Triangle

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Triangle Arm

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Finger Cym Arm

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All pieces interchangeable. Mix and match.

Beater Upgrade Kit

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Finger Cymbal Mount

Triangle Suspension Mount

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Something Rotten - Kathy Lubbers

Kathy Lubbers’ setup for Something Rotten at Ephrata Performing Arts Center (EPAC) in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

Kathy's write-up below photos.

"This is such a fun show to play! We are fortunate that EPAC is the first theatre in our area to obtain the rights to this show, so along with the joy of playing it, we get to see and hear true audience reactions to a show most haven’t seen before. And they laugh and spontaneously applaud the whole way through! The drum book is straightforward but with a lot of really interesting elements and chances for creativity. For example – I use the Toca Seed Pod Shaker in place of the called for “Goat Hooves”. Who has Goat Hooves anyway? Since the show doesn’t call for a ton of accessories, I opted to not use any electronics and go fully acoustic.

An unfortunate reality in community theatre is that you are often limited by budget and musician availability, so we were unable to secure a woodwind player in the pit – time to get creative! The glockenspiel that you see was for woodwind parts that I covered on glock when the drum part was sparse. I had two music stands, two sets of music, and two sets of sticks/mallets in order to make quick changes back and forth as easy as possible.

I have mainly been a Tama player, but I have recently absolutely fallen in love with the Mapex Armory kit. It has a great sound, and lots of versatility due to the two floor toms. Upgrading to the Gibraltar rack system along with the Armory’s shallower rack toms have really allowed me to set up the kit very ergonomically. It’s easy to move around, reach everything, and switch back and forth when needed. Memory locks on the rack make consistent setup a breeze, and Remo O-Rings and a couple of Moongels are all I need to control overtones. Adding to the drum setup is my Tama SLP Bubinga Snare, which has an incredibly warm tone, but a great crack as well.

For cymbals, I’m a big fan of the Zildjian K Custom Hybrid series. The tone is incredible, and the unlathed bells allow for a lot of versatility and custom sounds. They cut through without being too bright, and the 17” crash works really well as a suspended cymbal with the right set of mallets. The Centent 6” Splash works well for me in this show as a small Chinese gong sound or finger cymbal. And as far as the Stewart Copeland Signature Blue Bell ride – it’s my dream ride. Stewart is pretty much responsible for me being a drummer at all, and finally being able to obtain this ride is an investment I’ll never regret. The wash and the ping are beautiful, and the bell can’t be beat.

The RhythmTech accessory tray comes in handy to hold all the little things that can’t be mounted, but need to be at the ready: egg shaker, pencil, flashlight, drum key, multitool, etc. And of course, my trusty USB fan with its own power bank - and maybe a snack or two here and there…

Of course, no writeup would be complete without extolling the virtues of The Miller Machine! I had never heard of it before I saw someone else using it in a show, and I couldn’t believe something so cool existed. I pretty much ordered one immediately and it has made life so much easier! Before I owned one, I used have to hold a triangle beater under my arm, in my mouth, on my lap, etc., and there was always a risk of dropping it in the dark. The Miller Machine has taken all that awkwardness and worry away."

Drums: Mapex Armory Studioease Fast Tom Shell Pack in Emerald Burst

  • 18x22 Kick with DW5000 Single Kick Pedal
  • 7x10 Rack Tom
  • 8x12 Rack Tom
  • 14x16 Floor Tom

Snare:

  • Tama 14x6 SLP Bubinga Snare

Cymbals:

  • Zildjian 13.25" K Custom Hybrid Hi Hats
  • Centent 6” Xtt Black Tiger Series Splash
  • Zildjian 11" K Custom Hybrid Splash
  • Zildjian 14” A Custom Fast Crash
  • Zildjian 17" K Custom Hybrid Crash
  • Paiste 22" Stewart Copeland Signature Blue Bell Ride

Accessories:

  • TreeWorks 35-bar Classic Single-Row Chimes
  • RhythmTech Studio Cowbell
  • LP Double Sambago Bell Blocks
  • Latin Percussion Egg Shaker
  • Latin Percussion Cyclops Jingle Ring Mounted Tambourine
  • Miller Machine with Triangle
  • Toca T-SS Seed Pod Shaker
  • DIY Thunder Sheet
  • Glockenspiel

Sticks/Mallets:

Other Cool Stuff:

  • Gibraltar GCS-450C Chrome Series 3-sided Curved Drum Rack
  • Pork Pie Sparkle Blue/Zebra Round Drum Throne 
  • RhythmTech Accessory Tray
  • Tycoon Percussion Hand Held Percussion Rack 
  • Vater Single Pair Drumstick Holder
  • Vater Multipair Drumstick Holder
  • Ahead SB4 Deluxe Stick Bag
  • Remo Tone Control Rings
  • Drumcam Tripod
  • GrooveTech GTDMT1 Drum Multi-tool
  • USB Fan

Something Rotten – Regional – Kathy Lubbers
October 2021

"Conducting a National Tour is incredibly challenging, but so rewarding. Stepping on to the podium with a new orchestra every few weeks really keeps you on your toes. Every player responds differently so you are constantly adjusting to get the desired result. I would compare it to playing a multi-percussion piece where the instruments are constantly moving."
"After a grueling four years at SUNY I still had one theory class left to finish. I was really depressed. A classmate of mine recommended me for a tour of a Broadway show. This completely changed the course of my life."
"When I first got the call to start working on Ain’t Too Proud - The Life And Times Of The Temptations, I was curious about which era the show was going to focus on. Their career began in the early 1960’s and they’re still releasing albums today."
"The timpani tunings are the real challenge of The Little Mermaid. Changing pitches must be done by feel, that was my biggest challenge. Memorizing the mallet parts was also very necessary."
"As you can see in the pictures, I prefer to have as much 'stuff' right in front of me, as close as possible. Because there are so many instruments close in, I have mounted a music stand off of the tom mount.
"Different from the tour, the original Broadway production had acoustic drums, an acoustic set of timbales, and an acoustic tambourine - the tambourine is now programmed in the SPD-SX."
  • 2 min read

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

Steve Jordan's drum solo from the title track of the album Casa Loco.
Robbie Ameen's drum solo from the track "Spring Fling".

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