Homemade Electronic Drum Kit:Coltronics Kit-e

[amutimer100]

That was a great video. I understood everything and your research will save a lot of us a *lot* time. Many thanks.

[calism23]

What fantastic, thorough demo.

[doggloverr1432]

Omgoshh!!!! I WANT THAT!!! haha I always wanted a drum set. ;[

[rhythmantic]

Incredible and fascinating. What a fabulous design and a quality video production and narration.

[AllInDrummer]

i have a problem i think. it seems that the piezos i got are not sensitive enough even after i pump the gain on my dm5 to 99 :S if any one have stumbled upon such problem please PM me :) thanks

[jkravitz61]

@AllInDrummer if you're any good with electrical stuff, try amplifying each individual signal

[georgiowee]

wonderful! a great muse-carpenter

Best Regards

[MrCrgl]

Excellent video

[AllInDrummer]

why does the piezos have a rubber spacer?

[WeakEndProductions]

To flush the piezo assemblies up to the top of the foam rubber 'window' that holds them all in place.

[david99soad]

( 1:51 )what kind of material are the spacers made of?

[WeakEndProductions]

It was rubber also but probably anything would work (wood, plastic, etc.)

[david99soad]

@WeakEndProductions thanks :) I'm thinking of making one for my college project. I also have to make the drum module myself (ie. designing the circuitry and programming) and do a detailed write up about it for my final year. I'm studying Industrial Electronics and I really like music so I thought that I should do something similar.

Thanks and keep up the great videos! :)

[fuzzyjem3]

i cant find gum rubber anywhere... for cheap that is. A sheet of 12" by 24" is like 30 bucks.. ridiculous!

[hifistyle1]

Nice work. And your presentation is "A1".

[plasticships]

Great Job! Thanks for sharing.

[biro753]

Hello I was wondering where you got the aluminum plates from??? I am going to build a kit exactly the same as yours only i will have round pads on a rack and I'm just wondering how you acquired the aluminum discs?

[rudyhi199]

Holly Crap!!!!!! Your Smart!!!!

[Dreadonator]

THIS  ...is a tutaorial boys,

[locoken]

All I have to say is "WOW"! This is downright cool and I thank you Sir for sharing your creation with the rest of us! How cool is this?!?! I've wanted an electric drum set for awhile now but just couldn't afford to do so. This could make it a reality. Again, thank you!

[Irideallamawithtoast]

wow so complicated yet so simple

[DUY1337GUITAR]

Great... now I feel like spending more money ( =_=)

[bht97]

You should send this video to companies! This could be sold for relatively cheap in stores! It's awesome.

[Pain020989]

genious!!! i am going to make my own Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!

[rockethead555]

Hi, just got to see this. Very ingenious and inspiring for the musician/tinkerer . . .will attempt to build one ...the question is when? I hope someday, greetings and thanks for sharing

[rekimba]

i dont think i can like this enough!

thanks so much for this video, i was looking a buying a drum pad soon but this has sold me on the idea of making my own! im sure you get this all the time but

"i'm gonna get me some kit-e"!!!!

[ObiWonCannolli]

MacGyver has nothing on you sir, I'm glad you're using your powers for good or we'd all be screwed

[timezoner]

My goodness, mate, that's an informative video. Cheers.

[Damacoy]

so can it plug to a computer??

[skateboardadik]

amazing!!



[tygaelement]

Excellent video , graphical illustrations & a neat functional product .....The inverted kick drum beater & dv25 cable is a great idea...i have no doubt that you would have many customers if you decided to sell these units....

I'm working on a portable e drum kit but wasn't happy with the heads . I dislike rubber or foam & window mesh is difficult to get in the uk.. I'm considering using tennis or badminton racket string or heads for durability & responsiveness as a solution.

[Chipdip25]

how do i get the HH to have opened tones and closed depending on the pedal?

[WeakEndProductions]

That depends on how your drum brain works. For the DM5, 'pedal only' makes pedal sound, pedal down and hi hat trigger equals 'closed' and pedal up and hi hat trigger equals 'open hit sound'. The pedal is a simple switch not a continuous controller.

[Chipdip25]

@WeakEndProductions alright. i'm not very technically minded so this is very new to me. thanks for all of this!

[laoboy5]

Great job, please have it in PDF file. I would like to make one.

Thank you

[bonzotek]

man  you are a genius but i got a couple of questions things that i cant get together how can you connect all that pads and expecially the ones using a jack input to that parallel stuff port and send their messages to a module Ive seen other videos where people built a midi controller they some interface with a usb port do you use something alike? can i connect a drum like this to a korg emx or a pc and generate sound with ableton or software alike thank you very much and again very vey comply

[ccwiggum]

This is just fucking awesome! Thanks for sharing such a detailed video, mate!

[waste521]

For the bass drum pedal, the different are (starting from the top):

Neoprene

aluminium

piezo

and gum

amd I right?

in that case, on which side did you stcik the ceramic of the piezo (top or bottom)?

Thx

[WeakEndProductions]

You are correct sir!. Ceramic side down on the aluminum plate.

[waste521]

Good job mate, I am making one myself just right now, and found yours inspiring.

Cheers

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks for checking out my video. Glad that I helped in some way.

[tommyandtammy1]

Excellent Job.

God bless.

[scigo]

the piezo have integrated the plug? i mean, how do you get together the piezo and the plug that have to be connected to the module?

[w7eme]

neat

[nitrovanje]

Does the sustain pedal recognized half opened tones HH or just totaly open or totaly closed HH? I can see from the video that sustain pedal can splash HH but can it play half open tones?

I am making my DIY drum set, almoust done, thanks for great ideas :) helps alot!!!

[WeakEndProductions]

Whether you can do splashes of half pedal hits is up to your drum brain. The Alesis DM5 doesn't do that. My pedal is basically an on/off switch only. You would need a special pedal that has a potentiometer it and the appropriate hardware to recognize the pedal.

[marhec69]

Where did you get the piezos?

[marhec69]

I must say I'm speechless... Nice elegant design. You say you're not a genius, I believe you're pretty darn close not because you put together the electronic drum set. I write it because you figured out a simple way to get your drumming going without paying $2000 to Roland

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks! A top of the line Roland Kit would be nice. Too expensive for my blood. I am glad though, that I was able to come up with a usable kit on the cheap. Thanks for checking out the video!

[RyderSpearmann]

Superb project and presentation!

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks for the compliment and for dropping by and checking out my video!

[edgaruedgars]

really great job! Good luck! ;)

[tosicz]

Cool and great!

[BorrachoPuto]

you are a genius man! seriously

[WeakEndProductions]

Not really but thanks for checking out my video!

[damrak1969]

You sir have inspired me. I was thinking about how to do something similar and now I have a great template - especially for the kick pedal . Now to find a cheap drum module. Thanks!!!

[WeakEndProductions]

I glad that my video may have given you some ideas! (That was my purpose.)

[JackNotBack]

Nice! I make it... thanks

[KevinKayotic]

finally thank you

[xcsorg]

great idea - i was going to do this with mesh deads on one piece of wood but ive got a even better idea - im going to buy tunable tambourines and convert them to mesh head e-drums by taking the jingles off and attaching a piezo...

i lave the way you have got this to work tho... you should sell them you could charge $300 for the pad and a drum module...

[dustin102432]

dude thats awesome!!!

[greatdrums]

hi, is there any chance of making this as a USB MIDI controller?

[stratocaster539]

What a beautiful video. Congratulations.

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks for the compliment and thanks for checking out the video!

[metachozo]

can you make dul trigger pads in thsi fashon? and where did you get the gum rubber?

[ncyancy]

Great design! Thank you for posting this. I have a question with the wire connections in the board to that db25 pin. Is there a reference or do you have a detailed explanation of linking or soldering the piezo pickup wires to that db 25 back plate, e.g. what wire to what pin. Great video presentation also.

[TheBetterPeter]

what gind of pezos are best for drum set? bigger or smaller?

[WeakEndProductions]

I'm sure that there are differences in output among the various piezos but there are sensitivity adjustment controls on every drum brain that I've ever run across that address the wide range of triggers out there.

[TheBetterPeter]

I love it! Defenetly want to make one myself

[clemson99]

you sir are one smart guy

[Rogro666]

cool man! I want to know how the pedal of the HH works, because I am building one too =)

if U can help me, thanks! GREAT JOB MAN!

[Zombunist]

You just made my freakin day. Great unit.

[WeakEndProductions]

No, you made my day. Thanks for checking out the video.

[victorsabato]

Awesome! I'm definitely gonna work on a homemade electric drum kit!

[WeakEndProductions]

It was my hope that the video would give people some ideas for their own custom drum controller. Glad you liked it.

[moosicaregood]

This is pretty fucking cool, and am I the only one that thinks he sounds like Nicholas Cage? That's a compliment from me, btw. >.>

[WeakEndProductions]

My narration came off a little 'dry'. Granted. Thanks for the compliment and thanks for stopping by and checking it out.

[FreakBoi2008]

Woah, that's pretty cheap given how expensive it is to buy a good quality electronic drumkit new.

[WeakEndProductions]

Yeah, ironically, it was the drum hardware that was expensive. Took a little while to figure out, test prototypes and build the unit though.

[FreakBoi2008]

@WeakEndProductions Yeah, but there are far worse ways to spend your time. I think its definitely worth the time and effort when you're looking at an e-drum set thats both cheap and compact. Very good build, I've gotta say.

[CartoonsAndGameShows]

Please make a detailed how to video on how to make one of these!!!

[40of50]

Superb effort and video.

I want to make a set of triggers to play samples. They wont be drums but instead slightly wierd shaped things metal things... I have no experience but I should be able to make the "drum heads" but how on earth do you convert piezo voltage signals from say 12 triggers into MIDI note, channel and velocity information?

[AnalNapalm]

Thats pretty ingenious idea on the bass pedal. I'm going to steal that.

[xxxskat34lifexxx]

how much would you say this cost to build?

[WeakEndProductions]

About a hundred bucks or so (not including the stands, throne, Yamaha trigger and bass pedal).

[xxxskat34lifexxx]

@WeakEndProductions can you make it like a normal set or does it have to be like this?

[WeakEndProductions]

You mean more like a regular drumset? Sure, but my idea was to make a more compact and easily set up kit.. Google 'Trapkat' or 'Drumkat' and you'll see what I was aiming for. Thanks for checking out the video!

[nirniro1]

Exelent !!! thank you very very mach

[WeakEndProductions]

תודה צופה הוידאו שלי

[CartoonsAndGameShows]

Awesome!



[teazer999999]

Excellent work. You are a craftsman! Have you made any more electronic music things? You should check out Make Magazine. You seem like a DIY person.

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks, Tom for the send up! Much to my wife's chagrin, I'm a total DIY guy. Why buy something when you can make it yourself, make the garage un-parkable and end up spending twice the time and money! The first step is to admit that you have a problem! I've made my own talk box, computer, house, electronic drums, udus, furniture, green screens, video lights guitar synth controller. With my 'Coltronics Guitar System' I can play bass, drums, organ and whatnot and build up a multi-timbral live loop.

[WeakEndProductions]

I've heard of Make Magazine; I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip.

[PatrickProduction]

What kind of output is needed for the piezoelectric transducer? And how do you connect them??

Sorry if this is not the correct terms, I'm new to these cables and electronics, but any help would be appreciated.. I'm really lost haha :)

[WeakEndProductions]

A piezoelectric transducer is a conductive disk with a layer of ground mineral on it. When struck, the mineral is compressed and an electrical pulse is generated. You can connect it to a 1/4" phone jack and then connect that to a drum brain of some sort. I solder my leads as follows: the 'ring' of the jack to the metal disk and the tip to the mineral that forms the smaller disk. It can be difficult to solder to the mineral. Sometimes it's covered with a film that needs to be scratched off. .

[PatrickProduction]

@WeakEndProductions thanks for the help! Helps alot with my understanding of these stuff :) Another question though, where can I get all these things, especially the piezoelectric transducer? Sorry if I'm bugging you but I'm just curious.

THANKS HEAPS!!!

[kababert]

i like your design... very clever!! ^^

[WeakEndProductions]

Hey thanks! Thanks for checking out the vid.

[Freogeteknet]

Wow this is really cool! would never want one tho! I stick to the real thing! But really smart and intresting! now I know something new!! thanks!

[normloman]

Very nice design. Of course, anyone who knows how to solder can make a drum trigger. But what makes your kit so ingenious is the detail you put into every component. The 25 pin cable was a great addition, and I loved your solution for making the bass drum pedal stick to the carpet. I build instruments myself, and the next time I make e-drums, I may incorporate some of these ideas. Thank you.

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks for the thumbs up on my drum design. My thinking is that any design of anything is just problem solving. Too many wires all over the place: gang them together to tidy them up. Every drummer has had the problem of pedals skiddering all over the place. So you try to come up with practical if not elegant solutions. Glad you liked the vid.

[warpto80]

Nice, i like the design, too!

[snolan1990]

I got an MPC-1 drum machine today that uses piezo transducers and drum pads in an almost identical way to your drum box but I was wondering if there is any kind of switch that I could connect up to the contacts of the Piezo sounders that would send the same trigger signal but simply with the press of a button.

I guess the active component of a Sustain pedal would work for this but I can't find out what kind of a switch is in one of them. Do you have any idea as to what switch I should get?

[salsoso1]

Man you are a genius! this is great.

[nitrovanje]

I have one question, what kind of piezo are you using? Is it piezo speaker or is it piezo buzzer, or does it even matter. I like your product and you gave me idea how to do mine. Only problem is that I dont know what kind of piezo to buy...

[6thfox8]

Hey Bro', Nice drumkit. I'm building one myself but can't seem to find a reasonably priced source of that 1/8" rubber. Where'd U get yours ? Also, where would one get the aluminum sheet/plate ? Thanx.

[Aivarthecool]

where do you get those piezoelectric transducer thingys?

[WeakEndProductions]

You can get them from RadioShack. A couple in may hand in the video are from burnt out smoke alarms. They are what makes that obnoxious noise.

[cruikshank]

I'm trained as an electronic tech working with engineers on new designs. I owned a Drumkat 3.5 for awhile. I got to hand it to you that is a very sweet job you did there. I have the electronics & soldering chops, but not the mechanical skills to do what you have done. You also did a first class job in presenting it. You should send this in as an article to Pop Mechanics, Science, Modern Drummer, electronic musician, etc. You are under-employed as a heavy equipment operator. Kudos sir!

[sammywombarra]

I might attempt a malletKat clone (the xylophone one)

not sure if theres a drum brain i could use for this though...

[WeakEndProductions]

I've not taken apart a velocity sensitive (midi) keyboard but I wonder if it might be possible to remove and re-purpose whatever switches might be under those keys for a MalletKat controller. Keep the rest of the circuitry (and reconnect to it) and output over MIDI. Then you wouldn't need any drum brain. You could use software drums or drive any drum sounds addressable over MIDI. Seems like something like that would be possible. What'd ya think?

[sammywombarra]

@WeakEndProductions Very good idea. thanks.

A piezo pad in place of each key would work if the keys work like I think they do.

Now to acquire a cheap midi keyboard.

Thanks for the idea!

[100roberthenry]

@WeakEndProductions

this is exactly what i am going to do...just solder the piezos to the assigned keys...

of a 25key midi keyboard...no module...nice n cheap too...

i want to have double bass kick...just got to work out how to make sturdy pedals..

great project man...looks cool....

[nitrovanje]

great job, but there is one thing that I do not understand. whether the trigger pads "float" on the surface of the sponge, or they are somehow attached?

[WeakEndProductions]

If you clean off ( I use lacquer thinner) the gum rubber and, especially, the neoprene (it has a white powdery surface; I think it might be talc) the two materials will have a tendency to stick to each other over time. I suppose you could glue or use double-stick tape if you wanted. The triggers never dislodged from their positions even if the whole thing was turned upside down. Everything is pretty snug in there. The neoprene is taut under the aluminum angle edging. Thanks for watching!

[deadgoodcharlie]

That was what the doctor ordered buddy . Made my day.i have been experimenting with piezos and then found out that a regular speaker works just as well. Would love a PDF breakdown:) Great job.

[WeakEndProductions]

Glad you liked it. How does it work with a regular speaker? Do you tap the edge? Will sound rattle the speaker cone enough to set off the trigger? I suppose you could make some kind of 'sound triggered' device if that is the case. Hmmm.

[deadgoodcharlie]

Speaker size as far as I know does not matter. Take any 6 or 8 inch speaker, magnet up or down . Hook up as you would a piezo. If magnet is up hit the magnet, shock moves voice coil. If the magnet is down put a disc of 2 inch foam over the speaker and strike it, foam causes air to move the cone and voice coil, thus sound.Pretty simple, try it and let me know.

[cruikshank]

Glad I saw this. This could be a great project for me. I once had a Drumkat ver 3.5 and regret selling it. One question I have a DM5. Aren't you using more triggers than the DM5 has inputs? Thanks, Dave

[WeakEndProductions]

The DM5 has 12 trigger inputs plus a footswitch (highhat) input which toggles the open/closed samples for one of the trigger inputs. I did put two extra female jacks on my drum controller but they 'share' two of the 12 inputs with two of my pads.

[andrimelon]

man,,, you're good,,, i try to figure it out on my project,,, I get it now,,,

thanks a lot Mr. cool,,,

[bmusician08]

Perfect man! Congrates:)

[Johnnymaximum]

That's a pretty amazing drum set. Thanks for the tricks!

[maxxyporky]

ehee nice work

[wickerpets]

Are you a mechanical engineer, by any chance?

[WeakEndProductions]

Pretty close... laid off heavy equipment operator.

[rubberband3456]

This is awesome man

[WeakEndProductions]

Thanks for checking it out!