Hey Cooperman fans:
Coop has a number of models of Outlier sticks back in stock at their web site.
Included is the OOP (Out Of Production) #16 Michael Bull model in persimmon.
My guess is that they stumbled across these in a back room and are moving them out. It's a very nice concert stick with lovely balance and feel.
Get some while you can.
Due to worsening health issues, especially with my hands, I will be drumming less often than before.
I will also be selling off a lot of my practice pads and vintage drum sticks.
If you are interested in anything, it will be posted at Facebook Marketplace in the coming days.
Reach out to me there.
I will keep a small, select number of items so I can drum periodically as my hands allow, but most of it is going.
I will closing everything out at low prices plus shipping.
Stay tuned.
My Rudimental Control pad arrived a couple days ago, and I have been putting it through its paces. My pad is custom-made to my specs, with a 13-inch head and eight tuning bolts.
Rudimental Control is the brainchild of drummer and teacher Nissan Ballard, who makes each pad himself here in the USA.
Here are my thoughts:
Construction. The pad is constructed very similarly to pads by Rudimental Drummers and Drumslinger, utilizing a wood platform, a real drum hoop and head with whatever padding or muffling material is placed underneath the head.
As with Drumslinger pads, the tuning bolts are topped with Allen heads that require a 3/16" Allen wrench. I'm not sure why SAE was selected over metric, but perhaps outside the world of bicycles (with which I'm most familiar) SAE is more commonly used. If I were building these pads I might favor actual lug bolts with a head that takes a standard drum key instead (like the ones found on Rudimental Drummers pads), but that's a personal preference and not a huge deal.
The bolts thread into nuts whose teeth sink into the wood from underneath. Each nut is covered with a thick felt pad for protection and so that the pad sits nicely on a tabletop. (I pulled back one of the felt pads, which are adhesive on one side, to see this for myself. The adhesive was fine for this brief peek and stuck back in place with no problem.) 
One note: I found that the length of the nut's threaded portion is shorter than those used on my Rudimental Drummers Chop pad. (See photos for comparison.) I hope there's enough thread inside the depth of the wood to hold the tuning bolt steadily, and for now I'll assume that's the case. (I didn't want to disassemble the pad that much.)
I also noticed that the holes on the Rudimental Control pad don't appear quite as finished as the holes on my RD Chop pad. There are a few spots where a wood shaving was still stuck on an edge of a couple of the bolt holes. A carefully applied Exacto knife should sort that out.
Below: comparison between Rudimental Control bolt hole (top) and Rudimental Drummers bolt hole (bottom), showing finish of the hole and the threaded sleeve visible length.
The metal hoop is a standard, basic rim. I suppose if you wanted something fancier you could ask for it, but I saw no need for it here.
Appearance. I had inquired about a custom pad, personalized to my specs. In addition to my choice of paint (I opted for solid dark green with a white head, my college colors), I could also have my college crest incorporated into the design, by way of some sort of photo process that would imprint the design (also dark green in this case) onto a white surface that sits underneath the clear drum head. My design was simple and clear enough for the photo process to come through clearly and cleanly. The design and its background do not seem to impede the sound or feel of the finished pad in any way, and it looks quite nice and centered.
I can't say how this bump might have happened, but it is noticeable and may actually be an imperfection in the original round after it was cut. I was surprised to see this blemish pass through and get painted. If it happened during shipping, more packing material should help prevent this in the future. If it was a blemished board to begin with, perhaps better to use a different base (and cut the first one into a smaller round for a different pad).Honestly, there is nothing else to do with hold music this lame.
Make it work for you.
Happy chopping.
While winnowing down my pad collection, I've also been fixating on pads that I love and know I will use for years to come. In most cases, this has meant letting go of pads I no longer need and making playing space for a smaller set of pads I know I will use regularly.
In one case, it's an experiment and a bit of a risk, as I decided to order a custom pad for myself.
I really like the look and sound of the pads from Rudimental Control, loved the idea of having a US-made custom pad and decided to go for it. Further, I decided to get a custom pad that honors my alma mater, the work I did there and the achievement of becoming the first person in my family to complete a Bachelor's degree.
Working with Nissan Ballard, the pad maker at RC, I designed a pad that will look classy while still honoring my achievements. It's twenty years overdue, but why not? I desperately wanted to buy myself a college ring, but the cost was (and is) prohibitive. So this will be my version of a college ring, with the added bonus of being truly useful in my musical work today.
Here's the mockup. I opted for a very simple design with a forest green base and logo on a white Remo Emperor head. Nissan encouraged me to add something personal to be engraved into the bottom of the base, so I sent him a PDF of my signature.
I've been collecting and researching historic practice pads for over a decade.
As you might guess, I've owned a lot of pads during that time. I haven't kept all of them; often, once I've gotten as much information from a pad as I can, I'll sell it or give it to a nonprofit youth band.
This keeps pads from piling up, and allows me space to accept new pads for research and enjoyment.
I am now in the process of winnowing down my pad holdings to a smaller number, part of a larger general winnowing down of my possessions as I get older.
Relax, I'm not giving up practice pads or drumming entirely. Not at ALL. But I live in a small house with limited space, and want more room to move around in it.
First big stack is being donated to a youth drumline organization. These nonprofits often run on a shoestring and work with underserved populations, especially low-income youth and youth of color. Any bit of help they can get goes a long way towards teaching more kids to play.
I'd like to invite you to do the same. Look around for drumlines and school band progranms in your region and see which ones need the most help acquiring equipment. Consider donating a few pads and sticks to them so they can get more kids involved. If you have expertise and time, ask if they'd like some help in drum instruction from a volunteer. The worst they can do is say no, but in many cases they'd be happy for the help.
most people who read this blog have more than enough drums, pads and sticks at home.
Consider spreading the wealth a little as we prepare for a new school year.
Cheers and happy drumming.
(Below: high school freshman practicing for band, El Paso TX)
So how many of my friends swerve wildly back and forth between their everyday ordinary joys, and the reality that we are powerless to stop the world from burning up?
The truth.
I’ve been a drum corps nut since 1976, back when PBS showed finals on TV. I saw Phantom Regiment and the Vanguard and that was that. I was in love.
A high school friend brought me along to weekly corps rehearsals beginning in early February 1978. The instructor learned that I had perfect pitch and he immediately put me on the smallest timpani, which was still far too heavy for my slender, still-growing frame. I survived months of weekly rehearsals and a couple of weekend sessions, and while it was fun it was also positively draining me; I fought just to stay upright and not pass out from fatigue.
My parents, who’d met as nightclub musicians, were not supportive. Their music dreams for me included things like singing in nightclubs and playing percussion in symphony orchestras. Rudimental drumming was just a silly hobby, not to be taken seriously.
Neither one of them ever came to see practices or shows. When my fatigue grew worse and I could not finish a parade carrying timpani, the instructor switched me to bells — still quite heavy, but more manageable.
I went on first tour, from mid-June through not quite mid-July. I could never eat enough calories to restore my energy. I drank water like a lake after a dam burst and it was still not enough. I ran to restrooms to avoid soiling myself, getting yelled at by staff and fellow marchers, and feeling like a weakling. I felt like I was wrestling with a weak character, and tried harder to build my stamina through repeated practices, parades and shows. Other kids got tanned, lean and stronger as the season progressed. I got skinnier and more fatigued.
Finally, during a practice session on the last day of first tour, I took off my bells, staggered in a crooked line to a tree for shade, and passed out for almost ten full minutes.
The staff realized I was not well, and pulled me from that night’s competition.
The next day we went home for a few days off before second tour.
The staff reported my issues to my mother, and asked her to bring a doctors note in order for me to go on second tour (which would include US Open in Ohio, and DCI Worlds in Denver).
My father was a nightclub musician and taught part time at a community college. There was no health insurance for us, so my mom decided that my drum corps experience was over, and took me home. I ate chicken soup, sat on the chaise lounge in the backyard, and slept half of each day away for a few weeks until I could resume my normal activities, like walking the dog and riding my bike.
I was sad the whole rest of the summer. And a tiny piece of me would remain sad forever, sorry that I could not continue with my drum corps adventures.
I have looked all over, and have never been able to find any photos of me participating in drum corps. I guess I wasn’t there long enough.
I continued to play drums and percussion, in classical orchestras and wind ensembles and then teaching high school marching bands and drum lines. What acceptance I could not gain through years of drum corps experience, I earned through taking a degree in music education and years of professional playing experience in professional pit orchestras. There was no pit when I marched, but my professional experience got me hired by the same corps ten years later as a pit instructor for their training corps.
I still love the marching arts. I marvel at the beauty and athleticism of modern corps. And I still feel some wistfulness at how truncated my drum corps time was.
In my thirties, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which immediately explained all my years of extreme fatigue and my inability to do athletic things. (The time I’d spent over-exerting in corps had likely brought on a serious flare-up, which my doctors pointed out could have been dangerous. Fainting had probably saved me from getting worse because it stopped me from continuing.)
I didn’t have a weak character; I had a weak body and its signals forced me to stop when I couldn’t continue. I wept at how hard I’d been on myself, for the wrong reasons, and found my diagnosis to be strangely healing.
Today, I sing for a living and play drums for fun. I have a great partner and a good life, and I’m grateful for all of my musical travels.
I have very few regrets, but my short time in drum corps is one of them.
And when Finals Week comes around, I still marvel at what today’s kids can do on the field, and thoroughly enjoy watching drum lines warm up. I still love drumming and will keep playing until my arms fall off.
If you are marching n a drum corps this summer, have a wonderful time in Indy.
The final scores do not matter.
Just by getting there, you have already won.
March On.
I recently purchased this online, from someone who’d bought it at WGI and needed some quick cash.
I’d been reading about Brash Drums practice pads for awhile and was intrigued by the possibility of a pad that could improve the Xymox design and customer service.
I have to say that I’m pleased with what I got.
The pad is pretty solidly made, and features three things I really, really like:
— a slightly softer playing surface than Xymox, which makes it applicable for those who play Mylar instead of Kevlar heads. The feel is actually very nice, and some may prefer to use the pad without the snare unit.
— a removable snare unit that attaches magnetically and can be used separately as a shaker.
— a more durable powder-coated aluminum rim, which will certainly last longer than Xymox’s plastic one. (As with Xymox pads, the lug nuts are strictly for attaching the rim and do not make the pad tunable.)
Right now, they make just a 12” size. It’s my hope that at some point they might make a 14” pad that will fit atop a drum, offering a little more versatility. My 12” pad can only be used on a lap or a snare stand; and if you want to hear the snare unit you need to set the pad flat, not at an angle.
Custom colors and some custom designs are available.
The $149 retail price puts it at a similar level to more high-performance pads.
A simpler design without snare unit costs $59.
Delivery for custom pads is roughly three weeks, and delivery for factory designed pads promises shipment within a day of ordering.
I got mine from a private party and paid $90 including postage.
I’m shockingly happy with it, and I think a lot of marching drummers will agree.
I got into boutique and specialty sticks in a big way during lockdown, with some help from the guys over at the Boutique and Collectible Sticks group on Facebook. Since then, I've had the opportunity to try many, many different kinds of drum sticks, and was able to narrow my focus to sticks designed for rudimental and marching applications.
I didn't go as crazy as I'd done with practice pads, as I didn't have the space or the budget. But over the last three years I've managed to set myself up with some really excellent sticks for those purposes.
My ultimate goal is to keep one or two pairs of my favorites on hand for regular use, and display the most special sticks on my little wall rack. Some of these sticks have seen some use, while others are in new condition and I don't plan to play with them all that much.
The variety of sticks just for my purpose is staggering. Larger factories produce an astonishing number of rudimental models every year, in the tens of thousands. Craft makers who turn sticks a few at a time can produce hundreds in a year if everything goes right. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:
Ingrained Instruments 1S. A great all-around rudimental stick in hickory. Strong, thick and yet lighter in weight than one might expect. My heaviest pair weighs 75g per stick. These are shaped very similarly to the "Air Force" style of rudimental sticks, but with a shorter taper.
Vic Firth IMS10 (no longer made). A terrific marching stick for smaller hands, which still has enough heft to work outdoors and a fine enough balance to work as an indoor stick. Some drummers use this as a heavier concert stick when the score calls for a "field" drum. I was able to procure ten pairs of these and I use them almost exclusively with my HONK! band on a 13" marching snare. If you find some, get them.
Promark 2B in oak. A classic concert and student stick, a little shorter but still well-balanced and with enough weight to use in a middle school marching situation. My favorite application for these is as an affordable student stick for woodshedding rudiments. I have several pairs from different points in their history, including a pair in golden oak that feels heavier and more dense than the white oak models. For the size and shape I tend to favor the vintage versions from the late 1970s through mid-80s.
Cooperman marching sticks, several models. Cooperman has largely stopped making sticks from any wood other than hickory due to diminishing stocks. But even in hickory their sticks feel amazing. In particular I'm a fan of #10 Petrella General (for concert work), #21 Connecticut Drummer and #24 Fastick.
John Crocken Moeller model. A very distinct stick made by one of the oldest stick craftsmen in the buisiness, made in your choice of hickory, persimmon, jatoba or purple heart. I have a persimmon pair and I love playing these because of their size, thickness and balance. There's literally no other stick like it for rudimental work.
Craft drum sticks made in small batches can be very expensive, but you're paying for the maker's time and experience. If you live far from the craft makers, as I do (most are located in the eastern half of the US), you'll need to be pickier about when to invest in a more expensive stick. On the plus side, many of these small-batch makers are happy to talk with you about your possible choices by phone or email, and they will work with you as much as they can.
Choosing sticks for rudimental work can be almost as personal as choosing a bicycle saddle. What length of taper do you like? How thick a diameter is the most comfortable in your hands? Will they feel different if you play traditional versus matched grip? Which woods give you the response you're looking for? Do you want to be able to use them on a pad as well as a drum?
There are LOTS of possible answers to these questions.
Take your time, ask other players for their thoughts and try a LOT of sticks before you buy.
Below: My Ingrained 1S on a Rudimental Drummers practice pad.
Below: Chopping with a pair of Cooperman Fasticks that have been taped.
I’d been wanting one of these since they first came out years ago. But it was expensive — $50 at the time — and I balked at the price.
I should’ve bought one back then, when it cost less.
Today the same pad retails for around $80. Accounting for inflation and everything else, I suppose that’s just the way of the world. But when I had an opportunity to buy a slightly used pad for $50, I decided to pull the lever. It arrived today.
It’s a really nice pad.
Built out of hardwood laminates and a steel rim, Tom’s Pad is essentially a souped-up version of the Remo tunable pad. It even. Uses a Remo pad head, which can be easily replaced. But we’re talking seriously souped-up.
The pad takes an 8” head and it is so stoutly built that it should see me out. Using flathead screws for tuning means your stick won’t hit one accidentally (they use a 4mm Allen key, available at any hardware store). The recycled particle foam rubber underneath the head is firmer than the old open-cell foam rubber used by Remo, and the feel is satisfying. It’s also louder than the Remo pad, so be mindful of where you play it. Finally, this pad can be played on a tabletop, but without rubber on the bottom, it will work best on a cymbal stand with an 8mm thread.
It’s a keeper.
And it’s available at https://www.volkweinsmusic.com/products/toms-pad-by-volkweins-percussion
Using every ounce of charm I possessed, I was able to obtain a new red Evans practice pad directly from D’Addario. I was advised that it would be the same as the original Barney Beats pad, but without Barney’s image in the logo. The new pad just says “Evans RealFeel” and otherwise it’s the same pad.
I noticed that the logo on the new pad is the same as that being printed onto the new 6” red Evans pad now being sold through Sweetwater Music. Does that mean that we may see a 12” Barney pad I’m them soon? I have no idea. But if enough clamor is raised through folks emailing and calling D’Addario (Evans’ parent company) to convince them to bring back the thicker red pad as a regular stock item, then one can hope. Meanwhile, if you have a red Barney pad, hang onto it. I’ve yet to see one sell used online.
Happy chopping!
I have to admit that I was skeptical about Turtle Pads. Online it looked like just another rubber-on-woodlike-surface pad, and there are literally thousands of those out there already.
That's why I never spent the money to buy one.
But then, following a discussion about rubber pads, a fellow named Matt offered to buy me a Turtle pad, he was SO certain that I'd love it and he's practically a professional fan of the things. He then put me in touch with Andrew Morris, founder, designer and maker of Turtle pads, to set me up.
Here are some bits from my discussion with Andrew:
AM: Hey
Beth! I hope you're doing well. My friend Matt mentioned setting you up
with a pad. Do you have any particular image or design in mind that I
can make a mock-up for you? 
Let me know if I can do anything else for you as well!
BH: I
think I'd like you to surprise me. Make an image that speaks to your
mission. Tell me how your work supports animal preservation. How did you
and the animal org find each other? What was your inspiration? I'm
always fascinated by origin stories, especially when they talk about
environmental preservation. So surprise me. Thank you for your offer. I look forward to trying it out.
AM: So,
right now I'm partnered with an organization called 'See Turtles' and
the biologist who runs it. Their biggest mission is to provide support
and especially education for coasts all around the gulf of Mexico, not
just the US. My favorite bit he does is helping to start up local
organizations that help provide support for their own turtle nesting
sites along the coast. One off projects are one thing, but I like
long-term sustainability wherever I can. As for how I found the org, it
was just quite a bit of research into other contributing organizations,
auditing their taxes to see where the money's going, and reaching out to
whomever was in charge.
It started with the Turtle Pad backpacks though. Teaching at band camp,
it started to rain so I moved the drumline inside and told the kids to
bust out their pads so we could drum until lunch. Half of them said they
didn't have one. But as any good drumline we had lined up equipment,
harnesses, jugs, and backpacks. So I figured if the pad was attached to
the bag they would have had a pad to play on.
I ended up doing the Galapagos Pad because so many people loved the feel
of the pads and the mission. Every pad sold helps save 10 baby turtles.
That's what the Turtle conservation organization determined.
But really I just like blending every day life and nature. And drumming
and turtles just go together very well. Haha.
BH: And
since I'm such a pad geek, Tell me what materials you use to make your
pads and why they are awesome. If you send me a pad, I'll take it
through its paces and write up an honest review of the design and its
performance.
AM: The
Galapagos pad is made from synthetic MDF. It's not Valchromat like
Beetle does, but it's similar! The topside is gum rubber with a vinyl
laminate, so it's softer and the more quiet side with good, with good
rebound. The bottom is recycled rubber, thinner than the gum rubber. The
side is more articulate, louder, and has slightly less rebound, for
chopping out.
****
So we agreed that this was happening, and I waited. A few weeks later, the pad arrived in the mail. I unwrapped it, and took a good long look at it before I started chopping on it.
The materials feel solid and are applied well. (NOTE: There appears to be a small air pocket under part of the pad. It's near the edge and I won't squawk, but full disclosure means full disclosure.)
The graphics on the top side are clear and crisp, a soft laminate bonded to a thin layer of gum rubber (I can't tell for certain if it's recessed but I think it is. Even so this is a pretty thin layer of rubber). The combination of the soft laminate on thin rubber makes for a refreshingly different feel than on any other laminated pad I've tried, and I must say I like playing on it.
The other side of the pad features a thin layer of recycled rubber that, while harder than the top, isn't as hard and Formica-like as some other alternatives I've tried (like the recycled rubber on a Prologix pad, for example). I cannot stand playing on Formica, and the Galapagos recycled rubber gives just enough rebound for me to be happy.
The base is a synthetic MDF that looks and feels solid and stable. The overall appearance is understated and clean.
Below are photos and a video of the Galapagos pad. (FYI, I'm using Ingrained 1S sticks in hickory.) The Galapagos pad retails for $80.00 (with discounts for group orders) from the Turtle Pads web site. Each pad is made in the USA.
Overall, this is a pad I will keep and will enjoy playing. It seems solid enough to stand up to daily use, if not abuse. The sound and feel are satisfying to practice on and that right there is a draw. While it's really meant for marching drummers, a beginner would not have difficulty learning on the soft side of this pad.
(Disclaimer: Turtle Pads does NOT pay money for endorsements, and I am NOT an official Turtle Pads roster Artist. This review is independent and as free of bias as humanly possible.)
Photo and vid dump from my first rehearsal back with Unpresidented Brass Band last night.
We've got some gigs coming up soon, including Honk!PDX and Honk!Fest West in Seattle.
Stay tuned!
(A video of the sticks in action can be seen HERE.)
I've been walking around the block with my drum pad carrier while I get ready for my first rehearsal with UBB next week. I can tell the difference immediately; no wobbles, I'm able to hold a pretty straight line, and I can last an entire square block without fatiguing. What a difference a year makes.
I've got my uniform ready, my drum is cleaned and tuned and I've written a couple of cadences to play between songs. I don't know how many drummers will be in the band this spring, and that's okay. I'm hopeful there will be a bass drummer and cymbal player at least; a second snare would be nice if they can play any rudiments. (Finding rudimental drumming enthusiasts in Portland has proven nearly impossible, no doubt owing to Portland's rebellious punk-DIY aesthetic. I've basically given up on finding anyone who wants to do rudimental drumming with me even socially.)
Weight-gain from Long Covid has forced me to improvise a new uniform -- not hard in this case, since the band wear basically any old uniform that's predominantly green and it's cool that they don't all match. I took an old vest and splattered it with green paint left over from our house painting last summer. It actually looks pretty cool. I'll add white spats and a green shako and call it good.
The good thing about all this is that it has compelled me to relax about my drumming. I can be good but relaxed, not worrying if I don't play something perfectly every time. It's good to have one musical outlet that's chill like that.
We have a couple of gigs coming up in May, the Honk! West festival in June (which I may not do because it's RIGHT before my trip), and Honk! PDX in July. I'm hoping we can play a couple of street fairs this summer as well as the usual slate of protest actions the guys in the band seem to favor.
It's marching season again, and this year I'll be able to play. I'm happy.
The last time I strapped on a marching drum was in September, to do what I thought would be a short parade with Unpresidented Brass Band. The parade turned out to be over three miles long out and back, and by the time we finished I was beyond exhausted, I was officially fatigued. Rather than stick around for an impromptu standstill, I said goodnight and dragged my drum to the bus stop.
The next day, I told Miles I couldn't march with the band anymore, at least until I started to feel like I was genuinely improving and full over the Long Covid. He was sad, but understood.
Slow-forward six months, through one of the coldest and longest winters we've seen in awhile.
Im definitely over the Long Covid, and also recovered from my surgery a month ago; now I just need a reason to move around, and returning to UBB seems a worthwhile pursuit. We have a few gigs lined up, and I've been promised none of them are terribly long. So next month, I'm thrilled to rejoin the band and play my little marching snare again.
At my last rehearsal with UBB, my snare cord frayed and broke due to a jury-rigged snare hoop that guaranteed that outcome. So I looked around for a real snare side hoop and swapped it in, along with adjusting the snare strainer and adding a small Snareweight clip-on dampener to cut the ring. That is probably about all I can do for a six-lug drum with wire snares, and on a tight budget. But it should hold up for UBB gigs.
This summer, Portland will host its first ever HONK! festival, HONK!PDX, in July. UBB is expected to play, along with another Portland Honk! band called Brassless Chaps. The latter group tries to do standstill performances only due to several of their members being less mobile. I haven't heard them yet, but a photo of their group shows hand drums and a bucket drum in the drum line, so it's anyone's guess how they sound. I'll try to catch a show later this spring just to get an idea.
Without an indoor practice space, it's been difficult for me to handle playing in the park during the winter months, and I've learned that's been the case for some other UBB members as well. I hope the warmer days return very soon so we can play outside, or that we can find an indoor practice space to utilize in the meantime.
I had tried playing with an adult community concert band, but their musical quality was just not very good, and I didn't want to give up my Tuesday nights to suffer through reruns of high school band, so after three rehearsals I politely bowed out. At least people in UBB can play and we sound decent. I look forward to picking up where we all left off last summer.
