PERCUSSION SECTOR SPOTLIGHT
Big hitters W
hen confronting something as mind-bogglingly varied as ‘percussion’ one immediately
“
There is probably no single musical ‘element’ that brings more players into the world of making music than percussion.
has to start making compromises as to what can and cannot be considered. The second confrontation is that, however one might hone the definitions, there is more stuff out there than a very long-armed drummer could wave a very long drumstick at. That said, it also appears to be bloody
good business and one where dealers can find a little niche that no-one nearby is working on. Even my small local store does a good line of specially supplied Senegalese djembes and other African beat makers. It is argued by some that buying a
percussion instrument requires more detailed explanation that pretty much any other instrument… Well, that might be pitching it a bit, but there is certainly a lot to consider, whatever it is you (or your punters) might be buying.
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK Shell material, heads, tuning (ropes,
mechanical, none), tuned (how accurately), ease of playing (almost all percussion instruments are easy in principle, murderous in reality), size… the list goes on. One thing is for sure, however, there is
probably no single musical ‘element’ or component that brings more players into the world of making music. Whether it is the toddler with the saucepans in the kitchen, the classroom full of kids with various hitty, beaty and thumpy things, or the lads and lasses that turn up to open mic with a set of bongos, a cajon or a tambourine, beating out a rhythm is in the very core of our DNA and we just love to make a noise with whatever is at hand.
BORN IN THE UK Now firmly established and accepted as part of the Marshall Amplification set-up, Natal offers a comprehensive range of percussion from Far-Eastern-manufactured
The colourful, broad and, frankly, unfathomable world of percussion makes it one of those sectors that could fill an entire magazine. Andy Barrett drops his plumb line into the ocean to see how deep the market really is…
(but UK-designed) instruments to the UK- made Cubana and Custom Cubana series, taking in along the way the Classic series of fibreglass instruments that brought the brand to the fore in the ‘60s and ‘70s. So faithful is the process of
manufacturing the Classic tumbas, congas, quintos and bongos, that it even utilises the original shell moulds from that era – and, Natal points out, even the badge remains faithful to the original. The Cubana series is described by the
manufacturer as ‘the ultimate in professional percussion instruments’, and is also still made to the same designs, using the original 1960s shell moulds. These drums feature the original ultra- lightweight aluminium Comfort Hoop rim for a brighter sound, heavy-duty tuning bolts, and hand-lapped natural hide heads. Aside from the fibreglass models, Natal also uses US ash extensively in its higher- end ranges.
miPRO JUNE2011 57
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