Despite the ever growing variety
and popularity of commercially available
electronic percussion instruments
there are still a significant number of
gigging musicians who prefer to use
acoustic drums.
DAD is a digitally active drum that
provides sonic capabilities associated
with digital musical instruments in the
form of an acoustic snare drum allowing
full use of acoustic drumming gesture
vocabulary.
By using an in-built loud speaker and
audio exciter system, a Bela Cape and
Beagle Bone Black, near field photoelectric
sensors and a synthesis and effects
patch built in pure data, a prototype
of a an acoustic - electronic
crossover instrument has been built.
This prototype has been evaluated by
five drummers and two co-performers
in both group and solo settings in order
to determine it’s effectiveness and
it’s potential role in professional music
making.