Tips

Director And Instructor Job List

This time of year we like to remind everyone that Paige’s Music keeps a list of the current job opportunities for both directors and instructors. This is a repost of an article we wrote last May. It’s that time of year, when director and instructor positions begin to open up around the state. If you’re looking for a certified teaching position, a percussion director position, or part-time tech work, make sure to check the Paige’s Music job openings page. If you’re a director looking for extra help, please make sure to post the opening here so we can help send candidates your way! It’s easy to do. Head over to the Paige’s Music home page. Hover over “JOB LIST” in the top menu and click on “Job Post Request”. Fill in the form and click submit. We typically have your opening posted no later than the next business day. You can also access that form directly by clicking here. Please let us know if you have any questions about the job list.

May 15, 2018 No Comments

Tips for Indoor Drumline – Warming Up Outside

This weekend is the only IPA show of the season that requires an outside warmup. Those groups who have performed in Dayton for WGI Championships or participate in circuits in warmer regions of the country know this is a normal process. The outside extended warmup can be very beneficial to preparing for the large arena environment. But for those who have not gone through that process before, here are some tips to make sure the experience is smooth and beneficial for everyone.

Apr 3, 2018 No Comments

That’s why they call it “Winter Drumline”

Although it is “officially” Spring, the Indiana Percussion Association was thrown a snowball this past weekend for State Prelims day. A band of blizzard-like conditions came roaring through central Indiana, in a narrow stretch that beat up on some areas, but left much of the state untouched without a single snowflake. The IPA executive board did an excellent job staying on top of the weather conditions, communicating to school directors, and making decisions for the safety of all involved. Ultimately, both show sites (Avon and Decatur Central) had to cancel midway through the day, as it became obvious the weather band was going to continue to sit right over the contest sites and not let up. Everyone packed up quickly and headed home while there was still daylight. The IPA board announced on Sunday that all units would be performing state finals day, and they are currently working on the schedule, which will be available HERE as soon as it’s announced. If you plan to attend, please remember to stop by the Chops Percussion booth and say hi! Thank you again to the IPA board for their tireless efforts, volunteering their time to make decisions in the best interest of

Mar 27, 2018 No Comments

Indoor Percussion Tips: Getting On and Off the Floor

Now that most of you are getting into the contest portion of your indoor season, you find yourselves rehearsing your group on the basics of getting on and off the competition floor in a swift and stress-free manner. Some groups struggle with this aspect of the show day, and that can have a negative impact on the most important part of the day – your performance. I have a unique perspective on this topic. Being a Timing & Penalties judge for the Indiana Percussion Association (IPA), I get to see many groups enter and exit. Here are a few tips that you can use to make sure you’re ready for a quick and efficient entrance and exit:

Feb 27, 2018 No Comments

2018 IMEA Professional Development Conference

If you’re attending the IMEA conference this week, here’s a list of performances and clinics with percussion interest you should check out! Make sure to stop by the Chops Percussion and Paige’s Music display booth and say hello! Performing Groups Goshen Jazz Ensembl Friday 1/12, 11:00am IU Jazz Ensemble Friday 1/12, 2:30pm Creekside Middle School Friday 1/12, 2:30pm Carmel High School Friday 1/12, 3:30pm Day of Percussion: Brazilian Batucada Saturday 1/13, 9:00am Concord HS Percussion Saturday 1/13, 10:00am Decatur Central HS Percussion Saturday 1/13, 1:00pm ISU Wind Ensemble Saturday 1/13, 3:30pm All State Honor Ensembles All State Jazz Band Friday 1/12, 12:00pm Junior All State Band Saturday 1/13, 9:00am All State Honor Band Saturday 1/13, 11:00am All State Percussion Ensemble Saturday 1/13, 12:00pm Clinic Sessions with Percussion Interest Friday 1/12: 11:00am How Loud is too Loud? A Guide to Protecting Hearing (Katrin Meidell) 12:00pm What’s in YOUR Percussion Toolbox? (Chris Crockarell, Chris Brooks) 1:00pm Musicians that happen to play Percussion (Chad Kohler) 3:30pm Put Your Marching Show on the Field in Record Time (Brad Wadkins) Saturday 1/13: 8:00am Beginning Percussion 101 (Clayton Henady) 8:00am Common Matched Grip Problems for Beginning Percussionists (Kyle Lutes) 9:00am Get a Better Snare Drum Sound

Jan 9, 2018 No Comments

2017 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Day, I&E Competition

WHAT: 2017 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Day and I&E Competition WHEN: Saturday, December 9th, 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. Clinic Day Group Registration: https://tinyurl.com/y9frohml This educational clinic day is an opportunity for all percussion students in Indiana to learn from several professional musicians and clinicians. STUDENT CLINICS & PERFORMANCE SESSIONS:

Nov 28, 2017 No Comments

Paige’s Music Repair Shop Now Offering On-Site Percussion Repairs

Our repair department is excited to announce a new service being introduced this school year. On-site percussion repairs at your school! Now offered by appointment only 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. Dustin Smith, our percussion repair specialist, will get some pertinent information from you about what you are needing repaired. He will then determine parts that may be needed and set up an appointment for visiting your school to complete the repairs. Hopefully all in one visit. Again, 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, please email Dustin at [email protected] for more information.

Oct 31, 2017 No Comments

2018 Indiana All-State Percussion Ensemble Auditions

Audition Materials Submission Deadline: November 1, 2017 Directors and Students – We want to make you aware of this great opportunity for outstanding young percussionists, and let you know the deadline to submit applications is coming up. Please share this with any outstanding high school percussionist that may be interested in this fantastic opportunity! Below is the information from the IMEA website: 2018 Indiana All-State Percussion Ensemble Performance Information Grand Wayne Convention Center, Fort Wayne January 11-13, 2018 Featured Guest Clinician: Ivan Trevino IMEA, in partnership with the Percussive Arts Society and Indiana Percussion Association is pleased to present this fantastic opportunity for your percussion students! Participating students will have the opportunity to explore different genres of percussion ensemble music led by regional clinicians and featured guest Ivan Trevino. Activities will begin on Thursday, January 11 at 1:00 PM and conclude on Saturday, January 13 by 5:00 PM. Audition Information Eligibility: Students in Grades 9-12 residing in Indiana or neighboring states are eligible to apply. Application materials: Available at the following website http://imeamusic.org/programs-events/all-state-honor-ensembles/all-state-percussion-ensemble/ Audition Requirements: Applicants will submit audio or video recordings of 1-2 minute excerpts from at least 2 of the following categories: Snare Four mallet keyboard percussion Two-mallet keyboard percussion Drum Set / Multiple Percussion Timpani Guidelines: Students in Grades 9-12

Oct 3, 2017 No Comments

Remembering John Henry Bonham

Welcome back to the Chops blog. Today we’re remembering the untimely passing of one of the most influential drummers of all time, John Henry Bonham. We’d like to celebrate his life and influence by sharing some of our favorite Bonham-related links we’ve found on the web. They include an article from Drum! Magazine on 10 ways to sound like Bonham, a video from his drum tech Jeff Ocheltree on how to tune and mic like Bonham, and some isolated drums tracks of him in the studio. Give the article a read, check out the Jeff Ocheltree video, then sit back and listen to the bombastic sounds and heavy grooves of John Bonham.

Sep 26, 2017 No Comments

2018 WGI Independent Percussion Auditions

Welcome back to the Chops blog. Audition season for indoor percussion is upon us and many of you may be considering marching in an Independent percussion ensemble this winter. Indoor percussion, although a relatively young activity, has become very popular, both locally and nationally, over the past 10-15 years. Over this time, many “Independent” ensembles have been started to give percussionists the opportunity to continue performing after they graduate from high school. It also gives those whose high schools do not have a performing ensemble, an opportunity to join and experience the thrill of performing in an indoor percussion ensemble. For those of you not familiar with this, there are “Scholastic” and “Independent” classifications in indoor percussion. Here is the class description from the WGI website:

Sep 5, 2017 No Comments

Stick and Mallet Packs for the Beginning Percussionist and Beyond

Welcome back to the Chops blog. Today we’re going to cover the different options available for stick and mallet packs. There are great options for starting a young percussionist, as well as expanded packs for the intermediate student. These sticks and mallets should last for many years and can be used at every level (beginner, intermediate, high school, college and beyond). Our most popular packs requested by schools are from Vic Firth and Innovative Percussion. Both make great quality products you can trust. A young percussionist should start with one of these packs, then add to it as they progress through their percussion education. I’ve broken the packs down into four categories: Basic packs, Core packs, Intermediate packs, and Expanded Core packs. The quality is the same with each pack. The difference is what is included in the different levels of packs. The more you get now, the less you’ll need to add on later.

Jul 25, 2017 No Comments

Director and Instructor Job Opportunities

It’s that time of year, when director and instructor positions begin to open up around the state. If you’re looking for a certified teaching position, a percussion director position, or part-time tech work, make sure to check the Paige’s Music job openings page. If you’re a director looking for extra help, please make sure to post the opening here so we can help send candidates your way! It’s easy to do. Head over to the Paige’s Music home page. Hover over “JOB LIST” in the top menu and click on “Job Post Request”. Fill in the form and click submit. We typically have your opening posted no later than the next business day. You can also access that form directly by clicking here. Please let us know if you have any questions about the job list.

May 16, 2017 No Comments

Level Up This Summer With A Rental From Chops Percussion

Level-up this summer with a rental from Chops Percussion! Chops has several drum sets and keyboards available for rental that are perfect for home practice. Pearl Export EXX725S Drum Set This Pearl Drumset package includes absolutely everything you will need to get started on your path to drumming satisfaction, including a set of high-quality cymbals and a sturdy drum throne. [Learn more] Adams MSPV43 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 high quality, wood bar instrument, at an extremely affordable price. [Learn more] Adams AMPD33R Academy Marimba The AMPD33R 3.3 octave Academy Marimba with Resonators is designed to be an affordable option that allows the intermediate student to work on many of the pieces written for a low A marimba, all while still having the full tone and projection of a full size marimba. [Learn more] Adams AMPD30 Academy Marimba The AMPD30 marimba features the same Padouk bars as used on the best-selling Soloist Series instruments, giving the player a true graduated

May 9, 2017 No Comments

Product Feature: The RecPlate from Black Swamp Percussion

Today we have another awesome guest post from Tim Church at Black Swamp Percussion! We think it’s a very unique and versatile product that educators and performers should know about! The BSP RecPlate may look dangerous, but don’t let it scare you away! The unique shape was developed by extensive real-world use and consultation with performing percussionists. The RecPlate attaches to an existing cymbal stand and includes the following accessories to help organize all your percussive fun stuff!

May 2, 2017 No Comments

WGI Percussion World Championships 2017 – 5 Reasons You Should Go

Below is a post we shared back in April of 2015. It’s still valid today, so we updated it and posted it here again. TLDR? Go to WGI this weekend! The WGI Percussion World Championships are this weekend and we have our top 5 reasons why you should go. But before we get to that, maybe you’ve never heard of WGI and are wondering what this is all about? From their website: “WGI Sport of the Arts is the world’s premier organization producing indoor color guard, percussion, and wind ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. It is called the Sport of the Arts because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. Now entering its 40th year in 2017, the sport continues to evolve and grow.” If you would attend this weekend, you would see the percussion section or “drumlines” of a marching band performing indoors. These show aren’t just thrown together. Hundreds, if not thousands of hours are spent designing, building, rehearsing and competing over several months. Indiana is one of the premier states when it comes to competitive percussion

Apr 18, 2017 No Comments

Quick Tips for Indoor Drumline – Warming Up Outside 2017

Here’s a repost from last year, just before the first IPA State Finals at Hulman Center in Terre Haute. We thought it was worth sharing again heading in to state finals weekend. This weekend is only the second contest in the history of the IPA (Indiana Percussion Association) that requires an outside warm-up. Those groups who have performed in Dayton for WGI Championships or participate in circuits in warmer regions of the country know this is a normal process. The outside extended warm-up can be very beneficial to preparing for the large arena environment. But for those who have not gone through that process before, here are some tips to make sure the experience is smooth and beneficial for everyone.

Mar 28, 2017 No Comments

Opinion: Glen’s Favorite Rock & Roll Instrumentals, Part Two

Hello and welcome back to the Chops Percussion blog! Two weeks ago I introduced this series of posts on rock and roll instrumentals with some of my favorite, radio-friendly tracks. We covered five classics, such as Rush’s “YYZ”. If you missed it, its available here. Today I’m going to continue by introducing some more obscure tracks. #1 – “Peaches en Regalia”, Frank Zappa, from Hot Rats In 1969 Frank Zappa released Hot Rats, a classic, largely instrumental album. At the time of its release, Hot Rats was innovative due to Zappa’s creative use of 16-track recording equipment. “Peaches en Regalia” quickly became one of Zappa’s better known works, and a jazz fusion standard. Funny story, back in 2012 I was at game five of the National League Division Series between the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. When the Reds lost, after previously holding a 2-0 series lead, the stadium DJ immediately played “Peaches en Regalia”. It was a surreal moment, hearing an obscure Zappa tune after a demoralizing, season ending loss. Such is the life of a Reds fan.

Mar 7, 2017 No Comments

Opinion: Glen’s Favorite Rock & Roll Instrumentals, Part One

Hey folks, welcome back to the Chops Percussion blog! I know it’s been a while since I rapped at you, but I’ve been busy not working on Saturdays. I’ll tell you, it’s been tough. Today I’d like to start a brief series on rock and roll instrumental songs. A couple months back a friend and I started compiling a list of our favorite rock and roll instrumental tracks. We came up with a couple dozen off the top of our heads, then continued research on the internet. Eventually we came up with the following criteria for a track to make the list: Songs that crossed over to rock and roll radio from another genre, such as jazz, were eliminated. For instance, fusion classics such as “Birdland” by Weather Report, and “Red Baron” by Billy Cobham were not eligible. Songs that were largely instrumental, but included several words were also not eligible. For instance, a personal favorite, “David Bowie” by Phish was eliminated. In part one of this series I’ll start with some of the better known classics. You may be familiar with these, because they’ve been on the radio at one time. Take the time to listen to each track

Feb 21, 2017 No Comments

2017 Indoor Percussion Season

Welcome back to the Chops blog. Indoor Percussion season is right around the corner, 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 the country. 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. IPA has recently launched a brand new website and it looks fantastic. Head on over there to view scores, schedules, scholarship info and all of the latest news. Here’s a current schedule of contests to help you find a show near you! February 11 IPA Invitational at New Palestine HS February 11 IPA Invitational at Owen Valley HS February 18 IPA Invitational at Pendleton Heights HS February 18 IPA Invitational at Franklin Central HS February 25 IPA Invitational at Plainfield HS February 25 IPA Invitational at Knox HS March 4 IPA Invitational at Greenfield-Central HS March 4 IPA Invitational at Zionsville HS March 11 IPA Invitational at Ben Davis HS March 11 IPA Invitational at Warsaw HS March 11/12 WGI Indianapolis Regional at Franklin Central HS

Jan 24, 2017 No Comments

Tips For Success – Private Lessons

We’re asked quite often if we give lessons here at Chops Percussion. While we don’t currently offer lessons, we do feel they’re vital at achieving success and enjoyment on a musical instrument. If you just received your first drumset, practice pad and sticks, mallet instrument, hand drum or cajon this holiday season, the next step is sign up for private lessons. This will help ensure a return on your investment with a lifetime of music making enjoyment. Again, we don’t currently offer lessons here at Chops, but here’s our list of suggestions in finding a lesson instructor that’s right for you or your child. Ask your band director and/or school percussion instructor. Most will have a list of instructors in the area that they know will get you started on the right path to success. Ask other students in your school. Sometimes great private lesson instructors fly under the radar and might not yet be well known to your band director. Call us! We’d be happy to refer you to qualified private instructors we know and trust! These would be on the northeast side, so if that works for you, just give us a call and we’ll refer you to

Jan 17, 2017 No Comments