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It’s Back to School 2018!  The teaching community is full of excitement with the new year, new students, new faces, and new schedules. As these energizing posts scroll across my Facebook feed, I find the feeling infectious!  All of us at West Music wish you all a fabulous school year!   As a former elementary music teacher, I remember going back to school during pre-planning week and anxiously looking for my brand new West Music catalog in my mailbox.  Quite frequently on that first day, at that first meeting, I’d spend my time circling all of the new items in the catalog and identifying my “wish list” of items I wanted and needed from the catalog. (Shh, don’t tell my former Principals!)

These days I’m on the opposite end of the West Music Catalog. I help create the content inside the catalog!  In my role at West Music, I pick the instruments, accessories, and props found in the Drums and Percussion, Kids and Movement, Other Wind Instruments, and Gifts sections of the catalog.  Additionally, I attend music education conventions, World Music Drumming workshops, Orff and Kodaly chapter workshops, as well as additional music therapy and cross-curricular conventions. Therefore, a great deal of time listening to YOUR needs.  Our general music department product consultants take your recommendations and needs for your classroom very seriously.

Let’s dive into 10 of the hot new products from the Drums and Percussion section of the 2018-19 catalog (in no particular order).

Top 10 Hot and New Products in Drums and Percussion

10.  Remo Tubano Replacement Foot 

Wear and tear is common with any instrument in the drums and percussion family.  Even though Remo Tubanos are highly durable, they also can suffer from wear and tear from player usage and dragging across floors.  Remo has created a solution to this that’s fairly easy to install!  This is recommended for newer models of Remo 50 or 100 Valencia Series Tubanos made after 2001.  Each foot comes with 2 screws and an instruction sheet.  You will need to procure a few items to get started:

  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Drill with a 3/32″ drill bit
  • Super glue that contains cyanoacrylate.

The instructions are easy to follow, but stay tuned for a how-to video to demonstrate the installation of these feet.

Where to find Remo Tubano Replacement Feet in the catalog:  page 43

9.  Remo Festival Drums

The newly redesigned Remo Festival Drums have a “flip-top” replaceable black pre-tuned suede head and are very lightweight.  They are available in four different finishes, sold individually or in packs of three.  These drums may be played with hands, sticks, or mallets.  The Remo Festival Drums are perfect for the budget minded music educator, music therapist, drum circle facilitator, or hobbyist interested in drums and percussion.

Where to find Remo Festival Drums in the catalog:  page 54

remo festival

8.  Drums Alive! 2.0 Collections and Accessories

Drums Alive! collections have been rolling into classrooms around the world with extreme popularity.  It is a fabulous way to get moving, get active, get drumming. This curriculum is fantastic for elementary music, general education, PE, before- and after-school, recreational, and wellness programs!  Check out our resigned collections and accessories for the Drums Alive! programs.

Where to find Drums Alive! in the catalog:  pages 48-50  Drums Alive! Drumtastic Curriculum can be found on page 157

drumtastic

7.  Remo Artbeat Artist Collection Aric Improta Djembe

As a new addition from Remo, this djembe comes with the popular black Skyndeep head and a specially designed Acousticon shell.  The 12″ diameter head is perfect for cutting high tones, slaps, and low bass tones.  This djembe was designed especially for Remo by Aric Improta.  Many of his other designs can be seen on other Remo products such as the Artbeat Artist collection cajon, drumheads, and tambourines.  This djembe is also available in a 14″ head.  Remo has many djembes with a vast selection of finishes, head diameters, and head colors.  Even if you don’t see a specific Remo product you may be looking for in our West Music Catalog or at westmusic.com, we always have the ability to get anything Remo produces or has in stock!  Simply give us a call!

Where to find Remo Artbeat Artist Collection Aric Improta Djembe in the catalog:  page 55

6.  Did Someone Say CAJON????

Cajons are extremely popular right now.  One of the reasons that cajons are dominating the marketplace is their portability, easy playability, and optimal accessorizing abilities with musicians playing drums and percussion.  We have many different cajons with varying amounts of internal snare wires, strings, coils, snare switches, finishes, materials, and user functionalities.  Some of the cajon options we carry are:

  • Strap on to your body
  • Bass cajons
  • Cajons that you can assemble for classroom or science projects
  • Chalkbord cajons
  • Cajons infused together
  • Larger cajons that can be great for group time

Give me a call if you need help deciding on the best one for you!

Where to find Cajons in the catalog:  pages 56-57

cajon

5.  Westco Plastic Foot Tambourine

Every…..one….needs….a…..foot….tambourine!  But seriously, everyone needs a foot tambourine!  Keeping a steady beat has never been easier when you have a foot tambourine.  Whether you’re a guitar player,  percussionist, a music teacher, or are an elementary music student, this foot tambourine will enhance your musicality and add flavor to your performances.  Westco’s plastic foot tambourine is durable and can easy to slip over your shoe.  The double row of steel jingles is very crisp and the ring of the jingle is the perfect length.

Where to find Foot Tambourines the catalog:  page 69

4.  Steel Tongue Drums

Steel tongue drums are typically made from empty propane tanks! Slits are cut into them to create tongues which are reflective of the desired scales.  Scales can vary per maker/manufacturer, with the most popular scale being pentatonic.  These can be played with mallets or fingers.  We recently picked up three beautiful Steel Tongue Drums from Westco!  These are a great addition to your instrumentarium and include a pair of mallets and padded carrying bag. The  Westco 8″ Steel Tongue Drum #205395 is tuned to D Major pentatonic is 8″ in diameter, and comes in a beautiful red. Next, the  Westco 12″ Steel Tongue Drum #205396 is tuned to C Major pentatonic is 12″ in diameter, and comes in a gorgeous blue.  Finally, Westco 16″ Steel Tongue Drum #205397 is tuned to G Major pentatonic is 16″ in diameter, and comes in a mellow metallic mocha.

Where to find Steel Tongue Drums in the catalog:  page 75

tounge drum

3.  Westco 12″ Gong

This is a good entry level gong that will spark interest in your music classroom!  When the gong is struck it produces a warm sustain. The Westco 12″ Gong includes a mallet and has an attached rope with a handle.  It is extremely lightweight and is perfect for teachers on a budget looking for an instrument to get the OOOOOOHHHHss and AAAAAHHHHs from their students.

Where to find the Westco 12″ Gong in the catalog:  page 76

gong

2.  Overseas Connection Market Baskets

Everyone needs a market basket!  We have three different sizes to fit your needs.  Each market basket is unique no two will look alike!  They are beautifully hand-woven and crafted in Africa.  Some assembly is required, but fear not, it’s easy!  When this basket arrives, it will be folded in a box. Use the following directions to reshape the Market Basket: 

  • Start by running warm water over the entire basket (you can even get the handle and tag wet). 
  • Allow the water to soak in, and then shake off any excess water. 
  • Allowing the water to completely soak in makes the basket very pliable.  Place the basket down on a flat surface, roll it around and set it into the desired shape.  The final step is to allow the Market Basket to air dry. ENJOY!

Overseas Connection Large Market Basket is 16″-18″ in diameter

Overseas Connection Large Mini Market Basket is 8″-10″ in diameter

Overseas Connection Mini Market Basket is 6″-8″ in diameter

Where to find Overseas Connection Market Baskets in the catalog:  page 79

1.  Latin Percussion Large Egg Shakers

I ran across this gem while attending a music trade show in January of 2017.  LP is famous for percussion instruments and accessories.  While they’re not actually in the 18-19 catalog, the LP Big Egg Shaker comes in red and/or black.  The 3″ width is perfect for working on grip functionality and many other gross motor skills.  I can see this being used in many different settings including passing games in the elementary music classroom.  Drop me a line and tell me how you’re using it I’d love to hear your feedback!

egg shaker

Thank you for checking out my blog about the top 10 Hot and New Drums and Percussion Products in the West Music 2018-2019 Catalog!  Since you’ve made it to the end I’m offering YOU a special promo code just for reading!  The offer is for FREE SHIPPING for purchases totaling over $25 (standard exclusions apply).  Use the promo code:  B2SDP18 for online or phone orders.  The promo code is valid until October 31, 2018.  Check back periodically for more blogs and Facebook live events, if you have any questions or suggestions please give me a call or drop me an email, I’d be happy to help!

Tereasa Evans

Tereasa Evans

Tereasa Evans is the Music Education Consultant for Classroom Percussion and Wellness.  She has her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and her Master’s of Music in Percussion Performance, has her Level I, II, and III Orff-Schulwerk certification, has taught elementary music in the state of Florida for 10 years, along with participating in and directing various indoor, marching/DCI, and percussion ensembles throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida.  She has performed on many platforms including symphony orchestras, world music ensembles, drum corps, and drum circles.  Tereasa is also certified in Remo HealthRhythms facilitation, Beat the Odds, and currently pursuing her Drums Alive Master Trainer status.  She manages products for music therapists, music educators and the general hobbyists specifically related to unpitched percussion in an elementary music classroom.  She works with West Music’s own music therapy department to produce and provide instruments to meet the needs of music therapists not only for the in-house department but customers around the country.  She also works with major percussion manufacturers to meet the needs of her customers.  Whether she’s striking, shaking, scraping, drumming, or breaking instruments it’s all for a good reason and to benefit her customers.