01/04/2026
Rivington & Adlington Band Lead the Way (Again) with Revolutionary Percussion Solution
In response to the ongoing national shortage of percussionists, Rivington and Adlington Brass Band has once again taken matters into its own hands—quite literally.
Following on from our widely recognised move to digitise our music library using iPads (now standard across the band), we are proud to announce the successful trial of a groundbreaking new system: the Percussive Augmentation Harness (PAH™).
Designed to attach securely to the back of our principal percussionist, the PAH™ features a series of lightweight, carbon-fibre mechanical arms—each capable of independent movement and strike precision. These additional limbs are fully programmable and, in a world-first, are wirelessly linked to the conductor’s baton.
Using real-time tempo tracking and micro-adjusted cue signals, the system ensures that every note is delivered with absolute metronomic accuracy. No rushing. No dragging. No “creative interpretation” from the back row.
Band spokesperson Dylan commented:
“We’ve all sat there while the percussion section decides they’re either ahead of us or living in next week. This removes that entirely. If the conductor wants 120 BPM, they’re getting 120 BPM—whether the drummer likes it or not.”
Early testing has already shown promising results, with complex passages such as The Floral Dance and Knight Templar executed with unprecedented rhythmic precision. The system also allows for dynamic layering, meaning a single player can now effectively cover multiple percussion parts simultaneously—freeing up valuable seating space and reducing rehearsal biscuit consumption by up to 18%.
The harness includes a built-in “panic mode” for contest situations, automatically defaulting to strict tempo lock if any deviation is detected—something the band believes could be a game-changer on the contest stage.
This latest innovation cements Rivington & Adlington’s reputation as true trailblazers within the brass band world, continuing a proud tradition of embracing technology to enhance performance standards and musical delivery.
Further developments are already underway, including a potential instrument tuning stabilisation algorithm. ITSA
