Welcome back to the Chops blog.  The Indoor Percussion Association (IPA) season is about to begin, 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 around the world.  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. Along with local IPA contests, there’s also a national WGI regional, hosted by Franklin Central, where you can see performances by ensembles from all over the Midwest.

Following up on a successful year for indoor percussion here in Indiana at both IPA and WGI this year is sure to be one of the best ever! With the new Regional A class and some groups returning to the marching idiom after a few years in concert class we can’t wait to see everyone get their season underway.

Here’s a schedule of remaining contests to help you find a show near you!

Chops Percussion will be selling all of the Pearl/Adams gear used by Veritas Percussion during the 2023 WGI season. This is a HUGE opportunity to save on gear that has only been used for a few months. If you’re looking to upgrade your battery percussion or your front ensemble gear, this is the time to do just that.

In order to reserve an item we must have a PO from your school, check or credit card payment. We will arrange delivery to you in the final weeks of April/May 2023. Keep an eye on the list to see what is still available and give us a call to get more information!

To check out the currently available gear, click here!

Concert season and indoor percussion is here and there’s no better time to get your instruments evaluated than now! Chops Percussion and Paige’s Music’s repair department are willing to send a trained specialist to your school to assess your percussion inventory.

Our percussion repair specialist, will work with you in deciding the best course of action to get your inventory back in its best shape! Paige’s Music offers on-site repair 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. If an instrument is not repairable, we will recommend the best replacement options to best suit your ensemble’s needs.

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 in an equipment evaluation or on-site repairs, please email chops@chopspercussion.com for more information.

As we move into the latter part of the fall marching band season, we’re faced with weather hazards that can do much damage to our instruments. It’s near the end of the season, so we can’t just escape inside to rehearse music if rain and very cold weather continues to hit during rehearsal times. Eventually, you have to go outside. There’s also the possibility of having to deal with these elements during a contest performance.
Here are some tips to help make sure your instruments survive the elements this fall.

During Rehearsals and Performances

• Use covers as much as possible for your mallet instruments, especially when drill is a focus and the pit isn’t playing all the time. If raining during rehearsal, keep mallets dry and use old mallets if available. Keep your “show mallets” in good condition.
• Try to avoid too much water collecting on your drum heads and dump if needed.
• Keep tenor drums down in playing position and don’t allow the inside wood shells to get soaked if raining heavy.
• Keep stick tips and bass drum mallets dry. Use old sticks and mallets if possible.
• Use a window squeegee to clear water collected on timpani heads
• In very cold temperatures, be careful not to overplay cymbals as they are more susceptible to cracks.
  “Warming” a gong should always be done before striking it (lightly tapping it to get it vibrating) but this is even more important during cold temperatures to help avoid cracks.
• Cover electronics with tarps, trash bags or anything to keep them dry. Clear plastic can be used over electronic keyboards, leaving just enough room for the player’s hands, so the student can still see the keyboard and participate.
• Cover any mics with small garbage bags. (Make sure there aren’t any holes!)

After:

• Take covers off and lay out to dry.
• Use towels to soak up water that may have collected around the edges of drumheads or anywhere water may be hiding.
• Lay electronic cables out to dry.
• If any electronics may have gotten wet or damp, place a fan blowing on them to help get them dry as fast as possible.
• Make sure to dry EVERYTHING off (instruments, frames, hardware, etc) to avoid rust and other damage.

We can’t always get the perfect weather during marching season and are sometimes forced into elements that are not ideal. Take the time to keep your instruments in good condition to avoid damage and costly replacements and repairs. Good luck the rest of the season!

While many percussion students will start with a bell kit or small xylophone when they start band in middle school, these instruments are meant to help you learn the basics of playing mallet percussion instruments and come with limitations if you plan on getting more serious and want to practice at home. We would like to take some time in today to cover some of the key advantages to upgrading to either the Adams AMPD33R or the Adams MSPA43 marimba.

The starter mallet percussion instrument is designed to help facilitate young percussion students at learning the basic fundamentals of technique, but most importantly how the notes are laid out on the instrument and how that relates to the music on the page. These instruments are often limited in the range of the instrument, general sound quality, and nuance in technique as a percussion student grows older.

Here at Chops Percussion we offer students the opportunity to upgrade from their starter percussion instrument into a marimba by offering good quality and affordable at home practice instruments that can help a student move passed the beginner stage and become truly great keyboard percussion players. We believe the following points are the biggest advantages to considering an upgrade to a larger instrument.

• Range: With most starter percussion kits only being 2.5 octaves, the 3.3 and 4.3 marimba can help a student start to explore different solo options in the convenience of their home, rather than staying after school to practice.
• Bar Size: The size of the bars and spacing between notes offered on the Adams AMPD33R or the Adams MSPA43 marimba models, are much closer to the marimba that would be at the students school. This means that practicing at home for that crucial playing test will be done with ease. Preparing a piece for your percussion ensemble at school will be easier and allow you to be even more accurate on the school instrument. The larger bar size can take your playing to the next level and help you feel confident in the transition from practicing at home and playing at school.
• Quality of Sound: No more shrill bell sounds or bring harsh xylophone sounds. The Adams AMPD33R or the Adams MSPA43 marimba both have resonators under the bars and the high quality Paduak wood that is used is both cost effective and have a great sound.
• Confidence and Enjoyment: The truth is that having a better quality instrument will mean that you look forward to practicing more and when you do practice you will likely practice for longer periods of time as you make great sounds from the nicer instrument. This will in turn boost your confidence and help you advance your playing at a faster rate.

If you or your students are interested in finding out pricing or talking more one on one about the best option for you feel free to give us a call or send an email to chops@chopspercussion.com. WE look forward to helping you and your students continue to grow on their percussion journey.