Evelyn Glennie Does Not Own a Champagne Sparkle Drumset

Evelyn Glennie's Loch Ness Monster Drum Pad. It was created by the company Babes Wood in Oxfordshire, U.K.

Dame Evelyn Glennie is a prominent touring percussionist from Scotland. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music and has recorded numerous albums including joint projects with artists like Bobby McFerrin and Bjork. She is also profoundly deaf. I'll talk about her first, and then talk about her drum pad.

Evelyn Glennie's career as a percussionist has spanned over 25 years. Deaf since the age of 12, she feels sounds and rhythms through vibrations against her fingers and skin, face and bare feet. She experiences sound tactically. In her performances, there is no indication of her aural impairment. She plays with dynamics (soft and loud) and accuracy. She also plays musically, her playing is like breathing and is very fluid.

She is an expert lip reader, so does not need to do sign language. In her interviews, she'd rather talk about her music than her hearing. For her, it's old news. She plays with orchestras, choruses and other music artists throughout the world as well as playing her own solo concerts.

Ms. Glennie visits schools and gives master classes. As you can tell, she is one of my idols.

Drummers often use small drum pads to practice on when they don’t have access to a drum (or if playing a drum is too loud). I have to say this was a splurge for me, no working around that. It cost about 20.00 U.S. and an extra 20.00 to have it shipped from England. It’s one of my prized percussion possessions. The Loch Ness wooden shape has 3 small round pads on each side. I’ve photographed the colorful pad side. Each pad has it’s own resistance. One soft, one medium, one hard.

During my own career playing and teaching music, the visuals have always been an inherent part of setting the mood for music play. For me, creating a visually inspiring environment for the classroom, the practice studio and stage have always been part of the music experience. Amazon photo link

Evelyn Glennie's performances involve many senses, the music, the stage, the way she sets up her instruments to aide the fluidity of her performance and be visually stimulating for the audience. As you listen to her in person, you may notice yourself feeling the vibrations around you.

I have experienced this, not in so many words, but many many times when I played at a new club, I got very condescending platitudes from the sound guy (yes, a guy) until I played for the sound check. Then I got the respect. I almost always had to prove myself. Which, I guess makes you tougher.In high school, I played better than most of the drummers (all boys then), but I also played flute. The band director asked if I could play flute for marching band so that a drummer that would have lost his spot to me, could still play. I kind of understood, but at the same time, it kind of wasn't right either.

It's the sixties. The hotshot drummer lays in the jam on the TV show. Mop hair swinging, sticks slammin'. My eyes drift to his drums. Wow....time stops. The drums are SPARKLY PINK! I find out later the drum shell finish is called champagne sparkle.

When I started learning percussion in sixth grade, I thought about those drums. I got catalogs from music stores and I poured over all the cool finishes. The biggest thing in the 70s at that time was not wooden drums but acrylic shell drums in disco shades. Sorry they didn't excite me.

But my first love was champagne sparkle, yes I know it seems typical for a girl. But it was kind of reverse psychology for me. Girl taps her little beat on the pink drums- oh how cute. NOW tough playing girl with a backbeat that knocks your teeth into your brain playing it heavy ona pink sparkle drumset. Y'all better 'spect that girl!And guys like the finish too. Here are videos to prove it. Especially look for Lisa (the only woman listed here) who gives lessons online.

My first drum set was actually my sister's, but she quit her lessons so I got them. They were a cheap knock-off white pearl set under the 'Star' brand.I finally dragged my Dad to a drum store and we ended up getting what they had in stock. Still good though; a black and chrome Slingerland.My last big drum purchase when I was performing in NYC was my wonderful TAMA Artstar II Power Rock Set with Amber maple-eyed wood. After downsizing to lighter rock, I sold the bass drum and converted the 18 inch floor tom into a bass drum.