Air and Sound Conveying Means

Abstract

An air and sound conveying means is disclosed achieved by forming a hole 1 through a typical drumkit bass drum shell 2 to allow sound and a puff of air 11 to exit the bass drum toward a microphone 12 to retaining the sound and playability of a bass drum fitted with two full bass drum skins The beautification of said hole can be by an optional grommet 5 of corresponding diameter to said cut hole and can have an outer flange area 17 for the incorporation of instruction or logos to identify its use.

Description

[0001] Air and Sound Conveying Means.

[0002] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment is an air and sound conveying hole and optional hole surrounding grommet intended to be installed upon a typical drumkit bass drum and allows for the bass drum sound and a puff of air to be directed from within said bass drum and outward through the provided invention toward a sound-capturing microphone approximated in line with said outwardly-directed sound and puff of air for optimised capture of the sound produced to be amplified or recorded when the said bass drum is typically played with a foot pedal and beater that hits one of two fully intact skins installed on said bass drum of the said typical drum kit instead of one of said skins having a hole cut into it to insert a microphone. A microphone incorporates a resilient diaphragm of a conductive material to flex through vibration, sound frequencies and air movement and that when flexed, excites electrical signal to varying degrees related to sound pressure level or air volume impacting or rushing past said diaphragm for said signal to progress further along its electrical circuit toward amplifying or recording equipment. The microphone is typically held in place upon a typically black- painted boom-arm inclusive microphone stand referred to hereinafter as a microphone stand.

[0003] In the past seventy years for a bass drum to be recorded in a recording studio or amplified for live performance, a microphone has been placed close to the front skin which is visible to an audience of a bass drum that is sitting on its side so as to project the front skin sound forward toward an audience and for its rear or played bass drum skin to be struck by the drummer with a typical bass drum foot pedal. The pedal is played by the depression of the drummer’s foot upon the pedal foot board that transmits via linkage and axle-mounted forward rotating beater to impact the vertical playing surface of the bass drum’s rear or played skin.

[0004] A sound-capturing microphone can be used to record or amplify the sound of a bass drum that it is approximated to and can be ‘equalised’ or ‘EQ’d’ by electronic adjustment of recording or Public Address PA systems to enhance high and low frequencies of said bass drum to the desired effects. These effects include: A / an audible boom or thump that some music can be enhanced by or B / a physical thump in the chest of an audience member to experience in a generously amplified concert setting as well as Cl a higher frequency, time-delineating feature that most music benefits by to define a pulse to most music during either live performance or recorded music for future listening experience.

[0005] The challenge for the microphone approximated to a bass drum is to capture a blend of two sounds, the first of which is the time-delineating impact of said bass drum beater hitting the rear skin and secondly the boom, thump or lower frequency resonance that the acoustic bass drum skin possesses naturally when mounted and tensioned upon said typical drumkit bass drum’s cylindrical shell.

[0006] The front bass drum skin does not transmit the higher frequency impact sound of said beater hitting the rear skin for the front-skin-approximated microphone to efficiently capture said higher frequency impact sound and in the past earlier twenty of said seventy years the front skin does not possess the desired low frequency resonance for the microphone to enhance the low frequencies or said thump that is commonly desired from the bass drum in present times as in these earlier years the bass drum skins were of a thinner polymer membrane that did not possess the desired lower frequencies and so an alternative solution to amplification or recording bass drum sound capture was required.

[0007] An accepted method to the long term challenge of a microphone capturing the desired high frequency impact and low frequency thump of said bass drum being played is to cut a typically 5 inch or 125mm hole in the front skin of the bass drum for the microphone to be placed within or in front of said hole and thus capture the impact of the bass drum being played from within the bass drum and the lower frequency as a secondary feature that was not necessarily an element of the bass drum sound itself but an accidental low frequency provided by the body of air exiting the hole and rushing past the microphone. It can therefore be concluded that a desirable bass drum sound is not of the bass drum itself but is inclusive of the puff of air exiting through the hole cut into the front bass drum skin that is being captured by the microphone. Alternatively, a microphone of greater expense that incorporates an oversized diaphragm can be mounted inside a bass drum while retaining a full front bass drum skin without any said cut hole. The human audible verification of any sound resonance is usually evaluated from outside of and at a distance from the bass drum and not from within the bass drum which few people would physically care to experience. The evaluation of various microphones mounted inside a bass drum confirms that of a sound pressure volume level assault to the microphone diaphragm that has a similarity of sound to that of an iron pipe being hit. It has a high-pitched ping or plink as could be expected should one listen to the impact with one’s head and unprotected ears inside the bass drum when it is played. The extremes of low frequency EQ enhancement of PA (Public Address) or recording mixing consoles are almost exceeded and therefore trying to manage a bass drum sound to a desirable effect is only problematically attainable from internal microphone placement and then typically requires an external microphone to balance the harshness of said internal microphone sound.

[0008] In said past seventy years of typical recording or amplification of the modem drum kit bass drum, the hole cut into the front skin of the bass drum has been the common habit to afford the microphone to capture the said combination of frequencies but it has come at a cost of many front bass drum skins as they are a polymer and can split outward from said cut hole during either playing vibration or the introduction of pillows or odd clothing inserted through said hole to rest against front and or rear skins to deaden or shorten the resonant sustain the bass drum skins have or the separate ringing of overtones that are undesirable in sound from a skin that is compromised by the said hole cut into the skin.

[0009] The modem bass drum skins that are of a thicker polymer membrane are slower to vibrate and purposely made to enhance lower resonant frequencies during playing and are also more expensive and it is very wasteful to cut a hole in an expensive front bass drum skin as said lower frequencies are lost due to the cut hole interrupting the skin from fully resonating. As well as the immediate loss of lower resonant frequencies there is the risk of tearing the front bass drum skin by either the hole cutting process itself, the said vibration of said skin during use, stretching to failure when inserting said muffling pillows or, a further risk, is when a singer with energetic interpretation of the music being played, dances around and steps backward from the front of the stage toward the stage rear positioned drum kit and knocks into the microphone stand with said microphone impacting the edge of the cut hole in the front bass drum skin causing the splitting of the skin outwardly from said cut hole.

[0010] A common initiative to strengthen and protect the edge of a hole cut into a front bass drum skin is available for purchase in the form of a plastic ring of similar or thicker material to that of the bass drum skin that can be adhered to the inside and or outside of the cut hole to reinforce the edge of said cut hole. This product initiative is of least weight but has a further dampening effect on the resonance of the bass drum skin that is compromised by the said cut hole. An evolution of the hole-edge reinforcing ring product available for purchase is an injection moulded trumpet horn shaped plastic tube similar to that of an audio speaker box port that can also have an increased depth of its inner cylindrical circumference in the form of a tube that protrudes inward through the front bass drum skin by a distance of between 20mm to 75mm to propose a purposeful appearance. This product when adhered and or bolted in place is of such weight that it further arrests or completely prevents the resonance of the front bass drum skin in which it is installed.

[0011] The greater compromise by a hole cut into the bass drum skin and any initiative to reinforce said hole edge is to the bass drum sound. The resonance and fundamental low frequency that a full front bass drum skin can produce, is very desirable and anchors a band’s music advantageously as if a modem recording has enhanced the low frequencies via equalization or EQ-ing the desirable thump that the full bass drum skins inclusive bass drum naturally possesses when tuned to liberate that sound.

[0012] By retaining two fully resonant, fully intact bass drum skins sound, the provided invention in its preferred embodiment allows all frequencies of a drum sound to be liberated when played acoustically as well as to be captured by a microphone via a hole cut into the shell of the bass drum itself and when played, the bass drum also pushes air through said hole and past the microphone positioned in-line with the directed sound and airflow exiting the bass drum when played by the drummer.

[0013] For future reference, the provided invention, described as a hole cut into the side of the bass drum shell, will now be referred to as a bass drum shell port or port which is an abbreviation of port hole and in its preferred embodiment the diameter is approximately but not limited to 50mm for reasons that will be described as follows.

[0014] The bass drum shell port in its preferred embodiment would be positioned to the lower left side of the bass drum shell when viewed from the front or audience view of a right-handed drummer or the lower right-hand side of the bass drum shell of a left-handed drummer or both sides for use by either right or left handed drummers.

[0015] The bass drum sound and the puff of air exiting the bass drum shell port past the microphone can be balanced by the positioning of the microphone closer to said port to detect higher pressure level higher frequencies or further away from said port to capture the softer movement of air movements that are detected as lower frequencies. The greater or lesser distance of the microphone from said port and resultant sound and air being captured by said microphone are not beyond the EQ adjustment of most PA or recording console channels to manage, which allows for shorter sound checking duration during concert preparation and agreeable volume levels for safe amplification and recording equipment use.

[0016] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment is of a small enough sized bass drum shell port that a microphone is not encouraged to be positioned inside a bass drum to avoid the internal microphone being subjected to high pressure volume level around and about the microphone diaphragm and subsequent distortion of sound.

[0017] The bass drum itself with a full front skin, tuned to allow all relevant frequencies and without introduced dampening initiatives, has low frequency sustain that can be liberated by impacting the rear skin and immediately lifting of the player’s foot from the bass drum pedal allowing the withdrawal of said beater from the skin to allow the skins of the bass drum to resonate freely in unison and this is commonly referred to as ‘playing off’ of the struck surface of the bass drum skin or the beater can impact the rear skin and be left against the rear skin to mute or shorten the resonance of the skins and this is commonly referred to as ‘playing into the skin’.

[0018] The microphone when positioned adjacent to the bass drum shell port can detect the longer resonant sustain of two full skins when ‘playing off of the skin’ and can also detect the shorter impact of two full skins when ‘playing into the skin’ at high or low level playing force and thus the full spectrum of frequencies and volume levels are available from the bass drum via the provided invention and for the music being played to benefit from all of the available characteristics of the bass drum sound inclusive of bass drum tuning preferences or playing techniques.

[0019] In all performance test scenarios and review of test scenario video and audio recordings, the provided invention has produced an easily controlled, versatile and economical advantage regardless of what type of music or performance space or what size or value microphone is used and that the microphone can be supported within reach of the drummer upon a smaller stand for optimum positioning and discrete appearance.

[0020] All characteristics of an acoustic bass drum sound can be heard naturally from the instrument itself and is equally detected by a microphone approximated to the bass drum shell port and in an amplified performance setting the longer and lower frequency sustain can be heard through a microphone and PA sound reinforcement system and experienced as a low resonant shudder within the performance venue to enhance more dramatic styles of music and the higher frequencies of the bass drum can produce a time-delineating beat to enhance the pulse of dance oriented music as well as jazz and low volume frequencies that are more felt than heard which is ideal to convey gentler ballads also.

[0021] The position of the bass drum shell port in its preferred embodiment and its closely approximated microphone has a secondary favourable outcome in that the microphone detects the sound of lower note producing larger resonant drums that are to the right hand side of a right handed drummer called ‘floor tom toms’ which are typically positioned standing on either their own legs or suspended via a tripod based stand and are set lower to the ground and thus closer to the bass drum port approximated microphone that is sometimes EQ’d to enhance the lower frequencies of the bass drum and thus the desirable EQ’d microphone captured sound of the floor tom toms are amplified through the PA also and further more if the microphone is intentionally aimed toward the said floor tom toms.

[0022] The bass drum shell port is achieved by cutting a hole through the bass drum shell by various means that can range from modem laser-cutting processes, press tools or simply by a hand-wound, battery or electronic drill, turning a hole-saw, that is predominantly used for cutting holes through doors for the installation of door handles or wood or plywood furniture panelling of similar thickness to that of a plywood bass drum shell or in substantially less quantity, bass drum shells made of plastic or metal.

[0023] The beautification of said bass drum shell port in the provided invention preferred embodiment may typically be via an injection molded plastic or rubber optional grommet of corresponding diameter to said bass drum shell port and for said grommet to be typically of sufficient elasticity to be compressible, inserted into and retained by friction within said port. The outer edge of said grommet need only be of sufficient diameter not to be inadvertently pushed inward through the said hole cut into the bass drum shell to then be irretrievable without removal of either said full bass drum skins to access the inside of the bass drum to retrieve the grommet. The internal or external cylindrical length of said optional grommet may be of shorter or longer length though it is substantially less relevant to the resultant sound what cylindrical length the optional hole beautification grommet has.

[0024] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment may be beautified by an optional grommet of design, specification and material to allow its external lip or flange to be flexible to adapt to the surrounding curving diameter of the bass drum shell in which it is installed. Bass drum diameter can range from below sixteen inches to above twenty-eight inches and the flexibility of the provided invention optional hole beautification grommet in its preferred embodiment is to be able to maintain a close fit to the external curvature of the bass drum shell for optimum cosmetic appearance. The provided invention with an alternative embodiment of the optional hole beautification grommet may be that of two counterparts that can each have corresponding threads so that the internal part can thread into the external part until tightened against the inner and outer surfaces of the bass drum shell to be retained through and within said bass drum shell port.

[0025] The position of the provided invention bass drum shell port in its preferred embodiment is the lowest practicable to be accessible to a microphone supported on a variety of microphone stands as well as discrete in position so as not to detract from the appearance of the bass drum, the structural integrity of the bass drum shell or the value of the bass drum.

[0026] In its preferred embodiment the provided invention is intended to be of a lifelong value enhancement to the bass drum and its ability to be utilised in any performance setting without reducing the appearance or value of the bass drum.

[0027] The provided invention and optional hole beautification grommet if to be selffitted by an instrument owner, requires a hole of correct size to be formed into the bass drum shell using a prescribed correct size tool and instruction for it to be installed to achieve the desired result with minimal challenge and desired quality.

[0028] While the use of the provided invention is predominantly intended for installation within the shell of a musical drum kit bass drum, the provided invention can also provide a directed air flow in a preferred direction from and via its installation within the shell of any drum in any position within a drumkit or standing alone. As a microphone behaves differently between listening to a drum sound at distance or being positioned within the passage of moving air from within the drum, the provided invention once installed has the capacity to benefit the amplification or sound enhancement of any drum or any other instrument into which the provided invention may be installed. The provided invention in its preferred embodiment can be installed upon any instrument whereby sound and air can be conveyed from within said musical instrument outward from within said instrument for sound enhancement or playing feel and for said sound and air to also be directed outward toward a microphone for recording or sound amplification. There are several methods of applying the provided invention, one method is to offer its supply and installation as a service. Another method is to provide the users with the correct instruction and tool to install the provided invention themselves, or another method is for an original instrument manufacturer to incorporate the provided invention within new instruments or offer their customer the provided invention as an optional inclusion in said new instruments while the provided invention is achieved using typical manufacturing techniques and knowledge and applicable to materials that are common in manufacturing.

[0029] The hereinabove description should make evident that the present invention provides an improved means of allowing a drumkit bass drum to produce its fullest potential sound, dynamics and sound reinforcement convenience while negating the economic and environmental impracticality of cutting easily damaged holes into one of the bass drum skins that also compromises the skins resonant sound and durability and that the provided invention in its preferred embodiment also eliminates the historic necessity of positioning a microphone in the hole cut into the bass drum skin via the intrusive presence of a typically black-painted microphone stand set in front or to either side of the bass drum with said stand boom-arm reaching across and in the way of an expensive band logo or artwork applied or painted onto said front bass drum skin while the presence of said hole cut into the bass drum skin also interrupts said artwork.

[0030] It is therefore an objective of the provided invention through which to discretely allow sound and air to exit the bass drum for the benefits of playing feel, maximum tuning potential and volume when played acoustically and all said benefits will be evident to a microphone for amplification or recording when said microphone is positioned in the path of said air movement and sound exiting the provided invention instead of the irreversible sound and durability damage caused to an expensive bass drum skin when a hole is cut into said skin as well as achieving an un interrupted view of the drumkit and its potential band logo or artwork applied to said bass drum skin via the redundancy of any microphone stand positioned in front of said drumkit bass drum. In order for the invention to be readily understood, a particular embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] FIG 1

[0032] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment is achieved by cutting a hole 1 into and through the typical plywood bass drum shell surface of a typical drumkit bass drum 2 with for example a drill 3 turning a hole-saw 4 to cut the hole 1 .

[0033] FIG 2

[0034] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment 1 inclusive of an insertable optional hole beautification grommet 5 is intended to be installed upon a typical drum kit bass drum 2 and when played by downward foot force 6 upon a foot- operated bass drum pedal 7 the pedal’s beater 8 accelerating forward upon and around said pedal’s rotating axle 9 impacts and compresses the playing surface drum skin 10 of said bass drum 2 causing the bass drum sound and a puff of air 11 to be directed outward through the provided invention 1 and said optional grommet 5 toward a microphone 12 positioned in line with and to capture said sound and puff of air 11 with said grommet possessing space 17 for potential descriptive identification of its use.

[0035] FIG 3

[0036] The provided invention in its preferred embodiment inclusive of an optional hole beautification grommet 5 would preferably though not necessarily be positioned to the lower left side of the bass drum 2 when viewed from the front or audience view 13 of a right-handed drummer and the opposite side for a left-handed drummer.

[0037] FIG 4

[0038] The reverse of Fig 3 as a left-handed embodiment of the preferred though not essential position of the provided invention inclusive of hole beautification grommet 5.

[0039] FIG 5

[0040] The optional hole beautification grommet 5 that is suggested to be inserted into said hole Fig 1 / 1 of the provided invention in its preferred embodiment as viewed from the side Fig 5 possesses a centralised protruding cylindrical section 14 of sufficient length and diameter to retain itself via friction or other retainment means when inserted within said hole Fig 1 / 1 of the provided invention that is cut into the shell of a bass drum 2.

[0041] The optional hole beautification grommet 5 that is suggested to be inserted into said hole Fig 1 / 1 of the provided invention in its preferred embodiment as viewed from the side Fig 5 possesses a flange diameter inclusive of a crosssection flexible radius 15 to match that of the varying bass drum shell diameters against which it may be positioned.

[0042] FIG 6

[0043] The optional hole beautification grommet 5 that is suggested to be inserted into said hole Fig 1 / 1 of the provided invention in its preferred embodiment as viewed from the front Fig 6 possesses sufficient outer flange diameter 16 to prevent inadvertent pushing of said grommet through said hole cut into the bass drum shell Fig 1 / 1.

[0044] FIG 7

[0045] The optional hole beautification grommet 5 that is suggested to be inserted into said hole Fig 1 / 1 of the provided invention in its preferred embodiment as viewed isometrically Fig 7 possesses sufficient external flange area 17 to present description, instruction, logos or branding to identify its use.

[0046] FIG 8

[0047] The provided invention may be fitted with an alternative embodiment of the optional hole beautification grommet which may comprise of two counterparts that can each have corresponding threads so that the internal counterpart 18 can thread into the external counterpart 19 until tightened against the inner and outer surfaces surrounding the hole of the provided invention Fig 1 / 1 cut into the bass drum shell to retain said tightened two part grommet within said hole Fig 1 / 1 while any other method of beautification initiative surrounding said hole can also be employed or omitted.

[0048] FIG 9

[0049] A representation of the problems that the provided invention seeks to remedy being of a typical polymer front bass drum skin 20 splitting from and around a hole 21 that would have been cut into said skin that when subjected to playing forces stretches and vibrates until failure, even splitting through cloth re- enforced tape attempts 22 to arrest drum skin splitting and the intrusive presence of a typical black-painted boom-arm inclusive microphone stand 23 to support a front bass drum skin hole positioned microphone 24 being in the way of the front bass drum skin where an expensive band logo or bass drum skin artwork is displayed that is also interrupted by said hole 21 cut into said bass drum skin artwork.

Claims

Claims defining the invention are as follows.Claim 1An air and sound conveying means is a hole cut into the shell of a typical drumkit bass drum and inserted of an optional hole-surrounding grommet that are intended to be installed upon said typical drumkit bass drum and allows for the bass drum sound and a puff of air to be directed from within said bass drum through the air and sound conveying means to allow the use of two full bass drum skins to be played and produce comprehensive sound qualities while allowing said sound and puff of air to exit the bass drum for a desired playing feel and for the resulting sound resonance of two full bass drum skins and said puff of air to be directed outward toward a sound-capturing microphone approximated in-line with said bass drum sound and puff of air conveyed through said air and sound conveying means and for the comprehensive sound qualities produced by the bass drum to be amplified or recorded via said microphone when the said bass drum is typically played with a foot pedal and beater that hits one of the skins installed on said bass drum of the said typical drumkit.A method of conveying air and sound via an opening in the bass drum shell. Claim 2An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 is a hole that is cut via typical hole-cutting processes or tools into the said typical drumkit bass drum shell. A method of forming a hole to allow the invention to function.Claim 3An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 is a hole that is cut into a shell of said typical drumkit bass drum that is sized and positioned to be of a specific function relative to the playing feel, liberation of sound due to the encouraged use of two full bass drum skins, projection of sound toward a microphone, to capture accumulative effects of said drumkit bass drum inclusive of said air and sound conveying means and said encouraged use of two full bass drum skins.A method of adjusting the playability of a bass drum due to the invention acting as a vent.Claim 4An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 is a hole that is cut into the shell of any other drum to allow air and sound to exit the drum.A method of expanding the opportunities and intended use of the invention. Claim 5An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 is a hole that is cut into the shell of a new bass drum of a typical drumkit at the time of its manufacture or as a retrofit initiative to pre-existing drumkit bass drums.A method of earliest manufacturing economy and installation convenience of the invention.Claim 6An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 whereby the desired playing feel is achieved when the internal air contained between two full bass drum skins exits the bass drum through said air and sound conveying means instead of accumulating air pressure when one of two full bass drum skins is depressed after impact by a bass drum pedal beater when said drumkit bass drum is played.A method to achieve a desired playing feel by dissipating air pressure through the invention.Claim 7An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 where the hole cut into the typically wooden shell of a drumkit bass drum is inserted of and fitted with an optional appropriately sized hole beautification grommet to protect the edges of the hole from splintering.A method to protect the hole from damage during handling of the invention.Claim 8A hole beautification grommet of Claim 7 to prevent the edges of the hole from injuring a person from splinters surrounding the hole while handling said typically wooden shell bass drum of said typical drumkit.A method to protect the user after implementing the invention.Claim 9A hole beautification grommet of Claim 7 of a design to give an appearance that is purpose-specific.A method to encourage the grommets use within the invention.Claim 10A hole beautification grommet of Claim 7 to possess purpose-specific instruction or identification incorporated during manufacture or applied after manufacture.A method to encourage correct installation of grommet within the invention. Claim 11A hole beautification grommet of Claim 7 of design, specification and material such as softer injection moulded plastic to allow its external lip or flange to be flexible to adapt to the hole-surrounding curving circumference of the bass drum shell in which it is installed.A method of manufacture to exploit the ductile attributes of the grommet material.Claim 12A hole beautification grommet of Claim 7 of design, specification and material such as injection moulded plastic material that is soft or rigid and may be of two counterparts that join together and are retained through and within said cut hole.A method of manufacture to exploit the greater or lesser ductile attributes of the grommet material.Claim 13An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 where the hole cut into the shell of a drumkit bass drum is a small enough sized hole that a microphone is not encouraged to be positioned inside a bass drum to avoid the internal microphone being subject to high pressure volume level around and about the microphone leading to subsequent distortion of sound.A method of proposed invention size to limit microphone insertion into the invention.Claim 14An air and sound conveying means of Claim 1 where the hole cut into the shell of a drumkit bass drum is of any size hole that a microphone can be positioned from inside to outside of a bass drum to capture the sound of said drumkit bass drum.A method of proposed invention size to not limit microphone insertion into the invention.

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