Tsucchi's "Taiko Strange Story" 16th | Is it really scary? story

Dear readers of the JPC newsletter, the time has come for the familiar Taiko story.
Well, this time it's a ``true scary story''.
First of all, to all our readers, we would like to introduce the "REMO Coated Emperor 24"
Please read this one phrase in your head.

One day, after a rainy day at the end of May, I was running along the Chuo Expressway to work as part of the local musical instrument crew for an outdoor festival being held at a campsite deep in the mountains.
The sky was a strange combination of thick rain clouds and sunny periods, and when I opened the window, a cool breeze flowed in and I felt refreshed as I drove...
I received a phone call from a senior roadie who had arrived earlier.
It all starts here.

Senpai: “Ah, Tsucchi, good job! Um, where are you now?”

Me: ``Oh, good work! We're just before Kofu. What's wrong?''

``You know, I forgot my 24 Coated Emperor. If Tsucchi was still in Tokyo, I was going to ask him to go to the warehouse to pick it up, but...I guess he's stuck in Kofu.''

Me: “Well, if we had to turn back from here and go again, it would be quite late.”

"I'm going to check out a musical instrument store around Nagano."

Me: ``I'm just going to listen to it at some instrument stores around Kofu. If I can find it, I'll buy it.''

First: “Okay! Let’s just look for it!”

Me: “Yes”

I hung up the phone, went to the nearest service area, and searched for a nearby music store. There were 4-5 calls, so I called them at random. However, there aren't many music stores in town that have 24-inch coated emperors in stock.
Hmm, I thought it would be safer to bring it from Tokyo by myself, so I decided to contact the last musical instrument store.
The musical instrument store was a major chain store that often had stores in shopping malls, and that we often went to when buying small items in the local area.
So, without any worries, I called.
I never thought it would turn out like that...
I shudder when I think about it now.

Raku: “Yes, this is ◯◯ Musical Instruments In-mall store.”

The voice of an older sister with a sense of purity. I'm sure it looks like he's playing the flute or something elegantly.

Me: “Ah, my name is Tsuchida. I’m sorry to have bothered you, but I would like to check on your inventory.”

Raku: “Yes, what kind of thing is it?”

Me: “Um, it’s a drum head, REMO’s…”

Raku: “Huh? A dragon bed? What kind of thing is that?”

Me: “…No, it’s a drum head, it’s drum skin…”

Raku: “Drum head…? Um…”

I still regret why I didn't think of changing the person in charge.
Hanashi continues further.

Me: “Um, do you sell drums?”

Raku: Yes, each manufacturer sells them, but when it comes to drum heads...

Me: ``Um, that's the white or transparent part that's attached to the part where the drums are played...''

Raku: “Ah! You mean drum heads! Yes, we have some in stock.”

As I was talking in the car at the service area, I felt my blood pressure suddenly rise. However, the other person is a woman. Coco had to be a gentleman, took a deep breath, and continued the conversation.

Me: ``So, regarding that drum head, I'm looking for a 24-inch coated emperor made by a manufacturer called REMO. Could you please confirm if it's in stock?''

Raku: “Yes, umm… we don’t carry the manufacturer called “Memo”…”

Me: “Um, it’s not a memo.REMOBut…”

Raku: “Huh?REMOAre you? ”

Me: “Re! Mo! Right?”

Raku: “Ah,REMOThat’s right.”

I'm not that talkative, and the phone reception seemed to be good, but I decided to ask just in case.

Me: “Umm, can you hear the audio properly? Is it choppy?”

Raku: “Yes, it’s okay.REMOWhat did you do? ”

Me: “It’s a coated emperor 24 inch.”

Raku: “Huh? “Emperor of Steel”?”

In my mind's eye, I pictured Judas Priest's Rob Halford descending from among stacks of Marshalls, wearing a leather jacket covered in studs, riding a heavy-duty motorcycle, with chains wrapped around his body.
Isn't he truly the "Emperor of Steel"?
Maybe the lady on the phone is a die-hard heavy metal fan, and she headsbangs to Judas Priest in her room every night.
I had the wild fantasy that the skin beneath that clean-looking uniform might be covered in tattoos. That delusion was short-lived...the conversation continued.

Me: ``Well, it's not ``steel,'' it's ``coated.''

Raku: “Yes? What? What? Huh? Kotetsu? Um...”

Me: “Ko! Tet! Do! So… (shortness of breath)”

Raku: “Is it steel…? We cannot handle iron heads.”

Me: “No, that’s not it, it’s a coated emperor, it’s a white rough drum head (crying)”

Raku: “Oh, it’s a coated head! Yes, we have it.”

My hand holding the iPhone feels really strong.
I'll take another deep breath... Your heart rate will increase.

Me: “I’m looking for a 24-inch one called Emperor.”
Could you please check the inventory...?"

Raku: “We are sorry, but all heads larger than 22 inches at our store are on backorder.”

Me: “Ah…um, I told you at the beginning that we were 24 inches long…”

Grammar is already broken.

Raku: Yes, that's why all heads of size 24 and above are ordered.

Me: “Ah, I see. It’s okay. I’m sorry for taking up your time…”

Raku: “No way, thank you for your inquiry.”

In the past, we have talked with many different types of people, and we have worked hard to overcome differences in culture, customs, countries, and of course language, but we have never experienced such a misunderstanding.

Moreover, even if the other party is a musical instrument store...
Well, the world is such a chaotic place.
The dark side of modern society is creeping into the city of Kofu, which is surrounded by rich nature and has delicious wine.I can't help but feel horrified at how such an exchange, like a snakeman show, is carried out with such seriousness.After hanging up the phone, I was alone in the car, exhausted, and when I remembered the contents of the conversation, I couldn't help but laugh, and when I was on my way home after the festival with my senior roadie who lives in Yokohama, we decided, ``Since we're in Shinshu, let's go eat some soba.'' We went into a soba restaurant at a roadside station, and while eating delicious soba, we talked about this series of exchanges, and he burst into tears. The innocent-looking older sister's heavy voice called "Emperor of Steel" made me burst out laughing, and I laughed too, resulting in an eerie situation in which two middle-aged men were in agony as they made soba noodles.
When I looked out the window, the sky was blue and the air was clear; it was a quiet afternoon.

This is the silliest story since the series began, but I wanted to write it down as a memory of the first half of this year, and I would like to ask everyone to join me.
Well, I thought I'd take a break and introduce some of my instruments, which I've been writing about a lot on this page lately.

"I'm tired of hearing about your pink Rogers."

Yes, that's right. That's right.
So this time, I would like to take a rare opportunity to introduce you to a new instrument that I recently acquired.

For several years now, I had no desire to acquire a completely new instrument.
Every new musical instrument that is released around the world is unique and wonderful, and some are not so great, and since I often come into contact with the latest products at work, I often have to take a step back and look at them calmly.Maybe I can't help it, but there are times when even I come across an instrument that makes my heart flutter.
What it is...This is a reprint of the 40th anniversary bell brass snare released by TAMA.

This snare was released in the early 1980s and is extremely heavy and extremely expensive. As for why I admired this snare...for those of you who have a good sense, you already know. that's right. This is because Yukihiro Takahashi of YMO used it. In terms of YMO's albums, you can hear that sound in ``BGM'' and ``Technoderic,'' as well as in YMO's playback ``technodonlive,'' and recently, in the live album ``no nukes 2012,'' you can hear the bell brass sound that I tuned.

I can't wait to see this much admired Bell Brass, which has been reprinted with the specs of the time as much as possible. That said, the price is also ridiculous...
After all, I was unable to buy the signature snare modeled by Yukihiro, who I was a little involved in the planning, due to financial circumstances...lol
That signature snare also sold out in an instant, and of course the bell brass that followed also sold out in an instant. It was traded at a high price in overseas auctions, but when I looked at domestic auctions to try it out, I couldn't find any, so I was half disappointed, and when I looked on Amazon, it was 500,000 yen! You're an idiot! I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh of resignation.
Still, I thought I might be able to get my hands on it, so I first emailed Mr. O, who I always take care of at TAMA...The answer was, "Sorry, it's already sold without a trace..." That's right, isn't it? If it's limited to 20 units worldwide, it'll sell out quickly.
As I recall, one day, just before the release, I received an email from Mr. Yokoo, advisor to Drum Magazine's tuning department, saying, ``Please give me a test report of the new product.'' I went to the designated studio, and what I saw was exactly what Bell Brass was! What's more, while I was trying out the sample, Advisor Yokoo said, ``Tsucchi-san, aren't you going to buy this?I think you can keep the one you're trying out now, lol.''
I'm sorry for saying such a thing.
I gnashed my teeth, thinking that he didn't even know about people's financial situations.

Well, when I was finally able to buy something like this, it turned out that no store had it.JapanJPC's Drum City, which publishes this newsletter first by visiting musical instrument stores all over the country, says, ``We only had a 5-inch one...and that was selling well.''

Yes, yes.

◯Send a message to Toshi◯tsu of Rye Music ``Do you have a reprint of Bell Brass 6 and a half?''
...Half a day of waiting “No!”

Alright next! Akihabara Do◯ Station, Cozy Senpai.
"Do you have bell brass?" "No, it's sold out!"

Osaka 3◯ Musical Instruments “Selling”

Shibuya Dora◯te “There isn’t any~”

Fukuoka Drumt ◯ Eve “Nothing”

It was a crushing defeat. I may have never experienced such humiliation in my life...I've always gotten everything I wanted...
Grinding my teeth, I looked for it on the internet...huh? Is that it?
The words "TAMA Reprint Bell Brass 6 Half/In Stock" are written.
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! When I looked into the shop, I thought, ``◯Cook◯n Shinjuku A Building Drum Floor.Is there one near here?It must have been sold out a long time ago because the uninterested store staff didn't update it, right?''As I can only see the world from the outside, I decided to call and ask.

“Ah, um, I saw it on the internet, but do you still have Tama’s Belbras 6 and a half?”

“Ah, please wait a moment, I will check the inventory.”

A polite female voice. It seems like she wasn't the one who neglected to update her online shop. A few minutes of waiting.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! I have it! Belbras 6 and a half."

I couldn't believe my ears. I checked again

"Tama's bell brass 6 and a half?"

"Yes! Tama's bell brass 6 and a half!"

“That’s really six and a half balls of bell brass…”

I'm going to stop here because it's a bit boring, but since I had it in stock anyway, I just called over the phone.

"Oh, I'll buy that! Can I keep it?"

That being said,
I felt that the atmosphere was a little withdrawn, so I tried to abuse my position, or rather, my meal ticket, or rather, my authority.

``Um, this is Tsucchi, the drum tech...'' he said.

"Eh! Tsucchi-san! Really? Ah, this is ◯◯ that I met at Makito-san's drinking party! I'll keep the snare right away!"

Adults are creatures who are not afraid to use dirty tricks to achieve their desires. So, I wrote my autograph on the wall in the playing room at Rock Inn Shinjuku, posed for a photo with the two staff members, shared it on Twitter, and came home chatting about it.

However, I think this is the first time that the JPC newsletter lists so many names of competing musical instrument stores.
Well, putting that aside, it's Bell Brass.
I bought it, but I don't know how to tame it.
That's the real thrill of acquiring an instrument.
First, let's change the head. If you like the head from the beginning, you can leave it as is, but this time I started with REMO's Vintage Emperor. This is the head I use a lot at work these days, so I chose this one because it's familiar to my ears.
The snare side is REMO's smooth white snare side. As I have written before, she is a smooth and fair-skinned person.
Unlike the tofu shop girl, it doesn't smell like water lol
Snappy is 30 pieces of pure sound. Only the top of the rim is 3mm silver plated by Drum City. I took this to Akigase and tried it out. Hmm, good. Good, but one more thing...
I want something that “makes me feel good.” Okay, let's change the hoop.

For the second time, I tried replacing the top and bottom with an inward hoop called TAMA's Sound Arc.

Yeah! The attack has become milder, the snappy response is better, and the sustain has become more elegant. It might be good, it's good, it's good.
However, the next moment, a shocking fact was brought to light...
The reality is that my favorite mute, the "snare weight", doesn't stick to the inner hoop...I wonder if this will continue next time...?