Dendy Jarrett

It’s Memorial Day, and you’re probably on a long weekend vacation or preparing for an afternoon barbecue. It could be a good time as well to take stock of your music gear and determine what you’ve used and/or haven’t used in a while. Much in the way downsizing in general has gained favor, downsizing your music gear might be a charitable way to free up some space, provide a nice tax write-off (check with your accountant), and give the gift of music. If you haven’t used a piece of music gear in over a year, chances are you may not ever use it again. If you’re like me, sometimes I hang onto music gear for sentimental reasons or “because I may need that sometime.” However, if you haven’t used it in a year or more, it may serve your local school or another music-centric charitable organization and provide a young person the inspiration to make music. There are some great organizations like Little Kids Rock, Notes for Notes, or the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, all of whom endeavor to provide children in underserved areas with the ability to make music. Many of these children live in a vast delta between the haves and the have-nots. These organizations help fill that gap and provide tremendous programs to engage kids in learning instruments, making music and creating music through technology. You may find that some piece of gear has served its purpose with you but may be just the missing piece your school or one of these organizations needs. If you’re like me, years of collecting gear has created a lot of dormant gear. So I’m taking stock and assessing what I can live without (and still fulfill my music needs), and I’ll be gifting some gear to great causes. I’m not suggesting you part with that '59 Les Paul, but if you have some still useful gear, set it free to make music again. Consider downsizing while giving the gift of making better music! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

by Dendy Jarrett If you haven’t experienced it yourself, you certainly know people who have. If you have experienced it, you know it! Music causes your skin to tingle, and during a particularly harmonic hit or climax in the music, it happens – Frisson! Frisson (n. – a French term) is a sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill. That “skin tingle” leads to the formation of something we call chill or goose bumps. And not everyone has this experience. Turns out that studies show that you have to be “open to the experience.” Interestingly, the openness to experience the emotions that music evokes can range from every gamut of music genres. Participants in studies performed at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro measured skin responses, no matter if they were listening to classical or contemporary music. In a previous Dear Musician we explored What’s the Meaning of Music? In that article we slanted the emotional feelings of music toward the lyrical message. The Frisson Experience tends to result from a combination, however, of the entire make-up of the song—from lyric to chord progression to dynamics. The thing that is important to note about the Frisson Experience is that it means “aesthetic chills” – and is similar to the same feelings that can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up when you are confronted with a frightening experience. Some even refer to the Frisson Experience as having a “skin orgasm.” But the one thing that I think is missing about this phenomenon is the notion that it must be spontaneous. The only thing that may tip you off that it’s coming is that a particular passage of a song is building to what is certainly an impending musical climax. I’ve experienced Music’s Frisson Experience first hand. I know other musicians who have, as well. None of us really thought much about the scientific reasons behind why we experienced it. We just thought we were getting off on the music. Truth is, however, if you are a musician and are immersed in music on an intellectual level, you may be far more likely to experience this sensation. You likely experience music on a deeper level than just the aural experience. The research that has been done does show that The Frisson Experience may set you apart as a human being…and a musician! So keep making better music. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

When I was growing up, we were always discouraged from playing in the streets. But sometimes playing music in the streets can net a huge reward. In Ireland, making music in the streets is known as busking, and in Dublin, Ireland, playing on Grafton Street on any given day you’ll find myriad performers. One of the singers who’s developed her own YouTube channel showcasing her street performances is Allie Sherlock. Someone recommended I give her a listen, and I was instantly drawn in. Her voice is hauntingly mesmerizing. Her notes roll off in a signature way that sets her voice apart from so many others who perform covers on the street. She also is adept at crafting her own take on songs so that they work well with her vocal style. Allie’s voice is distinct, but that isn’t the only “wow” factor she has going for her. The fact that she was 12 at the time of her discovery is what is really impressive. It seems that I wasn’t the only person taken with Allie’s performances. Ellen DeGeneres found her on YouTube, as well, and invited her to be on her show. Her YouTube channel quickly passed the one million-subscriber mark, and this all led to her signing a five-year record deal with Ryan Tedder (One Republic). Now, at 13 years of age, she's on her way. I encourage you to check her out, as I believe you’ll enjoy her whiskey-alto voice. The point of my story is that you simply never know—you may be playing in the streets for tips one moment and in the next find you are on a fast train to stardom. Allie's dad never pushed her to perform or make music; rather, she was encouraged and supported when she wanted to perform. Be a support to those who want to perform. And I encourage you to make sure performing on the street is legal where you live. If it is…you never know when making better music on the streets will net huge rewards! –HC - Enjoy - Video: "Shallow" Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper * Allie Sherlock cover* "Dancing on My Own" Calum Scott (Allie Sherlock cover) The Ellen Show _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

I once had a preacher who would say that there is nothing more certain than taxes and death*. The challenge with death is there’s nothing more uncertain as to “the” time. What is certain is when taxes are due! This Dear Musician isn’t written to stress you out, rather just the opposite. This Make Better Music issue just so happens to fall on April 15th, so I could have written about anything else; however, in an effort to encourage you to pick up an instrument, make some music, and forget about the looming midnight hour when you must have either filed or extended, I chose to write about taxes. Hang on! Now, I’m not a tax advisor nor a certified accountant**, but I have played the stage at many a Holiday Inn in my day. The one thing I have learned is that your hobby of making music could be of tax benefit to you. If you do anything with your music that nets you money, then you could be leveraging tax laws in your favor. Even if you play one show a month for $150 a show, you could be taking certain deductions for gear and other expenses that could prove advantageous. Now, it seems a shame that we can’t just make music to put a little extra change in our pockets without worry of “keeping records” — I mean, we are musicians, after all, right? We live in a country where tax laws shift and morph, and we are obligated through some form of accountability to keep up with the things that we are required to report to the Internal Revenue Service. It can be a bummer or a blessing. I mean, how great is it that you might be able to take depreciable deductions for music gear…! I encourage you at this late hour to make certain you’ve evaluated your particular situation with your accountant regarding your music scene. And, hey, if you owe…well, then pull out that instrument and play some Blues. At least you can get lost in the music and forget the woes of owes. Back to my old preacher’s saying, I like to change the thought from nothing's being more certain than taxes and death to reflect that I’ll take taxes over death any day. I'd also like to change the thought to "there’s nothing more certain than taxes and music." At least we have music. If you are scrambling today to file and I piqued some thoughts that you should dig deeper into the tax code with your accountant, and I helped you realize a better refund, then cheers! (Or at least file an extension to investigate it on a future date.) Between taxes and music, I choose music. I’m filing an extension, and now I’m off to make better music! -HC- **Neither the author nor Harmony Central makes any substantial claims regarding tax preperation or tax laws. You are encouraged to seek professional help preparing your taxes in the United States when taking deductions regarding self-employment. *Original quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

We’re literally bombarded with music stimulus today. It’s everywhere from your phone to the elevator…even restrooms. There are two types of listening: active and passive. Active listening takes place when we are making an effort to hear something; in other words, we’re paying attention. Passive listening means we hear it, but we’re not really (actively) paying attention. My wife says I’m a master at passive listening. You know when she says, “Are you listening to me?” But then I am able to (actively) repeat back what she said verbatim—but she claims it’s passive listening. Yet I digress! What’s true about society is that because, we are indeed so bombarded, we’ve all become masters at passive listening. Musicians, however, may possess a unique skill of being able to "actively passively" listen. Sounds convoluted? Musicians develop skills over time while playing music whereby they must listen to other musicians and their instruments, as well as song lyrics. The art of listening is honed over time from this interactive process that requires listening to sounds from multiple sources that all channel together to create music. Just like exercise develops muscles and practicing your instrument makes you a better player, we inadvertently, through the activity of making music, are also exercising our aural synapsis. We as musicians are teaching ourselves to become better listeners. We are fine-tuning the ability to hear multiple sources of sound, and our brain processes all of the stimuli into a single train of thought. When we listen, our goals are to be able to obtain information, understand, and learn (in addition to listening for enjoyment). Playing with other musicians teaches us how to hone listening skills that will serve in all other areas of life: Paying Attention – When playing with a group of musicians, you learn to put away distraction. You learn that listening is a key element of the communication (even unstated) that it takes to be a good musician. Acknowledgement – Part of being a great musician is the ability to convey through eye contact that you are listening to the other musicians. It will be apparent that you are listening because the others see you making eye contact with them. Providing Feedback and Responses – As a musician, you learn not to “step on” other people’s parts. You learn that rests are as important as notes. You also learn how to clarify how songs are structured and work out differences of opinions through listening to one another. You’ll also learn quickly that you catch more flies with honey (as they say), meaning you learn to craft good communication skills, and you also learn to pick your battles. You learn through listening how to defer judgment and how to respond appropriately. When I was a young man, my father would often say, “You were born with two ears and one mouth, and it was intended that you use them in that proportion.” While I knew at the time it was his way of telling me to quit talking and listen to him, I still reflect on that statement to this day. I think as a musician you have to be a good listener in order to refine your craft. I believe that the more we open our ears, the more elements within the music we hear. Better listeners often become better people in much the same way better listeners become better musicians. Does making music make you a better listener? We say yes! So, listen up—be inspired to go make better music! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

During the past two weeks, two people tagged me on social media about two different articles regarding music and intelligence. I don’t know if the fact that I’m a musician prompted the tagging, as I certainly doubt I come across as the intellectual type. The title of one of the articles is Studies Show That If You’re A Drummer…You’re A Little Bit Smarter Than Everyone Else. Of course, being a drummer, I could raise my hand and state with enthusiasm—it’s true! But, it's with humility that I’d simply say, "Thanks for the vote of confidence!" In the article a cited a study showing that drummers not only exhibited a greater level of intelligence and teamwork but also had a higher pain threshold, as well. The second article is titled The Benefits of Playing Music Help Your Brain More Than Any Other Activity and was presented by Inc. Magazine. This article points to several studies regarding brain development in humans, and, how in musicians, science has proven that musical training can change brain structure and function for the better. The article even points out that even if you are no longer playing a musical instrument, but once did, you have lasting benefits. The article further points to some facts that we (as musicians) most likely already realize: Playing music strengthens bonds with others. As we like to say, makes you a good team player! Being a musician strengthens memory and reading skills. As we know, these attributes also reduce the risks of dementia later in life. Playing music makes you happy – well, duh. Most of us didn’t start playing music because we thought we’d get rich doing so. Many of us realized that we need to make a decent living and parlayed our love of music into a career in the music industry. But the happiness and joy making music brings cannot be denied. Musicians can process multiple things at once. For certain, we know this comes as a benefit that can carry over into every aspect of a musician’s life, as multi-tasking skills are honed and refined setting you up for success in life. Music increases blood flow to your brain. Forget the 5-Hour energy drink – play music! Music helps the brain recover. I know that the article refers to motor skills from an injury (brain or body), but I believe music can help you recover from myriad challenges – from physical to emotional. Music reduces stress and depression. Music is simply a great way to get in your cardio, which in turn will start to melt your stress away. It also can stimulate endorphins, which help lift your spirits and reduce depression. Want to feel better? Play music! Musical training strengthens the brain’s executive function. These developing traits will help you become a better decision maker and leader. You’ll approach challenges in life with the ability to see multiple solutions. This will serve you both on stage and at work. Music makes you smarter, or at least that’s what they say. With all these fantastic attributes music brings, don’t you at least feel smarter? And at the very least, you should be inspired to make better music! –HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of knowing many great drummers. While I respect them all, I’ve never been a drummer who was impressed by flashy playing and mega-chops. I was more into how the drums relate to the music. I loved that the song, but the drums were the parts of the music that drew me in. I grew up in an A.M. radio era until the late 70s when I got my first F.M. stereo. The legendary Hal Blaine played most of the songs served on A.M. during this era. Hal was part of The Wrecking Crew. They were the “hit makers” musicians of the day, and the discography of songs that Hal performed on is seemingly endless. If Hal Blaine had been able to recoup the enormous amount of money he left on the table by providing drum lessons for many of us “want to be” drummers, he’d have been a rich, rich man. He never sat with any of us and taught us directly; rather, he simply taught us by the music we listened to – and influenced our playing to this day. Hal was simply the most-recorded drummer in the history of the music industry, with claims of over 35,000 recording sessions, 6,000 plus singles, and close to 50 number 1 hits by an amazing range of artists. Seems hard to believe, so here’s a list of some of those hits as provided by Wikipedia: Drummed on over 40 recordings that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, including: "Johnny Angel" –Shelley Fabares "He's a Rebel" –The Crystals "Surf City" –Jan & Dean "I Get Around" –The Beach Boys "Everybody Loves Somebody" –Dean Martin "Ringo" –Lorne Greene "This Diamond Ring" –Gary Lewis & the Playboys "Help Me, Rhonda" –The Beach Boys "Mr Tambourine Man" –The Byrds "Eve of Destruction" –Barry McGuire "My Love" –Petula Clark "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" –Nancy Sinatra "Monday Monday" –The Mamas & the Papas "Strangers in the Night" –Frank Sinatra "Poor Side of Town" –Johnny Rivers "Good Vibrations" –The Beach Boys "Somethin' Stupid" –Frank & Nancy Sinatra "The Happening" –The Supremes "Windy" –The Association " Robinson" –Simon & Garfunkel "Dizzy" –Tommy Roe "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" –The 5th Dimension "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" –Henry Mancini "Wedding Bell Blues" –The 5th Dimension "Bridge Over Troubled Water" –Simon & Garfunkel "(They Long to Be) Close to You" –The Carpenters "Cracklin' Rosie" –Neil Diamond "I Think I Love You" –The Partridge Family "Indian Reservation" –The Raiders "Song Sung Blue" –Neil Diamond "Half Breed" –Cher "Annie's Song" –John Denver "Top of the World" –The Carpenters "The Way We Were" –Barbra Streisand "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" –John Denver "Love Will Keep Us Together" –Captain & Tennille "I'm Sorry"/"Calypso" –John Denver "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" –Diana Ross Sadly, we lost Hal this past week on March 11, 2019. He was 90 years old. You may have seen the news and, if you weren’t a drummer, didn’t think it impacted you. But if you love music, Hal Blaine touched you as well. Drummers and musicians everywhere are remembering Hal. –HC- Video Resources: The Wrecking Crew - Facebook Page Video Online Resources: Drum! Magazine - Remembering Hal Blaine Modern Drummer Magazine: Hal Blaine _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

If you watched the Oscars last week, then you know that music realized a huge win. Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star Is Born both did exceptionally well at the awards show. Ironically, both are movies with music that has stood the test of time. As the Oscars opened with Queen playing We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions, I began thinking about the first time I heard both songs (back-to-back as they were played when first released), and it was way back in 1977. That blew my mind! (I know – small explosion) At the time, I was 15 years old, and music was consuming every fiber of my being. I wanted to make music and drum more than anything else (including study – much to my parents' chagrin). It means those two Queen songs are as popular today as they were 42 years ago! And while most of the younger crowd won’t remember the first time A Star Is Born was released on the big screen, it was in 1976 with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. And if you’re from my generation, you know how often the song Evergreen from the movie was played on FM radio! So, when you combine the singing and acting talents of Lady GaGa and Bradley Cooper and their natural chemistry, it’s no wonder the movie was so successful in this re-release. During the commercial breaks of the Oscars, we learned of the 2019 release of a new movie, Rocketman, that celebrates the life of Elton John. If you’re from my generation, you know what an impact Elton’s music has made (and continues to make) on music…not only during his early years but also throughout his life. Humans not only need music but need the escape it offers. They need the emotions it evokes. They need the compassion it releases. We need the inspiration and we need that more now than ever. I’ve mentioned before that it would be hard to imagine your favorite movie if it were devoid of music. We know that music can set the tone and attitude of a movie. Now it seems that music can make a movie. Not only can it make a movie, but it can also make a compelling and award-winning movie! So be inspired to make better music. You never know, for there could come a day in which your music makes a movie! - HC- Note: Does the image above look familiar? We used it on a previous Dear Musician called Will Music Lose Its Soul? where we quote Freddie Mercury regarding the exploding music technology growth at the time. We thought it important to point it out because it's still a very relevant subject today - _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Yamaha EAD10 Acoustic Electronic Drum Module Should be renamed - fun in a box! by Dendy Jarrett Acoustic Electronic Drum Module? Yamaha’s website states, “The EAD10 acoustic electronic drum module instantly transforms your acoustic drum kit into a powerful digital/electric hybrid with sampled sounds and studio-quality digital effects. It allows you to play along with your favorite artists and record and share the audio and video directly to social media. The EAD10 enhances every aspect of your drumming and makes your acoustic drums do more.” I guess one could say “playing drums is striking a plastic head with a wooden stick.” I mean, both those definitions are indeed descriptive, but they are both very sterile, vanilla, and underwhelming. Why do I make a negative statement about Yamaha’s description in the opening paragraph? Because that description being so benign is the only negative I can find about the EAD10. If you’ve ever miked up a drum kit, you know what a mess of cables, microphone stands, or clamps, and cable routing it can be. Not only is it a lot of work but it also represents a lot of investment for a local gigging drummer. In today’s contemporary gig scene, many drummers are opting to go smaller and more compact with their set ups. If that statement represents you, then you want to check out this box! How Does It Work? There is a small unit known as the sensor that attaches to the bass drum hoop. The sensor has a trigger that rests on the bass drum hoop to trigger the bass drum, and the upper part of the sensor has two omni-directional stereo microphones that do an amazing job of picking up the rest of the kit—an amazing job! The drum module box is surprisingly small and compact. The sensor connects to this box. The sensor provides the signal from both a trigger mode and a microphone mode (level percentage and sensitivity controlled by the drum module) and allows the drummer to have complete control. As a microphone, the EAD10 could be a stand-alone unit, simply performing that task. When using an omni-directional microphone, care and consideration must be given to avoid bleed from anything else on stage; therefore, the best advice I can offer is to dial everything to zero and start working with your balance levels in each new venue. I was surprised at just how quickly you can dial everything in and how well the dual microphones worked. Certainly it isn’t going to be the level of detail you’d get if each drum was miked individually, but for small venues and clubs, and especially for rehearsing, it’s pretty close to perfection. Video: EAD10 – Monitor Your Drums + Go Live The EAD10 is expandable and allows you to add additional triggers up to a total of 4 (the sensor uses one of the inputs) or you can add multi-zone electric pads (like Yamaha’s XP Series pads) that will allow you to expand your sound palette. Video: Adding Triggers and Pads Let the Fun Begin! I mention above that the EAD10 could be a stand-alone unit as an all-encompassing method to mike a drumset, but miking and triggering alone is just the foundation of the unit. From there, the fun begins. This unit utilizes many of the sounds and effects of Yamaha’s popular DTX series of electronic drums. If you’re a geeky drummer like me, part of the fun of an electronic kit is determining all the great and cool sounds you can get. Well, the EAD10 combines the things you love about your acoustic kit and the things you love about the electronic kit into one sweet package. The unit has 50 preset Scenes and 200 user (created) Scenes. Scenes are simply types of kits or sounds that are preloaded or that you can customize and save for later use. Video: EAD10- Playing with Effects Scenes Video: EAD10 Sound and Expandability What could be more fun than having your acoustic kit sound like you’re playing a huge concert stadium to having them sound like some 80’s techno-pop electronic drums! Making Fun a Tool Part of what I really enjoy about the EAD10 is that it takes a mundane chore like practicing and turns it into something fun. There’s a built in metronome that doubles as a click track during performance and/or recording. Video: EAD10 – Practice What’s even more fun is that the EAD10 allows you to play along to your favorite songs with or without the click track through multiple means: Thumbdrive, Aux-In jack, USB, or through a free Rec and Share App from your phone. Even better, it allows you to adjust tempo without affecting pitch so you can work out the hard parts of a song with ease. Video: Practice with External Audio Video: Rec’n’Share App Overview But Wait, There’s More You can use the Rec’n’Share app to video tape, mix, edit, and share your playing. You can upload it directly to your social feeds or to YouTube. This is great for networking as a drummer, or it’s great if you teach online and need to evaluate student's practice or performances. Conclusion This EAD10 will go down as a device that I had the most fun reviewing (and I’ve reviewed a lot of gear). It was so much fun that I couldn’t call it work. Truly this little magical box took me back to the first time I sat behind a set of drums. It restored the excitement, the challenges, the learning, and most of all…the fun associated with playing and practicing. I kept having to remind myself that this was a tool to be used to enhance an acoustic set of drums because how could something this fun be a professional device? Yamaha, I’ll forgive the vanilla description I pointed out at the beginning of this review. But as for the EAD10, it should be renamed…fun in a box! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

It’s almost impossible to escape it these days—Politics. It’s all over the news, and social media is obsessed with it. Some people really thrive on the hype of politics and things of red or blue persuasion. My personal belief – it’s all about opinion, and there are as many opinions as there are backsides upon which we sit! I recently penned a Dear Musician called “Take a Music Chill Pill,” in which I explained that we really need to escape to music to outrun the political banter overrunning our society. In recent years I’ve struggled to watch the Grammys because of the political satire. Everyone with an opinion likes to interject it into his or her acceptance speech. Usually the first mention of it and I’m off to find a rerun of American Pickers. This year, however, I was surprised to find the Grammys reverting back to the love of music. Now, it wasn’t like everyone grabbed hands and sang Kumbaya, but there was a very gracious acknowledgement of the sanctity of music. "Music is what we all love, music is what it's all about," Alicia Keys said as she hosted. "Everybody is out here shining and I'm so proud to bring us together to honor this moment because music is what we cry to, it's what we march to, it's what we rock to, it's what we make love to. It's our shared global language.” It seemed her words worked to bring everyone back to square one. All of these thoughts were brought home as I watched a segment of the PBS News Hour in which Dave Grohl is interviewed about politics and music. He doesn’t hide the fact that some bands have a political undertone, but in the interview he states, "If you put a rock band onstage where everybody knows the songs, people can forget about their differences for a time. Music can do that. That's one of the things that I love about it so much." Music seems to defy the notion that water and oil don't mix. Bringing people together from across the aisle, uniting them in song—a great reason to make better music. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Pictured (left) Gibson CEO James "JC" Curleigh, and (right) Cesar Gueikian, Chief Merchant Officer Back when we learned that Gibson was filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy (Harmony Central’s parent company is Gibson Brands, Inc.), I wrote a Dear Musician titled When Music Icons Stumble. At that time, we didn’t know whether Gibson (and subsequently Harmony Central) would be able to weather the storm and survive. Many thought this meant the end of Gibson. But not everyone. The first words spoken on stage at the opening of the 2019 Winter NAMM show by Gibson's new CEO, JC Curleigh, set Gibson's course for the future by quoting an iconic song from the past. “Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'.” -Bob Dylan Well, Gibson started swimmin’ - and yes, the times, they are a-changin.’ The 2019 Winter NAMM show was where Gibson made its comeback - not just as a company but as a family. The Gibson booth was mobbed from the moment it opened until well after it was (supposed to be) closed. Everyone wanted to know Gibson's next step in a new era, with a new team, and with a very different attitude. The consensus: Gibson is back to making the guitars that guitarists want. Gibson presented Doors' guitarist Bobby Krieger (see picture below) and, for a moment in time, I witnessed men and women of all ages transformed into 18-year-old music fans, once again experiencing the magic that music creates. And in a very cool move, Gibson brought the magic of "being built in the USA" to the show floor, with craftsmen performing custom carving on guitar bodies, pickguards, scraping of bindings, winding coils, and more. Showgoers were fascinated to see what "hand-made" really means. But perhaps even more important for the company's future, Gibson employees were smiling again...and, once more, were proud to be a part of Gibson. It must be true what they say—the culture of a company starts from the top. Guitarists want this brand to succeed. The employees want Gibson to succeed. Even those who were casualties of the pre-bankruptcy mass firings still want Gibson to succeed. The passion from all concerned was palpable at the show. Yes, there's residual damage (to the brand) that needs to be reversed, and years of neglect have taken their toll. But anything is possible with teamwork, hard work, and a clear vision of how to fulfill the dreams of guitar players around the world. Gibson is back. At Harmony Central, we're unabashedly proud to be associated with this brand and its comeback. And as guitarists and members of the Harmony Central community, we have a reason to celebrate. -HC- Resources: Gibson CEO, JC Curleigh kicks off a fantastic evening of music at The Grove Reverb Interview with Gibson CEO, JC Music Radar Interview with Gibson CEO, JC Gibson is Back! Bringing Made in the USA to the NAMM Floor _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Dear Musician, Typically we present Dear Musician with some focused message surrounding making better music. It’s our mission, after all, to inspire all musicians to make better music. Our mission, it seems, is becoming the mission of others, as well—and we’re glad for the reinforcements! If you caught the 2019 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day, you may know that the theme of the parade was The Melody Of Life. According to their press release: “The Melody of Life celebrates music— the universal language. Music has the power to not only bring us together but take us back to memories and moments as nothing else can. From the sweep of a conductor’s baton to a simply whistled tune, music is woven into the fabric of our lives, community, family, friendship, and love. Music heals us. Defines us. Reminds us, and inspires us to be our greater selves. Rhythm, melody, harmony, and color all come together to create the soundtrack that defines our lives.” Sounds like the theme of almost every Dear Musician…right? But it’s so true. As I watched the parade and as the theme was repeatedly played out, I couldn’t help thinking about the importance of Harmony Central, the community—an online community that’s served musicians non-stop since 1995. Our editors present Expert Reviews in which we take music gear and run it through the paces so we can help you make better-informed music gear purchases. Adding gear helps expand your music palate, which also furthers your music repertoire. Expanding your music gear leads to the expansion of your musical interests. This is a good thing! We also present Articles that can run the gamut from gear use, manufacturer factory tours, in-depth gear use, practice techniques, lessons, and more. Starting a new year can be a great time to take stock of your music gear and your music goals and a time to renew your musical interests. Perhaps it's time to start a new band or get back to playing 30 minutes a day. The love of music seems to be taking its stage these days. From the Rose Parade to high honors for Bohemian Rhapsody at the Golden Globes, the influence of music and the need for it is all around us. This comes as no surprise to Harmony Central, as we’ve been singing this song for a long time. Now, perhaps, others are realizing that with our mission to inspire you to make better music—well, we’re on to something! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Dear Musician - Worthy of Review Some messages bear repeating... by Dendy Jarrett Does the image look familiar? Our Dear Musician article from September entitled "Take a Music Chill Pill" was our most viewed Dear Musician of 2018. It seems that it's a message worthy of review. This is a great time of year to slow down for a moment and reflect on the world around us. Perhaps a good time to contemplate new New Year's Resolutions! As we entered 2018, we had 95,000 subscribers to Make Better Music. As we exit 2018, that number has grown to slightly over 130,000 subscribers. What does this mean? It means we're serious about our mission to inspire you to make better music! It also means you're serious about making better music. These days, this represents a rare commodity: Win! Win! That said, Make Better Music has never seemed like a job to those of us here at Harmony Central. It's a labor of love, and, with such a small team, pulling off each edition is nothing short of a logistical miracle. For 2018, there have been 26 Dear Musician articles. We've listed them below as a year in review. Perhaps you missed one because you subscribed later in the year. This is a great time of year to reflect and review. This issue of Make Better Music is dedicated to the year in review: January 1st, 2018 Dear Musician- Musical Resolutions Can 105,000 musicians be wrong? January 15th, 2018 Dear Musician- The Meaning of Music The answer is...there is no answer January 29th, 2018 Dear Musician- NAMM: A Musical Homecoming Is it 2018 Winter NAMM already? February 12th, 2018 Dear Musician- Exeptional Talent Is Not Dead When you’ve got it … you’ve got it! February 26th, 2018 Dear Musician- Make Better Music Movement When words fail … music speaks. March 12th, 2018 Dear Musician - Seasons Turn! Turn! Turn! There is a season ... March 26th, 2018 Dear Musician - Music's All Around Us And you’d be surprised how people are making it … April 9th, 2018 Dear Musician - Musical Independence What a musician on fire looks like … April 23rd, 2018 Dear Musician - The Gig...A Celebration ... the discovery of a hidden treasure May 7th, 2018 Dear Musician- When Musical Icons Stumble Will you kick it while it’s down? May 21st, 2018 Dear Musician - Do We Take Music for Granted? It's certainly possible ... June 4th, 2018 Dear Musician - Is Your Instrument Calling? Pssst - It’s dark in this case … June 18th, 2018 Dear Musician- Is Musical Isolation the New Normal? Could this be the "problem" with today's music ... July 2nd, 2018 Dear Musician - Are You Music Gear Obsessed? Well, there are worse obsessions … July 16th, 2018 Dear Musician - Enjoy The Summer Breeze Does it make you feel fine? July 30th, 2018 Dear Musician - Does Your Music Need Schooling? Warning: Resources are dwindling August 13th, 2018 Dear Musician – Music’s Universal You can even experience Chicago in Russia! August 27th, 2018 Dear Musician: Music Over Matter When the love of making music is strong! September 10th, 2018 Dear Musician - Take A Music Chill Pill Music is a container for our emotions. How are you going to fill that container? September 24th, 2018 Dear Musician - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Embrace Change! Like Sam Cooke said – a change is gonna come October 8th, 2018 Dear Musician - Celebrate The Music Industry Comeback Who doesn't like a comeback...or cake! October 22nd, 2018 Dear Musician – Music Modernization It’s about time… November 5th, 2018 Dear Musician - They Don't Make Music like They Once Did We know you’ve heard that before… November 19th, 2018 Dear Musician - So Thankful for Music In a World where there’s plenty to complain about… December 3rd, 2018 Dear Musician - Some Gifts are More Than Just a Gift Because you never know where the gift of music may take you… Happy Holidays everyone and remember to make better music! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

It’s true—some gifts are more than just a gift. In previous Dear Musicians, we’ve covered life-altering subtleties of music, such as The Butterfly Effect, to something as extreme as Music Over Matter. I do believe that we as musicians have our own stories of how music has influenced our lives, with each of them (in many ways) being unique. This point was driven home in a recently-released commercial from the UK retail giant John Lewis & Partners. The commercial is entitled The Boy and The Piano. To quote their website, “This year’s story is about the power of a gift. And how that gift inspired, changed and influenced the course of a little boy’s life. That little boy just happens to be Elton John. The film begins in present day and works backward chronologically through Elton’s life right until the moment on Christmas morning when he received the special gift that changed his life.” Trust me, you don’t have to be an Elton John fan to appreciate the mastery of the message in this short 2 minute 20 second film. It’s also safe to say that if you grew up during the 70s, 80s and 90s, you understand the impact Elton’s music had on the culture of music. Most important, the short film drives home how much impact that the gift of music can have on not only a musician’s life but also the lives of those the musician’s music touches. I can state from a personal perspective that the musical journey of this short film caused me to reflect on my own musical journey and the impact that the gift of music has had on my life—seemingly every facet of it. I encourage you to take the 2 minutes and 20 seconds to watch this short film. With over 10 million views at the time this Dear Musician is published, you may already have watched it. If you do, please remember the message as you approach this gift-giving season—because you never know where the gift of music may take you! –HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

photo courtesy - Carhartt In the United States we’re embarking on the week of Thanksgiving. It’s an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal that usually includes turkey. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621 and is held in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. A similar holiday is held in Canada, usually on the second Monday in October. What’s true is that in the world today, there’s plenty to complain about should we choose to focus on the negative. These past two weeks have seen mass shootings, one of which was at a club where patrons were enjoying music. That particular club is also where Guitar Center held lots of corporate “jams” in which employees would gather to make music together. These past two weeks also have seen the massive wild fires, which have taken quite a toll on property and lives. Many musicians lost their homes and/or studios in Malibu, the likes of Charley Pollard, producer, engineer and composer, who lost his home but was able to save his studio. However, Jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour lost both his home and recording studio and everything in both. Neil Young and many other musicians lost their homes. Instruments and studios can be rebuilt (and will be), but lives cannot be replaced. The one thing, other than life, that none of these people lost was their music. With so much going on around us, it’s easy to forget to be thankful for the music that we sometimes take for granted. Music is a gift. So, when you’re gathered around a table with friends and family, please remember that music, especially for musicians, is a fabric of life with the strength of Kevlar. Use it to uplift. Use it to remember. Use it to celebrate life and death. But, most of all, please remember to be so thankful for music. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

This scenario plays out all over the world every day: teenager listens to music and adult says, “They don’t make music like they once did.” It probably happened to you, and you can probably relate. I remember when it happened to me and I thought, “That’s crazy.” Could my parents be so out of touch that they preferred Chubby Checker to the Doobie Brothers? But that’s the music to which they related. People can be funny about their music. Some stay very boxed into one genre, while others like music across the board. And tastes vary within genres. Some jazz listeners only listen to Miles Davis, while others like all jazz. I believe this notion of music "not being like it once was" is because, for many, the music in their life time-line represents definitive lines of demarcation for specific events, times, places, or people. Some songs may represent a loved one lost. Some music may represent a loved one who has passed. The truth is that it’s all the same chords, chord structure, phrasing, and dynamics. They are arranged differently. Even with today’s technology, the instruments we hear in music remain much the same as they were 50 and 60 years ago. Sure there are different technological advances that allow us to capture the music and re-broadcast, but the instruments and music theory remain the same. Why did I choose this subject to write this Dear Musician about? Well, my 10-year-old daughter approached me this past week and asked me to tell her about Stevie Wonder. It reminded me that I’m not doing my job very well. I (try to) listen to her music on the Disney Radio and often think that “they don’t make music like the once did,” but I’ve tried to be careful not to vocalize that. And here she was...showing interest in “my” music. I believe as musicians we relate better to humans when we try the “across all genres” approach to music appreciation. From Sinatra to 21 Pilots, we should be somewhat familiar with artists from days gone by, as well as those who are relevant today. So, when you feel the urge as you grow older to say, “They don’t make music like they once did,” stop yourself and keep an open mind about all music. In doing so, we’re better informed to inspire others to make better music. - HC - PS: I'm off to explain the virtues of Stevie Wonder as I inspire my daughter! _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

On October 11th the President signed into law the Music Modernization Act. In a world where politics have gone haywire, it was relief to see this bill pass. It was born out of honest and sincere intentions from people who have a genuine desire to solve a long-standing problem that (in essence) robbed musicians and/or songwriters out of their rightful royalties from the work they did years ago. And, best we can tell, there are no nefarious schemes or underlying political ploys at play. For years, the playing field between songwriters and publishers has never been level. Much of this has really come to light because many of the laws written regarding song licensing were written in a pre-digital-age era. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music (known as DSPs) didn’t exist when these laws were written, so the regulations were open to interpretation. One of the main achievements of the law, based on what we understand, is that it guarantees that writers of pre-1972 songs receive federal copyright protection, allowing them to earn payments from streaming services, some of which have regularly played those songs without paying royalties. Ironically, both songwriters and publishers who never seem to agree on anything have supported the Music Modernization Act (MMA). This bill is serving as an olive branch to bridge efforts to get musicians and artists their rightful earnings. The other fantastic part of this bill is that it moves to modernize into the 21st Century the process of licensing, tracking and paying royalties. Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said in a statement, “As we celebrate the harmony and unity that got us here, we applaud the efforts of the thousands of performers, songwriters, and studio professionals who rallied for historic change to ensure all music creators are compensated fairly when their work is used by digital and satellite music services.” Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) who, co-sponsored the bill, said, “Our music licensing laws (have been) convoluted, out of date, and don’t reward songwriters fairly for their work. They’ve also failed to keep up with recent, rapid changes in how Americans purchase and listen to music.” The goal, he further says, is “to make it easier for music creators to make a living.” Making it easier to make a living making better music? It’s about time! -HC- Join our forum discussion on Music Modernization here _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Govee Smart Hygrometer/Thermometer Humidity and high temps can cause more than a bad hair day-just ask your instrument… by Dendy Jarrett If you live in the deep South in the U.S., high humidity combined with high temperatures often defy description. It can be downright brutal. The net negative can be worse on your instrument than your hair. Musical instruments are constructed of many components that can be affected by temperature and humidity. Wood needs to breathe and doesn’t like to be too dry or too damp. The finishes applied to instruments, no matter if lacquer or poly, need to breathe, as it out-gases for years after it’s applied. Metal can pit and corrode if it’s subjected to too much humidity. All in all, proper temperature and humidity control for an instrument can cause short and long-term damage and reek havoc on your finish, your ability to tune, and the value of the instrument. Suffice it to say, temperature and humidity are important to monitor to avoid all of these pitfalls. Unfortunately, it can be hard to remember to keep a check on these things if you have your guitar in a closet or your basement rehearsal space. Govee has introduced the Govee Smart Hygromoeter/Thermometer. This little device is your very own humidity and temperature concierge. It’s a lightweight device that is very “apple-esque” in presentation—all white body with a round led screen. It pairs via Bluetooth™ with your smart phone. From the app, you can control the parameters and alerts you want to set. The display is simple and straightforward and you don’t need a meteorological degree to decipher the information. For my test, I simply placed the Govee in the inner pocket of my gig bag for my guitar, paired it up, and began monitoring. The recommended humidity for an acoustic guitar is 45-55 percent, but 40-60 percent is also acceptable. I was happy to see my Govee read 49.7% in my Epiphone acoustic. This is the perfect humidity for this guitar. The Govee comes with a 3M adhesive backed wall mount (which I didn’t use in my application). It also comes with the batteries included (AAA times 3). The device is about 2.5 inches long by .75 inches tall so compact enough for almost any instrument case. Additionally, if you have an instrument closet, you could simply mount this device on the wall of that storage area so you can monitor all your instruments. The device retails for $39.99 on Amazon, so it’s very affordable. Here are some of the top highlights of the little device: High-precision: Swiss SHT30 sensor. Accuracy: ±0.3°C on temp and ±1% on hum. Smart Monitor: 7X24 Hours, curve graph record the real-time data, set alert for certain range and inform you automatically if exceed.(APP function) Easy Check: Govee App & LCD screen, zooming function on App. (APP function) Data Storage: 32,000 records in device (about 20 days), Two year on cloud and can be downloaded.(APP function) All in One: Govee Home App supports for more sensors connected at the same time, check all sensors from App instead of one by one and face to face. (APP function) The app is available in the app store as Govee Home. It was free, easy to setup and use. It works on both iOS and Android devices. If there is one additional feature that could make this great little unit even better, it would be wifi-broadcast. I hear a wifi version will be available for those that desire that feature within a couple of months. As it is now, you need to be tethered via Bluetooth, so you must be within range. The detecting range is up to 230 feet in ideal condition (no obstructions). There is no cloud-based monitoring…yet. At least when I’m close, I know my gear is being monitored so that damage from temperature and humidity extremes can be mitigated. So when you’re having a bad hair day due to the high humidity, at least you don’t have to worry about your favorite music gear. -HC- Enter the code below to purchase the Govee on Amazon For a limited time to Harmony Central community members: 30% OFF code: VJHPSN2Z Available: 10/18/2018 9:00 AM PDT to 11/10/2018 11:59 PM PDT Want to know more about the company, you can go to Govee official website. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

After years of gloom and doom as physical media sales declined, the music industry is on the upswing. Digital music revenues have exceeded physical sales, subscription revenue is up, vinyl is still maintaining its niche market, and there are more outlets than ever—Spotify, YouTube, cdbaby, and more—to sell and promote your music. Yes, there are still some bumps in the road; for example, distributing payments to artists and songwriters still needs work to make sense in the 21st century. And we could use more live music venues! But the patient is no longer in the intensive care unit and is on the mend. The signs are there for all to see. Not that long ago, our Make Better Music newsletter dispatched to around 29,000 people. The latest issue went to over 127,000 people, all of whom opted in (and are responsible for a higher-than-average open rate). And, Harmony Central’s demographic base is trending younger and is attracting more female readers. MIDI is being rejuvenated for the new century with a variety of new proposals, some of which have already been implemented (like MIDI Polyphonic Expression). What’s more, The MIDI Association—a global community of the people who work, play, and create with MIDI—has had astronomical growth since its start a little less than three years ago. Despite sensationalist articles about the death of the guitar, electric guitar sales since 2015 have been increasing, while acoustic guitar sales are growing substantially, and ukulele sales continue to skyrocket. By now, forums were supposed to be dead. But after a freefall in forum participation, the numbers are on the rise. Although maybe it’s just that people are getting tired of Facebook, it seems the opportunity to have wide-ranging, thoughtful discussions is something people missed—and they’re coming back. Senior Contributor Harmony Central-ite Craig Anderton, who has always had an uncanny knack for seeing the future, is spending most of his time writing the “Musician’s Guide to Home Recording” series of print and eBooks for Hal Leonard. He believes computer-based recording has reached a tipping point, making it more accessible than ever to a wide variety of musicians. The Winter NAMM show—which is just around the corner—continues to rack up huge attendance numbers, Sweetwater’s GearFest had over 15,000 attendees last summer (and perhaps even more tellingly, sold 15% more music gear than last year), the 45 Ultra-branded music festivals in 20 countries drew over 1 million people, and SXSW (as well as other festivals) are ramping up attendance. To quote A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Granted, when you look at the news, it may seem like the worst of times. But when it comes to music, at Harmony Central we believe we’re heading toward the best of times. And to do your part, all you need to do is...Make Better Music! As for Team HC, we're off to have cake. After all, who doesn't like a comeback...or cake! -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Yamaha Tour Custom Maple Drumset Like a familiar pair of blue jeans... by Dendy Jarrett Sometimes you just know. Sometimes it's the moment you see something that speaks to you and says, "Hello, old friend." This was the case with the Yamaha Tour Custom Maple Drumset. Yamaha as a musical instrument company has been around since 1887, but they didn't start making drums until 1967 - so they've had 50 years to refine their manufacturing. And refine they have! In 2010 Yamaha invested $10 million in their Hangzhou Xiaoshan plant and in 2011 re-introduced all their high-end drums, which are now manufactured in that facility. The Subject Yamaha gave me a choice of kits to review. The configuration I chose was the Chocolate Satin and the sizes are as follows: 20” X 15” Bass Drum 14” X 13” Floor Tom 12” X 8” Mounted Tom 10” X 7” Mounted Tom I also tested this kit with the Yamaha Recording Custom Stainless Steel Snare Drum (not Included in shell pack). The Packaging Packaging can tell us a lot about a company. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a difference. It's obvious that Yamaha put some careful thought in both protection and minimizing waste when they designed the packaging for this shell pack. Everything in this shell pack came in one box that was approximately 32 inches long, 24 inches wide, and 19 inches tall. The box had a total weight of 67.5 lbs. The package, delivered by UPS, had absolutely no damage to the box or its contents. Hello, Old Friend The kit color I chose to review has a deceiving name – Chocolate Satin. I worried this would simply be a “brown” satin finish kit. And, while that’s what it was, it was simply gorgeous with the subtle wood-grain showing. I expect, because I grew up falling in love with drumming in the late 60s to early 80s, this kit simply said "hello, old friend" from the moment I pulled one of the toms out of the box. These shallow (classic) tom sizes took me right back to my early days of drumming, and I fell in love with them even before I heard them. The color was not only gorgeous and the drums reminded me of a fine piece of furniture. It screamed jazz, funk and R&B. Quality – And More Quality I shouldn’t have been surprised. When I reviewed the Yamaha Recording Custom Series, I mentioned just how impressed I continue to be with the quality and care that goes into Yamaha’s drums. Their quality control bar is set very high. From the packaging to the sound, there is a higher-than-normal attention to detail. The finish on this kit is a satin finish and simply flawless. Again, it presents like a fine piece of furniture. The hoops are the same chocolate satin finish on the outer perimeter of the hoops, but the front edge and interior finish are a satin natural maple finish. The chrome on the kit is perfect. Even some high-end kits have an oily residue on their chrome to keep it from corrosion, but Yamaha’s plating doesn’t seem to need this. Also the bass drum tension rods don’t come with messy lubrication on them. The threads are so perfect that they don’t need it. Specifications Lug – Absolute Lug (Chrome Finish) – One Per Side Shell – 100% 6 – Ply Maple Bearing Edge – 45 degree TT/FT Hoop – Inverse DynaHoop – 2.3mm BD Hoop – Wood Hoop - Maple BD Claws – Die-Cast with anti-scratch/anti-vibration neoprene insert TT/FT Head – Top: Remo Clear Ambassador/Bottom: Remo Clear Ambassador BD Head – Front: Remo Smooth White PS3 with Yamaha Logo/Batter: Remo PS3 Clear Tom Mount – Y.E.S.S. TH945C - included FT Bracket – Open Type BD Leg – Convertible Type MSRP – Starting from: $2,150.00 Colors - They are available in a candy-named array of colors: Butterscotch Satin (natural wood grain) Candy Apple Satin (red wood grain) Chocolate Satin (as reviewed) Caramel Satin (an amber hue wood grain) Licorice Satin (black wood grain) Sizes - The Tour Custom Maples are available in two size variations TMP2F4 - Bass Drum - 22" X 16", Floor Tom - 16" X 15", Tom Tom - 12" X 8" & 10" X 7" TMP0F4 - Bass Drum - 20" X 15", Floor Tom - 14" X 13", Tom Tom - 12" X 8" & 10" X 7" Optional Components Available - Floor Tom 14" X 13"/ Tom Tom 13" X 9" Butterscotch Satin Caramel Satin Candy Apple Satin Licorice Satin All other mages In this review are Chocolate Satin Sound – Bright Yet Warm You would naturally expect that drums that look this good would sound great as well. No surprises here! I’m a maple guy, so I may be biased, but these drums do not disappoint. As mentioned, they are a throw-back to my early drumming years, and they provide that bright attack, yet warm roll-off tone, that I desire from drums. Yet these drums are wide open but controlled. Since the heads that come on the kit are not some inexpensive import heads – and also my head of choice—it was very easy for me to dial in the sound. These drums would fit in nicely with any pop, funk, R&B or jazz gigs—a very versatile kit. Conclusion It was love at first sight. There are things in your life that you cling to, and this kit would be one of them. I tried to find something not to like about these drums, but there was nothing. Perhaps you’d need to be concerned about the weather with the finish if you were playing any sort of outside gig that could threaten their getting water on the satin finish, but that’s something easy to mitigate. There was nothing to hate and everything to love. These drums stole my heart and I felt completely comfortable with them. Like an old familiar pair of blue jeans. –HC- Media Yamaha Official Tour Custom Maple Webpage Available for purchase: Sweetwater Amazon Musician's Friend Guitar Center _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

I was recently speaking with a group of guitarists about the instrument itself. We were having a friendly chat about the shape of guitar necks and the makeup of the instrument. This led us to the subject of CITES and the use of rosewood. All I can say is that guitarists take this subject very seriously. That discussion further lead Team HC into a conversation about our entire industry and the need to embrace the earth friendly philosophy of reduce, reuse, and recycle. But to do this, you need to be able to embrace change! Change is difficult but sometimes necessary. Imagine what musicians thought when manufacturers changed ivory piano keys to a synthetic ivory, or when cat gut guitar strings were changed to nylon. How about when drummers found calf skin heads being replaced with all-weather-friendly plastic? How about when rosewood xylophone bars were replaced with synthetic counterparts? All of these things must have really seemed major at the time, but over time these changes have become the new normal. Today, however, we are faced with dwindling resources to produce instruments in mass quantities, and manufacturers are being challenged to discover new materials that are either an approved renewable resource or are an acceptable alternative synthetic product. Lacquered products will be phased out and replaced with waterborne urethanes. Endangered hardwoods will have to be replaced with an alternative renewable resource. Some manufacturers will resort to building instruments out of a recycled resource. Prisma Guitars, for example, makes guitars out of recycled old skate boards, and they're pretty cool. This is a great example of a manufacturer's taking a product that might otherwise find itself in a landfill and producing a great music-making instrument from it. In a previous Dear Musician, I discussed Cool Change as it relates to the season. Just as fitting as the change of season, musicians will need to dig deep into their souls and determine if they “really” can tell a difference in the material being used to produce their guitars or if they are falling prey to perception deception versus reality. Our planet has grown in population to the point that we are consuming faster than the planet can replace. So a change is gonna come. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

In recent months and weeks—heck, even days—it’s hard to get onto any social platform and not be bombarded by political banter that’s downright brutal. Speak your mind and you’re likely to be torn to shreds. From shoe companies to football to government itself, we're being buried with negativity. Even if you say you're in favor of cute little kittens, someone will tell you kittens carry diseases, taxpayers have to support animal pounds to compensate for irresponsible owners, and that you're a stupid moron for thinking that cats are better than dogs—even if you didn't say cats are better than dogs. It’s too bad that people behind a computer keyboard can’t behave like people behind a synthesizer keyboard. Musicians, for the most part, get along—at least on stage. A wise person once said, “If you want to get along with others, avoid conversations that revolve around sports, religion, and politics." It can’t be said that music’s been free from politics. Look at the lyrics of Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Architects, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Muncie Girls, or Bob Dylan. We were reminded of how politically powerful a song can be during Aretha Franklin’s memorials. And that’s the great thing about a song: it can have an underlying political message or tone without beating you over the head with it. It's great that music can express any kind of emotion, from depression to elation...from hate to love...from political disgust to spiritual bliss. But music itself is just the container for our emotions. How are we going to fill that container? To the 125,000 plus Make Better Music subscribers, we humbly suggest that you have the power to create music that can take you away from the stress of the “political hate” of today. You have the freedom to pick up your instrument and change your day or, even better, the day of other people as well. Maybe it's time to take a music chill pill and let music give you the freedom to find peace—and maybe even help others find peace as well. -HC- _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.

Term: Mind over matter Interpretation: The use of willpower to overcome physical challenges Let’s face it – if you’re reading this, you most likely love to make better music. Even the most seasoned players, however, can face times when they don’t feel like making music or you allow small adversities to stand in the way of their making music. It happens to all of us, and, for some, it can be the habitual excuse not to sit down and play. You know, “I need to clean my sock drawer” syndrome. Being a drummer, I’m most familiar with Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, who lost his left arm in a horrific car crash in 1984. Rick was determined that the loss of that arm would not sideline him from the drum throne. To a drummer, it’s quite an inspiring story. I was reminded once again of Rick’s story when I recently saw a BBC story about Keith Xander, who was born with only half a right arm. He had every reason not to play guitar. He could certainly have chosen to feel sorry for himself and let the lack of his arm stand in the way of making music, especially when most perceive the instrument to require two arms and two hands. He sought out a music teacher who, instead of discouraging his desire to play, taught him how to use his hook as a plectrum. And, for him, it became a game of perseverance. And persevere he did! He’s a fantastic player. The 4-minute video tells the entire story, and you’ll be glad you watched it. So, when you think you’re having a day that isn't going well enough to practice or to learn a new song or just to sit down and play, think of these words from Keith: “It’s just quite simple: It’s about not giving up. It’s got nothing to do with whether you have one, two or three arms; it’s to do with your attitude toward yourself and the world around you, and whether you’re limited in the beliefs of others in yourself. If I can do it…you can do it!” You might say Keith and Rick used music over matter to make their love for music a reality. And with that, we hope you’re inspired to make better music. -HC- video courtesy BBC _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.