The electronic drum kit was created in 1971 by Graeme Edge and Brian Groves using individual drum samples. The first commercial kit was the Pollard Syndrum in 1976. Simmons popularized electronic drums in 1978 and other companies like Roland and Yamaha began making velocity sensitive kits. In 1997, Roland introduced modeling synthesis instead of samples which improved sound quality and feel with mesh heads. Modern kits aim to recreate acoustic drum sounds and include effects and choke functions. Drum machines also emerged using samples and loops in place of a full kit.

1. Electronic Drum Kit

2. Creation
• Is said to have been created by Graeme Edge, the
drummer of the Moody Blues, and Professor
Brian Groves of Sussex university. It was first used
in the song ‘procession’ in 1971. Each individual
drum was made from various samples and the
faces of the drums were made from rubber.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHfIftAK5Hs
• However at this point, the drums were very
sensitive and weren’t very good quality. It was
still however, considered a breakthrough

3. Commercial Use
The first commercial drum was the Pollard Syndrum, in 1976.
In 1978, The Simmons company was founded in order to produce electronic drum kits.
Their most notable product being the SDS 5
In following years, other companies began to sell their own electronic drum kits, most
notably Roland and Yamaha. At this point, the electronic drums became velocity
sensitive . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU-ro7LvIEc
Early Simmons SDS 5 Electronic Drums, 1981

4. Further Development
• Up until this point, all electronic drums had been
made using samples. However, in 1997, Roland
put into the market its TD-10 model, which
instead of using samples, used mathematical
modelling/ synthesis to generate its sounds. Also,
instead of using rubber for the faces of the
drums, it featured mesh-head pads. The
combination of mathematical modelling and
mesh-head pads greatly increased the sound and
feel electronic drums.

5. Synthesis
• Electronic drum kits use different types of synthesis to
create the drum sounds, these are; subtractive
synthesis, and additive synthesis. This is made by
having an original sound and removing certain
frequencies from it. For an example, a snare drum can
be made by starting off with white noise and removing
the higher frequencies. The same technique can be
used to electronically generate the sound of ocean and
wind.
• Additive synthesis creates a timbre by adding sine
waves of different frequencies together
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvQVQuV-Kys

6. Modern day
• In recent years, professional electronic drum kits have been attempted to
make sounds that sound as realistic and as close to acoustic drums as
possible. Examples include Yamaha DTXtreme and Roland V-Drums TD-20.
These also include such features as; effects ie. muffling, mic position. Rim
shots are now available, as well as differentiation in cymbal sound
depending on where it is it eg. Bell, edge and bow. Along with this choking
is now available and many other features.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6Qlea1KYRE

7. Drum Machine
• Various other devices have come out of the electronic
drum kit. Eg, drum machines which is a collection of
buttons, used for a wide range of selectable samples
and can also loop various sounds and apply effects.
These can be used individually or as part of a kit. They
are often used for other sounds such as pitched sounds
as well percussive sounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=BoZq15USPso&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=UzGCLQlIcNg

8. List of Popular Drum
Machines
KORG
YAMAHA
Donka Matic
SR-120
RX15
Rhythm 55
RX11
KPR-77
RX21/L
DDM-
ROLAND
110/220
TR-33
PSS-50
TR-55
TR-77
AKAI
TR-66
XR10
CR-78
MPC60
TR-808
MPC60 Mk2
CR-8000
MPC3000
TR606
MPC2000
TR-909
MPC4000