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 some of the best in the area.
  • Online lessons.  There are new online lesson opportunities popping up all the time.  If you choose this route, be sure to do some background and read all the reviews you can find.
  • Instructional books.  If private lessons won’t work for you, get an instructional book to work from. It will help get you started the right way and give fundamental exercises to get you on your way.

Even if you didn’t get that drum set you wanted yet, get into lessons now so you can be prepared to groove when you finally get the set of your dreams!

January 2017 News at Chops

Demo Gear/Clearance Items – January Update

Demo Gear at Chops Percusssion

The new year brings a fresh new update to our demo gear/clearance list, with items from PASIC, Midwest and year-end clearance. Head on over to the demo page to see what’s been added.

View the entire list on our website.


Percussion Performances & Clinics at IMEA 2017

Percussion Performances & Clinics at IMEA 2017

If you’re attending the IMEA conference this week, here’s a list of performances and clinics with percussion interest you should check out. This year, there will be a special “Percussion Focus Day” on Saturday of the conference! There is an option to purchase a one-day Saturday pass for those that might want to take advantage of this, but cannot make the previous two days.

Read the entire article on our blog.


My First Drum Set

My First Drum Set article

We share this blog post at this time each year. Christmas is a popular time for kids to get their first kit, so it seemed appropriate to share this again. myfirstdrumset.com is a great resource for those just getting started in the world of drumming.

Read the entire article on our blog.

IMEA Professional Development Conference

IMEA Professional Development Conference
January 12-14, 2017
Grand Wayne Convention Center
Ft. Wayne, Indiana

If you’re attending the IMEA conference next week, here’s a list of performances and clinics with percussion interest you should check out.  This year, there will be a special “Percussion Focus Day” on Saturday of the conference!  There is an option to purchase a one-day Saturday pass for those that might want to take advantage of this, but cannot make the previous two days.
Also, make sure to stop by the Chops Percussion/Paige’s Music booth and say hello!

Percussion Focus Day – Saturday, January 14
8:00     Clinic: Auxiliary Percussion Techniques – Jim Catalano (Ludwig/Musser)
9:00     Clinic: Fundamentals of Keyboard Percussion and Wellness – Laurel Black (James Madison Univ.)
10:00   Clinic: Designing an Effective MS/HS Percussion Curriculum – Aaron Griesser (Penn HS)
11:00   Performance: Butler University Percussion Ensemble – Jon Crabiel
1:15     Performance: All-State Percussion Ensemble
2:30     Clinic: The Fundamentals of West African Djembe and Dundun – Andy Miller (Indiana Univ.)
3:30     Clinic: My Approach to Percussion Composition – Casey Cangelosi (James Madison Univ.)

Other Conference Sessions with Possible Percussion Interest:
Friday, January 13
11:00   Performance: Ball State Wind Ensemble
12:00   Performance: All State Jazz Ensemble
1:00     Clinic: Work/Life Balance of Busy Music Teachers – Ryan Shaw, Ph.D. (Capital Univ.)
4:30     Performance: West Lafayette HS Wind Ensemble

Saturday, January 14
8:00     Clinic: Jazz Combos – How to Make It Happen! – Shawn Humphries & Peter Sampson
9:00     Performance: Junior All State Band
9:00     Clinic: Planning for Acoustics in Performing Spaces – Michael Mendoza (Wenger)
10:00   Performance: Carroll HS Jazz Ensemble
11:00   Performance: All State Honor Band
3:30     Clinic: Understand Judge Commentary and Implementing It into Your Marching Band – Andrew Cook (Carmel HS; DCI & BOA adjudicator)

 

Full details and registration can be found at conference.imeamusic.org.

Your First Drumset

my-first-drumset

We share this blog post at this time each year.  Christmas is a popular time for kids to get their first kit, so it seemed appropriate to share this again.  myfirstdrumset.com is a great resource for those just getting started in the world of drumming.

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 kit. We also have a rent-to-own program that features the Pearl Export: The best selling drum set of all-time! Be sure to check out all of our rental offerings at chopspercussion.com. Welcome to the world of drumming!

Happy Holidays from Chops Percussion

Just a couple of notes on our holiday hours.  We’ll be open Christmas Eve from 10am – 2pm.  We normally close at 4, so this is different from our normal hours.  We’ll be closed on Sunday, December 25th for Christmas.

We’ll be open on New Year’s Eve our normal hours from 10am – 4pm.  We’ll be closed Sunday, January 1, 2017 for New Year’s Day.

We’ll be back to normal hours on Monday, January 2, 2017.

Here’s a run-down:

Saturday, December 24th: Open 10am-2pm
Sunday, December 25th: CLOSED
Saturday, December 31st: Open 10am-4pm
Sunday, January 1: CLOSED

Happy Holidays from all of us at Chops Percussion!  Bring on 2017!