New Products for 2015

Continuing with our series of new product highlights from our recent trip to the NAMM show, here are some great new items from Pearl, geared specifically for outdoor use.  The new Pearl Field Percussion, designed with the elements in mind, features a protective, textured black lacquer finish, and outfitted with all-weather Remo NuSkyn and Fiberskyn heads, great for any environment. 

See below for our hightlights, but be sure to visit the Pearl website for more details:
http://pearldrum.com/products/marching/field-percussion/field-percussion/

PJF350FP649 Field Percussion Djembe  

• 14”
• Weather resistant fiberglass body

WST20FP Field Percussion Shime Taiko

• 10”
• Thai Oak stave construction for cut and clarity

PFC202EDU649 Field Percussion Congas

• 10”/11”
• Weather resistant fiberglass body

PGA60FP Field Percussion Shaker

• 21” length
• Large, hexagonal body produces massive sound

We just got back from the NAMM show in Anaheim, where there were quite a few exciting new products unveiled. Over the coming weeks we’ll highlight some of those items we are most excited about. We’ll start with some great new products available from our friends at Vic Firth and Innovative Percussion.

See below for our highlights, but to see all the new products from these two great companies, please visit:

Vic Firth: http://www.vicfirth.com/exchange/2015/01/16/new-products-for-namm-2015/
Innovative Percussion: http://www.innovativepercussion.com/2015_new_products

New Products from Vic Firth

http://www.vicfirth.com/exchange/2015/01/16/new-products-for-namm-2015/

Split Wire Brush – Two separate rows of medium gauge wire to help produce a unique and varied weighting of sound with different qualities of articulation.

Universal Practice Tips –  Add these to any sticks!  Each package contains 2 pairs of rubber tips, providing the player with a pair and a spare!

High Tension Drum Key – A new key designed for marching percussion applications, with clip.

VicGloves – Specially designed to unique features to protect the player’s hands while improving grip.

New Products from Innovative Percussion

http://www.innovativepercussion.com/2015_new_products

Chad Wackerman Paintbrush – An innovative new brush giving the player a number of different choices of timbre color.

Pedro Carneiro Series Mallets – Five models built with heavy synthetic cores, and featuring the PC-TT Tri-tone mallet.

Paul Rennick Tenor Sticks – Features a “Taj Majal” large wood bead and a latex sleeve on the butt end.

Mike McIntosh “Mizzle” Tenor Sticks – Features a smaller nylon tip and a removable synthetic sleeve.

Practice Pads – Two new models, both with black rims.

To see all the new products from Innovative Percussion, please visit:
http://www.innovativepercussion.com/2015_new_products

IMEA Professional Development Conference
January 15-17, 2015
Grand Wayne Convention Center
Ft. Wayne, Indiana

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
Penn High School Band – Friday, January 16       2:00pm
Lawrence Central HS Wind Ensemble – Friday, January 16       4:30pm
Fishers Junior High Symphonic Band – Saturday, January 17   1:15pm
Center Grove HS Percussion Ensemble – Saturday, January 17   2:30pm

All State Honor Ensembles
Junior All State Band – Saturday, January 17   9:15am
All State Honor Band – Saturday, January 17   11:30am
All State Percussion Ensemble – Saturday, January 17   1:15pm

Clinic Sessions
Steve Houghton
The Rhythm Section: The soul of the Big Band
Friday, January 16 – 4:30pm

Michael Burritt
The Versatile Percussionist – Finding the Music in all of the Instruments
Saturday, January 17   11:30am

Robert Sheldon
We Got the Beat! Rehearsing the Percussion Section from the Podium
Saturday, January 17   3:45pm

Full details and registration can be found on the IMEA Website.

Have you ever gone to bed at night after playing your drums, or after drumline rehearsal, and had an incessant ringing in your ears? If you have, that is your body telling you that you’ve done some damage to your hearing. Please know that hearing loss is irreversible, so you need to start protecting your ears NOW! How, you ask? There are a few surefire ways to do so.

• Earplugs/Filters – The most obvious solution, but one that definitely takes some getting used to. I started playing drums when I was 14, but didn’t start wearing plugs until I was in my 30’s. I wish someone would have told me how important hearing protection was when I was first starting out. Do yourself a favor and start using earplugs now. Tell yourself that ear protection is just as essential as the sticks you use to play.
• Drum Mutes – Not only do drum mutes help the player, but they also help the people around you. Have you ever heard “That’s enough of that noise” from a parent or sibling? If so, drum mutes may be the answer to your prayers (and theirs). The best part about drum mutes? You can pull them off of your drums and go crazy at full-volume when nobody is around (just make sure you have some earplugs in when you do). They can also increase your practice time since you’re less annoying to the non-drummers in your house.
• Headphones – Not so great if you’re trying to make a fashion statement while drumming, but hearing is way more important than looking cool! There are many different kinds of headphones out there, and some even plug into your computer or MP3 player. That means you can plug in and play along to your favorite songs without doing damage to your ears.

Not sure where to start with hearing protection? Start in the same place you’d buy your sticks!

http://www.vicfirth.com/products/headphones.php
http://www.vicfirth.com/products/mutes.php

You only get one good set of ears in your life, so take care of them!