PASIC 2007: the greatest show on earth! Well, if not "greatest," the annual gathering of drummers can at least lay claim to being the loudest, most welcoming, and most enthusiastic show in the industry.

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THE FRIENDLIEST, the most enthusiastic, and definitely the loudest industry gathering of the year took place in early November when the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) keiked off in Columbus, Ohio. The combination of a star-studded roster of clinicians, along with product displays from the country's leading percussion companies, served to attract over 5,100 percussion professionals and students. Turnout levels were near record levels, reflecting both the grass roots enthusiasm for all things pertaining to percussion, and the accessibility of the Columbus Convention Center.

Since its founding in 1975, the PASIC show has been staged in Columbus with great success on five separate occasions. The Capital city of Ohio has consistently been a top-drawing venue, because of its central location as well as its proximity to college music schools throughout the Midwest. This year's show was no exception. Gary Cook, president of PAS, called it "A total success, thanks to the excellent facilities, welcoming people of Columbus, and hard work of the PAS staff."

The enduring success of PASIC is in no small part due to the extraordinary schedule of events compressed into a four-day time frame. For the seasoned or aspiring percussionist, the show consistently offers an unparalleled opportunity to hear and learn from the world's foremost players. This year alone, Dave Weckl displayed his formidable chops and gave an hour-long dissertation on the art of drumset playing; Alex Acuna teamed with Peter Erskine to demonstrate how a drumkit and ethnic percussion can be creatively combined; Ndugu Chancler performed and lectured on the challenge of maintaining musical integrity to build a long-lasting career; and Omar Hakim showed off the signature style that has animated platinum recordings by Sting, Dire Straits, Miles Davis, Mariah Carey, and David Bowie. All told, 155 educational sessions touched on every facet of the percussionist's art, from playing symphonic timpani to driving a rock 'n' roll band, to precisely synchronizing a drum corps line.

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A widely publicized schedule of events is what draws the crowds at PASIC. However, the sense of camaraderie that pervades every aspect of the show is what keeps them coming back year after year. PASIC has become the de facto annual gathering of the percussionist fraternity, where drummers of every genre come together to celebrate their craft.

Inclusiveness has become one of the those empty "politically correct" catch phrases, but it really does define PASIC. Everyone with an interest in percussion is welcomed with open arms. On the show floor, drum corps types with military haircuts freely mingle with rock 'n' rollers, while jazzers confer with symphonic players. In the clinic rooms, this inclusiveness is channeled into frequent standing ovations and cheers of approval. On the exhibit floors, it takes the form of enthusiastic playing, which can sometimes generate painful decibel levels.

Manufacturers brave the noise of PASIC, because aside from providing an opportunity to present products to key influencers, the show is the equivalent of a three-day focus group. Closely watching a throng of kids as they flailed away on Roland's electronic drum kits, Steve Fisher, manager of the electronic product division said, "In the first two hours of the show, I already picked up some new ideas about packaging and new hardware configurations." Joe Vasko of Mapex added, "All you have to do is watch and you'll find out what gets the kids turned on."

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For all the raw energy on the show floor, the mood among percussion manufacturers was subdued. After experiencing a tough sales climate all year, they viewed the critical fourth quarter with considerable attention. The most frequently asked questions was, "How will the housing crisis, the credit crunch, and $3-a-gallon gas affect our sales this holiday season?" Although no one seemed to have enough confidence in their forecasting skills to deliver a decisive answer, most felt that prospects for the fourth quarter were less than stellar. Offering a straightforward assessment, Keith Gard, president of Jupiter/Mapex said, "The industry has had a few years of very strong growth. The challenge now is to reconfigure your business to survive in a low-growth or no-growth environment."

A significant drop in drum prices over the past decade has been one of the factors driving growth in the percussion market. With drum sets readily available for under $500 (retail) they are priced in the range of video games and are affordable for a large percentage of the population. With the cost of raw materials and Chinese labor on the rise, not to mention a decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, drum companies are bracing for higher prices in the next 12 months. "We're not used to price increases these days, but they will become a reality in the near future," said one. "We'll have to see what kind of impact it has on sales."

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The bright side of the percussion segment is in products aimed at the school market, particularly mallet instruments, marching percussion, and timpanis. The combination of rising school enrollment and record state tax revenues has prompted local schools to significantly up their music purchases in the past year. California has set the pace with a one-time $600 million outlay to strengthen arts education in the public schools. "All facets of the school bid business have been strong this year," said Roger Eaton, Yamaha Band & Orchestra division marketing manager. "It's hard to predict how long the trend will continue, but we're enjoying it while it lasts." Ludwig/Musser Marketing Manager Jim Catalano added, "Mallet and timpani sales have been great this year."

Next year, PASIC will return to Austin Texas, November 5-8.

RELATED ARTICLE: Ludwig honors Shaughnessey.

LUDWIG DRUMS paid tribute to jazz drumming great Ed Shaughnessy and his 30-year commitment to Ludwig with a special presentation at the 2007 PASIC in Columbus. During the celebration, Shaughnessy was presented a one-of-a-kind Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum extensively hand engraved with Shaughnessy's well-known caricature.

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Jim Catalano, Ludwig/Musser marketing director and long-time friend, made the presentation. "Ed's influence on today's drum mers is legendary," he said. "At a time when television was the single in-home video outlet, Ed provided a clinic to the nation's drummers and fans every weekday evening on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Shaughnessy's work with Ludwig began in the mid 1970's. "I was appearing at a huge festival in Enid, Oklahoma," Ed began. "My plane was four hours late in arriving and I had less than 30 minutes to my starting time. I was really in a snit, since my eight drum cases were sitting on the stage in a large pile. I had to start from scratch with no help, or so I thought. A friendly voice behind me said, 'Hi Ed, could you use a hand?' Here was the eminent Bill Ludwig, Jr. offering a fellow drummer a badly needed pair of knowledgeable hands. We had not ever really had any contact before that. We worked speedily together and had the drums ready in time for the show."

Soon after, Ed joined the Ludwig family. "It is a privilege to call Bill Ludwig my friend," stated Ed. "The drums are the best too!"