A Zendrum is a hand-crafted MIDI controller that is used as a percussion instrument. The Zendrum was influenced by the "Drumitar," invented by Future Man. There are several Zendrum models that are well-suited for live performances: the Z1, ZX, EXP, ZAP series, LT and the Mallet Pro series and Melodic Finger. The Zendrum ZX and Z1 can be worn like a guitar and consists of a triangular hardwood body with 24 touch-sensitive round MIDI triggers. The EXP has 29 triggers and additional controls. The Zendrum LT can also be worn with a guitar strap, and has 25 MIDI triggers in a symmetrical layout, which provides an ambidextrous playing surface. The ZAP series is designed more for table top use or on a drum stand, with the ZAP1 having 19 triggers, and the ZAP2 having 25 triggers. The triggers are played by tapping or slapping with the fingers or hands. As a controller, the Zendrum does not make any sound by itself. It uses an electronic interface called MIDI to control synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, sound modules, computers or other electronic drum devices that generates the musical and percussive sounds. The Mallet Pro Series is laid out and played like a traditional mallet instrument, like a marimba. The Mallet Pro series has naturally resonating solid walnut bars as triggers.
Once the Zendrum is hooked up via MIDI to a sound module, and connected to an amplified loudspeaker or headphones, the player can tap or slap the triggers. The triggers on a Zendrum are velocity sensitive, which means that the volume of each note depends on how hard the corresponding trigger is hit. Depending on what it is connected to, and how it is programmed or configured, the signal from the velocity level of the Zendrum's trigger can also be used to alter variances in timbre, panning, and other expressive aspects of the sound. The Zendrum is often used to play drum or percussion instrument parts, but it can also used to perform the sounds from tuned instruments, ranging from steel drums or vibraphone to piano, bass, guitar, or bells. Sustained sounds like organs or string orchestra "patches" can be played, but they require a different technique to control. A sustain pedal can be plugged into a Zendrum to allow the sound to sustain, otherwise, depending on how it is programmed to receive trigger signals, the sound will have a clipped or staccato feel.
The playing styles and techniques that work best on the Zendrum are quite different from those of a traditional acoustic drum. Traditional drumming (especially for a drum kit) requires a certain amount of "limb independence," whereas the Zendrum requires more "finger independence." Also, traditional drumming is more than just triggering sounds; a drummer playing a physical kit gets important feedback in the way his or her sticks bounce and react from the surfaces of the drums and cymbals. Depending on the technology and style of the MIDI drum kit, a player has varying levels of feedback similar to a traditional drum kit. The Zendrum (with the exception of the Mallet pro series) requires a playing technique similar to tapping one's fingers on a table, except that the Zendrum triggers are sensitive to velocity. The majority of the Zendrum models are designed to be worn like a guitar, allowing the player to stand up and walk around using either wired or wireless MIDI connections. Where a traditional drum kit can is typically played with 2 hands and 2 feet, the Zendrum can be triggered with all ten fingers and the palms of both hands much like a conga or other hand percussion instrument.
Historyedit
Drumitar — modified from a SynthAxe previously owned by jazz musician Lee Ritenour
MIDI sound generators have long been able to make realistic drum sounds, but the traditional keyboard of a synthesizer is not always well suited to playing percussion. MIDI triggers can be retrofitted onto the traditional drum kit to allow drummers to play synthesizer or sampled drum sounds (or other sounds) using their regular drum kit. In most live settings, drummers and percussionists are situated in the back of the stage, and limited in their movement. Futureman (a.k.a. Roy-El, a.k.a. Roy Wooten), the percussionist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, uses a Synthaxe Drumitar to trigger drum sounds on several MIDI sound modules, which allows him to move around on the stage. Inspired by Futureman's Drumitar in 1991, David Haney created his interpretation of a portable electronic drum trigger by using a triangular piece of wood and piezoelectric sensors as triggers. With friend, fellow drummer and co-inventor Kim Daniel, they refined the shape of the instrument. Originally, the first Zendrum used a 24 cable snake to trigger drum sound modules (one cable for each trigger), but then they upgraded it to MIDI in 1993 after a meeting with Peter Gabriel and Manu Katché. David and Kim patented their design in 1994. Starting in 1995, David Haney and Kim Daniel began a series of experiments with Futureman and engineer Chris deHaas to expand on the Zendrum idea and technology. In 2008, the Zendrum ZAP (Zendrum Articulated Programmer) was released. It is a smaller Zendrum with a hexagonal layout designed for studio and 'desktop' use. The Mallet Pro series and Melodic Finger controllers were added to the Zendrum family of instruments in late 2013 to early 2014.
US application 5434350, David S. Haney; Kimball G. Daniel, "Drum and percussion synthesizer", issued 1995-07-18, assigned to Zendrum Corp. (filed on 1994-02-10)
"Zendrum". The Instrumentalist. Vol. 49, no. 1~6. 1994. p. 111. Atlanta-based drummers David Haney and Kim Daniel invented the Zendrum, a futuristic drumset that featured an advanced system of finger-activated trigger sensors. Made of American Rock Maple, the standard Zendrum Zl and Z2 ...
"Zendrum Zap MIDI percussion controller". Electronic Musician. Vol. 24, no. 6. June 2008. p. 98. By Larry the O — The original Zendrum (now called the Zendrum ZX) first appeared in 1994 in the hands of Manu Katche on the Australian leg of Peter Gabriel's "Secret World" tour. ...
External linksedit
Zendrum corporation website
Zendrum patent
Zendrum LT video
Zendrum ZAP video
Zendrum performance at Disney's Animal Kingdom video
November 30, 2023
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message A Zendrum is a hand crafted MIDI controller that is used as a percussion instrument The Zendrum was influenced by the Drumitar invented by Future Man There are several Zendrum models that are well suited for live performances the Z1 ZX EXP ZAP series LT and the Mallet Pro series and Melodic Finger The Zendrum ZX and Z1 can be worn like a guitar and consists of a triangular hardwood body with 24 touch sensitive round MIDI triggers The EXP has 29 triggers and additional controls The Zendrum LT can also be worn with a guitar strap and has 25 MIDI triggers in a symmetrical layout which provides an ambidextrous playing surface The ZAP series is designed more for table top use or on a drum stand with the ZAP1 having 19 triggers and the ZAP2 having 25 triggers The triggers are played by tapping or slapping with the fingers or hands As a controller the Zendrum does not make any sound by itself It uses an electronic interface called MIDI to control synthesizers samplers drum machines sound modules computers or other electronic drum devices that generates the musical and percussive sounds The Mallet Pro Series is laid out and played like a traditional mallet instrument like a marimba The Mallet Pro series has naturally resonating solid walnut bars as triggers Zendrum LT played by Jonathan Coulton Contents 1 Playing 2 History 3 See also 4 References 4 1 General references 5 External linksPlaying editOnce the Zendrum is hooked up via MIDI to a sound module and connected to an amplified loudspeaker or headphones the player can tap or slap the triggers The triggers on a Zendrum are velocity sensitive which means that the volume of each note depends on how hard the corresponding trigger is hit Depending on what it is connected to and how it is programmed or configured the signal from the velocity level of the Zendrum s trigger can also be used to alter variances in timbre panning and other expressive aspects of the sound The Zendrum is often used to play drum or percussion instrument parts but it can also used to perform the sounds from tuned instruments ranging from steel drums or vibraphone to piano bass guitar or bells Sustained sounds like organs or string orchestra patches can be played but they require a different technique to control A sustain pedal can be plugged into a Zendrum to allow the sound to sustain otherwise depending on how it is programmed to receive trigger signals the sound will have a clipped or staccato feel The playing styles and techniques that work best on the Zendrum are quite different from those of a traditional acoustic drum Traditional drumming especially for a drum kit requires a certain amount of limb independence whereas the Zendrum requires more finger independence Also traditional drumming is more than just triggering sounds a drummer playing a physical kit gets important feedback in the way his or her sticks bounce and react from the surfaces of the drums and cymbals Depending on the technology and style of the MIDI drum kit a player has varying levels of feedback similar to a traditional drum kit The Zendrum with the exception of the Mallet pro series requires a playing technique similar to tapping one s fingers on a table except that the Zendrum triggers are sensitive to velocity The majority of the Zendrum models are designed to be worn like a guitar allowing the player to stand up and walk around using either wired or wireless MIDI connections Where a traditional drum kit can is typically played with 2 hands and 2 feet the Zendrum can be triggered with all ten fingers and the palms of both hands much like a conga or other hand percussion instrument History edit nbsp Drumitar modified from a SynthAxe previously owned by jazz musician Lee RitenourMIDI sound generators have long been able to make realistic drum sounds but the traditional keyboard of a synthesizer is not always well suited to playing percussion MIDI triggers can be retrofitted onto the traditional drum kit to allow drummers to play synthesizer or sampled drum sounds or other sounds using their regular drum kit In most live settings drummers and percussionists are situated in the back of the stage and limited in their movement Futureman a k a Roy El a k a Roy Wooten the percussionist for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones uses a Synthaxe Drumitar to trigger drum sounds on several MIDI sound modules which allows him to move around on the stage Inspired by Futureman s Drumitar in 1991 David Haney created his interpretation of a portable electronic drum trigger by using a triangular piece of wood and piezoelectric sensors as triggers With friend fellow drummer and co inventor Kim Daniel they refined the shape of the instrument Originally the first Zendrum used a 24 cable snake to trigger drum sound modules one cable for each trigger but then they upgraded it to MIDI in 1993 after a meeting with Peter Gabriel and Manu Katche David and Kim patented their design in 1994 Starting in 1995 David Haney and Kim Daniel began a series of experiments with Futureman and engineer Chris deHaas to expand on the Zendrum idea and technology In 2008 the Zendrum ZAP Zendrum Articulated Programmer was released It is a smaller Zendrum with a hexagonal layout designed for studio and desktop use The Mallet Pro series and Melodic Finger controllers were added to the Zendrum family of instruments in late 2013 to early 2014 See also editPercussion instrument Drum Drum kit Electronic drum Drum machine ControllersMIDI SynthAxe Keytar List of keytarsReferences editGeneral references edit US application 5434350 David S Haney Kimball G Daniel Drum and percussion synthesizer issued 1995 07 18 assigned to Zendrum Corp filed on 1994 02 10 Zendrum The Instrumentalist Vol 49 no 1 6 1994 p 111 Atlanta based drummers David Haney and Kim Daniel invented the Zendrum a futuristic drumset that featured an advanced system of finger activated trigger sensors Made of American Rock Maple the standard Zendrum Zl and Z2 Zendrum Zap MIDI percussion controller Electronic Musician Vol 24 no 6 June 2008 p 98 By Larry the O The original Zendrum now called the Zendrum ZX first appeared in 1994 in the hands of Manu Katche on the Australian leg of Peter Gabriel s Secret World tour External links editZendrum corporation website Zendrum patent Zendrum LT video Zendrum ZAP video Zendrum performance at Disney s Animal Kingdom video Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zendrum amp oldid 1056467553, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
