Episode 508 - Jim McCarthy
Pete's Percussion Podcast
Saskatchewan-based instrument designer, builder, tuner, and band arranger Jim McCarthy stops by to talk about all of his current work, along with the mallet bar retuning process (03:45), his Canadian Percussion Network conference presentations on his contrabass marimba and vibraphone motor manipulation (18:20), growing up in Adelaide (AUS), his interest in many musical genres and beginning on drumset, and the sports, music education, and weather scene in southern Australia (50:05), his time in undergrad at the University of Adelaide (01:10:00), his post-undergrad years freelancing, performing, arranging, and teaching, along with commentary about his volleyball career (01:23:30), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on marimba design, Australian accents, personal health, movie comedies, great books, and traveling around the world (01:39:40).
Finishing with a Rave on the classic novel Vanity Fair (02:15:00).
Jim McCarthy links:
Make a Marimba homepage
Jim’s “Vibes Motor Unlimited” page
Jim McCarthy’s bio at the Make a Marimba webpage
Stick Technique - Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy’s Percussion Clinic page
Previous Podcast guests mentioned:
Michael Schutz in 2025
John Wooton in 2022
Other Links:
James Bailey PAS Hall of Fame page
Helmholtz Resonators
Arturo Sandoval
Gary Burton
Australian Contemporary Percussion - Louise Devenish
Tower Heist trailer
The African Queen trailer
Dodgeball trailer
Monty Python and the Holy Grail trailer
Talladega Nights trailer
The Man Who Captured Eichmann trailer
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series - Douglas Adams
Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams
The Many-Colored Land - Julian May
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig
Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach
Raves:
Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
