Aerodrums

[Babz]

Does anybody know the name of the tune used in the main video? It's some gypsy jazz/Django Reinhardt thing. Probably pretty famous ... I heard it once years ago in a commercial and have been trying to find out ever since.

Babz

If you have SoundHound or Shazam on your phone, see if either app recognizes the song. I've done that when watching a TV program and the apps almost always find whatever song is being used for the soundtrack.

I tried both those apps, but alas neither was able to identify the tune. The search continues ...

Babz

[bayswater]

my gut tells me that if playing an electronic kit is about 75% as satisfying as playing a real kit, then this is probably about 20%. Just strikes me as some sort of gimmick designed to turn heads at NAMM

I think it depends on how you look at this thing. If you're looking at it as a drummer, 20% seems pretty generous. But if you look at it as a device for generating a certain type of MIDI track to be further developed, as an improvement on a step sequencer, or tapping on a keyboard, then it could have a place and be very useful (assuming it works, and doesn't generate a lot of stray and double notes).

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I've ways depended on the heads and cymbals and while I'm sure I could play this thing, it would be like taking a shower with my sox on.

[James Steele]

...a device for generating a certain type of MIDI track to be further developed, as an improvement on a step sequencer, or tapping on a keyboard...

^^^ This! Precisely how I was looking at it.

[Babz]

Does anybody know the name of the tune used in the main video? It's some gypsy jazz/Django Reinhardt thing. Probably pretty famous ... I heard it once years ago in a commercial and have been trying to find out ever since.

Babz

If you have SoundHound or Shazam on your phone, see if either app recognizes the song. I've done that when watching a TV program and the apps almost always find whatever song is being used for the soundtrack.

I tried both those apps, but alas neither was able to identify the tune. The search continues ...

Babz

OK, if anyone is interested, I wrote to the Richard the Aerodrums guy and he told me the name of the tune used in the demo -- "Parisienne Chic" by Pat McCarthy.

I had heard it once years ago as part of a commercial (for French wine, I think) and was immediately transfixed and thinking it must be some essential Django tune of which I was unaware -- and I thought I knew all the main ones (Belleville, Minor Swing ... etc.).

Turns out (it seems, from googling) that Pat is a current UK jazz guitarist, and he did such a great job with the tune that he fooled me into thinking it was a lost classic! That explains why I could never track it down, even with iPad tune-recognition apps.

It works really well in the demo and perfectly captures the joy of this amazing product.

Sorry for the diversion. You may now return to your discussion of air drumming and optical position recognition.

Incroyable! Ouais! C'est génial! Rocque on, le dude!

Babz

[Babz]

...a device for generating a certain type of MIDI track to be further developed, as an improvement on a step sequencer, or tapping on a keyboard...

^^^ This! Precisely how I was looking at it.

"Precise" being the operative word. Playing drums -- precisely, perfectly on time, with no flubs -- is difficult. Electronic drums, while more flexible, and easier on your neighbors, are even harder to play. Now I want to strap on some crossing-guard reflectors and paper eyeglasses and try to find the exact spot in the air to swat a mosquito?

I'm just saying, just because something looks really cool, and may solve certain logistical problems, doesn't necessarily mean it makes it easier to play. To me it looks even *harder* to play than real drums.

Still, I don't want to sound negative. This is true genius for sure. Maybe it IS really easy to master. Mad props for this kind of maverick thinking. It is rare in these times to see someone come up with something totally different that no one else has thought of. I really hope that it is a cool as it looks in the video. I would love to check it out, even if I have to dress like a demented subway track worker!

Babz

[stubbsonic]

I think the foot-pedal options would be in the high 90%s since you can actually mount it to a real pedal.

As for the hands, and using the palm/heel as the strike surface, it would not only take practice (even for a trained drummer) but it would involve some "slop" that would not exist with a standard strike surface.

What was not mentioned was whether or not an actual strike surface could be used. For example, could a small table or even just a cross-bar with a padded surface be used? The camera would still be tracking the motion of the ball-ends.

Or, for another out-of-the-box solution, perhaps a small surface could be attached to the palm/heal of the hand to provide a strike surface on the south side of the fulcrum. I just stuck a little stack of post-its in there, and it could work.

On another note, the video of the real drummers trying it out gives a good idea of it's effectiveness. Some of them were able to get a very solid and controlled sound out of it--and some were a bit wild. But without much training time, most of them seemed to get something out of it pretty quickly.

[bayswater]

To me it looks even *harder* to play than real drums.

As Ringo says, it don't come easy. He might have been talking about something else.

[Tritonemusic]

What was not mentioned was whether or not an actual strike surface could be used. For example, could a small table or even just a cross-bar with a padded surface be used? The camera would still be tracking the motion of the ball-ends.

I'd love to know this, as well. It would make a huge difference to me.

[Sipaliwini]

Hello, I'm new here, my name is Yann, I'm Richard's co-inventor on Aerodrums.

It's an interesting idea to design the sticks so that you can still hit things, but currently the reflective markers are too fragile and placed at the tip*. There is also the issue of preserving line of sight with the camera when you start placing various surfaces to hit.

The reason why we didn't go in that direction is that striking your palm instead is very effective and intuitive. We haven't thought about "rigidifying" the feel with something to wear on the palm, it definitely sounds like something worth exploring.

In terms of skill required, with Aerodrums you don't need to "find the exact spot in the air to swat a mosquito": it doesn't use a model of a surface in space. We tried that and it doesn't work because people can't reliably locate the virtual surface. Instead, Aerodrums determines when you intend to hit something by analyzing your gesture, then it computes what piece it is you wanted to hit. This is why drummers at NAMM were able to get something out of Aerodrums literally at the instant they picked up the sticks.

*actually one of our early users has had the "cross bar" idea and made a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrUNVA003lU
It makes sense that for drummers whose technique is far from a loose German grip, looking for a solution like this is less daunting than to use a different technique when air-drumming. Richard and I think that learning the appropriate technique is the more rewarding thing to do.

[James Steele]

I'm just saying, just because something looks really cool, and may solve certain logistical problems, doesn't necessarily mean it makes it easier to play. To me it looks even *harder* to play than real drums.

I think maybe we ought to reserve judgement until we hear from someone who has actual experience with it? From what I see in the video, it looks like it might be adequate to get some basic parts into a sequencer and then do some cleanup after the fact. I'm doing rock... not jazz fusion. Might be more than adequate in my situation.

bkshepard said he was going to order it. Maybe we see what he says. He can be the official MOTUnation guinea pig!

[James Steele]

By the way, I should hasten to add that in my own music, drums created with VIs are used for demo purposes for a real drummer and almost always end up being replaced with real drums. Hence, I'm not so worried about perfection as the drum part is just to demo the song and hashing out ideas.

[Dan Worley]

How would it work with DP? Is it a VI that can be loaded, or is it just a standalone app?

Thanks.

[James Steele]

How would it work with DP? Is it a VI that can be loaded, or is it just a standalone app?

Thanks.

From what I read on their site, it's a standalone app that you can route into the DAW of your choice using the IAC bus. But that's just what I recall offhand. The info is on their site.

[James Steele]

BTW, these things are a bit over $170 on Amazon and buy together with the camera you need (fortunately it's inexpensive... about $10) to purchase separately. Obviously, it's all going to come down to performance. I see used electronic kits for sale on Craigslist and it might be possible to get something usable in the $400-$500 range that way. So it really depends if a traditional electronic kit is significantly better that it's worth spending 2-3x more.