This application claims benefit under 35 USC §371 of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2015/055330 entitled ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT, AND ENSEMBLE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS COMPRISING SUCH AN ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT, filed on Mar. 13, 2015 by inventor Dario Pinelli. PCT Application No. PCT/EP2015/055330 claims priority of Italian Patent Application No. TA2014U000003 entitled ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT, AND ENSEMBLE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS COMPRISING SUCH AN ACOUSTIC DRUM KIT and filed on Mar. 27, 2014 by inventor Dario Pinelli.
The present invention relates to an acoustic drum kit, as well as an ensemble of musical instruments comprising such an acoustic drum kit.
The invention relates to the field of musical instruments, more particularly percussion instruments, for both professional and recreational use.
In this field, it is known that an acoustic drum kit is an ensemble of percussion instruments which, in a typical form, includes, or even consists of, a bass drum, a snare drum and a high hat, i.e., a pair of cymbals attached to a foot pedal. Such a drum kit is, due to the cumulative bulk of the instruments making it up, difficult to store and even more difficult to transport, with a significant transport cost when the drummer travels by plane and wishes to take his drum kit with him.
To overcome this issue, electronic drums kits exist, comprising flat pancake-shaped panels, commonly called “pads”, that more or less reproduce the feel of an acoustic drum kit, but without producing the volume thereof, the vibrations caused by striking these panels having to be amplified by ad hoc electronic devices. Once stored, these panels take up less space than the instruments making up an acoustic drum kit, such that the electronic drum kit is easier to transport. The price of such an electronic drum kit is high, however, and above all, electronic drum kits do not produce the same sound effects or the same sensations as playing an acoustic drum kit.
The aim of the present invention is to propose an acoustic drum kit that is easy and practical to store and transport, while producing high quality sound.
To that end, the invention relates to an acoustic drum kit, including a bass drum, including two parts that are movable with respect to one another between a spaced-apart position and a compact position, and attachments, a snare drum having a globally parallelepiped outer shape, including first and second attachments, the second attachments being separate from the first attachments, and a hi-hat stand, including a base having a globally parallelepiped outer shape, the base including attachments, wherein when the two parts of the bass are in the spaced-apart position, the two parts of the bass drum jointly give the bass drum a globally parallelepiped outer shape and jointly define between them a free bass drum resonance volume that is substantially parallelepiped, and the snare drum is removably fastened to the base drum and to the base of the hi-hat stand such that the acoustic drum kit is in a playing configuration, wherein when the two parts of the bass drum are in the compact position, the two parts of the bass drum jointly give the bass drum a globally parallelepiped outer shape and jointly define between them a housing volume which is substantially parallelepiped, which is smaller than the bass drum resonance volume, and which is occupied by the hi-hat stand and the snare drum that is housed inside the base of the hi-hat stand, such that the acoustic drum kit is in a storage and transport configuration, wherein the attachments of the bass drum and the first attachments of the snare drum removably fasten the snare drum on the bass drum in the playing configuration of the acoustic drum kit, and wherein the attachments of the base of the hi-hat stand and the second attachments of the snare drum removably fasten the snare drum on the base of the hi-hat stand in the playing configuration of the acoustic drum kit.
One of the ideas at the base of the invention is to use a bass drum wisely as a housing for a snare drum and a hi-hat stand when one wishes to store and transport the corresponding acoustic drum kit. To that end, the bass drum comprises two parts that can be moved relative to one another. In a spaced-apart position of these two parts of the bass drum, the latter can be used as a percussion instrument, while being empty inside to define a bass drum resonance volume therein, and it serves as a removable fastening support for the snare drum, the latter also being fastened removably to the hi-hat stand: the bass drum, the snare drum and the hi-hat stand are then in a playing configuration, while being arranged relative to one another similarly to an acoustic drum kit of the prior art. To be able to play the drum kit according to the invention, in the playing configuration, the drummer associates it with a pair of cymbals and a bass drum pedal, which are known as such, for example being commercially available, and that must respectively be attached on the hi-hat stand and the bass drum, the drummer using a pair of drum sticks or brushes to play, as is known in itself and commercially available. In a first compact position of the two parts of the bass drum, the snare drum and the hi-hat stand are arranged inside the bass drum, while being housed between the two parts of said bass drum, the drum kit then being in the storage and transport configuration, taking up a particularly small total volume. In particular, the drum kit according to the invention, in its storage and transport configuration, advantageously complies with the common dimensional requirements for carry-on luggage allowed by well-known airlines, while also complying with the associated weight requirements: thus, owing to the invention, a drummer can travel by plane while keeping the drum kit according to the invention with him as carry-on luggage. In practice, the transition of the drum kit according to the invention between the playing configuration and the storage and transport configuration is done easily and in a very short amount of time, i.e., several tens of seconds.
The invention also relates to an ensemble of musical instruments, including an acoustic drum kit as defined above, a bass drum pedal, a pair of hi-hat cymbals, and a pair of drumsticks or brushes.
Additional advantageous features of the acoustic drum kit and ensemble of musical instruments according to the invention are given in the description below.
The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, provided solely as an example and done in reference to the drawings, in which:
In
For convenience, the rest of the description is oriented relative to the player of the drum kit 1 when the latter is in the playing configuration and resting on a floor considered to be horizontal.
The bass drum 10 includes two main parts, i.e., a front part 11 and a rear part 12, that each substantially corresponds to half of the bass drum 10. The parts 11 and 12 of the bass drum 10 are made in the form of two separate pieces, which are movable relative to one another, or even separable from one another for practical reasons, as shown in
As clearly shown in
The side panels 14 extend toward the rear from the opposite side edges of the front panel 13, substantially perpendicular to the front panel 13. In sectional view in a horizontal plane, the front panel 13 and the side panels 14 jointly have a U-shaped profile turned toward the rear.
The panels 13 and 14 have a same vertical dimension, their upper edge being flush with one of the others and their lower edge also being flush with one of the others.
In the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, the respective lower edges of the panels 13 and 14 of the front part 11 bear on the floor, stably and autonomously for the front part 11 of the bass drum 10, due to the aforementioned U-shaped profile. The front panel 13 is provided, on its lower edge, with an attachment member 15 for a bass drum pedal, not shown in the figures, provided to be controlled by the drummer's right foot. This panel must be attached to the bass drum 10 to allow the drummer to strike the front face of the panel 13 using an ad hoc hammer of the pedal. Such a bass drum pedal is known in itself and commercially available as an accessory for the acoustic drum kits of the prior art. As a non-limiting example, the attachment member 15 consists of a plate provided with a nonslip coating, for example rubber or the like, guaranteeing good retention of the bass drum pedal: in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, this plate protrudes toward the front of the lower edge of the panel 13, this plate advantageously being retractable, at least in part, toward the rear, in particular into the thickness of the panel 13, in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1.
As clearly shown in
As clearly shown in
As clearly shown in
The side panels 19 extend toward the front from the opposite side edges of the rear panel 18, respectively, perpendicular to the latter. Thus, in horizontal sectional view, the panels 18 and 19 jointly give the rear part 12 of the bass drum 10 a U-shaped profile turned toward the front. The horizontal separation, denoted e12 in
The panels 18 and 19 of the rear part 12 have a same vertical dimension, which is substantially equal to that of the panel 13 and 14 of the front part 11. The respective upper edges of the panels 18 and 19 are flush with one another. Likewise, the respective lower edges of the panels 18 and 19 are flush with one another, these lower edges bearing on the floor in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, stably and autonomously for the rear part 12 due to its U-shaped profile.
The rear panel 18 defines a through opening 18A, thus connecting the front and rear faces of the panel 18 to one another.
As clearly shown in
The front 11 and rear 12 parts of the bass drum 10 are designed so as, subject to their relative movement, to be fixedly assembled to one another in two different positions, i.e., a separated position, which is shown in
In both positions, i.e., in the spaced-apart position and in the compact position, the upper edges of the panels 13 and 14 of the front part 11 are flush with the upper edges of the panels 18 and 19 of the rear part 12, and the lower edges of the panels 13 and 14 are flush with the lower edges of the panels 18 and 19: thus, in the two relative positions of the parts 11 and 12 of the bass drum 10, these parts 11 and 12 jointly give the bass drum 10 a globally parallelepiped outer shape, the lateral horizontal dimension of the parallelepiped shape associated with the first spaced-apart position being strictly larger than that of the parallelepiped shape associated with the compact position, as clearly shown by comparison between
Furthermore, in both the spaced-apart position and the compact position of the parts 11 and 12 of the bass drum 10, the panels 13, 14, 18 and 19 of these parts 11 and 12 jointly define a substantially parallelepiped inner volume between them, the inner volume associated with the spaced-apart position being larger than that associated with the compact position. As explained below, this inner volume is provided so as, in the compact position of the parts 11 and 12 of the bass drum 10, to be occupied, in large part or almost in full, by the snare drum 20 and the hi-hat stand 30 in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1. Conversely, in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, the inner volume defined by the panels of the parts 11 and 12 in the spaced-apart position is provided to be free, forming a bass drum resonance volume, referenced V10 in
In order to keep the parts 11 and 12 of the bass drum 10 in position relative to one another in each of the spaced-apart and compact positions, the parts 11 and 12 are provided with ad hoc means making it possible to assemble these parts to one another securely, selectively in the spaced-apart position and the compact position. As an example implemented in the figures, these assembly means comprise two tappings 111, respectively provided in the side panels 19 of the part 12, and two butterfly screws 112, complementary to the tappings 111. Each butterfly screw 112 is able to be inserted through the through holes 113 defined by the side walls 14 of the part 11: each panel 14 is provided with two of these through holes 113, arranged so as to be aligned with the tappings 111 of the panel opposite 19 in the spaced-apart position and the compact position, respectively, as shown by comparing
The panels 13, 14, 18 and 19 are advantageously made from wood, in particular multilayer wood, particularly with a base of poplar and such as plywood. In order to benefit from a high sound quality, the front panel 13 includes both in the front, a striking plate 13.1, which is thinner than the other panels of the bass drum 10 and the front face of which is made from Tanganyika walnut, and in at the rear, a frame 13.2, which borders the periphery of the rear face of the striking plate 13.1 and to which the side panels 14 are secured, as clearly shown in
As indicated above, the panel 17 is mounted tilting relative to the panel 13 of the front part 11, around the axis Y-Y. This panel 17 can thus be tilted between a service position, shown in
The panel 17 is advantageously made from wood, in particular multilayer wood, such as plywood. This panel 17 can be provided to be solid or, according to one particularly advantageous embodiment, which is also implemented in the example considered in the figures, the panel 17 includes, on its side turned upward in the service position, a striking plate 17.1, which is thinner than the rest of the panel 17 and whereof the face turned upward is made from Tanganyika walnut. The panel 17 then also includes, on its side opposite the striking plate 17.1, a sound outlet plate 17.2 defining a through opening 17A, visible in
The snare drum 20 comprises two parallel main panels, i.e., an upper panel 21 and a lower panel 22. The respective peripheries of the upper 21 and lower 22 panels are connected to one another by a front panel 23, a rear panel 24 and side panels 25, left and right, respectively. The panels 21-25 are substantially planar and are fixedly permanently secured to one another, using any appropriate means.
As shown in
The panels 21-25 jointly define an inner volume between them, substantially parallelepiped, of the snare drum 20, making up a free snare drum resonance volume V20. This snare drum resonance volume V20 is upwardly defined by the upper panel 21, which thus forms a striking panel on the upper face of which the drummer strikes the drumsticks or brushes in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1. In order for the sound produced in the resonance volume V20 to be characteristic of that of a snare drum, the upper panel 21 is, on its lower face, provided with snares 26 that vibrate when the upper face of the panel 21 is struck. In the example embodiment considered in the figures, two snares 26 are provided, in the form of two groups of metal wires, one of the ends of which is respectively fastened to the side panels 25. The snare drum resonance volume V20 is downwardly defined by the lower panel 22, which forms a sound outlet panel via a through opening 22A defined by that panel 22.
The panels 21-25 are advantageously made from wood, in particular multilayer wood, particularly with a base of poplar and such as plywood. In order to obtain a good sound quality, the upper face of the panel 21 is made from Tanganyika walnut.
As shown in
According to one advantageous arrangement, which is implemented in the example embodiment considered in the figures, two recesses 27 are provided, as clearly shown in
As clearly shown in
In the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, the snare drum 20 is, in addition to being fastened removably on the bass drum 10 as previously explained, removably fastened on the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30. More specifically, the lower panel 22 of the snare drum 20 is fastened on the upper panel 33 of the base 31, a left part of the lower face of the panel 22 bearing on the upper face of the panel 33, only partially covering that panel 33. To guarantee the horizontality of the snare drum 20 in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, it is understood that the vertical dimension of the base 31 is equal to that of the bass drum 10, the upper panel 33 thus being aligned at the same height as the panel 17, in the service position, of the bass drum.
As clearly shown in
According to technical considerations similar to those developed above regarding the removable fastening between the snare drum 20 and the bass drum 10, the snare drum and the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30 are provided with attachments for removable fastening making it possible to keep the snare drum 20 and the base 31 in place relative to one another in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1. In the example embodiment considered in the figures, the attachments comprise two magnetized pins 36, provided securely protruding from the upper panel 33 of the base 31, and two recesses with a magnetic bottom 28, respectively complementary to the pins 36 and defined in the lower panel 22 of the snare drum 20. In the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, the pins 36 are respectively received in the recesses 28 and are respectively placed in contact with the bottom of those recesses: the lower panel 22, and thus the snare drum 20, are then blocked bearing on the upper panel 33, and thus opposite the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30, both by shape matching between the pins 36 and the recesses 28 and by magnetic locking between said pins and the ferromagnetic bottom of the recesses. Of course, as mentioned above for the pin 114 and the recess 27, embodiments other than the pins 36 and recesses 28 can be considered for the attachments between the snare drum 20 and the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30.
Owing to the attachments between the snare drum 20 and, on the one hand, the bass drum 10, and on the other hand, the hi-hat stand 30, it is understood that the snare drum 20 forms a connecting and relative positioning bridge between the bass drum 10 and the hi-hat stand 30 in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1.
Furthermore, the base 31, due to its outside dimensioning, is designed to be housed inside the bass drum 10, between the parts 11 and 12 of the latter in the compact position. More specifically, as shown in
Inwardly, the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30 is dimensioned to completely receive the snare drum 20 in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1, as shown in
The hi-hat stand 30 also includes a spacer 38 that is separate from the base 31. In the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, the spacer 38 is inserted vertically between the base 31 and the lower cymbal 3 of a pair of hi-hat cymbals 2, shown in dotted lines only in
The spacer 38 is dimensioned so as, in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1, to be housed completely inside the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30, jointly with the snare drum 20, as shown in
The hi-hat stand 30 also includes a control rod 310 for the upper cymbal 4 of the pair of hi-hat cymbals 2. This rod 310, which is separate from the base 31 and the spacer 38, is supported by the base 31 translatably in the longitudinal direction of that rod, the latter extending vertically in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1. The rod 310 is thus translatable relative to the base 31 between a deployed position, associated with the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, and a retracted position, associated with the storage and transport configuration. In its deployed position, the rod 310 extends mainly outside the base 31, traversing the upper panel 33 of that base, as well as the spacer 38, between the lower and upper ends of that spacer, until it emerges from the upper end of the spacer, as clearly shown in
So as not to block the retraction of the rod 310 inside the base 31 when the snare drum 20 is housed therein, the snare drum defines, in its front panel 23, a through hole 29, arranged so as to receive the rod 31 through it in the retracted position. Advantageously, the through hole 29 is substantially complementary to the rod 310 such that, in the retracted position, the rod 310 keeps the snare drum 20 in place inside the base 31 in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1.
In the deployed position, it is provided that the rod 310 retains a translational mobility in its longitudinal direction, relative to the base 31, so as to translate the upper cymbal 4 of the pair of hi-hat cymbals 2 accordingly in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1. This translatable connection between the base 31 and the rod 310 in the deployed position is done at a housing 312, shown in detail in
At its lower end, which emerges from the lower end of the housing 312, the tube 314 is securely provided with an outer ring 317 secured to a traction rope 318: it is understood that by pulling the rope 318 downward, the tube 314 is translated downward relative to the housing 312, and thus relative to the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30. The end of the cable 318, opposite that secured to the ring 317, is secured to a pedal 320 belonging to the hi-hat stand 30. This pedal 320 comprises a lower panel 321 and an upper panel 322, articulated on one another around a hinge pin Z-Z, for example via a hinge. The upper panel 322 is, at its end opposite the hinge pin Z-Z, secured to the traction rope 318, using any appropriate means. The panel 321 is, at its end opposite the hinge pin Z-Z, designed to be removably fastened to the base 31: more specifically, in the example embodiment considered in the figures, this end of the lower panel 321 has an embedding contour with a complementary cavity, defined in the lower face of the lower panel 34 of the base 31, such that, in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, this end of the lower panel 321 of the pedal 320 is blocked by the base 31, cooperating exclusively by shape matching with the lower panel 34 of that base, as clearly shown in
In the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, it will be understood that by stressing the pedal 320 using his left foot, by pressing on the panel 322 so as to bring it closer to the panel 321, the drummer pulls the traction cord 318 downward, and thus the tube 314 and therefore the rod 310 when the latter is securely connected to the tube by the tightened screw 316. In other words, the pedal 320 makes it possible, in the playing configuration of the drum kit 1, to translate the rod 310 relative to the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30 when that rod is in the deployed position, carrying out corresponding driving of the upper cymbal 4 fastened to the upper end of that rod.
In order to return the rod 310 upward when the drummer releases his pressure on the pedal 320, the hi-hat stand 30 comprises a spring 324 arranged permanently inside the housing 312. More specifically, in the considered example embodiment, the spring 324 is arranged around the tube 314, more specifically around the running part of the latter. As clearly shown in
In the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit 1, the pedal 320 is housed completely inside the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30, as shown in
The panels 32 to 35 of the base 31 and the panels 321 and 322 of the pedal 320 are advantageously made from wood, in particular multilayer wood, such as plywood. The spacer 38 and the housing 312 are advantageously made from solid wood, for example beech. Alternatively, inasmuch as the elements of the hi-hat stand 30 do not need to be struck or resonated, all or part of the base 31, the pedal 320, the spacer 38 and/or the housing 312 can be made from materials other than wood, in particular metal or a synthetic material, such as a plastic material. The rod 310, the tube 314, the traction cord 318 and the spring 324 are preferably made from metal.
Taking into account all of the preceding explanations, it will be understood that, to transition the drum kit 1 from its playing configuration to its storage and transport configuration, the drummer releases both the pair of cymbals 2 and the bass drum pedal mentioned above, then disassembles the snare drum 20 from the base 31 of the hi-hat stand 30 and with respect to the bass drum 10, advantageously without tools, by pulling the snare drum upward until the cooperation between the pins 114 and 36 and the recesses 27 and 28 is neutralized. The drummer next disassembles the components of the hi-hat stand 30: without tools, he disassembles the pedal 320 from the lower panel 34 of the base 31 and disassembles the spacer 38 with respect to the upper panel 33 of the base 31, causing it to rise along the rod 310, for the moment kept in the deployed position, until the spacer is freed from the rod. The drummer places the snare drum 20 in the lower part of the inner volume of the base 31, steering the panel 23 upward: he can then loosen the screw 316 and push the rod 310 downward, so as to transition it from its deployed position to its retracted position, passing through the hole 29 of the snare drum 20, the latter thus being blocked inside the base 31 by the rod 310. The spacer 38 and the pedal 320 are next placed in the upper part of the inner volume of the base 31, as shown in
The passage of the drum kit 1 from its storage and transport configuration to its playing configuration is done through operations opposite those described above. In both cases, these operations are done, in total, in several tens of seconds, typically less than one minute, for example about 40 seconds.
It will be noted that particularly advantageously, the bass drum 10, the snare drum 20 and the hi-hat stand 30 jointly weigh less than 10 kg, or even less than 9 kg, or even less than 8 kg, or even less than 7 kg, or even less than 6 kg, or even weigh 5.7 kg. Such a weight complies with major airline requirements for authorized carry-on luggage.
In its playing configuration, the drum kit 1 produces a sound perfectly replacing that of an acoustic drum kit of the prior art. If applicable, this sound can be amplified by microphones commercially available as accessories for the acoustic drum kits of the prior art. It will be noted that the drum kit 1 is, due to its structure, advantageously predisposed to amplification with microphones pre-incorporated into that drum kit.
Lastly, various arrangements and alternatives to the drum kit 1 described thus far may be considered. As examples:
the various striking surfaces of the drum kit may be varnished, for example with liquid wax finish; the sound is not altered as a result, while forming a glazing necessary for sliding of the brushes, particularly used in swing and jazz music; and/or
to prevent the drum kit 1 in the playing configuration from moving due to vibrations created during playing, the drum kit can be positioned on a nonslip mat, advantageously provided with the drum kit, folded up inside the bass drum 10 in the storage and transport configuration of the drum kit; if applicable, the lower faces and/or lower edges of the bass drum 10 and/or the base 31 and/or the pedal 320 are equipped with elements for attaching to the aforementioned mat, such as Velcro (registered trademark) strips; and/or
bells, or more generally, instrumental percussion accessories, can be added to the drum kit, supported during use by the bass drum 10, the snare drum 20 and/or the hi-hat stand; and/or
the indications of the dimensions and weights provided above are not limiting with respect to the invention; in particular, if transport as airplane carry-on luggage is abandoned, the drum kit 1 may be dimensioned to be larger, while retaining its reduced storage practicality and its ease of transport, for example in the trunk of a car; and/or
the geometric shapes described above for the bass drum 10, the [snare] drum 20 and the hi-hat stand 30 are also not limiting with respect to the invention, inasmuch as these shapes may in practice have essentially aesthetic arrangements, such as rounded corners, chamfered angles, etc.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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TA2014U0003 | Mar 2014 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2015/055330 | 3/13/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2015/144461 | 10/1/2015 | WO | A |
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3326074 | Osty | Jun 1967 | A |
6211448 | Shigenaga et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
20100043622 | Sandson | Feb 2010 | A1 |
20110113948 | Izen | May 2011 | A1 |
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2529308 | Jun 2007 | CA |
645070 | Oct 1950 | GB |
2010060167 | Jun 2010 | WO |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170169803 A1 | Jun 2017 | US |