Drum Bracket with Adjustable Connecting Element for Sustain Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for adjusting the tone length or sustain of drums are imprecise and often result in unbalanced sounds, requiring multiple drum kits for different musical styles, and existing solutions either shorten the tone at the cost of losing overtones or cannot extend sustain without damping.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a bracket attached to the drum kit with a connecting element that can be displaced and fixed to change the vibration length, allowing precise adjustment of sustain and timbre independently of pitch, serving as both a mount for the drum kit and a means to adapt to various musical styles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If external dampeners are used to reduce note length, then sustain is shortened, but overtones are lost leading to unbalanced sound
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the dampening function by using multiple independent felt strips that can be individually positioned and adjusted. Each felt strip can be independently controlled to dampen specific frequency ranges or portions of the drumhead, allowing selective sustain reduction without uniformly suppressing all overtones. This segmentation enables precise control over which overtones are preserved and which are dampened.
Solution Approach 2:
The device applies local quality by placing felt strips at specific locations on the drumhead where they contact only certain areas during vibration. The felt strips can be positioned to affect specific radial or circumferential modes of vibration, allowing localized dampening that preserves certain overtones while reducing sustain in targeted frequency ranges. This local application maintains tonal balance by selectively influencing different parts of the drumhead's vibration pattern.
2Duration of action of moving object
If drumhead tension is adjusted to achieve desired sustain, then tonal balance can be maintained, but sustain varies between drums requiring compromises
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces dynamic adjustability by allowing the drummer to change the position, number, and pressure of felt strips during performance or between songs. This dynamic control enables the same drum to produce different sustain characteristics on demand, making each drum in the kit capable of adapting to different musical styles. The adjustability ensures consistent sustain control across all drums, eliminating the need for compromise in tonal balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the physical parameters of the drum system by introducing variable dampening forces through adjustable felt strips. By modifying the contact pressure, position, and number of felt strips, the effective damping coefficient can be continuously adjusted to achieve uniform sustain across different drum sizes and tensions. This parameter control allows each drum to be independently optimized for consistent sustain regardless of its natural tonal characteristics.
3Duration of action of moving object
If gate is used on mixing console to control sustain, then note length can be adjusted, but tom cannot be played quietly
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary mechanical dampening system between the drumhead and the air, which physically controls sustain at the source rather than through electronic gating. The felt strips act as a mechanical mediator that can be adjusted to allow or restrict vibration decay, providing natural sustain control that works across all volume levels. This mechanical intermediary enables quiet playing by physically damping vibrations without requiring electronic threshold detection.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drum kits are owned for different musical styles, then adaptability to styles is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device provides universal adaptability by enabling a single drum kit to perform multiple musical styles through adjustable dampening settings. The felt strips can be repositioned and reconfigured to achieve different sustain characteristics suitable for various genres, making each drum in the kit multi-functional. This universality eliminates the need for multiple specialized drum kits, as one kit with the device can replicate the sustain characteristics of different drum setups across musical styles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick and precise adjustment of sustain during performances, allowing the same drum kit to accommodate different musical styles by altering the vibration length and timbre, effectively extending sustain without compromising sound quality.
Implementation Method 1
A device (3) for changing the attack and decay behavior, in particular for changing the tone length, of a drum set (100). The device (3) essentially consists of a bracket (5) to which a drum kit (100) is attached. A connecting element (6) for connection to a stand or tripod is mounted on the bracket (5) in a slidable manner and can be fixed in a desired position.
Implementation Method 2
The effective length of the bracket (5) determines the sustain of the notes. This effective length of the bracket (5) is, in turn, determined by the position of the connecting element (6) fixed to the bracket (5).
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a drum and to a device (1) therefor, having a system (3) for altering the attack and decay behavior, in particular the note length of the drum (2). The aim of the invention is to provide a device for a drum and a drum having such a device, which can alter the attack and decay behavior quickly and with little effort, and in particular enables setting of the note length and also of the timbre of the drum largely independently of the pitch. This aim is achieved in that the system (3) is fastened to the drum (100, 2) and has a clip (5) on which an adjustable connecting element (6) is arranged, which is designed for a connection to a support arm or to a base support (7).