Welcome back to the Chops blog! Today we’d like to take the chance to preview the new college football season and several of our local collegiate marching bands. If you are a fan of the marching arts, it’s hard to beat Indiana. Between drum corps during the summer, marching band in the fall, and winter guard and percussion during the winter and spring, there’s rarely a break between marching seasons. However, it’s easy to forget that there are many great college marching bands in the state. Butler, Purdue, Indiana, Indiana State, and Marian University are all located in, or within a short drive from Indianapolis, and have excellent marching bands. These bands will perform before, during, and after their school’s home football games throughout the fall and winter. For the relatively inexpensive price of a ticket you can see an exciting college football game and performances from the band.  Be sure to get there early for some tailgating, as most of the bands will perform outside the stadium before everyone heads inside! The Butler University Marching Band will perform seven times this fall at upcoming games. 9/10 – vs. Franklin 10/1 – vs. San Diego 10/8 – vs. Marist (Homecoming) 10/15 –

Now that school has started, we’re getting visits from many parents that need equipment for the percussionist(s) in their home. Do you, the teacher, have a required list of sticks and mallets for your percussionists to get? If so, please don’t assume that we know what your student needs. A list of all of your required implements would be a huge help to us at Chops and would ensure that your students get exactly what they need when they need it. This also helps us with keeping your required implements in stock, so that no child is waiting on sticks or mallets weeks into the school year. Let’s work together and make sure your student is 100% prepared when they walk into your band room. Please e-mail your list to [email protected] and we’ll do our very best to make sure we have what your student needs in stock. If you’re unsure what equipment would be good for your students to use, please contact us. We’re always here to help!

We all see things plastered on the internet about activities that improve one’s physical well-being, but many people would be shocked to know that drumming is one of those things. There have been many studies done to back this up, but the article featured here is one of the more popular studies done on the relationship between drumming and physical fitness. So the next time you’re thinking of ways to get in shape, maybe you choose the drums instead of the treadmill! Rock drummers ‘are top athletes’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7518888.stm

Chops Percussion made the trip to Dayton, OH this past weekend for the WGI World Championships. We’re very lucky to have the support of many schools and independent groups that made the trip as well. Without these groups, our success would not be possible. Congratulations to the following groups for making WGI Finals in their respective classes:   Scholastic A Decatur Central HS (7th Place) Zionsville Community HS (10th Place) Greenfield-Central HS (15th Place)   Independent A Ferndale Independent Percussion (Silver Medalist)   Scholastic Open Victor J Andrew HS (7th Place) Franklin Central HS (10th Place)   Scholastic World Avon HS (4th Place) Center Grove HS (6th Place) Goshen HS (8th Place) Clinton HS (10th Place) Forsyth Central HS (13th Place)   Scholastic Concert World Goshen HS (Silver Medalist) Congratulations to the following groups for their participation at the WGI World Championships: Norwell HS (PSA); Minooka Community HS (PSA); Carroll HS (PSA); Tri-West HS (PSA); Pike HS (PSO); Plainfield HS (PSO); Lambert HS (PSW); Ben Davis HS (PSW); Legacy Indoor Percussion (PIW). We’ll see you next year in Dayton!!!!

Have you ever gone to bed at night after playing your drums, or after drumline rehearsal, and had an incessant ringing in your ears? If you have, that is your body telling you that you’ve done some damage to your hearing. Please know that hearing loss is irreversible, so you need to start protecting your ears NOW! How, you ask? There are a few surefire ways to do so. Earplugs/Filters – The most obvious solution, but one that definitely takes some getting used to. I started playing drums when I was 14, but didn’t start wearing plugs until I was in my 30’s. I wish someone would have told me how important hearing protection was when I was first starting out. Do yourself a favor and start using earplugs now. Tell yourself that ear protection is just as essential as the sticks you use to play. Drum Mutes – Not only do drum mutes help the player, but they also help the people around you. Have you ever heard “That’s enough of that noise” from a parent or sibling? If so, drum mutes may be the answer to your prayers (and theirs). The best part about drum mutes? You can

The Road to Drumming Stardom Begins at myfirstdrumset.com! Are you taking up drumming for the first time? Are you buying a drum set for the drummer in your life this holiday season? If so, you may want to start at myfirstdrumset.com. This website was created by the people at Pearl Drums with the idea of educating not only the drummer, but the parent or loved one who is buying the set. Here are the highlights: A “Welcome to Drumming” video with appearances by some of the top names in the drumming world. A step-by-step video that shows you how to correctly unpack and set up your drum set. Video tips on tuning, warming up, and playing your first beats on your new drum set. A drum set buying guide. A very informative FAQ section. Statistics that show what a great thing drumming can be for the mind, body, and spirit! If you or someone you love has decided that this is the year to take up drumming, there really is no better place to start than myfirstdrumset.com! And when you’re ready to make the purchase, Chops Percussion has many great instrument options for you to choose from, including the Roadshow