WHAT: 2021 Indiana Percussion Association Clinic Day and I&E Competition

WHEN: Saturday, December 7th, 9am-5pm (on-site registration begins at 8am)

WHERE: Plainfield Community Middle School

HOW TO REGISTER:

For Individuals or group pay by CC:

Tickets are $15 in advanced or $20 at the door

To buy your ticket, please CLICK HERE.

For schools paying with school check:

For school groups, please send an email to BROOKE at admin@indianapercussion.org with the following information. You will be sent an invoice for school check payment. *School name, Number of tickets requested

DETAILS: Come listen, watch and learn from amazing percussion educators at the IPA Clinic Day! Participants will visit multiple clinics throughout the day, hearing from some of the best performing artists and educators on all areas of percussion. Clinic sessions run from 9am-5pm with a lunch break. Lunch will be available for purchase at Plainfield Middle School or students may provide their own.

I/E COMPETITION:

http://www.indianapercussion.org/?q=content/ie-competition

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. Find more information here: http://www.indianapercussion.org/?q=content/ie-competition

Don’t miss this great opportunity to get your 2021-2022 indoor season off to a great start!

As the new year approaches, your program is likely going into the busiest time of year with concert band, solo and ensemble, jazz band and indoor percussion all happening at the same time.  Often times you may not think about taking a little extra time to do a thorough inspection of your gear, but it will go a long way in getting the most out of your investment.

Now is a great time to do some general equipment maintenance and cleaning that can ensure you are ready for the busy months ahead.  Having your students actively participate in this process will help them take pride over equipment that will be used long after they leave your program and can help the process move along faster and seem less overwhelming.

Below are some quick and easy tips for making sure your gear is in top shape to start the new year:

• Take an inventory of all your equipment at the end of each semester.
• Clean all equipment using a soft cloth to remove any dirt or grime that has built up over time.  A small amount of diluted rubbing alcohol can help remove major build-up.
• Inspect your instruments for any missing parts.
• Check for broken or damaged areas on your equipment that may require repair or replacement.
• Ensure that all frame bolts, nuts, carrier parts, etc. are at the correct tightness.
• Cover all instruments daily and keep small instruments stored properly.  Don’t leave equipment on the truck for long periods of time.

For a more exhaustive list of maintenance and specific things to look for you can download the pdf file here:

Chops Percussion Comprehensive Percussion Maintenance Guide

If you are in need of parts or more tips call us today and we can help you get everything you need to make sure you are ready to go for 2022!

Welcome back to the Chops blog! Now that many students are starting to get their instruments for the upcoming school year, there are instrument assembly questions that need to be addressed. The Musser Xylo kit seems to be the one that people have the most questions about, so we’re sharing an assembly video from Jim Catalano to help you out!

If you have any additional questions after the video, please feel free to call or email us!

Keep improving this summer with a rental from Chops Percussion!

Chops has several drum sets and keyboards available for rental that are perfect for home practice. Now is the perfect time to prepare for practice at home this summer.

Pearl Decade Maple Drum Set

For $69 per month, you will now be able to rent the Pearl Decade Maple set 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):

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]

There are other options available as well on limited quantities so feel free to give us a call if you need for info.

Rentals are only available for residents of Indiana. Please contact us for more information on our rental program.

Email: chops@chopspercussion.com
Phone: 317.813.2070 or 1.877.900.DRUM (3786)

With many indoor percussion seasons now at an end, it is the perfect time to check over all your marching percussion gear and get it ready for both use during summer camps and into the fall. By taking the time to go through and do an inspection on all your drums you can likely avoid any emergency situation that might pop up at the worst time. Marching percussion equipment is exposed to the most environmental challenges throughout the course of the school year and is often times used year round. With these environmental demands, there comes a need for taking care of the instruments on a routine basis. One of the biggest pitfalls in maintaining marching percussion equipment is failing to regularly change your heads. With the materials and high tension nature of modern marching heads, failing to change them regularly can place unneeded pressure on the bearing edge and shell if heads continue to be over tightened. If you are a school that does both marching band and indoor percussion, try and line up a cleaning day when you are executing a head change. This allows you to thoroughly clean your equipment and get fresh new heads on the drums.

*Below you can find specific issues to check for on the different types of marching drums.*

Marching Snare Drums

•  Do a visual inspection for any missing or broken parts that may need replaced. Some common parts missing or broken include the following:
  • Rim Guards or Feet
  • Bent Tension Rods
  • Bent Long Tension Posts or Tubes
  • Bent Strainer from overtightening snare guts
  • Inspect the bearing edges when heads are off for any damage
• Wipe down each drum with a soft cloth, including the hardware and the shell.
• If there is extreme dirt or grime, you can use denatured alcohol diluted in water. If you have anything that is extremely sticky use a small amount of valve oil. In both cases, put the product on the cloth instead of spraying directly on the drum.
• Check the snare guts, if they are extremely bent consider replacing or tightening with a screw of the side as they are too loose causing them to bend over the rim incorrectly.
• When executing a head change, be sure to use lithium grease on the tension rods.
• Ensure that any hardware for attached to the drum for the carrier is tight and in working order.
• Place a clean drum cover on the drum and then place the drum in a hard or soft case.
• Each drum should be stored in a secure and cool environment.
• If storing for the winter season, the tension on both the top head and bottom head should be reduced by half to keep the tension rods in place and pressure of the drum and heads.

Marching Tenor Drums

• Do a visual inspection for any missing or broken parts that may need replaced. Some common parts missing or broken include the following:
  • Bent Tension Rods
  • Cracked Lug Casings
  • Screws missing to hold lug casing on drum (found inside drum)
  • Bent or missing spacers between the drums
  • Bent rims causing the heads to not sit correctly and causing tuning issues
  • Missing or loose tenor trim
  • Inspect the bearing edges when heads are off for any signs of damage
• Wipe down each drum with a soft cloth, including the hardware and the shell.
• If there is extreme dirt or grime, you can use denatured alcohol diluted in water. If you have anything that is extremely sticky use a small amount of valve oil. In both cases, put the product on the cloth instead of spraying directly on the drum.
• When executing a head change, be sure to use lithium grease on the tension rods.
• Ensure that any hardware for attached to the drum for the carrier is tight and in working order.
• Place a clean drum cover on the drum and then place the drum in a hard or soft case.
• Each drum should be stored in a secure and cool environment.
• If storing for the winter season, the tension on both the top head and bottom head should be reduced by half to keep the tension rods in place and pressure of the drum and heads.

Marching Bass Drums

• Do a visual inspection for any missing or broken parts that may need replaced. Some common parts missing or broken include the following:
  • Bent Tension Rods
  • Cracked Lug Casings
  • Screws missing to hold lug casing on drum (found inside drum)
  • Cracked or Broken Hoops
  • If foamed inside drum; loose or missing foam
  • Overly bent claw hooks that don’t attached properly
  • Inspect the bearing edge when heads are off for signs of damage
• Wipe down each drum with a soft cloth, including the hardware and the shell.
• If there is extreme dirt or grime, you can use denatured alcohol diluted in water. If you have anything that is extremely sticky use a small amount of valve oil. In both cases, put the product on the cloth instead of spraying directly on the drum.
• When executing a head change, be sure to use lithium grease on the tension rods.
• Ensure that any hardware for attached to the drum for the carrier is tight and in working order.
• Place a clean drum cover on the drum and then place the drum in a hard or soft case.
• Each drum should be stored in a secure and cool environment.
• If storing for the winter season, the tension on both the top head and bottom head should be reduced by half to keep the tension rods in place and pressure of the drum and heads.

Marching Cymbals

• Do a visual inspection for any missing or broken parts that may need replaced. Some common parts missing or broken include the following:
  • Check for Cracks or Dents
  • Worn or Ripped Cymbal Straps
• Wipe down each cymbal with a soft cloth.
• If there is extreme dirt or grime, you can use denatured alcohol diluted in water. If you have anything that is extremely sticky use a small amount of valve oil. In both cases, put the product on the cloth instead of spraying directly on the cymbals.
• Each cymbal should be stored in a secure and cool environment.
• If storing for the winter season, place in cymbal bags rather than leaving them exposed to the air.
• Cymbal Polish: Using cymbal polish is optional and should only be used for additional cleaning. Keep in mind the type of cymbals you have will affect the amount of “shine”. If it started with a non-brilliant finish it will remain non-brilliant.

If you can take the time now to go through and do all these steps you will set yourself and your students up for success in the future by being prepared and having your marching gear in it’s best possible condition to start the season.