09Dec

ThinkGeek Has A Drum Machine T-Shirt

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By David Ponce

It’s a fully functional drum set in a T-Shirt, which comes with its own powered mini amplifier that clips to your belt and “goes up to 11.” Better yet, there’s a looping functionality with unlimited tracks and loops that can last up to 3 minutes. With 9 synthesized sounds like “Rock drums”, “Discotek” and “Scratchy”, you’ll be tapping your chest like a lunatic while laying down some rhymes in no time. Don’t believe us, check out the below video.

The shirt is washable as the electronics are removable and the best part is the price: $29. It’s currently out of stock but will be ready to ship on the 10th. That’s tomorrow, folks.

[ Product Page ]



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13Sep

Print Your Own d-touch Sequencer And Drum Machine

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d-touch Sequencer And Drum Machine (Image courtesy d-touch.org)
By Andrew Liszewski

According to Fatboy Slim, everybody needs a 303, but since they’re no longer manufactured and hard to come by, not everyone can find or afford a Roland TB-303 sequencer. There are software-based alternatives, but who doesn’t prefer the hands-on approach when it comes to making music? Researchers at the University of Southampton certainly do, so they created the d-touch sequencer and drum machine which can be simply printed and easily assembled at home.

You’ll still need access to a PC to download, install and run the Audio d-touch software suite, and a mountable webcam so the apps can see your paper timeline laid out. But even someone with basic origami skills can assemble the ‘sample’ cubes, and even if you have no musical capabilities whatsoever, you’ll be creating fresh beats in no time.

d-touch Sequencer And Drum Machine (Image courtesy d-touch.org)

At this point the Audio d-touch software is robust enough to let you import samples as WAV files, or record and assign your own sounds or audio bits to a specific cube. And even though you have to register and the software requires an occasional internet connection to send usage reports back to the researchers, the d-touch system is completely free! And technically, even recyclable, once you realize you will never be any real competition for Mr. Slim.

[ d-touch Printable Sequencer And Drum Machine ] VIA [ Gizmag ]



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17Aug

TableDrum App Turns Your Incessant Finger Drumming Into Actual Drum Sounds

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TableDrum App (Images courtesy iTunes App Store)
By Andrew Liszewski

I’m a notorious finger drummer. Particularly when I find something to drum on that produces a really good sound. So my sympathies to my friends and loved ones because this new TableDrum app basically makes any surface sound like a professional drum kit. To be more specific, the app works like a drum pad but instead of tapping the screen to trigger samples, it uses the microphone to listen for taps from your fingers. It’s smart enough to distinguish between 4 different sounds too. So the sound of your finger tapping the dinner table could be used to trigger a high hat sound, while the clink of your fork on your glass could trigger a kick drum sound.

It’s quite easy to use, and ‘teaching’ the application what sounds trigger what samples is as easy as tapping away for a few seconds while it listens and learns. The video they’ve included on their website does a great job at showing just how well it works.

I’ve been playing with the app for the past half hour and am pretty impressed with it. I mean it’s not perfect, but it does a more than adequate job to justify its current sale price of $0.99 on the iTunes App Store. Regularly it’s $3.99 which is a little high given additional drum kit sounds are only provided as an in-app purchase. But if you’re the type who likes to whip out a new app that will impress your friends, you’ve found this week’s fodder.

[ TableDrum ] VIA [ Gizmag ]



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11Apr

Korg Wavedrum Mini Turns Any Surface Into A Drum Synth

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Korg Wavedrum Mini (Images courtesy Korg)
By Andrew Liszewski

I’m a bit of a fidgety type, and from time to time I’ll find myself drumming along to random songs on random surfaces with my fingers. And thanks to Korg, even just pounding away on a table can sound like I’m skillfully playing a conga drum with their new Wavedrum Mini synth. By itself, using its pressure sensitive pad, you can sound like you’re playing a myriad of different drum types thanks to its library of 100 professionally programmed sounds which can be further enhanced with 10 different effects like delay, chorus, reverb filters and pitch-shifters.

But if pounding away on its pad just doesn’t feel natural to you, the Wavedrum Mini comes with a sensor clip which can be attached to almost any surface, like a table, your shoe, even other instruments, providing an endless source of places to drum along on. It also allows you to build up your own rhythms to play along with, up to 25 seconds in length, and on a set of 6 batteries you can expect to get about 4 hours of play time, though an AC adapter is also an option if you’re in the studio. Available sometime in the 3rd quarter of this year, pricing TBA.

[ Korg Wavedrum Mini ] VIA [ Gizmag ]



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08Oct

Alesis Announces DM6 USB Express Drum Kit

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If you’ve ever tried your hand at playing drums, you’ve no doubt realized two of the biggest issues with doing so. That’s right, a drum kit is loud and takes up a ton of space. If that weren’t enough, they aren’t the easiest instrument to record, and you’ll need a cargo van to haul them. It’s no wonder that guitarists get all the chicks.

The people over at Alesis feel your pain, and have a little something for you. It’s called the DM6 USB Express kit. This is a nice full-sized drumset that’s still small enough to tuck away (or transport) when you’re not using it. It features six pads (upright bass, two toms, hi-hat, cymbal, and a dual-zone snare) and two pedals. Essentially, it’s everything you’re going to need to get started.

Of course, what good are all of these pieces of equipment without a head unit to drive the whole thing? The DM6 module that’s included gives you over a hundred different instrument sounds to choose from, so that you can essentially design your own unique kit. When you’ve got a solid track that you want to lay down, just plug it into your computer via USB and fire up your favorite recording software. With an estimated street price of around $400, I’d say there are a lot of good reasons to pick one of these over a traditional drum kit.

[ Alesis ]



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