The Background Of The Electric Drum Kit

From the times of ancient man to the present day, from childhood until old age, humans have always appreciated music. We are creative beings and producing a noise - whether it is individually, as a group or as part of a choir - asserts our identity and place in the world.

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Throughout the history of our civilization, instruments which help us to make this music have been evolving. Early instruments were made from natural material such as wood or rock which then evolved to metal and string. We are now in the electronic and digital age and so many of our instruments are connected to a source of electricity in the production and recording of sound.

Amongst the earliest instruments is the drum. Drums were used in the tribal groups and in the gatherings of our ancestors. This percussion instrument gathered armies and heralded key moments in the festivals of ancient humanity such as war, marriage and death. Whilst the essential action of using the arm or the leg to hit a surface has not changed, the technological advancements of the instrument over the years have been dramatic.

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Today, you can choose between two types of drum sets: the acoustic drums and the increasingly popular electric drum kits. There have been huge advancements and improvements to both types, enhancing the produced sound and enjoyment of playing. Whether you play professionally or as a hobby, electric drum kits are widely recognised as a good option when deciding which type to choose.

The electronic drum mimics the acoustic drum kit in use and sound. However, it also in these points that the difference begins: rather than a regular drum, which sends sound waves into the environment, electric drum kits are a set of pads with a rubber or cloth coating. Beneath this layer is a sensor that is struck to generate an electric signal, which then travels down cables to an electronic unit which reproduces the corresponding sound.

The first electronic drum kit was developed in the 1970s by drummer Graeme Edge and by Brian Groves, a professor at the Sussex University. Later in the same decade, the electronic drum entered the commercial market although this was not an overwhelmingly popular move - drummers said that the early electronic sound was too thin, trashy and lacking the powerful resonance of the acoustic drum. However, in the 1980s there was a take-up of the electric drum with the emergence of famous bands and groups who proudly used electric drum kits. It is at this time that the popularity of the electric drum developed, with manufacturers beginning to replicate them for the everyday drummer.

Possibly the greatest development was in the 1990s when developments in technology allowed for the removal of the rubber-coating on the pads, and enabled the use of mesh-head pads instead. The woven mesh had more sensors so when this new surface was struck the sound was tighter, crisper and better quality. The last few years have seen a movement towards addressing the disadvantages of electric drum kits so that they are now becoming as popular as the acoustic drum.