Design and evaluation of a digitally active drum

Abstract

Despite the ever growing variety and popularity of commercially available electronic percussion (EP) instruments, there are still a significant number of active musicians who prefer to use acoustic drums. Digitally active drum (DAD) is an enhanced snare drum that provides sonic capabilities associated with digital musical instruments in the form of a traditional acoustic drum allowing full use of acoustic drumming gesture vocabulary. By using an in-built loud speaker and tactile sound transducers system, a Bela Cape and Beagle Bone Black, near field photoelectric sensors and a synthesis and effects patch built in Pure Data (PD), a prototype of a hybrid acoustic - electronic instrument has been made. This prototype has been evaluated by five expert drummers and two co-performers in both group and solo settings in order to determine its effectiveness and potential role in professional music making.