1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic and acoustic drums and more specifically to an electronic drum head that can be attached to a conventional acoustic drum shell.
2. Background of the Related Art
Drummers face a number of problems with their chosen instrument because acoustic drum kits are generally large and take up substantial amounts of space, and can be very loud when played. Acoustic drums are also limited in the types of sounds they are capable of producing. Additionally, acoustic drums may be difficult to record when using a microphone.
Notably, the entire drum head 5 and the hoop/rim 3 may be removed from the drum shell 2 by completely removing the tuning lugs 4a from the tuning devices 4 or otherwise removing the hoop/rim 3 from the tuning lugs 4a. In that case, the hoop/rim 3 and the drum head 5 can be removed from the shell 2.
To provide a more versatile and modern drum, the electronic drum kit was invented to provide a variety of sound options and downloading capabilities. There are many examples of stand-alone electronic drum kits, including electronic drum kits made by Alesis, Simmons, Roland, and Yamaha. Electronic drum kits are easier to record and are capable of producing a wide range of musical effects, including certain effects not possible on a conventional acoustic drum kit. However, electronic drum kits are also large and require a substantial amount of space. Electronic drum kits are also electronic only and are not capable of producing conventional acoustic percussion music.
Most professional musicians and drummers prefer to have both an electronic drum kit and an acoustic kit, which effectively doubles the floor space required to store and use these instruments. Accordingly, there is a perceived need in the art for the capability to utilize both an acoustic drum kit and an electronic drum kit, which kit may be selected according to the drummer's needs.
The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing an electronic drum head with a stand-alone drum rim that attaches to a standard acoustic drum shell. It is self-contained unit that replaces both the acoustic drum head and the drum hoop or rim to convert the acoustic drum into an electronic drum. When the drummer plays with an electronic head mounted to the acoustic drum shell, the drum head is muted and acoustic noise from the kit is minimized. Also, the electronic drum head can be easily attached and removed, allowing the drummer to go back to playing an acoustic drum when desired. A separate electronic drum kit is not necessary, resulting in a substantial savings of space. Electronic drums give the drummer access to an almost unlimited array of sounds, not limited to traditional drum sounds. Finally, electronic drums do not require a microphone for recording. The sounds can be recorded directly from the line outputs of the electronic drum head module.
An objective of the present invention is to create an easily removable electronic drum head assembly that attaches to a traditional acoustic drum shell by replacing both the drum head and drum hoop while also providing the versatility of attaching the same drum head assembly to a stand-alone boom in a conventional manner.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
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The specific arrangement of the electronics such as strike pads, piezo sensors, metal and non-metal plates, force sensing resistors, strike sensors and velocity sensors, wiring and other circuitry are shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 8,039,724 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The electronic drum pad 10 includes within container 24 at least one of a piezo sensor, a force sensing resistor, a strike sensor and a velocity sensor electrically connected to circuitry for delivering electronic signals to a processor that processes the signals to replicate the acoustic sound of a drum.
While the foregoing invention has been shown and described with reference to a single embodiment, it will be understood by those of skill in the art the various changes in form and detail may be made therein without deporting from the spirit and scope of the instant invention.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY This application is related to provisional application No. 61/920,036, filed Dec. 23, 2013 in the United States of America, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61920036 | Dec 2013 | US |