10 minutes with… Robert Oetomo
The Benefits
Electronic Drums
DEAGAN GLOCKENSPIEL 107 YEARS OF HISTORY
The news from the world of percussion ROLAND Xmas Sale
by Optimum Percussion December 2015
the restoration of a
DEAGAN GLOCKENSPIEL
By Allan Watson
As we look back at this golden era of percussion invention
and manufacture there are a few specific instruments that
stand out as being remarkable. Instruments that, despite the
brilliance of modern engineering and manufacture, have not
been surpassed for tone quality. One of these is the famous
Deagan round top Glockenspiels and it's "brother" the
Deagan Parsifal bells.
After consulting with our friend and master instrument tuner
and builder, John Rechter of Mountain Marimbas, I decided
to " upgrade" this special set of bars to be portable "Parsifal
Bells" . The Deagan Parsifal bells were a special range of
instruments that featured tuned resonators under each bar.
Being in a portable, carry-able box, it was a masterpiece of
invention by Deagan. Each of the short resonators, none
longer than approximately 7cm, have different size openings
at the top. The smaller openings "trick" the resonator into
thinking that it is longer than it really is and allow the lower
notes to be resonated effectively.
Other decisions involved the bar finishing and plating type.
These were rusty bars and heavily pitted. How much metal
can be taken off without ruining the bar? Chrome or Nickel
plate? Shiny or satin finish? Together with John, I chose a
satin nickel plate and left a few pits in the bars here and
there. Retuning to A=442 brought the glockenspiel in line
with other modern keyboards and I boldly reasoned that
violins do tend to go a little sharp up the top.
John has done a marvellous job in replicating the Parsifal bells
frame, resonators and case. His research is impeccable and
he has restored a small piece of percussion history to be a
practical and beautiful sounding Glockenspiel that is a
pleasure to play.
Deagan "Roundtop Parsifal Bells" are the latest and greatest improvement in the way of
Orchestra bells. Deagan regular Parsifal bells have been on the market for some time,
and have met with phenomenal success everywhere, and since the incorporation of
Roundtop Bars with Parsifal Bells we believe that we can conscientiously offer to the
professional drummer a bell which is without a peer.
Deagan "Roundtop Parsifal Bells" are absolutely without over-tones or counter
harmonics, and when a bar is struck you hear nothing but the pure tone of the bell. No
jingling or disagreeable overtones.
Deagan "New Style Roundtop Parsifal Bells" can be had either mounted in case with
resonators or on floor rack with resonators, as illustrated herewith. The resonators over
which the bars are mounted are the latest style patented resonator, which add greatly
to the volume as well as sweetness of the tone of the bell.
-Parsifal bells are loud enough for the largest band (you simply cannot drown them out)
when played with ordinary hammers, and when played with soft hammers they are an
ideal accompaniment for songs, etc.
We claim for Deagan Parsifal Bells the following points of excellence:
The finest and purest tone of any bell in the world.
Absolute perfect tuning.
Finest possible workmanship, combined with most handsome appearance.
No reflected light, as with flat-top bars. Roundtop bars do not blind your eyes.
Easy to play.
Here is a copy of Deagan's fabulous advertisement
text for their great new instruments of 1908.
A few years ago I received one of those phone calls any
percussionist hopes one might get...."Hello. I have an old
Deagan Glockenspiel I am interested in selling. It was owned
by my dad who used to play a bit when he was younger".
After a fair few excited questions and an immediate car trip
through Sydney traffic , I had purchased a very, very rusty
Deagan model 1229 round top. This is considered one of
their best models, originally patented in 1908. This glock was
at "high pitch" where A=454 which is the best part of a
semitone sharp. Soon after this, the USA decided A= 440
was a more sensible option for instruments. More recently
A=442 has become the tuning standard for concert
percussion. The old case suspension felts were completely
moth eaten and the case was not at all practical, with the
chromatic bars getting further away from the diatonic bars as
the pitch gets higher. Glock makers were very good at
making the bars back in 1908 but frames and cases have
come quite a long way in the last 100 years.
In 1880 John Calhoun Deagan began making the first
orchestral glockenspiels that were designed for professional
orchestras and bands. John Deagan was in direct
competition with Ulysses Leedy and William F Ludwig's new
company and their combined inventive genius and
manufacturing and business excellence provided the world
with the first great orchestral percussion instruments. The
tuning and manufacturing concepts and materials used for
their Xylophones , Glockenspiels ( Orchestral Bells) ,
Marimbas and Tubular bells ( Chimes) , Timpani and a huge
variety of drums are largely still in use today by modern
percussion instrument manufacturers across the world. It
was a very exciting time during 1900--1920 as the birth of
percussion took place. The marvellous JC Deagan, Leedy
and Ludwig Corporations were inventing , patenting and
manufacturing new instruments at a rapid pace and the great
Vaudeville era and the beginnings of Jazz in the 1920's
provided huge demand - live music was king and drums and
percussion were more relevant and exciting than ever
before.
I was the proud owner of almost $1000 worth
of rusty, out of tune glock bars... no bargain
but the beginning of a restoration adventure.
How does this "new" 100 year old Deagan compare with the
great Glockenspiels of today? Yamaha took over the Deagan
brand in the 1970's and produces a lovely set of Deagan
Tubular Bells (Sydney Symphony owns these) as well as the
Deagan DC1590 glockenspiel. The lovely Deagan sparkle is
there in the Yamaha's sound but the old round tops have
much larger, heavier bars and the sound is therefore fuller
and stronger with the penalty of the heavier weight to carry.
Fall Creek marimba from the USA have also built beautiful
hand made glockenspiels (one also owned by the Sydney
Symphony) with bar dimensions more similar to the round
top. Adams from Holland spent many years working on their
new "Parsifal" bells series and have unapologetically followed
Deagan's leads in bar dimensions and other aspects, including
the name of course. Adams have produced a remarkable 3.3
octave instrument with full size steel resonators on an
excellent frame and I am fortunate to have this instrument
with us in the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. This
Adams instrument is featuring right now in Tchaikovsky's
Sleeping Beauty Ballet with the Australian Ballet at the
Sydney Opera House. Adams also have just release a table
top F-d version in a good case. Comparing the Adams
instruments and the restored Deagan is not so clear. There
is a certain sound to the Deagan glock - warm and full and it
is a lovely magical sound that is unique but the Adams
instruments do have a little more resonance and a slightly
brighter sparkle in the attack.
It is great to know that you can now buy a new glockenspiel
that compares well to this famed Deagan model but I feel
very fortunate to have this wonderful 100 year old historic
beauty to enjoy and perform upon, and have enjoyed the
journey of it's restoration. After restoration
Before restoration
1908 to 2015 107 years of history
“passionately advocating the development of percussion music”
vi) What is your favourite percussion/drum book?
Progressive Steps to Syncopation for the Modern Drummer
by Ted Reed. It still amazes me (until now) with the infinite
number of variations you can do with just a single line from
this book.
vii) Who was your main instrumental teacher and
what was one of the best lessons they gave you?
I've had the privilege of having an all-star line-up of teachers,
and they were all my main instrumental teacher in the
different stages of my study life: Gary Wain (2006), Rick
Miller (2008), Daryl Pratt (2007-2010), Claire Edwardes
(2011), Jasmin Kolberg (2012-2014) and Professor Dennis
Kuhn (2012-2014). There are 3 underlying topics that all of
my teachers taught me at some point as a musician: 1. always
listen/be open minded; 2. always be yourself/stay true to
yourself and; 3. music is always about sound.
viii) A drum or percussion item that you cannot live
without?
I really REALLY love my 5.5-octave Marimba One marimba
with Premium Keyboard and Classic Resonators. But I also
love my modest and humble Pearl Export drum kit that I
occasionally let-loose on.
ix) Musical Idol?
Johann Sebastian Bach; the greatest and most complete
musician to have walked on earth.
x) Oddest musical instrument request you've
received?
I can't think of one to be honest, but something that I
remember very clearly was a request from a conductor
whilst playing a pair of crash cymbals; to play them
by twisting the pair of crash cymbals for a different sound
effect.
Indonesian-born Australian percussionist and composer Robert
Oetomo (b. 1988) is an active freelancer as a soloist, chamber
musician, composer and an educator. He has been invited as
special guest artist to perform and present masterclasses in
numerous festivals around the world including the 1st Qingdao
International Percussion Festival 2014 in China and the 9th
Tabasco International Marimba Festival 2015 in Mexico.
i) When and why did you start playing?
I started learning percussion when I was 18 in my first [and
only] year of the Bachelor of Music (Composition) degree at
the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music. The
Conservatorium Orchestra was playing Shostakovich's
Symphony No. 9 and they didn't have enough percussionist.
So I was given a triangle and a triangle beater, and was told
to play the triangle part. I've never sweated so much in my
life before!
ii) What music did you last listen to?
Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 with Christian
Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden.
iii) What's in your stick bag?
As I mostly play marimba these days, I only have marimba
mallets in my stick bag which includes Nancy Zeltsman's,
Nanae Mimura's and Naoko Takada's signature series
marimba mallets by Encore Mallets, Inc.
iv) What is your favourite piece of work that you
have performed?
Impossible to answer with one piece of work but it'll have to
be Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring if I had to name one
amongst a few.
v) What's the last video you watched on Youtube?
My YouTube 'Watch History' tells me 'Ronni Kot Wenzell
playing "Over the Rainbow" [arranged by Max Seide Leth for
solo vibraphone]'
International Percussionist & Composer
Robert OETOMO
Electronic DRUM KITS
the benefits of
MIDI: You can also expand your sound palette and
recording capabilities by connecting your electronic drum set
to computers and software, external sound modules,
samplers and other electronic musical instruments via MIDI.
MIDI is the worldwide standard for connecting electronic
musical instruments and computers. All Roland V-Drums
models include a standard MIDI out connector that requires
a separate MIDI interface, and many also include USB for
simple connection to a computer with a single cable. Either
method allows you to utilize any number of software
applications including Roland’s DT-1 Drum Tutor and V-
Drums Friend Jam.
Familiar Playing Feel: You’ll experience a great acoustic
drum feel when playing Roland V-Drums, and all your
acoustic drumming techniques translate seamlessly to V-
Drums, from rim shots on the snare to grabbing a cymbal to
choke its sound. Even nuanced techniques such as buzz and
press rolls, brush play, hi-hat heel splashes, and more are
easily performed on virtually all Roland electronic
drum sets.
Quick Access to a Wide Variety of Sounds: Electronic
drum kits allow you to change the sound of your drum kit
with a touch of a button. Studio-quality acoustic kits, huge
arena rock kits, world and orchestral percussion, electronic
and techno kits, funky hip-hop kits, and more are all
immediately accessible. With hundreds of drum, percussion,
and effects sounds at your fingertips, an electronic kit will let
you play authentic sounds in wide variety of musical styles.
Volume Control: One of the main challenges with acoustic
drums, cymbals, and percussion is the extreme volume levels
these instruments can produce. An electronic drum kit’s
drum and cymbal pads make very little acoustic noise when
played, and the volume of the sounds can be easily
controlled with the volume knob. This makes electronic kits
a great choice for small stages, churches, or anywhere stage
volume may be a problem. At home, the sound can be
monitored with headphones making late night and apartment
drumming practical. And for recording enthusiasts, electronic
drums make it easy to achieve professional sounding tracks
by eliminating the need for multiple microphones.
Practicing, Play-along, and Built-In Recording: Roland
electronic drum sets include valuable practice, play-along and
recording tools. All models feature a built-in metronome
with adjustable tempo, and a mix-in jack for connecting to an
MP3 or CD player so you can jam with your favorite songs.
Some also include Roland’s Coach, a unique tool that helps
improve drumming skills with challenging exercises and drills,
providing feedback on your performance. With many models
you can explore different drumming styles by playing along
with onboard songs and musical patterns, or access MP3 and
WAV files with a USB thumb drive. Even record and play
back your drumming performances with easy-to-use
recording features, now a common built-in feature with
nearly every current model of Roland V-Drums. And for
the TD-30, TD-25, and TD-11 series V-Drums Kits, the
optional Roland Wireless Connect allows you to record or
just have fun jamming using the FREE apps Air
Recorder and V-Drums Friend Jam for iPhone.
Why Electronic Drums? At Optimum Percussion we sell many lovely acoustic drum kits and electronic drum kits, each one chosen to suit the players or schools individual needs and tastes. This is an article from Roland USA about the benefits of Electronic Drums. It outlines the excellent nature of the current technology and the practical application of the drum kits in peoples
lifestyles.
Optimum Percussion on the Roland TD25
This new Roland V-Drum set brings a new dimension
to the Roland range. With excellent response on the
all mesh pads and a brain that encourages quick and
easy manoeuvrability of settings, this drum kit is
perfect for live applications. The high quality in-built
sounds allow tuning, muffling, and variable
instrument options on each pad, all laid out in a
quick and easy format on the new TD25 brain. An
excellent Drum Kit with a great live drum feel!
Optimum Percussion
2016
EDUCATION CATALOGUE
out mid January 2016
by Optimum Percussion December 2015
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