Ergonomic drum assembly

A drum assembly comprising: a center drum pad; first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth peripheral drum pads arranged in encompassing relationship about the center drum pad; electronic percussion synthesizer operably connected to each of the drum pads for producing predetermined percussion sounds in response to the striking of the drum pads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to electronic percussion 
synthesizers and, more particularly, to an electronic percussion 
synthesizer having an ergometrically designed drum head assembly for 
producing snare and tom-tom drum notes. 
In conventional drum sets of the type used by jazz and rock musicians, a 
snare drum forms the center piece of the drum set and tom-tom drums are 
positioned in a semicircular pattern around the snare drum on the side 
opposite from the drummer. All other non-drum instruments such as cymbals 
and the like are positioned above and around the snare and tom-tom drums. 
The tom-toms are conventionally arranged with the individual tom-toms 
descending in pitch from the left side of the set to the right side of the 
set. 
It is applicant's discovery that this traditional snare/tom-tom arrangement 
unnecessarily limits the snare and tom-tom note patterns which might be 
executed by a drummer. The semicircular arrangement and linear pitch 
pattern of the tom-toms often causes a drummer to resort to 
"cross-sticking", i.e. crossing one hand over the other hand and back 
again, in order to play appropriate drums in a pattern. Such 
cross-sticking causes torso contortions which impede the accurate and 
expressive execution of patterns or beats. In order to avoid the 
exaggerated physical movements associated with cross-sticking, drummers 
sometimes change the sticking order of ongoing patterns in order to start 
an approaching pattern with the appropriate drumstick and on the 
appropriate drum. This change in sticking order is referred to as 
"lead-hand switching". The mental effort which is required to execute 
lead-hand switching greatly impedes new and spontaneous drum pattern 
construction and execution. 
In modern drum sets, electronic drum pads are sometimes substituted for 
traditional drums. However, the basic physical arrangement and pitch order 
of the snare/tom-tom drum configuration has remained essentially 
unchanged. For example, rather than providing conventional tom-toms 
arranged in a semicircle around a snare drum, a "midipad" consisting of a 
linear array of individual drum pads arranged in descending pitch order 
from left-to-right is positioned next to the snare drum and is used to 
electronically reproduce tom-tom notes. The linear arrangement of the 
various tom-tom pads on the "midipad" leads to the same basic sticking 
problems that are experienced on a traditional drum set. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new, ergonomically 
designed, snare/tom-tom drum configuration which eliminates the need to 
cross-stick or change lead hands while playing the most basic and complex 
snare/tom-tom drum patterns, and which enables the playing of a vast 
number of new, complex snare and tom-tom drum patterns and patterns 
involving a whole drum set which includes cymbals and other non-drum 
voices. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration which enables drummers to execute cross-sticking, when 
required, much more easily than on conventional snare/tom-tom drum sets, 
using an efficient alternating circular motion of the arms and hands. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum head 
configuration in a single, compact unit. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration consisting of electronic drum pads which range in diameter 
from 3 to 6 inches. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration consisting of six tom-tom drum pads arranged in an 
evenly-spaced, circular relationship about a central snare drum pad. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration in which tom-tom drum pads may be actuated to electronically 
produce tom-tom-like sounds such as conventional tom-tom sounds, log 
drums, and Latin timbales. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration in which a snare drum pad may be actuated to electronically 
produce different snare-type sounds such as piccolo snares and military 
field drums. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration in which the tom-tom pads are inclined towards the snare 
pad. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration in which the tom-tom pad inclination angle is adjustable 
about two different axes. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration in which a different three-tom-tom-drum set arranged in 
descending pitch order is available to each hand of the drummer without 
cross-sticking. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration upon which drummers can execute with greater ease and 
expression every type of snare and tom-tom and whole set pattern which is 
now played on existing drum or pad sets. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a snare/tom-tom drum 
configuration which may be played with such speed and accuracy as to 
simulate the sound produced on a programmed electronic drum machine. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention may comprise a drum assembly including: a) a center 
drum pad; b) first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth peripheral 
drum pads arranged in encompassing relationship about said center drum 
pad; c) electronic percussion synthesizer means operably connected to each 
of said drum pads for producing predetermined percussion sounds in 
response to the striking of said drum pads. 
The invention may also comprise a method of providing percussion music 
comprising: a) arranging six peripheral drum pads in an evenly-spaced, 
circular pattern about a central drum pad; b) connecting the drum pads to 
a musical synthesizer; c) adjusting the musical synthesizer so as to 
provide: a tom-tom sound of a first pitch with a first peripheral drum 
pad, a tom-tom sound of a second pitch lower than said first pitch with a 
second peripheral drum pad positioned adjacent said first drum pad, a 
tom-tom sound of a third pitch lower than said second pitch with a third 
peripheral drum pad positioned adjacent said first drum pad, a tom-tom 
sound of a fourth pitch lower than said third pitch with fourth peripheral 
drum pad positioned adjacent said second drum pad, a tom-tom sound of a 
fifth pitch lower than said fourth pitch with a fifth peripheral drum pad 
positioned adjacent said third drum pad, a sixth tom-tom pitch lower than 
said fifth tom-tom pitch with a sixth peripheral drum pad positioned 
adjacent said fourth and sixth peripheral drum pads; providing a first 
snare sound outside of the pitch range defined by said first and sixth 
tom-tom pitches in association with said central drum pad; d) striking 
said drum pads with a pair of drumsticks in a selected sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a drum assembly 10 comprising a drum head 
assembly 11 connected to an electronic synthesizer assembly 12. The drum 
head assembly 11, as best illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, comprises a housing 
unit 13 which may have a cylindrical sidewall 14 and a planar, circular 
top wall 16. The housing unit may also comprise a planar bottom wall 17, 
FIG. 5, which may be attached to a conventional, adjustable-height support 
stand assembly 18. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the top 
wall 16 may have a diameter of approximately 15 to 17 inches and 
preferably about 16 inches, and the cylindrical sidewall 14 may comprise 
an axial dimension of approximately 4 inches. The housing unit may be 
constructed from high-strength plastic or other suitable material. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drum head assembly 11 may comprise a 
central drum pad 20 and six peripheral drum pads 21-26 arranged in 
evenly-spaced, circular relationship about the central drum pad. In one 
embodiment of the invention, the drum pads range in diameter from 4 inches 
to 6 inches, and are most preferably approximately 5 inches in diameter. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the peripheral drum 
pads 21-26 has a central point which lies approximately on a cylindrical 
locus which is concentric with the housing unit 11 and which has a 
cylindrical diameter of between 4 inches and 6 inches and, most 
preferably, approximately 5 inches. Each drum pad may comprise a 
conventional electronic drum pad of the type having a pressure transducer 
mounted on the underside of a strike plate, such as described in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 4,479,412 and 4,581,972, which are hereby specifically incorporated 
by reference for all that is disclosed therein. In one preferred 
embodiment of the invention which is presently the best mode contemplated, 
each drum pad 20-26 comprises a Dauz drum pad, which is commercially 
available through Dauz Designs, 1706 North Vine Street #333, Hollywood, 
Calif., 90028. As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the central drum pad 20 is 
arranged with its striking surface parallel to the housing top surface 16 
and the peripheral drum pads are oriented with their striking surfaces at 
a fixed angle of inclination with respect to the central drum pad 20. Each 
peripheral drum pad is preferably downwardly and inwardly inclined between 
0.degree. and 30.degree. with respect to the central drum pad 20 and, most 
preferably, is inclined between 10.degree. and 20.degree. depending upon 
drum pad placement. 
In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, each peripheral 
drum pad may be adjustably positioned about two different axes. Each 
peripheral drum pad, e.g. 21, is fixedly mounted on a shaft 60 having a 
shaft central axis of rotation AA. Shaft 60 has one end fixedly mounted in 
a swivel assembly 62 which enables swiveling movement of the shaft 60 
about axis AA. The swivel assembly 62 is, in turn, attached to a hinge 
assembly 64 which is mounted on the drum housing top wall 16. The hinge 
assembly 64 enables pivotal movement of the swivel assembly 62 and shaft 
60 about horizontal pivot axis BB. Axis AA extends generally radially with 
respect to the housing unit 13 central axis XX, and axis BB extends 
perpendicular to axis AA. A second end of shaft 60 is received through a 
ring assembly 66 which is provided with a set screw 68 for locking shaft 
60 at a selected rotational position therein. A knob 70 may be provided at 
the end of shaft 60 to facilitate rotational positioning of shaft 60 
within ring assembly 66. Ring assembly 66 is fixedly mounted at the end of 
a vertical support shaft 72 which is, in turn, received in a second ring 
assembly 74 fixedly mounted on the sidewall 14 of the housing unit 13. A 
set screw 76 is provided with the second ring assembly which enables 
vertical shaft 72 to be held in fixed relationship therewith at a height 
selected by the drummer. Thus, the associated drum pad 21 is adjustably 
positionable about axis AA and also about axis BB. The relative 
inclination of the drum pad about axis BB will effect the amount of 
drumstick rebound toward central pad 20, the greater the angle of 
inclination, the greater the tendency of the drum stick to rebound toward 
central drum pad 20 after a drum strike on an associated peripheral pad, 
e.g. 21. Angular adjustment about axis AA allows each drummer to contour 
the peripheral drum pads to accommodate his particular physiology or 
drumming style. 
As illustrated in FIG. 5, each drum pad has an electric lead, e.g. 30, 31, 
associated therewith which transmits an electronic signal in response to a 
drum head strike. The leads 30, 31 may be collected in a cable assembly 40 
extending between the drum head assembly and an electronic synthesizer 
assembly 12. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic 
synthesizer assembly comprises an electronic interface box 42 which 
receives the individual electronic inputs from the various pads 20-26. A 
second cable 44, which carries leads corresponding to each of the pads 
21-26, connects the interface box 42 with a conventional drum machine 50. 
The drum machine 50 is, in turn, connected to suitable speakers 52. In one 
preferred embodiment of the invention which is presently the best mode 
contemplated, the interface box comprises a Roland PM 16 Interface, 
available from Roland Corp. U.S., 7200 Dominion Circle, Los Angeles, 
Calif., 90040; and the drum machine comprises an HR 16 Digital Drum 
Machine, available from Alesis Corp., 3630 Holdrege Avenue, Los Angeles, 
Calif., 90016. The speakers 52 are preferably commercially available 
performance-quality speakers. The connection of electronic drum pads to 
electronic sythesizer assemblies is conventional and well-known in the 
art. 
A drum machine such as the HR 16 Digital Drum Machine is capable of 
creating multiple pre-programmed sounds. In the preferred embodiment, the 
drum machine is programmed such that the peripheral drum pads 21-26 each 
produce a tom-tom-type sound and the central drum pad 20 produces a snare 
drum-type sound. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the snare 
drum sound lies outside of the pitch range defined by the first and sixth 
peripheral drum pads and is a much higher pitch and of a different timbre 
than the peripheral drum pads and provides sonic contrast thereto. In a 
preferred embodiment of the invention which is presently the best mode 
contemplated, the drum machine is programmed such that the pitch order of 
the peripheral drum pads descends in pitch from drum pads 21-26 in a 
zig-zag pattern, i.e. drum pad 21 has the highest pitch and drum pad 26 
has the lowest pitch and the peripheral pads are arranged as illustrated 
in FIG. 3 in such a manner that the highest pitch peripheral drum pad 21 
is positioned circumferentially next adjacent to the second and third 
highest pitch peripheral drum pads 22, 23; the fourth highest pitch 
peripheral drum pad 24 is positioned circumferentially next adjacent to 
the second and sixth highest pitch peripheral drum pads 22, 26; and the 
fifth highest pitch peripheral drum pad 25 is positioned circumferentially 
next adjacent to the third and sixth highest pitch peripheral drum pads 
23, 26. It will thus be seen that the drum head assembly is divisible by a 
plane of bilateral symmetry YY into a first circular half including the 
first, third and fifth peripheral pads 21, 23 and 25 arranged in a 
descending pitch order in a first circumferential direction 27; and a 
second circular half including the second, fourth and sixth peripheral 
drum pads 22, 24, 26 arranged in descending pitch order in a second 
circumferential direction 28 opposite the first circumferential direction 
27. Thus, it will be seen that a drummer having his solar plexus ZZ 
aligned with the plane of bilateral symmetry YY is enabled to strike a 
first set of three peripheral drum pads, e.g. 21, 23, 25, arranged in 
descending pitch order and also the central drum pad 20 with a drumstick 
80 held in one hand and is able to strike a second set of three peripheral 
drum pads, e.g. 22, 24, 26, arranged in descending pitch order and also 
the central drum pad 20 with a drumstick 82 held in his other hand without 
moving either of his drumsticks across the plane of bilateral symmetry XX. 
While an illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention 
has been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the 
inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and 
that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such 
variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.