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“We All Live in a Yellow Drum Machine… A Yellow Drum Machine… A Yellow Drum Machine…”

Drumming Meets Animatronics Engineering – This Robot Drummer searches for a flat surface to play on, taps the object to determine if it produces a suitable sound through its microphone, and begins playing a rhythm. The robot will also play a beat along after detecting the rhythm of someone clapping their hands or stomping their foot, transmitting sound through its top-mounted speaker.  Videos of the Yellow Drum Machine in action may be found at letsmakerobots.com.

Click this link for a discussion of the design and programing details by the robot’s builder.
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Click HERE for an informative article about the Robot Drummer (letsmakerobots.com)
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What does the Yellow Drum Machine Do? 

•  The Yellow Drum Machine navigates its territory, moving with the aid of object sensors and its yellow tracks.
• The YDM collects data as it is travelling so that it avoids obstacles in the future.
• It finds “a single isolated object or a wide flat surface that it can find an angle onto” to use as a playing surface.
• The YDM navigates into place so that it can reach it’s playing surface. It then plays some beats on the surface, while taking audio samples.
• After determining if it has found a suitable playing surface (using the sound sample), the YDM composes a rhythm and plays along with the recorded sample.
• If someone near the robot makes a loud sound (such as shouting or clapping), the robot replays the sampled sound through its speaker and plays a rhythm along to the sound.

Cost to build:
$120
Time to build:
20 hours
Actuators / output devices: 6 geared motors in total, 2 speakers, sound sampler
Control method: Autonomous
CPU: Picaxe 28
Operating system: Picaxe basic
Power source: 4 AA batteries
Programming language: Picaxe basic
Sensors / input devices: SRF05, microphone
Target environment: anywhere there is something to play on

Video: Tony Royster Jr. – Advanced Techniques

Tony Royster Jr. is one of the world’s most technically advanced drummers at the age of 23. He learned a lot from his dad, Tony Royster Sr., another drumming virtuouso. Tony Royster Jr. was an advanced-level drummer by the age of 12 (He started when he was three years old). Tony has continuously improved upon his technique over the years and has an exclusive contract with DW drums.

Royster Jr. is an extremely versatile drummer, seamlessly interchanging the styles of jazz, rock, latin, funk, hip-hop, and gospel music.
He has had the opportunity to play at drumming clinics with drummers such as Dennis Chambers, Billy Cobham, and Frank Briggs. He has also played with artists such as Jay Z., T.I. Jay Holiday, P. Diddy, and Envogue. He is currently playing with Jay-Z, playing for his church, and hosting drum clinics.

This video shows close-ups of his footwork on the single and double bass pedals.

Some of the component drumming techniques Tony Royster Jr. illustrates:

• playing in odd time signatures
• bass pedal sliding
• single & double pedal strutter steps
• ghost strokes
• synchopated rhythms
• rudiments
• double stroke accenting
• various paradiddles
• the Meoller technique
• alternating triplets
• dynamics
• cross-sticking

Basic Pieces of a Drum Set (a.k.a. Trap Set or Drum Kit) – Wikipedia

“Drum kits were first developed when drummers were encouraged to play as many percussion instruments as possible due to budget and space considerations in theaters. Up until then drums and cymbals were played separately in an orchestral fashion. Initially drummers played the bass and snare drums by hand. In the 1890’s, they started experimenting with footpedals to play the bass drum. William F. Ludwig made the bass drum pedal system workable in 1909, paving the way for the modern drum kit.

A drum kit (or drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. The exact collection of drum kit components depends on factors like musical style, personal preference, financial resources, and transportation options of the drummer. Cymbal, hi-hat, and tom-tom stands, as well as bass drum pedals and drummer thrones, are often referred to as “hardware.”

The individual instruments of a drum kit are struck by a variety of implements held in the hand, including sticks, brushes, and mallets. Two notable exceptions include the bass drum, played by a foot-operated pedal, and the hi hat cymbals, which use a foot pedal in addition to the normal striking motion. Although other instruments can be used on a pedal, it is not common, as the feet are usually occupied by these two. Percussion notation is often used by drummers to signify which drum kit components are to be played.

Differing music styles implement the components of a drum kit in different manners. For example, in most forms of rock music, the bass drum and snare drum are the primary instruments used to create a drum beat. In jazz, however, the ride cymbal and hi hats (or brushed snare drum and hi-hats) usually fill this role.”

Source URL: Wikipedia – Trap Set
Basic Drum Kit Set-up:

1 – Bass Drum
2 – Floor tom
3 – Snare
4 – Toms
5 – Hi-hat
6 – Crash cymbal / Ride Cymbal

A Toddler Air Drums to “Sad But True” by Metallica

• This is a video of a toddler air drumming to the intro of “Sad But True” by Metallica.

 

• To see some gifted children playing the drums, check out the Blog Page: “Young Drumming Prodigies Show Their Drumming Skills”.  Drummer Igor Falecki (from Poland) already has his own line of  signature Vic Firth sticks at the age of five!

Garth Algar (Dana Carvey of SNL) Wayne’s World Drum Solo – “I like to play…”

Dana Carvey rocks out during this drum solo!  In addition to being a hilarious comedian, he is also an accomplished drummer. He definitely has better chops than Will Ferrell, although Will’s cowbell playing is extremely entertaining.  Dana has sat in with great bands such as U2 and the G.E. Smith Band.

Side note:  Check out Dana Carvey’s character with multiple personality disorder in the 1988 movie “Moving” (starring Richard Pryor).  Dana’s impression of Neil Young on SNL is also a riot. 

Will Ferrell’s comedy sketches on LaughOrDie.com are pretty damn funny as well.