A visual metronome for use with a drum kit, including circuitry for generating a succession of light signals according to a selected flashing pattern defined by frequency and duration. A circuit splitter is in operative communication with the metronome for multiplying the light signals. A plurality of individual light emitting components are in operative communication with the circuit splitter, the light emitting components being mounted to individual components associated with the drum kit to simultaneously display the flashing pattern corresponding to the multiplied light output signals at locations visible to a user of the drum kit. A plurality of cables extend between the circuit splitter and respective light emitting components. The light emitting components can each further include a different color in order to provide enhanced visibility in various stage lighting situations. A power supply communicates the metronome, including any of a battery or a 9V power outlet plug.

An acoustic-to-electronic bass drum conversion kit describes the parts needed to convert an acoustic bass drum into an electronic bass drum trigger and amplification device. My invention includes a front panel assembly which has at least one loudspeaker mounted on a panel which fits over the front of a bass drum shell, and a rear panel assembly which has an amplifier and an impact sensitive kick pad mounted on a rear panel. After discarding the front and rear drum heads and hoops, the front and rear panel assemblies are attached to the bass drum shell using conventional lug, tension rod and claw bracket technology. My invention provides the desired look of an acoustic bass drum for drummers who desire an electronic drum amplification system.

A device is provided as part of a system, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument. Via a fixation element, the device is fixed to a drum. The device has a sensor spaced apart from a surface of the drum, located relative to the drum, and a magnet adjacent the sensor. The fixation element transmits vibrations from its fixation point on the drum to the magnet. Vibrations from the surface of the drum and from the magnet are transmitted to the sensor. A method may further be provided for interpreting an audio input, such as the output of the sensors within the system, the method comprising identifying an audio event or grouping of audio events within audio data, generating a model of the audio event that includes a representation of a timbre characteristic, and comparing that representation to expected representations.

The present disclosure is directed at systems, methods, and apparatus for implementing a rhythm-action game having an improvisational fill feature. The rhythm-action game can provide a musical track having at least one section that can be varied. The rhythm-action game can also provide a database having a plurality of fills, wherein each fill includes a soundtrack and a set of cues. During run-time, the rhythm-action game can select, for each section in the musical track that can be varied, a fill from the plurality of fills. In some embodiments, this selection can be based on various characterizing parameters to ensure that the fill is a good fit for the musical track. The rhythm-action game can also display a set of visual cues associated with the selected fill, and to evaluate whether received user input substantially corresponds to the displayed cues.

Systems, methods, and devices for providing interactive striking objects (e.g., drumsticks) and performing actions in response to striking motions of the striking objects are disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems and methods provide an interactive drumstick, which includes a lighting display located at a tip portion of the interactive drumstick, a motion detector contained at least partially within the drumstick, a processor and memory contained at least partially within the drumstick, and an interactive system stored within the memory of the drumstick. The interactive system includes a striking motion module that determines striking motions of the drumstick with respect to a virtual percussion instrument based on accessing information measured by the motion detector, and a display module that causes the lighting display to present a certain type of illumination based on the striking motions determined by the striking motion module.

As part of a system, a device is provided as part of a system, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument. The device has a first sensor placed in contact with a surface of the drum, such as a rim of the drum, and a second sensor placed at a fixed location relative to the drum, but not touching the drum. A method may be provided for interpreting the output of the sensors within the system, the method comprising identifying the onset of an audio event in audio data, selecting a window in the data for analysis, applying transforms to generate a representation of the audio event, and comparing that representation to expected representations in a model.

A method of displaying drum-strike velocity information is provided. The method includes receiving trigger data. The trigger data includes a strike velocity of a drum-pad zone on a drum pad. The method includes displaying an image of a drum associated with the drum pad on a display, displaying a first portion of the drum in a first color, and changing the first portion of the drum to a second color. The second color is determined by a magnitude of the strike velocity.

An electronic training steelpan percussion instrument includes integral illuminated color zones on the surface of the pan for teaching a player various notes and cadences. The player strikes the pan on the illuminated zone when it appears. The color zones for the instrument are provided as midi-pads that are configured to send and receive midi signals. The instrument may be operatively connected to a computer or speakers for recording and live performance implementations.

This disclosure relates generally to electronic musical instruments, systems, and methods. More particularly, this disclosure relates to electronic percussion instruments such as tom toms, snare drums, bass drums, cymbals, and hi-hats, and assemblies of instruments (e.g., percussion instruments), such as drum sets. Even more particularly, this disclosure relates to wireless electronic percussion instruments, and percussion instruments with interchangeable and/or removable components to change the instrument between a traditional percussion instrument (that relies on resonance and/or vibration to produce sound) and an electronic percussion instrument. The present disclosure also relates to electronic cymbal instruments, such as cymbal assemblies and hi-hat assemblies, that can be used in conjunction with a traditional acoustic metal cymbal.

An electronic percussion instrument has a plurality of hit positions, and a sound source part 10 that includes: a hit position identification part 12 identifying one of the hit positions which has been hit, based on a detection signal output from a hit detection part; a threshold value setting part 13 sets a threshold value according to the hit position identified by the hit position identification part 12; and a musical sound production part 14 produces and outputs a predetermined musical sound based on a detection signal that has exceeded the threshold value set by the threshold value setting part 13. The threshold value set by the threshold value setting part 13 forms a gradual decrease line that gradually decreases with a lapse of time, and the gradual decrease line is set individually for the hit position identified by the hit position identification part 12.