Electronic Drum Kit

Drums are fun, let's face it. But they are too expensive and cumbersome. The solution? Build your own electronic drum kit!

Step 1: The theory

A keyboard is really a bunch of switches. So to make the drum kit, we build our own switches, and wire them up to a keyboard controller. This plugs into a PC, where a program listens for keypresses, and plays a corresponding .wav file

Comments

[idontcar3]

you wont believe me but i had the same idea but with piezos, and its kinda hard to find them locally =).. so.. thanks for the alluminum foil idea :D i'm trying tonight ^^

[heller_guitar]

Hi, I´m really interested in making one of these, and I would like to know if this diagram will work, because, seriously, I find it easier to do ;) If no one can answer this, I´ll try and share my results.

Thanks in advance.

munchman: your instructable is great, but IMHO, maybe you could try not to use slang, and to explain a bit more on some sections. I mean, it´s understandable, but... well, it can always be better.

[thealeks]

OMG YOU ARE GOD!!! this is exactly what ive been looking for! i have the software already, i just need some sort of hardware for "playing" drums and recording into cakewalk. i will make this asap.

[duck_tape_]

This popped up when I tried to open the program

[Cr4zy_Dud3_0n_F1r3]

I have windows 7 and it appears that munchman has vista, so if you have xp or whatever it could be that.

[munchman]

Are you sure that you have the .NET framework and that you have unzipped the program?

[Pestana15]

hello people I've got a little problem I've got the key codes and I've potted in the profile, but to play the notes I've just to hit the pads, but when i hit them no sound come of my speakers. could somebody help me plz. reply quickly plz, i need this as sone as possible thanks for your time

[samzaxe]

hey there...dude am also trying the process that you showed in this tutorial. but isnt it better if we use piezo transducers instead of aluminium foil to complete the circuit. please reply i am in the middle of process... waitinzz

[munchman]

Try It!

[samzaxe]

dude am trying......but the problem is that piezo works both ways.. that is tht it makes sound when current is given and generate current when force is applied.and when i atttached the keyboard extended wires with pzo the circuit was completed. can u help me with any idea that the piezo only takes input as force and should ignore any sort of current comin from the keyboard wires thx

[harrydask88]

try to put diods in the positive wire of the piezo that will oneway the electric flow.

[munchman]

If a piezo generates current than it's a bad idea to use it here. All you need is a switch. The described method does this.

[ahmadsamintazwarkhan]

this is very cool...but it guess there is one problem...two sound files cant be played together...i guess a keyboard allows only one press...if two buttons are pressed together...only one appears....can u help me with this....or can i use gamepads instead of a keyboard??? please reply i;m in the middle of the process...

Thnk you

[carlatf]

Hi,
I don't wuite understand what you wire with what in the keyboard :(
Would you be so kind to explain a little bit more?
best regards!

[danymw]

it's way cheaper and customizable using a cheap gamepad like i did for my knex guitar ^^.
thanks for the pads idea,i'll rate if it works well enough
what it is the sheet of plastic for?

[xhaylowx]

where do the wires go? one to each 'panel'? and so it triggers a note back to the keyboard when you hit it and the alluminum foil touches?

[munchman]

Exactly, the aluminium foil 'panels' touch together through the holes in the plastic, connecting the two wires together and completing the circuit.

[xhaylowx]

you should add that up there. and is it okay if i don't have a multimeter and don't use one?

[xhaylowx]

can i just use a peizo instead of the aluminum foil and such, and just wire it back to the keyboard?

[munchman]

I don't think so, does a piezo act like a switch?

[xhaylowx]

a peizo detects when an object is hit and how hard it's hit.

[munchman]

In that case, no, not with this version. I am, however, planning a v2.0 using an Arduino and some pressure sensors. Stay Tuned!

[xhaylowx]

you did say rinsing, right? how do you rinse it?

[munchman]

I just meant repeat, like make another one. It's just slang.

[hg341]

that is a very cheap and cool way to do that i don't have a spare keyborad though