Dendy Jarrett

…that flood waters tried to create by Dendy Jarrett In the first week of October 2015, Hurricane Joaquin lingered in the warm southern Atlantic water. That, combined with a low-pressure system over the Mid-Atlantic states, created a pipeline of moisture over South Carolina. Some areas received over 20 inches of rain in just over 72 hours. The result was flooding unlike anything seen there since records were kept. I was monitoring the situation closely, because I’m from South Carolina and my family still lives there. Luckily for my family, no one suffered much personal loss. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many others who lost everything. During the following week, it was announced that the football game between the University of South Carolina Gamecocks and the LSU Tigers could not be held in South Carolina. So, LSU said they’d host the game, which as you can imagine required a lot of quick logistics. Unfortunately, the USC Marching Band could not attend. So in an unprecedented move for an opposing team, the band director for the LSU Marching Band announced that they would learn the Carolina Fight Song and the USC Alma Mater (“We Hail Thee Carolina”), and perform them on behalf of South Carolina. Since most of you know how important things like music are in restoring normalcy to an otherwise chaotic situation, you also know just how special this gesture of good will was for the players and fans who were suddenly placed in a position of playing away from their familiar turf due to unfortunate circumstances. And the goodwill gesture of the LSU band spread, as billboards proclaiming; “Geaux Gamecocks – We Stand STRONG with You!” were placed along the interstate entering Baton Rouge, and the LSU Administration announced that all profits generated from ticket sales would be given to the University of South Carolina to help offset the loss of income due to moving of the game. And finally, they held a large American Red Cross drive during the game to raise money for the flood victims. Something as simple as music can wash away barriers, restore faith in humanity, and prove how much comfort and meaning it brings to the soul. So, “We Hail Thee Carolina” and send thoughts of quick healing to the citizens of your State. And to the LSU Tiger Marching Band…we say a hearty thanks for showing the true spirit of team, and the importance of music. ___________________________________________________________ Video of LSU learning the University of South Carolina Alma Mater The Pregame as the LSU Tiger Marching Band ushers on the Fighting Gamecock football team _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Did MTV Kill the Video Star? I remember watching the first moment MTV launched: August 1st 1981, and I was a college freshman. I was a music performance major, and the idea of this new found “music video” media caused a major frenzy with all the music major students. We all gathered at a local hangout to watch the launch. First video: “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Did it? For many years after that, while I was a touring musician, much of our influence on what we played—and the set lists we chose—stemmed from what we watched on MTV. And then it happened. MTV wandered off to some sort of “reality” show mash-up of remotely music-related fodder. They seemed to have lost touch with their roots. Somewhere, some group of executives sat around a boardroom table and decided that music videos were falling out of favor and didn’t have relevance anymore. The result: MTV was no longer the industry standard it had been for about three decades. Granted, it’s important to change with the times. For example, car companies started changing their line to more gas-efficient cars—but they didn’t change to making lawnmowers just because both used internal combustion engines. MTV could have leveraged its cachet to become a streaming service before Spotify or Pandora took over the world, or even partnered with iTunes. Whatever— their lack of vision about what to do with music turned them from MTV to…well, TV. After watching a few minutes of the MTV music awards this past weekend, I realized that MTV seems to have not only jumped the shark, but pole-vaulted past it. And it’s not just me: according to Entertainment Weekly, despite Miley Cyrus’ attempts to ‘up’ ratings with her “breast baring” stunt, the award show continues to lose its audience. Viewership is down 5% from 2014 and a whopping 18% down from 2013. After a while it dawned on me that I just couldn’t watch this anymore. I was interested in music, not Miley Cyrus’s ”hey, look at me!!” costume changes. I had better things to do, like watch paint dry. And to top it all—Kanye West was awarded the Video Vanguard Award (MTV’s version of the lifetime achievement honor). Really? Have they heard this guy sing? (Kanye vs. Mercury) I’m not sure what they were piping in through the ventilation ducts, or handing out in the MTV Awards goodie bags, but someone there apparently thought it a good idea to give an admittedly high Kanye the microphone so he could go on a 13 minute, 52 second speech about who knows what. It was the most disjointed speech I’ve ever witnessed—which is saying a lot, considering the incoherence of many political speeches—and to make matters worse, he “announced” his bid for the presidency in 2020. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he did not mean Presidency of the United States. Will MTV recover from the 2015 awards show? During MTV’s heyday, you’d remember the videos for some songs as much, if not more, than the music itself (“Take on Me,” anyone?). The aural and visual stimulant served the music well. Maybe MTV should take music videos to the next level instead of retreating into formula TV…but no, that would take work and creativity, which were two elements conspicuously missing from the MTV awards show. As for me, I now know to cross the MTV Music Awards off my list of music-related shows to watch each year. Thankfully, there’s always Vevo, YouTube, and plenty of other places to watch music videos. But the lesson is clear: if you want to see your target audience decrease year after year, work hard on becoming less and less relevant. For those who made the wise decision not to give up a few hours of their lives they’d never get back, here’s a recap of the winners. Video of the Year: Beyoncé - "7/11" Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud" Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" -- WINNER Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" Kendrick Lamar - "Alright" Best Male Video: Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud" Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" -- WINNER Kendrick Lamar - "Alright" The Weeknd - "Earned It" Nick Jonas - "Chains" Best Female Video: Beyoncé - "7/11" Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" -- WINNER Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" Sia - "Elastic Heart" Ellie Goulding - "Love Me Like You Do" Best Hip Hop Video: Fetty Wap - "Trap Queen" Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" -- WINNER Kendrick Lamar - "Alright" Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again" Big Sean ft. E-40 - "IDFWU" Best Pop Video: Beyoncé - "7/11" Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud" Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" -- WINNER Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" Maroon 5 - "Sugar" Best Rock Video: Hozier - "Take Me To Church" Fall Out Boy - "Uma Thurman" -- WINNER Florence + the Machine - "Ship To Wreck" Walk the Moon - "Shut Up and Dance" Arctic Monkeys - "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" 
Artist to Watch: Fetty Wap - "Trap Queen" -- WINNER Vance Joy - "Riptide" George Ezra - "Budapest" James Bay - "Hold Back The River" FKA Twigs - "Pendulum" Best Collaboration: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" -- WINNER Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again" Ariana Grande & The Weeknd - "Love Me Harder" Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj - "Bang Bang" Video With a Social Message: Jennifer Hudson - "I Still Love You" Colbie Caillat - "Try" Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend - "One Man Can Change the World" -- WINNER Rihanna - "American Oxygen" Wale - "The White Shoes" Song of the Summer: David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Afrojack & Bebe Rexha - "Hey Mama" Demi Lovato - "Cool For The Summer" Fetty Wap ft. Monty - "My Way" Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink - "Worth It" Five Seconds of Summer - "She's Kinda Hot" -- WINNER Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ - "Lean On" OMI - "Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)" Selena Gomez ft. A$AP Rocky - "Good For You" Silento - "Watch Me" Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" The Weeknd - "Can't Feel My Face" PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES Best Art Direction: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" (Charles Infante) Snoop Dogg - "So Many Pros" (Jason Fijal) -- WINNER Jack White - "Would You Fight For My Love" (Jeff Peterson) The Chemical Brothers - "Go" (Michel Gondry) Skrillex & Diplo - "Where Are U Now" with Justin Bieber (Brewer) Best Choreography: Beyoncé - "7/11" (Beyoncé, Chris Grant, Additional choreography: Gabriel Valenciano) OK Go - "I Won’t Let You Down" (OK Go, air:man and Mori Harano) -- WINNER Chet Faker - "Gold" (Ryan Heffington) Ed Sheeran - "Don’t" (Nappy Tabs) Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Never Catch Me" (Keone and Mari Madrid) Best Cinematography: Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Never Catch Me" (Larkin Sieple) -- WINNER Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud" (Daniel Pearl) Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" (Christopher Probst) FKA Twigs - "Two Weeks" (Justin Brown) Alt-J - "Left Hand Free" (Mike Simpson) Best Direction: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" (Joseph Kahn) Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" (Bruno Mars and Cameron Duddy) Kendrick Lamar - "Alright" (Colin Tilley & The Little Homies) -- WINNER Hozier - "Take Me To Church" (Brendan Canty, Conal Thomson) Childish Gambino - "Sober" (Hiro Murai) Best Editing: Beyoncé - "7/11" (Beyoncé, Ed Burke, Jonathan Wing) -- WINNER Ed Sheeran - "Don’t" (Jacquelyn London) Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" (Chancler Haynes at Cosmo Street) A$AP Rocky - "L$D" (Dexter Navy) Skrillex & Diplo - "Where Are U Now" with Justin Bieber (Brewer) Best Visual Effects: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" (Ingenuity Studios) FKA Twigs - "Two Weeks" (Gloria FX, Tomash Kuzmytskyi, and Max Chyzhevskyy) Childish Gambino - "Telegraph Ave." (Gloria FX) Skrillex & Diplo - "Where Are U Now" with Justin Bieber (Brewer) -- WINNER Tyler, The Creator - "F****** Young/Death Camp" (Gloria FX) _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

The marching band was banned … This past week one hard-working, long-rehearsing, and sun-baked high school band got benched by a Federal Judge for allegedly having a hymn as part of their half-time show repertoire (although it wasn’t even a hymn…more on this later). The ruling from U.S. District Judge, Carlton Reeves stated: “Defendants are permanently enjoined from including prayer, religious sermons, or activities in any school-sponsored event including but not limited to assemblies, graduations, award ceremonies, athletic events and any other school event. This means administrators, teachers and staff of the Rankin County School District may not participate in any religious activity, or solicit or encourage religious activities at school or while performing duties as a RCSD employee.” Now, don’t get me wrong; I’m all for separation of church and state—render unto Caesar, and all that. But with all the issues facing us that need to be addressed, do we really need a federal injunction to stop a high school band in Mississippi from playing “How Great Thou Art”? And it was going to be an instrumental version, so this isn’t a hymn anyway—it’s by definition an anthem, because it’s an assembly of notes on a page to form a piece of music. What defines a grouping of notes as a hymn are the words that accompany it. However, the band wasn’t planning on singing the hymn. Now, there’s no dispute that “How Great Thou Art” has religious overtones. But so do pieces of Bach. What’s next, no studying of Bach’s brilliant harmonies because he was the church organist and wrote much of his music as an homage to God? And while I can’t imagine any high school band playing John Coltrane’s “Ascension,” he often played to a higher power. How many times does Prince, a Jehovah’s Witness, mention God in his music? David Bowie’s Buddhism has been a big influence on his songs. Are we going to have to start parsing all music just in case there are religious references in there somewhere? Some people think Taylor Swift’s “Eyes Open” references Scripture. Well, does it? I have no idea. Listen, people, it’s music—which is primarily a form of entertainment. Entertainers get their inspiration from a variety of sources. What’s next? Should this year’s Drum Corps International’s Second Place Winners, Carolina Crown, have been banned because their closing piece was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and there is also a hymn, "Ode to Joy," set to the same music? It’s really time to lighten up. This kind of stunt simply distracts from real problems. I’d much rather that the government take a long, hard look at copyright law in the digital era. Or why companies get away with not paying royalties…or clarifying laws like the Lacey Act (hello, Gibson!) where it’s hard for companies to know whether they’re violating the law or not. It’s a shame that a band wasn’t allowed to play a simple piece of music. If I had the funds, I’d tell them to play the song and pay the $10,000 fine myself. No one should be banned from musical expression, especially when in the end it’s all about giving people a little bit of joy in their lives—courtesy of music. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Did you say Slugs? Quick Take Review — You’ve probably all stepped on a slug, or had them slither across your path after a rain, and you know they can be slimy little buggers. But why would a drum set be infested with slugs? Well, you’ve no doubt used some sort of bass drum impact pad in the past. Most “old school” drummers once resorted to moleskin patches that were usually reserved to protect portions of your feet from shoe rub wear. Then drumhead manufacturers got hip to climb aboard the accessory game and started offering impact pads. So, what does this have to do with Slugs? APPLICATION An impact pad goes on the bass drum head at the bass drum beater’s point of impact. There are two main benefits: a source for overtone muting, and head protection from a heavy foot impact. Enter the Triad Pad™ Batter Badge® from Slug Percussion Products out of Chicago, Illinois. Slug™ offers two models: — Triad Pad™ (regular) Model BB-TP is a 0.01” opaque polycarbonate film with a triangular shape. The badge is designed to add durability and extend the head’s life, and features a patented design that flexes without distorting the tone. This badge doesn’t really provide much (if any) muffling quality; it’s made of a thinner material that’s intended for players using felt, wool, rubber, and plastic beaters. It’s ideal for studio playing. — Triad Pad™ HD (heavy duty) Model BB-TPHD is a 0.01” polycarbonate film that sports the same shape, but is black in color and features a Poly-Gel Dur-Disk™ they call a Heavy Duty Armourphragm™ (seriously). This badge is designed with the heavy-footed drummer in mind. It’s recommended for live playing and drummers using hardwood, plastic, or metal beaters. This pad is not represented as having a muffling quality, but I found it offered just the right measure of muffling and creates more of a chest impacting “thud” than the normal “click” so often heard. Because I use a rock hard maple beater, I preferred this badge to the regular model. HIGHLIGHTS — Benefits: Protect the bass drum head, which also protects your investment Provide a measure of overtone muffling with the HD badge Beneficial for both studio and live playing Regular pad can be doubled up to extend its applications Visually appealing Cool name — Limitations: Once it is on…it is on! It will not come off Due to the permanent placement, you need to be super-accurate when placing the pad for both single and double beaters. It’s said that to get rid of slugs you can place a small bowl of beer outside, and the slugs will drink the beer, become drunk, and fall in and drown. For drummers, this should sound familiar…but I digress. With these slugs, there is no method of extermination. Once they are on, they are on, but as far as impact pads go, I really liked these. So if your kit has to be infested with something, try the Batter Badge® from Slug. Resource: Slug Percussions Official Website _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

You can’t argue with Darwin—adapt and survive, or die I grew up in a very rural part of South Carolina—our nearest neighbor was a half-mile away. and they still drew water from a well. So, any time I had contact with the outside world of entertainment, it was a big deal. I can remember like it was yesterday: my parents bringing in and going through the mail, and to them what was junk mail…to me, was gold. The gold arrived in the form of a flyer sent by the Columbia House mail order music program, which listed the most current and popular record albums. You could choose 12 album or cassettes for a penny (“Wow, a penny! Sign me up!!”), and thereafter were subscribed to being sent future albums at a marginal mark-up. In the early 70s through the early 80s this mailer had the cover art for every popular album known to man. It was the way I (and I suspect others) kept current with what music was trending. I could look at the album covers for hours. I would study the covers, familiarize myself with the artists, and then wait for that familiar tune to come on the FM dial. And in some strange way, due to the familiarity with the album art, feel connected to the music. Did I ever order? One time I did—got my 12 albums, and then sent in the cancellation request. But they kept sending those flyers, and I kept poring over them each month. (My how times have changed, what with the instant gratification of the internet.) So, it may come as a shock that Columbia House was still around…well, at least somewhat around, because they filed for bankruptcy this week—and this Wall Street Journal shows there was good reason. And according to Rolling Stone, in Columbia House’s heyday around 1996, they had a profit of $1.4 billion (yes with a ‘b’) but in 2014, with 110,000 members, generated only $17 million in revenue. So why resort to bankruptcy? Well, the numbers don’t lie—while showing assets of $2 million, they also owe 250 creditors a whopping $63 million! Whoa…who was watching the balance sheets? In the end, this industry-leading behemoth, which once fed rural mailboxes with the ability to stay plugged into current music, lacked vision. They now blame music and movie streaming for their demise, and that may be true…but companies like Netflix and Spotify owe their very existence to music and movie streaming. And that’s the lesson for all of us: The good times don’t go on forever. Perhaps when Columbia House was sitting on $1.4 billion in profits, they should have spent a few dollars on creating contingency plans for a changing world. Maybe they could have been the next iTunes if they’d played their cards right. Instead, they go in the same file folder as Mars Music, Atari, Enron, and Commodore. It’s true the only constant is change, and how we navigate that change determines whether the good times continue in a modified form, or become bad times. The good times are starting to run out for a lot of things, like network TV, magazines, even movie theaters…hopefully they’ll figure out how not to become an extra room in the Columbia House. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

My, that's a big mouse pad you have! Recently I was fortunate enough to purchase an Airstream. No, not a mid-life crisis—just the realization of a life-long dream. What can I say; we like to glamp. While outfitting the trailer, we came across these Threshold Comfort Kitchen Mats at Target. We purchased two—one for the area in front of the kitchen sink and another for the hall. They are super-comfortable to stand on, super thin, and rubber-backed for a non-slip grip. Patience, I'm getting to the punch line. As I was placing them down on the floor, it occurred to me that the top felt like it would make a fantastic mouse pad for my desk. So, it was back to Target. Snapped up another one, and anxiously schlepped it to the office. I didn’t have a "real" desk mat - only a cold slab, and a small 6" x 8" regular mouse pad. A quick placement of the mat, and unbelievably, it has become the mouse pad of the gods! With my optical mouse, I have no limitations. And the bonuses: it covers my desk, my desk top speakers now sound better (really - Craig Anderton's theory is that it absorbs the waves bouncing off the desk), and it's a nice squishy wrist rest for my wireless keyboard. The pad is 20’ by 40’ and comes in various colors: Grey (looks like shark skin - this is the one I chose), Red, Sage, and a Coffee color. They all have a closed-cell rubber non-skid backing, are machine washable, and cost only $19.99. Most 6" x 8" mouse pads cost that much. Too expensive? Cut it in half, and you end up with two mouse pads of the demi-gods. Upon seeing it, Craig had to have one - and his description of it gave me the title for this article. Back to Target I go .... So release your mouse’s boundaries. Set it free. Give it the mouse pad of the gods! Author Note: These are not available on Target's website, so the only place on the interwebz where you can find out about these nifty mouse pads is on Harmony Central. So there. Go to the kitchen area in your local Target store, and optionally, confuse the staff by asking where they have the giant mouse pads. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

What’s purple, deep, and 47 years old? No, not Barney the Dinosaur. Deep Purple, that’s who. Founded in 1968 and often referred to as the hardest touring band in rock ‘n’ roll, Deep Purple appeared on the Today Show the morning of July 23, 2015, as part of their Throwback Thursday series. But this group of aging geezers proved they can still lay down the smoke on the water! The naked truth is that the group started in Hertford, England, and quickly grew in the early 70s to become one of the “unholy trinity of British hard rock” which also included Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Perhaps running with the devil has kept them immortal, or have a picture melting in the back room, like Dorian Gray—who knows. They might even wonder who do we think we are? Because I’d guess they never imagined back in 1968 that in 2015, they’d still be appearing on national television rockin’ the house and that people would still come taste the band and dig it—proving that some music does stand the test of time. Who knows what the future holds for Deep Purple…but the band has to still be asking themselves, Now What?! The one thing we do know is that it apparently doesn’t involve nursing homes. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Think the pen is mightier than the sword? Check out the tuba I’m a native of South Carolina, growing up in a small town called Peak. To my knowledge, they still have a population of about eighty-eight. (Or maybe there’s been a growth surge, and it’s ninety; or the crazy cat lady died and Josh went off to live in the big city, so it’s eighty-six. Whatever…you get the point.) So, when I read about all the hoopla surrounding the confederate flag that has flown over the state capital for all these years, I was a little confused because I always thought it helped remind us that our country fought to bring liberation from injustice. But I guess not everyone thinks the same way, as evidenced by the KKK protesting on the state capitol grounds. Seems we still have some work to do on the liberation front. But I digress… Enter an average guy from South Carolina named Matt Buck who apparently found the KKK demonstration embarrassing. Did he bring a megaphone? No. A gun? No. A crowd of protesters to get his point across? No. He did something far more diabolical.
 He pulled a big silver tuba out of his closet (must have been a really big closet) that he had barely played since college, went to the KKK rally at the state capitol, and…marched in the midst of the rally (in 100 degree heat) playing Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries.” He stole the show, and basically let all the air out of the rally. After all, a rally can’t have gravitas when its soundtrack is a clumsy tuba performance. Team Harmony Central has always believed music is the one language that crosses all borders and breaks down many barriers. No matter what language you speak, music lets you communicate effectively with anyone. It brings thrills to action movies (imagine Jaws without the soundtrack), provides solace in times of sadness, and spreads joy to the world. It can deliver a message, and even triumph over evil. Matt Buck showed up like a lone Israelite taking down the walls of Jericho with a Sousaphone. John Phillip Sousa would have been proud. The net result? 4.5 million YouTube views (and counting) of his march against the KKK. To me, it’s proof positive of the power of music. And yes, the power of even a tuba. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Proof that true talent prevails by Dendy Jarrett When I first heard that Steven Tyler made a home in Nashville and had signed to the Dot Records label (part of the Big Machine Label Group—home to the likes of Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift), I was a skeptic. I mean, how could Mr. Tyler walk this way? It seemed he was livin’ on the edge and should just dream on…crazy! Seriously, how could a music icon who has spent decades as a rock god turn country? It seemed like a notion that was doomed to fail from the start. So my knee jerk reaction was “What could go wrong”? Well, the first single Love Is Your Name was just released along with the video, and I have to say: much to my amazement, they figured out how not to make it go wrong. I’m not a country “lover” per se…yes, I’ve played and toured as a country drummer, but country isn’t a genre I listen to on a daily (or even weekly) basis. But, I really do like this song. The video shows Tyler’s fun-loving spirit and as he stated in a recent press release, this song took him back home to when he grew up with a pet raccoon and a sling shot. I also assume that Steven Tyler must be doing this for fun, because it’s highly probable he doesn’t need the money. And, importantly, Tyler stays true to himself—he still looks just like he would in any Aerosmith video. There’s no pretense here. If this first release represents what the rest of the album will be like, I’d say look out. Steven Tyler may have just amazingly recreated himself and established a strong foothold in yet another genre of music. I have two takeaways from this. First, that true talent prevails. But perhaps more importantly, you have to be true to yourself. I think if Steven Tyler had talked to an army of focus groups, they would have been horrified at the idea of his doing country. Fortunately, it seems like Steven Tyler listened to the only focus group that mattered—Steven Tyler. _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

There's an easy way to avoid self-inflicting wounds — In recent weeks, a video floating around social media sites shows that Kanye West’s attempting to channel Freddie Mercury singing Queen’s famed Bohemian Rhapsody goes beyond “Really Bad Idea” to “Truly Epic Fail.” It’s being removed as fast as it goes up—but as long as it exists in some form somewhere, some internet whack-a-mole enthusiast will probably keep posting it instead of putting it out of its misery. Ah, if only Kanye had listened to the sage advice given often on American Idol: There are some artists in this industry, past and present, living and not living, that you simply do not touch. They should be considered off-limits because there’s no way you’re going to come out ahead by comparison. In the case of Mercury meets West, it’s not just about the bad pitch (besides, we have Auto-Tune for that—and Randy Jackson’s equally sage admonishments about the value of not being “pitchy”). It’s about thinking you can do better, only to prove you can’t. Some great examples of untouchables are Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Elvis, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Daryl Hall, Michael Jackson, Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Patti LaBelle, Celine Dion, Sam Cooke, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Barbra Streisand, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Cash, and Bono…just to name a few. If you’re going to attempt to sing one of their iconic songs, you better be able to “kill it” and bring the house down—or interpret it in such a way to give it a unique, and compelling twist, as the Byrds often did with Dylan songs. Paying homage to a great singer is only a compliment if you can take it beyond eleven. If you can’t…you aren’t fooling anyone when you try to engage the crowd to sing the parts that you have no business attempting. Some artists are incomparable. They knew no boundaries, and had no limitations. They pushed through long tours, grueling schedules, and got eaten by music industry sharks. They set the bar—so don’t even try to reset that bar unless you can raise it. Whoever recommended to Kanye that he should try singing Bohemian Rhapsody song is this year’s winner of the Truly Appalling Career Advice award. And given the reaction on the interwebz, it may even get the lifetime achievement award before the year is out. I’m no Randy Jackson, but if I was a judge on American Idol, I’d say don’t make the same mistake Kanye did…unless you want your YouTube video to go viral for all the wrong reasons. Join the discussion at Harmony Central _________________________________________________________________ Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Drum Workshop – PDP Concept Maple Series INTRO— About DW and PDP DW (Drum Workshop) began as a drum school in 1972, and in 1977 purchased tooling from Camco Drum Co. to reintroduce the 5000 bass drum pedal. And from there, history has been made for the 40-plus years. The company produces the majority of their drums at their facility and drum plant in Oxnard, California, and have become one of the world’s top drum companies. PDP (Pacific Drums and Percussion) was introduced as a subsidiary of DW Drums in 2000 to provide affordable high-quality drums to the drummer who might not otherwise be able to afford DW's high-end products. PDP drums share many of the same manufacturing techniques and benefits found in DW's other lines. To reduce labor costs many computerized processes allow making high-quality drums in large quantities. Pro Drum Quality— DW influence PDP Concept Drums are available in all Maple or all Birch. For this review, we'll explore the Concept Maple kit. From the moment I opened the first box, I could tell—from the packaging, to the finish, to the features—DW’s influences are all over these drums. The finish on the kit being reviewed is called Natural to Charcoal Fade, a color exclusive to Musician’s Friend and Guitar Center. If you’re into fades, then you’ll find this stunning. The tops of the drums are a natural finish, followed by a mid-line, yet quick, fade to a transparent charcoal (almost transparent black). You'll find the same caliber of finish work you would expect on a top-shelf drum kit. The drums were packaged very well and there was no damage as a result of shipping. Great care and thought went into the packaging to ensure the drums arrive safely. The setup is straightforward, but the benefits come when these drums are set up and you start playing. That bass drum! It is simply breath taking. You not only hear this drum but you also become one with i; there's something special about the guttural impact. The snare drum is equally surprising—it’s amazing they get a sound this keen out of a value-priced drum. I enjoyed this snare drum tuned wide open, as well as with a light dampening (using my wallet). The Concept Maple has the fundamental foundations covered with the bass drum and snare drum, but they don’t stop there. The toms tuned up very well with minimal “ringy” overtones. Even though the drum heads supplied would not normally be my first choice, I was impressed with the sound they achieved. (I would probably change the heads to a different Remo model that better suits me.) The toms sing through and provide a very pure tone, compared to the “boingy” sound you might experience with other kits at this price point. Features— The PDP Concept Maple drums are 7-ply all maple construction with a 10 ply maple snare shell. Let’s cover some of the specific features: All Maple Shells provide a solid foundation for a vast variety of musical styles and genres.Specialty Lacquer Finishes provide choices to suit any drummer’s preferences. The paint is durable and available in pearlescent, sparkle, and stain color options.Proportional Counter Hoops are proportional to each drum size and mass. These are triple-flanged steel hoops.DW’s STM (Suspension Tom Mounts) come standard on these drums and are the same “floating” mounts found on the DW Custom Shop kits.True Pitch™ Tuning comes standard on these kits. This is a finely threaded tension rod that offers a more precise tuning.Bearing Edges are 45 degrees.Dual Turret Lugs are a low-mass version of DW’s trademark lug design. They come standard on the Maple Concept Series.Remo Heads are provided as standard on these kits. It's a single-ply thin head.Snare Drums in the Concept lines feature the DW MAG throw-off that are standard on their high-end snare drums and also feature the boutique-style snare wires. Specifications— The PDP Concept Maple kit I reviewed is a 5-Piece standard shell pack that comprises the following: Bass Drum: 22”X18” with mount Rack Toms: 10”X8” and 12”X9” Floor Tom: 16”X14” Snare Drum: 14”X5.5” Other available configurations: 3 piece shell pack (no snare) 20”X16” Bass Drum 12”X9” Tom 14”X12” Floor Tom 4 piece shell pack Same configuration as 3 piece but with a 14”X5.5” Snare 6 piece shell pack 22”X18” Bass Drum with mount 10”X8” and 12”X9” Toms 14”X14” and 16”X14” Floor Toms 14”X5.5” Snare 7 piece shell pack 22”X16” Bass Drum with mount 8”X7”, 10”X8”, and 12”X9” Toms 14”X14” and 16”X14” Floor Toms 14”X5.5” Snare This kit reviewed was the Natural to Charcoal Fade. Other available colors are: Pearlescent White Pearlescent Black Transparent Walnut Transparent Cherry Silver to Black (Sparkle) Fade Red to Black (Sparkle) Fade Conclusion— Big sound—small wallet Please keep in mind this is a shell pack—so aside from the bass drum mount, you'll need to purchase or provide all other supporting hardware. One would expect drums that sound like these (and play with the feel and dynamic range that the Concept Maples offer)to have the quality reflected in the price tag. Somehow, DW has managed to pack all of the great benefits of their high-end line into these PDP Concept Maples yet kept the price extremely affordable. If you're on a budget but prefer a high- end look and (more importantly) sound, I highly recommend DW’s PDP Concept Maples. Your wallet will thank you. Resources — www.dwdrums.com www.pacificdrums.com DW Factory Tour: DW's PDP Concept Series Drums: Cobus Potgieter plays DW PDP Concept Series Drums: Brandon Buckley Talks About PDP Concept Series Drums by DW: To Purchase this Concept Maple Kit from Musician's Friend To View All of DW's PDP Concept Maple Kits offered by Musician's Friend To Purchase DW's PDP Concept Maple Kits from Guitar Center Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Have you ever held something in your hand and wondered, “How’d they do that?” That was my reaction to the 2nd Generation Firefly Dynamic Tuning Device (FF2). Note that it's not called a drum key—because it’s a dynamic tuning device that lets you achieve ultra-precise tuning. APPLICATION The FF2 performs like a regular drum key to turn your drum's tension rods to replace or tune your drum head. However, this key's seamless "ratcheting" bearing lets it function much like the old-fashioned ratchet-style drum key, but without the “teeth” in the ratchet gear—which is a good thing: the gears in ratchet keys make noise and limit precise tuning, and the size of the ratchet teeth limits precise tuning. The FF2 has a drum key head on each end. One end is the “tighten” end and the other side is for loosening, so, there is a “correct” side to place the key. The handle (crank) mounts in the center and is anodized in a distinctive aluminum red. The crank also has a hole on one end, so you can place it on a key ring or lanyard for easy access. One feature that really stands out about the key is the seamless and smooth operation. You can perform extremely precise tuning with this device, with much greater speed than a stationary key. Additionally, a knurled area on both ends of the center stalk that allows you to speed-turn the center post when you move beyond the need for the handle. (See video below for a demonstration.) HIGHLIGHTS Benefits: • Made with CNC Precision • Unlimited tuning positioning possible • Ultra-smooth bearing action • Useful for all drum applications (concert, drum set, etc.) • Visually appealing • Quiet Operation • Extremely affordable Limitations: • None that I've found. Request: • It would be great if there were markings to help the user know which end tightens and which end loosens. This could be as simple as markings on the edge of the center crank handle. • Make a long handle version for drum corps and marching drum tuning. While a drum key might be a small thing to some drummers (I can say this because I’ve a drawer full of them), a dynamic tuning device is an entirely different proposition. I encourage all drummers to have a 2nd Generation Firefly in their tool or stick bag. You, too, will be asking, “How’d they do that?” RESOURCES To Purchase a 2nd Generation Firefly from Musician's Friend Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

An Entry Level Instrument with Professional Features Historical Reflection If you’re from my generation, you may remember going to a relative’s home and finding a Hammond keyboard that had an internal rhythm maker (an early version of the drum machine)…you know, that cheesy bossa-nova beat that backed your grandma’s attempts at organ playing. Those early, super futuristic beat-makers (referred to as rhythm machines), were produced by a Japanese gentleman named Ikutaro Kakehashi. He founded Roland Corporation in the spring of 1972. Electronic Drum Connection For years Roland had played a dominant roll in electronic keyboards, effect-pedals, and rhythm (or drum) machines. In 1985 Roland entered the electronic drum market, and 1997 was a game-changer for Roland—and electronic drums—with their introduction of the V-Drums. This established Roland as an industry leader in electronic drum innovation. TD-1K One of Roland’s latest entries to the V-drum line is the TD-1K Electronic Drum Kit. As a professional drummer, I wish I could proclaim that I’m an electronic kit genius and know all the ins and outs, but the truth is—I don’t. That’s why I found this little kit so refreshing. It’s not intimidating! The Setup This compact and lightweight kit, weighing in at around 25lbs., is all mounted on a single riser, tubular aluminum post with a tripod base. The real estate is minimal (about a 4’X4’ area including you). The unit’s “brain” is at the top center of the center post, directly in front of the two mounted tom pads. It’s easy to see and reach. The entire set up procedure was remarkably easy and straightforward. The Pads and Pedals Even though this kit is an entry-level kit, it boasts some truly professional features. The gum-rubber pads are responsive and velocity sensitive, allowing you to play with dynamics and expression. The cymbal pads are dual-zone so you can crash, choke and play bell sounds. The hi-hat and bass drum control pedals are beater-less so they’re completely silent and independent so you can place them anywhere. Speaking of silent, the entire kit allows for stealth playing so you won’t be disturbing others in the house or your neighbors. The Brain The TD-1K’s brain is a simple box with minimal buttons. It features 15 pre-programmed drum kits that cover rock, jazz, electronic music and more. It also has a built-in metronome to help you become more comfortable with establishing and holding tempo(s). A great brain feature, coach mode, is a training tool that will help support you in your lessons and learning. You can play along with your favorite tunes thanks to an 1/8” jack input for your portable music player. A real pro feature is the USB output so you can connect the kit to your computer and play directly into your favorite DAW (like GarageBand, Cubase, SONAR, Live, etc.). This will have you recording your own drums to music in no time. You can also connect to Roland’s V-Drums Friend Jam series so you can play with music-minus-drummer tracks, take advantage of their extended practice and learning library, and also have your own drum-off with other drummers around the globe. Key Features Proven V-Drums sound and performance in an entry-level setsEnjoy drumming in any musical style with 15 expressive drum kitsSupports essential acoustic drum techniques, including cymbal choke, advanced hi-hat playing, and more Build playing skills with the onboard Coach function, metronome, and recorder Practice along with onboard audio songs or your own tracks with the Mix In jackBeater-less kick pedal provides low noise for playing without disturbing others, ideal for practicing at homeSpace-saving, ergonomic design and stylish to suit any room in your homeSturdy drum rack with quick and easy height adjustment for every drummer, from kids to adultsUpgrade options for enhanced performance, including OP-TD1C for an additional crash cymbal, KT-10 or KD-9 for kick, and moreUSB-MIDI for using the TD-1K with the DT-1 Drum Tutor, V-Drums Friend Jam series, and other popular computer music softwareIntuitive non-intimidating user interface—makes playing easy Roland Roundup With the confidence and experience of an industry name like Roland, you’re assured that the technology is cutting-edge, with top-drawer quality. Even though the TD-1K is marketed as an entry- level electronic kit, I would consider it for light-playing gigs where space is limited and volume is a concern. Whether you’re looking to become a drummer, a beginner seeking an excellent platform to learn on, or a seasoned drummer who needs a quiet way to practice or record drums, the TD-1K is an affordable solution. Resources To Buy the Roland TD-1K Electronic Drum Kit from Musicians Friend Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Quick Take Review — By now, most of us have been assimilated into the tablet culture—whether as a necessary evil, or productive tool. As musicians, we're seeing more and more integration of the iPad into live performances, from symphonies to bar bands. Determining optimum tablet placement can be a challenge—but not with the DW iPad mount. APPLICATION If you have used an iPad, you've likely fumbled around with ways to prop it up against something, or set it on your floor tom case or floor tom. It’s aggravating to try and position a tablet so you can see it without risk of it falling over. Good, solid tablet placement can make the difference between a smooth gig—and a broken tablet. DW’s iPad Mount allows using a cymbal stand as your base, which provides a rock-solid iPad mounting solution. A recessed area behind the iPad lets you to tighten a wing nut to the top of the stand via a hole in the rear of the mount; because it's recessed, it doesn’t interfere with the iPad HIGHLIGHTS Benefits: Utilizes a cymbal stand as the baseInfinite positioning possibleVery durable and well designedUseful for all musiciansVisually appealingAllows portrait or landscape positioningExtremely affordable Limitations: Accepts only full size iPad (generation 1 and 2—not iPad mini) Works only with case removed (exception—smart cover) I see the DW iPad mount serving all musicians, not just drummers. The ability to mount an iPad and have infinite angle adjustments for your device makes this a great solution for all players…and I believe guitarists and bassists will forgive being forced to use a cymbal stand. It might even be good for them! Resources To Purchase the DW iPad Mount from Musicians Friend Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Historical Perspective You’d be hard pressed to have been a young drummer in the '70s or '80s and not remember your first exposure to electronic drums. I certainly remember Donna Summers' "MacArthur Park" and the driving electronic backbeat. I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but it certainly got my attention, and I had to know more. Those first sounds were produced by early entries into the electronic market by Syndrum and Synare, but the game changed when Simmons entered the scene. Electronic drums before Simmons were single device “enhancement accessories” for drummers. Simmons released their distinctive hexagon-shaped pads as an entire electronic kit in 1981 and ushered in an entirely new era of drums and drumming. Simmons grew to become a dominant player in the electronic drum kit world, but as trends changed, their business started to decline. In 1999 Simmons officially closed their business after drummers started to return to acoustic kits. In 2005 Guitar Center acquired the rights to the Simmons trademark, and began making and marketing electronic drums again under the Simmons name. Controller Connect Electronic drums can be intimidating—even for the seasoned professional. Enter Stryke6 drum controller. While this may appear as only an entry-level device, it can actually be a useful and fun way to step into the electronic arena. Opening the box to playing the pad takes literally a minute or two, and what drags it out to a minute or slightly more is the downloading of the accompanying app. It’s truly a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), straightforward device with an easy learning curve. The controller connects directly to your iOS 6 or higher device (iPad 2 or later), or any computer with USB or MIDI. The app provides sounds, but even more interesting to me is the ability to use it in conjunction with your favorite DAW (in my case GarageBand™). Pro Possibilities Stryke6 wasn’t really designed with the pro player in mind, but if you are a pro player, you can still benefit. What drummer doesn’t still play the countertop or dashboard, or any other surface that's convenient? The drum controller comes with an inexpensive pair of plastic sticks and you're encouraged to use them to prevent crosstalk on the pads (i.e., accidentally triggering a pad other than the one you were intending to trigger), but I played on the unit with my regular sticks and had no challenges. (Of course, I was not playing hard as I realize Stryke6 isn’t designed for that type of playing.) As I grow more comfortable with the pads, I would actually consider playing a coffee house gig with the unit. I think it would be fun, and the setup would be quick, quick, quick! Highlights The Stryke6 drum controller features: • Six velocity-sensitive pads to trigger any compatible app or MIDI software • Kick and hi-hat pedals for a real drum playing experience • Free Simmons Stryke App (downloadable at the Apple App Store) • Learn to play with easy, fun color backlit pads and the Stryke app • Works with all USB/MIDI-compatible iPad and computer applications • Small footprint is ideal for any studio where space is at a premium • Comes with all cables, including for 30-pin and Lightning connector iPads Simmons Summary While the Stryke 6 wouldn’t hold up to the rigors of playing live if incorporated it into a drum set, it would certainly do for a light coffee house stand-alone application. But it was designed more with fun in mind. And because of this, it is one of those few products that would appeal to a wide audience of young to old—both drummers and “wanna-be” drummers. The build quality is very well executed, the design element visually appealing, and the learning curve is instant. And the best part: it's completely affordable fun that doesn’t break the bank. Resources To Purchase a Simmons Stryke6 from Musicians Friend To Purchase a Simmons Stryke6 from Guitar Center Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Quick Take Review: Drum Boogers™– Sticky Gel Pads I‘d some initial reservations about covering this product. After all, how do you talk about anything called a booger and remain professional and politically correct? Then it dawned on me—playing music is about having fun, and this product is certainly fun (ask my kids). And shouldn’t we be “keeping it real”? We certainly know what they are. But ... Drum Boogers? APPLICATION If you’re a drummer, no doubt you’ve experienced drumhead gel pads. Several companies offer them. Some work better than others. Some stick when you use them the first time and then don’t stick after that. And while some boogers can be crusty, these boogers are for sure, sticky. To use them, you simply pick one (sorry, I couldn’t resist), and place it on the drumhead. HIGHLIGHTS •Better Drum Tone: Placing them on the head helps cut down on (or completely out, depending upon your taste) the unwanted overtones. •Easy to use: simply place them on the drumhead; where you place them will affect how much overtone they restrict. •Varying Sizes: Size matters and the bigger the drum, the more effective a larger booger will be. •Green/Yellow color: Means you won’t lose them. (Sure, you may throw up in your mouth a little while looking at them, but you won’t lose them.) •Non-Toxic: They are safe to use. •Re-Useable: Simply wash them with soapy water and they are good to keep using, and these boogers will stay picked-fresh sticky. CONCLUSION I’m compelled to quote this statement from the back of the Drum Booger™ packaging: “Disclaimer: Drum Boogers™ are not for consumption. We know you will be tempted because, after all, they are boogers.” So, while they are non-toxic, please do not eat these boogers, rather use them as the drum-dampening device for which they are designed. And, if you have kids, be prepared, as they are going to want to run around with these hanging off their noses! Much about a product is the name and marketing. How can you not draw attention with a product called Drum Boogers™? And that catch phrase: “It’s SNOT about rocket science.” And as they say on their packaging: “Dude, They’re Just Boogers!” RESOURCES WEB – Drum Boogers Official Website: www.boogeritup.com Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Expert Review: Meinl – Byzance Mike Johnston 21” Signature Ride European Roots Meinl Musikinstremente was established in 1951 by Mr. Roland Meinl. The first factory was a 200 square-foot workshop on the first floor, with his home on the second floor. Everything was done by hand. But from those modest beginnings, Meinl soon became a major European brand in both cymbals and percussion. The company recently celebrated 62 years in business and has gained a very strong foothold in the U.S. cymbal market over the last 15 years. Mike Johnston Connection If you’re a drummer, you’d have to be pretty disconnected not to know about Mike Johnston. Mike had the good fortune to study with Pete Magadini, Steve Ferrone, and Steve Smith. He got his big playing break when, at age 21, he was signed to a major label as the drummer for the band Simon Says. He is most known recently for his online lessons site, www.mikeslesson.com and his book, Groove Freedom. Mike joined Meinl as an artist and clinician in 2011; in January 2014 they announced the Byzance Series Mike Johnston 21” Signature Ride. Mike’s Musings Any time a company produces a signature product, there is usually a backstory. “I‘ve always wanted a ride that would have amazing tone and stick definition when played on top and would also swell into a beautiful crash as I began to open up and bash,” says Mike Johnston about his signature Meinl cymbal. “The transition Ride does exactly that. One of my favorite things about playing it is how quickly the decay is when you’re done bashing and ready to play something that requires intense clarity. Being able to transition seamlessly between riding and crashing makes this a massively versatile cymbal. The bell on The Transition ride is also very special. It was designed to sound like a belled version of the actual ride. When (one is) playing the bell, the rest of the cymbal is activated and a smooth shimmer starts to support your sound.” Mike makes a statement that sums up this ride cymbal — “this ride is the ride that I have always wished someone would make.” Sounds Good As It Looks What can I say? This is one incredible-looking ride cymbal. Pure eye candy! Seriously, it is a work of metallurgical mastery—an alloy disk of hammered heaven and lathed lustfulness. It has an aged patina that evokes a real earthy feel. There is lathing on the top side, with a patterned small-ping-hammering, and then random large-ping (almost quarter size) dimples all over. It reminds me of the surface of the moon. And even with the earthy patina, it still has a polished look … an aged brilliant finish one might say. The cymbal's underside features a completely raw bell with a very fine lathing, heavily polished. So, how does it sound? As drummers grow in their craft, they can fall into personal preference habits. I typically play a 22” ride with a large bell that produces a very defined “bell” sound (think 70s ballad power bell). Because of the heavy bell I like to use, the rides I typically play don’t lend themselves to being a good crash/ride. That isn’t the case with this ride—it really is the “perfect” ride! It has a very nicely defined bell like I'm accustomed to, as well as a ride that doesn’t develop an out-of-control swell. It develops an adequate amount of wash to keep you coming back for more. What was a surprise is that this 21” ride produces a killer crash. Wishes Come True The most common ride cymbals come in 20” and 22” diameters, but this 21” really hits the mark. The 21” diameter is an average between the two more common sizes and allows for great placement of the cymbal within the drum kit. The true testimony for a ride cymbal is the cymbal’s musical prowess. Again, this cymbal hits the mark. It is such a fine musical cymbal and would work within any music genre. One of my favorite characteristics of this cymbal is that it has a flex to it that allows the cymbal to “play” back in response to the your playing. It comes alive with movement and dance. Mike Johnston said, “This ride is the ride I always wished someone would make.” With the Meinl Byzance 21” Mike Johnston Signature Ride…wishes do come true. Resources Meinl Cymbals Official Website About Mike Johnston - www.mikeslessons.com Pricing information for the Meinl 21" Mike Johnston Transition Ride at Musicians Friend Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

DW Drums Concrete Snare Drum Concrete ... for real ... by Dendy Jarrett DW (Drum Workshop) began as a drum school in 1972, and in 1977 they purchased tooling from Camco Drum Co. to reintroduce the 5000 bass drum pedal. Since then, history has been made for 40+ years. They produce the majority of their drums at their facility and drum plant in Oxnard, California, and have become one of the world's top drum companies. Concrete...for real So imagine my first thought when I found out Drum Workshop (DW) was releasing a series of concrete snares…had they hit their heads on the concrete? Two questions came to mind — is it heavy, and how can concrete hold up on the road? Interestingly, the "concrete" is really made from ground soapstone and a proprietary polymer mix. It's then cast into a seamless, extremely durable 5.5mm thick shell. As you would expect, the drum is heavy, but not as heavy as you might think. It would, however, rank in weight with DW’s Edge series, a bell brass shell or any stave snare drum. The bearing edge is cut at DW’s standard 45° with a slight back-cut. The shells are poured and cured just like you would expect with concrete. Once cured, they're polished to a visually appealing natural satin luster. Because it's concrete, each shell has a unique appearance (as you might experience with custom wood types). The one I received reminded me of the results you would get if you sliced a granite rock in half: lots of surface characteristics. This guarantees you a “one of a kind” snare by default (like getting your very own signature snare). These concrete snare drums normally feature a satin hardware, but they recently added chrome hardware. The drum I received has the chrome, which I much prefer. The drum features DW’s True Tune hoops, and DW’s coated Ambassador by Remo — coated top, clear bottom. The DW Concrete snare is offered in three sizes: • 14” X 5.5” • 14” X 6.5” • 13” X 7” A sound foundation The drum I'm reviewing is the newly released 13”X7” drum. I have an old copper metal-shell snare drum this size, and it is a favorite. My questions of weight and durability were answered, and the DW Concrete Snare passed with flying colors. Then came the question of sound. How could concrete (notorious for not being acoustically friendly) measure up? Could it make for a sound foundation? I'm happy to report that this snare drum was amazing. The best description would be a hybrid sound of a great metal snare and the characteristics of wood all rolled into one. If I tuned this drum high (cranked it), the sound was curiously dry — I didn’t have to use any type of muffling or sound control. If I wanted the “ring” of metal, I simply played at the halfway point between dead center and the edge of the drum. I should point out that I've played the 14” concrete snares and they are drier in nature than the 13”. The 13” has a deeper shell, hence a bigger sound chamber. Some may prefer to dampen this. The drum's volume was stunning. If you've ever played a true bell brass snare, you know how loud those drums can be. A bell brass drum would bow down before this concrete snare! It is (to quote John Good) “a shotgun.” A pillar of success The best way to describe this drum is “different,” which I mean in a good way. I am an open-minded person, but I did go into this review with some reservations, but his drum crushed those worries. The finish is extremely durable and will stand up to a constant jack hammering of drumsticks. The weight is, while heavy, not unreasonable. I preferred the dry sound this drum produced and found it very appealing. If you are looking for LOUD, then this drum is the king. I came into this review wondering if concrete could make for a sound foundation. The conclusion is that the DW Concrete snare is a pillar of success. Resources Learn more about the DW Collector's Series at the DW Drums official website To Purchase the DW Concrete Snare Drum: (Street Price around $768.85 - $850.00) Sweetwater Reverb Ebay Musicians Friend Guitar Center Discuss drums and percussion on the Harmony Central Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Quick Take Review: Independent Cymbal Rhythms by Bobby Williams (Hal Leonard, softcover, 40 pages) by Dendy Jarrett INTRO I was confident this would be a good lesson book simply because it's a Hal Leonard publication. When you pair the publisher with a great author and drummer, Bobby Williams — and a fantastic editor and drummer, Rick Mattingly — you have a winner on your hands. APPLICATION Independent Cymbal Rhythms reminds me a great deal of some old-school books that helped me learn independence, but with a contemporary slant. The result is a mental and physical workout that will help you develop independence in all limbs. And despite being a drummer for decades, I was amazed to find myself learning new techniques and ideas from the over 500 independence lesson combinations. HIGHLIGHTS The book helps you develop:o Endurance o Coordination o Flexibility o Finesse of movement The included patterns are based on:o Quarter, eighth and sixteenth note grooves o Triplet and 12/8 grooves o Alternating hi-hat grooves for funk and rock o Syncopated cymbal and hi-hat patterns The grooves will work for most genres:o Rock o Jazz o Funk o Latin o Blues o Techno CONCLUSION As with any lesson book, take it slow. Work with a metronome, and gradually increase the tempo as you get comfortable with the independence of each groove. Independence can be tricky; it takes a lot of mental stamina and agility to work through exercises that can at first seem awkward. When you've mastered the grooves, they'll become second-nature and will serve you well in your drumming. And even though this book reminds me of some old-school books, that is exactly what makes the book so great. Take it from me — you’re never too young or old to learn. RESOURCES — WEB - Hal Leonard Official Website PURCHASE - This or other Hal Leonard Lesson Books go to Musician’s Friend DISCUSS - This or other drum related topics at Harmony Central's Drum Forum Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.

Mapex SoniClear™ Edge Technology A Sound Advantage by Dendy Jarrett When one mentions someone having a “sound advantage” over someone else, it means that you clearly have the upper hand. In the case of Mapex, this term has a literal as well as figurative meaning. The Basics All drum shells have a bearing edge—the routed edge on which the drum head sits, and seats, for tuning. Typical drum heads have an angled rise on the Mylar’s outer perimeter where the head rises from the counter hoop to the playing surface. Historically, this slanted outer perimeter is where most bearing edges make contact with a drum head. Drummers placing new heads on a drum would experience the head wobbling, more or less, when first placed on the drum before tuning. As drummers we’ve all experienced the frustrations of tuning. You finger-tighten the drum, give a few turns of a drum key crisscrossing the drum, then work on stretching the drum head by giving “CPR” thrusts to the head, or standing on it, or whatever trick you use to get the head to “seat.” And even after all that effort, getting a solid, pure tone out of a drum is a work of art, skill, and finesse. Refining a Concept Mapex’s recently launched SONIClear™ Edge technology, which is now standard on all Mapex MyDentity, Armory, and Mars Series shells, allows the drum head to sit on a flatter (less sharp) bearing edge. This means it sits completely and solidly flat on the bearing edge, with no movement at all. Why does this give Mapex a ‘sound advantage’? When you place a drum head on most shells, you rely on the tension to “pull” or “stretch” the head until the flat area of the underside of the head is pulled tight to the flat surface of the bearing edge. Getting this right can take a lot of effort, as described above. With the SONIClear™, you’re starting with the flat area of the head already resting on the flat area of the bearing edge. With just a finger-tightened drum head, you start to experience tone with the drum. The Tonal Advantage So now that we’ve covered the physics, let me break down the advantages of the SONIClear™ Edge: · Immediate Tuning · Easier Tuning · Wider Range of Tone · Typical “Tuning Tricks” Not Necessary · Great Drum Sound It seems like it would be only fair to list the disadvantages as well ... but I can’t find any. So make sure to check out the Mapex SONIClear™ technology when you’re making drum choices, because Mapex really can give you a sound advantage. Resources Web- Mapex SoniClear™ Official WebPage Video - Mapex Official SONICear™ Demo Video - Harmony Central Coverage of SONIClear™ Bearing Edge at NAMM 2014 (turn your volume up for the dialogue) To Purchase Mapex Drums with the SONIClear™ Bearing Edge at Musician's Friend To Discuss Drums and Percussion at Harmony Central Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and 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.