Patent Publication Number: US-8121300-B1

Title: Drum accessory for gating of a microphone on a drum

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to audio equipment used for recording music, more particularly to a combination drum trigger and noise gate for gating a microphone that is attached to a drum. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A noise gate is an electronic device used to control audio signals. For example, a noise gate can allow a signal to pass through only when it is above a set threshold (e.g., when the gate is “open”). If the signal falls below the threshold, no signal is allowed to pass (e.g., the gate is “closed”). A noise gate does not remove noise from the signal; for example when the gate is open, both the signal and the noise will pass through. 
     Noise gates have a threshold control that is set to the level at which the gate will open. A release sets the amount of time that the gate is open. A fast release closes the gate immediately after the sound has fallen below the threshold, and a slow release slowly changes the gate from open to closed. 
     In a recording session, noise gates are used to help reduce the leakage of sound into a microphone from sources other than the one the microphone was intended for. In some situations, one microphone is used for one drum (e.g., snare drum) and one may be used for a second drum (e.g., kick drum). Generally, the snare drum produces a high level signal and the kick drum produces a low level signal. The threshold level of the noise gate can be set to isolate one of the two signals. 
     A drum trigger is a device attached to a drum hoop or a drumhead that detects when a drum is hit. When the drum is hit, it sends a signal to a drum module. 
     Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the drum accessory of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the drum accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the drum accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the drum accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of electrical components of the drum accessory of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1-5 , the present invention features a drum accessory  100  for gating a microphone that is attached to a drum  101 . The drum accessory  100  comprises a drum trigger and a noise gate. Without wishing to limit the present invention to any theory or mechanism, it is believed that the drum accessory  100  of the present invention is advantageous because it can allow for more accurate gating of a microphone applied to the drum. It can improve sound quality of the drum or drum set during live and recording applications. The drum accessory  100  can improve accuracy when gating microphones on a drum  101 . 
     The drum accessory  100  comprises a housing  110  for attaching to a drum  101 . The housing  110  may be of various shapes, for example generally rectangular. The housing  110  may have a first side  111 , a second side  112 , a third side  113 , a fourth side  114 , a top surface  115 , a bottom surface  116 , and an inner cavity. The housing  110  comprises a power source and/or is operatively connected to a power source. In some embodiments, the housing  110  comprises a power port  118  for connecting a power cord to the housing  110 . Such power ports and power cords are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The housing  110  may be temporarily attached to a drum  101  (e.g., the hoop of the drum  101 ) via an attachment means. For example, in some embodiments, the attachment means includes a mounting bracket  140  that can be temporarily secured to the drum  101 , for example via a tightening bolt  145 . For example, the tightening bolt  145  may be turned in a first direction to tighten the mounting bracket  140  and the bolt  145  may be turned in a second direction to loosen the mounting bracket  140 . Such attachment means are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The attachment means is not limited to the aforementioned examples. 
     A standard microphone can be attached to the drum normally. The microphone is connected to the input port  160  and output port  165  of the device  100  (on the housing  110 ) via cables (e.g., XLR cables). 
     A wing  150  is disposed on the attachment means (e.g., mounting bracket  140 ). Attached to the wing  150  is a drum trigger sensor  130  for sensing when the drum is hit. The drum trigger sensor  130  is positioned to touch the edge of the drumhead. The drum trigger sensor  130  is operatively connected to a microprocessor. The microprocessor is operatively connected to a power source. When the drum trigger sensor  130  senses the drum being hit, it sends a first input signal to the microprocessor. The drum trigger sensor  130  is operatively connected to a power source, for example via a wire  135 . 
     The microprocessor is operatively connected to the drum trigger sensor  130  and an audio gate circuit disposed in the housing  110 . The audio gate circuit may be operatively connected to a microphone. When the drum trigger sensor  130  detects the drum is hit (e.g., vibration on drumhead), it sends the first input signal to the microprocessor. Upon receipt of the first input signal, the microprocessor generates a first output command to the audio gate circuit so as to activate/opens the gate circuit. When the gate circuit is open, transmission of the audio signal is allowed (e.g., from the microphone to the output destination such as a recording medium, speakers, etc.). The gate is then deactivated after a predetermined amount of time, effectively deactivating the microphone. 
     Without wishing to limit the present invention to any theory or mechanism, it is believed that the drum accessory  100  of the present invention can help ensure that high amplitude sounds from other drums and/or cymbals on the drum set do not open a gated microphone. This allows for tighter more accurate gating of the microphones on the drum set which enhance the overall sound quality both live and in studios. 
     The drum accessory  100  of the present further comprises a control switch  180  disposed on the housing  110 . The control switch  180  allows the accessory  100  to be turned on and off. In some embodiments, the accessory comprises a phantom power switch. In some embodiments, the drum accessory  100  comprises a power source, which allows for the expandability and use of multiple drum accessories  100 . 
     The housing  110  may be constructed in a variety of sizes. In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 4 to 6 inches in length as measured from the first side  111  to the second side  112 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 6 to 8 inches in length as measured from the first side  111  to the second side  112 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is more than about 8 inches in length. 
     In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 1 to 2 inches in width as measured from the third side  113  to the fourth side  114 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 2 to 4 inches in width as measured from the third side  113  to the fourth side  114 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 4 to 6 inches in width as measured from the third side  113  to the fourth side  114 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is more than about 6 inches in width. 
     In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 0.25 to 1.0 inches in height as measured from the top surface  115  to the bottom surface  116 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is between about 1.0 to 2.0 inches in height as measured from the top surface  115  to the bottom surface  116 . In some embodiments, the housing  110  is more than about 2.0 inches in height. 
     As used herein, the term “about” refers to plus or minus 10% of the referenced number. For example, an embodiment wherein the housing  110  is about 6 inches in width includes a housing  110  that is between 5.4 and 6.6 inches in width. 
     The following the disclosures of the following U.S. Patents are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein: U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,117; U.S. Pat. Application No. 2007/0107587; U.S. Pat. No. 2,666,848; U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,337; U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,490; U.S. Pat. Application No. 2008/0071958. 
     Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each, reference cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the following claims.