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A Grand Night For Singing - Matt Ordaz

Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.

Matt's write-up and gear list below photos.

Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.

"This production of A Grand Night for Singing with Musical Theatre West features a cast of Broadway veterans directed by a member of the original Broadway cast, a wonderful on-stage band, and a great venue (with Karen Carpenter’s drums on display in the lobby!).

The show is a Rodgers and Hammerstein revue with non-stop music, featuring chamber orchestra arrangements for a 6-piece band. The styles between numbers can change rapidly, from an orchestral rendition of 'Some Enchanted Evening' with delicate mallet passages, to a fast up-tempo swing version of 'Kansas City', and everything in between.

Since a few passages require bells or xylophone to be played while simultaneously continuing time on the kick and hi-hat, having those mallet instruments tucked under and over my hats was a necessity. When possible, I also prefer to have my music and stick tray directly in front of my snare to aid in quick stick changes. Although there are many quick stick/mallet changes, I was very surprised to find that no specialty combination sticks are needed (as long as you don’t mind playing set with xylophone mallets a few times)!

I’m taking full advantage of my two Miller Machines thanks to a few moments in the book in which quiet triangle notes are written 1 beat after finishing a heavy swing section, and a similar moment later in the book for finger cymbal. Thankfully, the new beater upgrades arrived just in time to use them on this run! I knew the upgraded beaters would be better, but I was really surprised with how good they sound! I still play the triangle by hand when I can for more control, but the sound between my Stoessel beaters and the brass beaters with the upgrade is nearly indistinguishable."

Drums: Ludwig Birch Classic

  • 16"x20" Kick Drum
  • 8"x10" Small Tom
  • 14"x14" Floor Tom

Snare:

  • Gretsch 5.5"x14" Brooklyn Standard

Cymbals:

  • Istanbul Agop 10” Xist Splash
  • Istanbul Agop 14” Sultan Hi-Hats
  • Istanbul Agop 18” Traditional Dark Crash
  • Istanbul Agop 20” 30th Anniversary Ride
  • Weiss 18” China

Mallet Instruments:

  • Deagan 830 Master Lite Wate Xylophone
  • Jenco Wide Bar Bells
  • Deagan 580 Vibra-Harp
  • Deagan Chimes

Auxillary:

Sticks/Mallets:

  • Vater Fusion Maple Drumsticks
  • Vic Firth WB Jazz Brushes
  • Ron Vaughn Cymbal Mallets (with long rattan handles)
  • Stoessel Triangle Beaters (white and black)
  • Innovative CL-C2 Chime Hammers
  • Innovative JT23 Vibraphone Mallets
  • Malletech DS18 Dave Samuels Vibraphone Mallets
  • Malletech BB34 "Becker Blues" Xylophone Mallets (also used on glock for soft passages)
  • Encore 207R Bell Mallets

A Grand Night For Singing - Regional - Matt Ordaz
October 2021

Matt Ordaz's setup for A Grand Night For Singing at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center in Long Beach, California.

Eric Poland's drum set setup for the Broadway revival of Nice Work If You Can Get It at the Imperial Theatre.
David Thalmann’s setup for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Murray Arts Guild - Murray Park Amphitheater, in Murray, Utah.
Mike Drake's set up for Side Show at the Casa Mañana Theater, in Fort Worth, Texas.
  • 3 min read
"Thursday, February 16th, 2017 was a special day. I was both excited and nervous as I stepped into SIR Studios in Manhattan to start the first orchestra rehearsal for the Broadway production of Miss Saigon."
"When preparing a percussion book for a new Broadway show, we occasionally get the music in advance. That allows us to start our “treasure hunt” early, to have the right sounds ready, and to get a jump on the setup. But often, Broadway is the first appearance of the fully orchestrated show, and we have seen very little before the first rehearsal."
  • 5 min read
"The musical experience of recording a Broadway cast album ranges from easy to difficult depending on the circumstances. I find that the two factors that contribute most to the quality of the experience are: 1) how good the band is; and 2) how soon after you started the show you record the album"
  • 5 min read
Robbie Ameen's drum solo from the track "Spring Fling".

Gene Krupa's drum solo from "Gene's Blues" from the album Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich released November 1955.

Bill Stewart's drum solo from the title track of his album Snide Remarks.

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