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 five times this fall at upcoming games.
9/12 – vs. Franklin (Band Day)
9/26 – vs. Campbell (Homecoming)
10/17 – vs. Davidson
11/7 – vs. Valparaiso
11/14 – vs. Drake
More information can be found at www.butler.edu/bands

The Indiana State University Marching Sycamores will perform six times this fall at upcoming games.
9/5 – vs. Butler
9/19 – vs. Southeast Missouri
10/17 – vs. Southern Illinois (Homecoming)
10/24 – vs. North Dakota State
11/14 – vs. Western Illinois
11/21 – vs. Youngstown State
More information can be found at isumarchingsycamores.weebly.com/

The Indiana University Marching Hundred will perform eight times at IU games this fall.
9/12 – vs. Florida International
9/19 – vs. Western Kentucky (Band Day)
10/3 – vs. Ohio State
10/17 – vs. Rutgers
10/24 – at Michigan State
11/7 – vs. Iowa
11/14 – vs. Michigan
11/28 – at Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket)
More information can be found at www.marchinghundred.org

The Marian University Marching Band will perform five times this fall at upcoming games, along with many exhibition performances at local marching band shows.
9/12 – vs. University of Indianapolis
9/26 – vs. Missouri Baptist (Homecoming)
10/3 – vs. University of St. Francis, Indiana
11/7 – vs. University of St. Francis, Illinois
11/14 – vs. Siena Heights University
More information can be found at
www.marian.edu/academics/school-of-liberal-arts/programs/marian-university-marching-band

The famous Purdue “All-American” Marching Band will perform at eight upcoming games this fall.
9/12 – vs. Indiana State (Band Day)
9/19 – vs. Virginia Tech
9/26 – vs. Bowling Green
10/10 – vs. Minnesota
10/31 – vs. Nebraska
11/7 – vs. Illinois (Homecoming)
11/14 – at Northwestern
11/28 – vs. Indiana (Old Oaken Bucket)
More information can be found at www.purdue.edu/bands/ensembles/aamb/

Not sure which game to attend? We’d recommend the classic Indiana-Purdue rivalry game, the Old Oaken Bucket. Both school’s bands will be in attendance, and the in-state rivalry is an atmosphere you have to experience.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see an exciting football game and marching band performance this fall!

Welcome back to the Chops blog! Today I’d like to address a topic that I feel has needed attention for some time: drum covers.

Over the past five to six years a type of video called a “drum cover” has become popular on the internet, especially on YouTube. If you’re not familiar, a drum cover is a video of a drummer playing along to a prerecorded track. However, rather than playing an authentic, straight-forward version of the track, the drummer plays their own version of the song. This often involves unique beats, fills, and solos. There are many drum cover videos available on YouTube that showcase some incredibly creative and technical playing.

Despite their prevalence, and the impressive musicianship often on display, drum covers are often a negative influence on young or otherwise impressionable drummers. When a naïve musician watches a drum cover, they are easily impressed by the complex techniques on display. They then think that these things are important, and should be emulated in their own playing. This idea is then reinforced by the number of times the video has been viewed.

Unfortunately, drum covers are unrealistic and impractical for drummers in the real world. For every YouTube drummer that uploads an exciting drum cover, there are thousands of drummers and percussionists that survive as professional musicians and hobbyists without the flashy skills needed for their own video. These musicians are successful because they understand a few fundamental truths that you may not find in a drum covers:

1. Drummers and percussionists play a supporting role approximately 99% of the time.
2. In the real world, drum solos are rare. If you are given the opportunity to play a solo it will probably occur in the context of a song. Instead of spending time developing your chops for an “open” solo, learn how to solo over a vamp, or trade fours and eights.
3. Simple is always better, and more effective than complex. The flashy licks and beats from the drum cover will not work when you play with other musicians. In other words, play the song.

Instead of watching drum covers, try these few tips instead. First, listen to, watch, and study great drummers. A five-minute video of Steve Gadd will teach you more than any drum cover ever can. Second, get out and play with other humans. Listen to what they’re playing, and match it as simply as you can.  Third, find a great teacher who can explain and demonstrate what it means to be a great musician, not just a drummer.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that drum covers have no purpose or value. What you need to understand about drum covers, however, is that they’re just for entertainment and self promotion. They have little to no value in the real world.