Aerodrums: Drumming Without a Kit

Air drumming, almost all of us do it when we hear a great beat, whether we realise it or not. Wouldn't it be wonderful if playing an air drum kit would actually result in some realistic drum sounds? That has now become a reality, with the Aerodrums! It's a great gadget for any drummer or musician that has too little space for a real (electronic) drum kit.

Aerodrums: Drumming without a kit

The principal is fairly straightforward. The box contains two sticks with sensors, two sensors that you attach to your shoes, a pair of sunglasses and a camera with a light. You simply connect the camera to a computer via USB, take a seat approximately 1.2 metres away from the camera, and you're good to go. The light on the camera reflects off the sensors, so that the camera can accurately track their positions and movements. As the camera's light is quite bright, a pair of paper sunglasses is included - Aerodrums cares. Using the included software, you can select from a few great-sounding preset drum kits, or compose your own kit. You can choose from various samples and even alter the way that the drum kit is set-up. So if you're invisible floor tom is a little bit too far away, or your ride is a little too high, you can easily adjust their positioning so that it's more comfortable for you. You can even adjust the hi-hat clutch and play double bass drum pedals.

Other options

With the software, you can play along to your own MP3 files, and even record and play back your own parts. Even adding reverb or panning effects is a breeze. Of course, you can adjust the volume and sensitivity of individual parts of the kit, and there's a built-in metronome to help you keep time. As if all of that weren't enough, you can even use the Aerodrums as a MIDI trigger for DAWs like Cubase or Logic! The company behind it all is an enthusiastic and ambitious startup that's hard at work creating accessories, like special gloves that further increase accuracy and even allow you to choke cymbals. They're also looking into the possibility of 3D virtual reality goggles that give you a first person drumming experience. Do note that this is not possible with the current set, but perhaps Aerodrums will develop accessories to add that functionality in the future.

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