The story of the project
This project will be a historical landmark in the evolution of drumming for musicians and listeners alike. In the Early 1900’s when Louis Bellson added a 2nd bass drum to his kit for the first time ever, he didn’t have a clue how that would influence the drumming world! This new pedal will do that same thing for drummers all over the world. Here’s the scoop.
Today’s conventional drum pedals produce one beat per foot depression. With a double pedal and/or two bass drums, the number of beats can be increased nicely for an improved sound. This new pedal will allow multiple beats of a single bass drum with each foot depression and the timing of the beats and the intensity of the beats will vary with full control by the drummers foot.The device will consists of two parts. The first part is a simple Pressure Switch that attaches to ALL conventional drum pedals with NO modification or effect on the traditional use of the pedal. The Pressure Switch is attached via a small wire to a Control Box. The system is activated/deactivated by the drummer by pressing a button on the Control Box with his foot, similar to the way guitarists turn on and off the sound effects for their guitars with their foot pedals. Once activated, the Control Box will send a signal to the the 2nd part of the device.The 2nd part of the device will be an additional drum beater that is electronically activated by a plunger/solenoid system to strike the bass drum head once and then retract. This “beater” will be separate from, and in addition to, the traditional drum pedal. It will be mounted on a bar that is attached and secured across the back of the bass drum so as not to interfere with the traditional beaters.
The Control Box will read signals from the Pressure Switch and accordingly send “beat” signals to the new beater to produce a very rapid and varying sound.
This capability will allow drummers to create totally new sounds for music as well as seriously radical new drum solos.
Current electronic synthesizers can produce similar sounds when programmed to do so, but this device will allow the human interaction and the organic control by the drummer to be dominant. The drummer’s skill in controlling the sounds will be paramount as opposed to the complete lack of skill required to create similar sounds with a synthesizer.
How the funds will be used
If this project is funded, I will immediately contact three of the 4 or 5 companies who quoted me roughly $12-$15,000 to make several prototypes for me. Once I have working prototypes, myself and several other professional drummers who I know will test them out and become proficient with them. I will then make a higher end video of the actual use of the device and create a presentation that I will take to all the drum outlets in the Chicago area and send to the all the major drum manufacturers. I already have a website at https://turbohyperdrumming.wordpress.com/ and since I am a web designer, I will create an online store where these pedals can be purchased. I am expecting the final pricing to be around $300 or so. It will make me so happy to see that other drummers are interested in this device and I hope that this device will become a standard accessory to all drum kits!
Some of my other work
Well, I have never sold any musical instruments however, I have 30+ years running 4 family businesses and I know very well how to keep costs down and market products.
Challenges
Risks and challengesThis project is completely viable. The device is very make-able and selling the product should be self perpetuating once it is in stores and online.The market for this product is mostly limited to drummers and then further mostly limited to drummers who do Drum Solos and/or enjoy more advanced drumming techniques. Although this is a relatively small market, I am quite excited that this product will become a “wish list” item for all drummers and will produce enough value in the music industry to thoroughly warrant the costs and energy I will put forth to make it a reality.I have already done an official Patent Search and came up with absolutely nothing out there like this.
Once this project is funded, one of several companies I have already collaborated with will be chosen to create several working prototypes. These prototypes will then be taken to the dozens of Music Stores along with Original Equipment Manufacturers.
I expect this device will become most popular by word of mouth. I have created a basic website to house information about this project as it progresses.https://turbohyperdrumming.wordpress.com/.