normal hours on Thursday, January 2, 2020. Here’s a run-down: Saturday, December 21st: Open 10am-4pm Sunday, December 22nd: CLOSED Monday, December 23rd: Open 10am-6pm Tuesday, December 24th: CLOSED Wednesday, December 25th: CLOSED Saturday, December 28th: Open 10am-4pm Sunday, December 29th: CLOSED Monday, December 30th: Open 10am-6pm Tuesday, December 31st: Open 10am-2pm Wednesday, January 1st: CLOSED Happy Holidays from all of us at Chops Percussion! Here’s to a great 2020!

Dec 17, 2019 No Comments

2019 IPA Clinic Day Information

WHAT: 2018 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Day and I&E Competition WHEN: Saturday, December 7th, 9am-4pm (on-site registration begins at 8am) WHERE: Plainfield High School HOW: On-line registration is NOW OPEN! On-site registration the day of the clinic will begin at 8am. Cost will be $15/person pre-registration or $20 at the door. Lunch is not included but the Plainfield Band Boosters will have lunch concessions available. 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 per member. There will also be a Future College Music Majors Prep Course that day, so if you’re planning on pursing a music degree in college, you will not want to miss this. To pre-register for the clinic day, I&E Competition, or to see other IPA-related info, please visit www.indianapercussion.org. We hope to see you at Plainfield HS on December 7th!

Nov 26, 2019 No Comments

Meinl Cymbal Tour Starts Today!!!

Nov 19, 2019 No Comments

Meinl Cymbal Tour To Be Included in Paige’s Music Super Sale

After PASIC last year, we brought what Meinl cymbals didn’t sell back to our store for a 2 week cymbal tour. We are doing the same thing this year, but we’re excited to announce that we are including the cymbal tour in the Paige’s Music Super Sale. We’ll have over 200 cymbals in the booth at PASIC, so that means there were be a lot of cymbals to check out during the cymbal tour. If you’ve been curious about Meinl or you’re looking to add cymbals to your set-up, this tour will be a great opportunity for you to do just that. The Super Sale runs from Thursday, November 21st through Saturday, November 23rd. You can draw a ticket to see how much you can save on your cymbal purchase. Tickets are marked from 5% to as much as 50% off your purchase. Only one ticket can be drawn per customer and per family. The Super Sale opportunity is good for Meinl cymbals only. No other products sold through Chops Percussion is eligible for Super Sale pricing. The cymbal tour begins Monday, November 18th and runs through Saturday, November 30th. If you can’t make it to PASIC this year and

Nov 12, 2019 No Comments

Chops Percussion and Meinl USA Teaming Up For PASIC 2019

If you’re a drummer/percussionist and are making plans to attend PASIC this year, make sure pay us a visit at booth 1235. We’ll have over 200 different cymbals in the booth, along with all kinds of drum set and percussion accessories. If you have specific questions on items in the booth, our Meinl representative will be there to help you out. You are more than welcome to try out anything in the booth before buying. If you want to hear how a cymbal sounds while playing, we’ll walk you over to a drum manufacturer and you can try a cymbal out on a drum set! Great pricing will be available on each item, and you’ll get to hear it before you buy it, so come check out all the great gear we’ll have on site. If you haven’t yet registered for PASIC, or just would like more information on the event, please visit pasic.org We hope to see you next week!

Nov 5, 2019 No Comments

Vic Firth Mallet Sample Packs Now Available at Chops Percussion

Welcome back to the Chops Blog! We’re excited to announce that we have put together some Vic Firth mallet sample packs for our school customers. We know there are times when you have been curious about how certain mallets sound, but don’t want to spend the money on them and find out they’re not what you need. Or maybe you’ve used another brand for years and would like to give Vic Firth a try, but don’t know where to start. These sample packs should be just what you need! Just give us a call at 877-900-DRUM or email [email protected] to arrange your mallet pack delivery with your DM (this sample pack offering is available for Paige’s Account Schools only). Packs will feature mallets used for marching band, indoor percussion, and concert/symphonic band. If you have any questions about this program, please do not hesitate to contact us at the number or email address above. We know it’s not possible for everyone to make it in to the store to check these products out, so we’re happy to bring a bit of the store to you!

Oct 15, 2019 No Comments

Pearl Decade Rental Package Now In Classic Satin Amburst Finish

This time last year, we added the Pearl Decade Maple drum set to our rent-to-buy instrument offerings, and the response has been very positive. We wanted to let you know that we’re now offering the Decade in the Classic Satin Amburst finish. To see the finish and find out more info on the Pearl Decade Maple, please check it out here. As always, if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss your rental options over the phone, please feel free to call us at 877-900-DRUM. You can also email your questions to [email protected].

Sep 17, 2019 No Comments

Rhythm! After Hours with Drumming Legend Kenny Aronoff Next Wednesday, September 18th

Welcome back to the Chops blog. This week, we wanted to let you know about a special event happening at the Rhythm! Discover Center in downtown Indy next week. Kenny Aronoff will be in town for a performance and Q&A session. Kenny is one of the most recorded drummers in rock history, and his resume is loaded with legendary recording artists. To be able to sit and ask a musician of this caliber a question or two in such a laid-back atmosphere is a chance that will not come very often. This event is 21 and over only, and the ticket price is $30. The price includes your admission into the museum and two free beers from great local brewery, Sun King (bonus!) To see the schedule for the evening, please go to rhythmdiscoverycenter.org/rhythm-after-hours. The time for this event is 6 pm – 9 pm. Kenny will begin his portion of the evening around 6:45 pm. To purchase your ticket for the event, please go to this link: https://rhythmdiscoverycenter.myshopify.com/products/after-hours I will be there, so I hope to see you there as well!

Sep 10, 2019 No Comments

2019 DCI Recap

We had a great time at the DCI World Championships last week! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Tama booth. We had a great time catching up with many of you, and hope you had a great time watching the incredible performances throughout the weekend. Congratulations to the Blue Devils for winning another World Championship, and to the Blue Devils percussion section for taking home the high percussion award! Thank you to Tama for making some room in your booth for us this year. Make sure to visit their website to see what they’re doing in the world of marching percussion and drum set! tama.com Congratulations to all performers, staff members and volunteers on a great drum corps season! For official scores, be sure to visit the DCI score page.

Aug 13, 2019 No Comments

The Chops Basic Guide to DCI 2019

Welcome back to the Chops blog. We’re busy gearing up for the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships, held 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.

Aug 6, 2019 No Comments

July 2019 News at Chops

Marching Snare Head Feature: Remo Suede Max We get many calls this time of year regarding snare head choices. There are many tried and true products out there, but there is one newer option that is quickly becoming the choice of marching groups everywhere: the Remo Suede Max batter head. [Learn more] It’s Vintage: Restoring a Ludwig Drum Set If you are in the market for some new percussion gear for your upcoming marching band season, now is the time to take advantage of these great prices. Cap City Indoor used the gear this past indoor season, the gear is in great shape, and we just reduced the prices. [Learn more] Product Spotlight: Tama’s Dyna-Sync Bass Drum Pedals We’re excited to talk about Tama’s brand new Dyna-Sync bass drum pedals. These pedals were unveiled at Winter NAMM this past January, and there was a lot of buzz surrounding them. I can tell you after putting my own foot on one the buzz was deserved! [Learn more]

Jul 30, 2019 No Comments

Product Spotlight: Tama’s Dyna-Sync Bass Drum Pedals

Welcome back to the Chops Blog! This week, we’re excited to talk about Tama’s brand new Dyna-Sync bass drum pedals. These pedals were unveiled at Winter NAMM this past January, and there was a lot of buzz surrounding them. I can tell you after putting my own foot on one the buzz was deserved! The pedal action is unbelievably smooth. You would expect that from a pedal designed like this one, but even I was surprised by how little effort was used to play it. I know a lot of drummers look at direct drive-type pedals as great for speed, but not much else. This pedal provides both smooth speed and power, so you get the best of both worlds here. The adjustments and features included on the single and double pedals are too numerous to list in the blog, so I would suggest going here to check it out: (single) https://www.tama.com/usa/products/detail/hpds1.html (double) https://www.tama.com/usa/products/detail/hpds1tw.html The price tags are a little steep ($349.99 for the single and $699.99 for the double), but this could be the last pedal purchase you ever have to make, so that makes those prices a little easier to swallow. We have both in stock, so be

Jul 23, 2019 No Comments

Marching Snare Head Feature: Remo Suede Max

We get many calls this time of year regarding snare head choices. There are many tried and true products out there, but there is one newer option that is quickly becoming the choice of marching groups everywhere: the Remo Suede Max batter head. If you love the sound of their now-famous Black Max, but desire a softer feel, then the Suede Max is probably the head you’re looking for. Along with the softer feel, you still get the durability that you’ve come to expect with the Black Max. This drum head is available in 13” and 14”. Give us a call if you’re ready to try these out this marching band season. We have several in stock with more on the way! For more information on this drum head, visit this link: https://remo.com/products/product/suede-max/

Jul 9, 2019 No Comments

June 2019 News at Chops

Tama Marching Drums Used by High Octane Drumline Now Available at Chops Percussion This past NBA season, the High Octane Drumline performed on Tama marching drums at every Indiana Pacers home game. Now that the season is over, the drums are ready to sell. Learn more about what’s available. [Learn more] 2019 Cap City Indoor Gear – Sale Prices Now Reduced! If you are in the market for some new percussion gear for your upcoming marching band season, now is the time to take advantage of these great prices. Cap City Indoor used the gear this past indoor season, the gear is in great shape, and we just reduced the prices. [Learn more] Improve Your Skills This Summer With A Rental From Chops Percussion As hard as it is to believe, marching band season is now upon us. Before long, you will be making orders for drum heads, sticks, and mallets. Chops will have everything you need to get you ready for the upcoming season and beyond. For those of you that are fans of Evans and Promark products, please read on to learn more about the Built To Compete Buyer’s Guide! [Learn more]

Jun 25, 2019 No Comments

Tama Marching Drums Used by High Octane Drumline Now Available at Chops Percussion

This past NBA season, the High Octane Drumline performed on Tama marching drums at every Indiana Pacers home game. Now that the season is over, the drums are ready to sell. This sale includes five marching snare drums, two sets of deep-shell quints, carriers, and stands. The Tama maple marching drums are some of the best sounding drums out there right now, so this is your chance to acquire some great gear for less money. If you have any questions about the gear, please call us at 877-900-DRUM. You can also email us at [email protected] Click here to view the list.

Jun 19, 2019 No Comments