David Robinson, owner of All Pro Percussion, has been playing drums since he was 12. He played in middle school, high school, marching bands and garage bands all the way through college. Then he got married, got a job and settled into a more ordinary life.
The call of the drum inspired David 10 years later to open All Pro Percussion in 2007 to follow his passion for playing, teaching and selling quality percussion instruments.
David recently moved All Pro Percussion, which sells only quality percussion instruments, to Lutz on State Road 54 in the Canoe Commons Shopping Center.
“These are drums that will last a lifetime,” said David. “Many of our manufacturers are family owned and managed American companies. Two of our manufacturers have been making drums for over 100 years and one of our cymbal manufacturers has been in business more than 300 years!”
All Pro Percussion sells acoustic drum sets, snare drums, hand drums, African djembe drums, Congo drums, cajon drums and electronic drums. Hand drums have become especially popular in recent years.
“Electronic drums are a great choice for apartments or when you want to play late at night without disturbing the family or the neighbors,” said David. “Attach a set of headphones and you’re the only one who’ll hear the music.”
One can also attach an iPod to play along with your favorite recordings. “Electronic drums can be programmed to give you the specific acoustic sound you’re looking for,” said David.
Private lessons are conducted using side-by-side electronic drum sets. Instructor Kevin Dennis teaches by example, playing the lesson on one set of drums while the student plays on the other. He emphasizes the importance of learning the fundamentals and reading music.
“We’ve found this to be an excellent way to teach because we control the volume,” said David. “We can give the student instructions while they’re playing. They wouldn’t be able to hear the teacher if they were playing on acoustic drums.”
Children have the dexterity to play drums by the age of 8. A number of students are active in middle school and high school bands and want some extra help. The staff at All Pro Percussion takes great pride in teaching their students to play their best.
“We have students who are in their 50s and 60s, both men and women,” says David. “Some always wanted to play drums but never did, and now find they have the time. For others, it’s a hobby and some of our students have even gone on to become professional drummers.”
Playing drums does not require a large investment to get started.
“All you need is a set of sticks and a practice pad. It begins with learning hand techniques. With practice, a student can be playing rhythms in about a month,” explains David.
He prefers to wait until a student is sure drums is something they enjoy and want to pursue before making the investment in a drum set. When students are ready to purchase their own drums, David wants them to have the right equipment.
“We know our equipment and take pride in knowing our customers, too,” said David. “We also have excellent relationships with our manufacturers, which allows us to get new products sooner and stay on top of special orders.”
Customers do business directly with David or Bill Mink. Bill is the manager at All Pro Percussion and has 25 years of experience selling and servicing a wide variety of percussion drum instruments.
All Pro Percussion also offers drum clinics, master classes, and workshops with well-known professional drummers. These classes are well-attended and are open to the public.
All Pro Percussion is located at 23908 State Road 54, Suite 102, in Lutz. They can be reached at (813) 388-2970, or visit them online at www.AllProPercussion.com.
– Mike Matthew
This story was written by the advertising department.
