Welcome back to the Chops blog! In our last post we discussed several popular practice pads. Today we’re going to focus on practice pads designed specifically for marching drummers. Vic Firth Heavy Hitter Pads Vic Firth offers a complete line of practice pads for marching drummers with their Heavy Hitter pads. Last time we introduced the Stock Pad, which we recommend for all drummers, and the Slim Pad, which we recommend for marching drummers. The thin rubber surface of the Slim Pad is designed to imitate high tension marching snare drums. For tenor (or quad) drummers, the Heavy Hitter Quadropad is a popular choice. Like the Slim and Stock Pads, the Quadropad features gum rubber pads on a durable wood surface. Two sizes, small and large, are available to match common tenor drum configurations. The small Quadropad mimics 8, 10, 12, and 13 inch tenor drums, while the large pad replicates the more common 10, 12, 13, and 14 inch sets. Both sets include two unattached, adhesive backed pads for the “shot” or “spock” drums that the player can set according to their preference. Each set also includes a complete set of laminates, an adhesive backed piece of plastic that

Welcome back to the Chops blog! Today we’ll be discussing practice pads. A practice pad is a device that replicates the feel and sound of a drum, but is much quieter. They make practice easy, quiet, and most importantly, bearable for others. You have many different options when selecting a practice pad, but with so many choices it can be difficult to select an appropriate pad. Choose a pad based on way it will be used, or the type of music you play. Some pads are versatile and can be used by all percussionists, while others are designed for specific activities such as marching music. We offer many different practice pads, each with their own features and design. Today we’ll highlight a few or our favorites. Remo Tunable Practice Pad Remo has been making their Tunable Practice Pad for several decades. Available in six, eight, and ten inch diameters, it features a real Remo drum head over a foam surface. You can easily adjust the tension on the plastic rim with a flat head screwdriver to change feel of the pad. The bottom of the pad is covered with rubber for use on surfaces and includes a nut for mounting

Welcome back to our series on snare drum maintenance. In the last post we discussed how to properly remove worn drum heads. Today we’ll address how to replace them with new heads. After you’ve removed worn heads and cleaned your drum, it’s time to install new heads. Begin by placing the new head on the shell, and the rim on the head. For aesthetics, most drummers align the logo on the head with the badge on the drum. Before putting tension on the head you should consider lubricating the tension rods. Many products are available, but I recommend lithium grease. It’s inexpensive, effective, durable, and can be found at any auto parts store. To lubricate the tension rods, simply dip the threaded end into your lubricant. With the tension rods lubricated, insert them into the lugs. Following the same cross pattern we used to remove the heads in our previous lesson, use your fingers to draw the tension rods tight to the rim. Done correctly, this will apply a consistent level of tension across the head and prepare you to tune the drum with a key. With the top head installed, use the same technique on the new bottom head.

Welcome back to our series on snare drum maintenance. In the previous posts we discussed how to identify and replace worn snare wires. Today we’ll address the first step in replacing drum heads: how to remove worn heads. Believe it or not, all drum heads will eventually wear out. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to remove and replace them. Follow this procedure to replace the heads on your drums. Before we begin you’ll need to know the name of your drum’s parts. Your drum heads are held in place by the rims, the circular metal or wood pieces. Tension is applied to the rim and heads by the tension rods, the bolts with a specialized square end. The tension rods are screwed into lugs, the metal pieces attached to the drum shell. You will need a drum key to remove the heads. Keys are inexpensive, and readily available, but I recommend the larger keys designed for marching drums. They are more expensive, but the extra leverage makes changing heads much easier. Begin by gradually releasing the tension from the rim. Using the pattern illustrated below, loosen all the tension rods a quarter or half turn. Repeat this pattern several times until

At the Indiana Percussion Association State Finals several weeks ago I held a simple trivia contest. Brave volunteers that visited the Allman Drums booth were asked to draw the name of a band or musician from a drum. If they could name a drummer for the group they received a piece of candy. It was for fun, but I hoped it would encourage young percussionists to know history. A crucial part of the development of young percussionists and drummers is a knowledge and respect for history. The music you play today is built upon decades and centuries of previous musicians. For instance, Neal Peart, legendary drummer for Rush, was influenced by Keith Moon of The Who. Keith Moon’s flamboyant style was inspired by the showmanship of big band drummers Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. Krupa and Rich were both innovators in the relatively new style of jazz, and drew upon the early work of Warren ‘Baby’ Dodds and Zutty Singleton. Considering this context, it’s easy to see the roots of Peart’s creativity, technical mastery, and showmanship. Steve Houghton, Professor of Music (Percussion and Jazz) at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, has a quote on the door to

Welcome back to our series on snare drum maintenance. In the previous post we discussed snares and how to tell when they should be replaced. Today we’ll address how to choose an appropriate replacement for worn snares. The most important criteria when replacing snares is the number of strands, or individual wires in the set. As the number of strands in a snare increases, so does the response and sensitivity of the drum. If you are unhappy with your current snares count the number of strands and select a replacement accordingly. Increasing or reducing the number of snares on your drum is one of the easiest ways to change its sound and character.   You should also select a set based on the depth of your drum. Deeper drums require more strands, while shallow drums require less. For instance, this piccolo snare is four inches deep and has a snare with sixteen strands. This snare drum is six and half inches deep and has Puresound Percussion Custom Pro snares. They include twenty strands and a clever cotter pin design that allows the snares to be removed quickly to change heads. We have many different snare choices available, including Puresound Percussion,

Welcome to part one of our series on snare drum maintenance. In this series we’ll be discussing the common maintenance and upkeep that should be done to care for concert and drum set snares. We’ll begin by discussing one of the most frequently overlooked aspects of snare drums: the snare wires. Much like drum heads, snare wires have a significant influence on the sound and performance of a drum, but unfortunately, they are often neglected. How do you know when wires are worn and need replaced? There are two easy ways to spot a bad set of snare wires. First, look for damage, including broken or warped strands. Individual strands that are not straight have more room to move and will vibrate longer than desired. The wires of this snare are warped, and caused excessive buzz. Compare that with the wires of this snare, which are straight and undamaged. If you have one or two strands that are warped you can easily remove them with a pair of pliers. If more than two strands are damaged it is probably time to replace the wires. Second, listen for excessive buzz and sympathetic vibration. If your snares ring too much look for

1. Gov’t Mule with John Scofield, February 28th, The Egyptian Room at the Murat Theatre. Drummer: Matt Abts Gov’t Mule will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their eponymous, debut release with guitarist John Scofield on February 28th at The Egyptian Room at the Murat Theatre. Drummer Matt Abts 2. Sarah McLachlan, March 10th, Murat Theatre. Drummer: Kurt Bisquera Although often associated with depressing commercials for animal rights organizations, there’s much more to McLachlan. The Canadian pop singer and Lilith Fair cofounder will revisit many of her hits when she visits the Murat Theatre on March 10th. She will be backed by veteran session drummer Kurt Bisquera. 3. Farrelly Markiewicz Quartet, March 14th, The Jazz Kitchen. Drummer: Gene Markiewicz Our good friend, and Indianapolis Jazz Foundation Hall of Famer, Gene Markiewicz will appear with the Farrelly Markiewicz Quartet at the Jazz Kitchen on March 14th to pay tribute to Michael Brecker. 4. Stewart Copeland, March 27th, Clowes Hall. The well-known drummer for The Police will visit Indianapolis with pianist Jon Kimura to perform chamber music. Their program will include Copeland’s original compositions and Parker’s adaptation of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”. 5. The Wayne Shorter Quarter, March 21st, The Palladium. Drummer: