Some instruments are much too large or bulky to be transported easily, which can be frustrating to musicians who travel a lot or enjoy creating music on the go. Drummers are certainly no exception to this issue, and are unable to work on new songs unless they are physically at their instrument. While riding the metro to and from work, I often feel the need to tap my fingers to the rhythm of the songs I listen to, but wouldn't it be cooler to actually be able to play along with the song? There has been a recent interest in mobile and smartphone-based instruments, and DrumPants is one of the more interesting ways to create music while on the move.
DrumPants consists of wearable sensors than can be attached to any type of clothes or worn under clothing that transmit signals to external speakers or headphones (DrumPants). The sensors use a MIDI, or musical instrument digital interface, Bluetooth connection to play the user's choice of over 100 different sounds when activated. A controller device is used to select which sound each sensor plays, but the product could potentially be improved by allowing a smartphone device to select the sounds through an application instead.
An Entire Band in Your Pocket - DrumPants
The product works by containing velocity-sensitive MIDI sensors (DrumPants). When a certain threshold velocity is reached, for example by tapping the sensor with a finger or by stomping your foot while a sensor is in your shoe, the MIDI signal, containing pitch, velocity, and volume signals for a sound, are sent to a receiver, where they can then be played through a speaker.
Being able to play instruments through phone applications has often been convenient simply because of the mobility of the apps, but frustrating due to small screens or occasionally non-responsiveness. The physical sensors used in DrumPants are a better alternative compared to trying to hit the right note on an iPhone application since they can be placed in specific locations and be more spread out. Currently, DrumPants is not marketing their product, but it will be interesting to see if their product, or other similar ones, becomes popular with musicians due to a trend in more mobile technology.
References
[1] DrumPants, Inc. (2014). DrumPants - Play music from your body! Retrieved from: http://www.drumpants.com/
[1] DrumPants. (2014). DrumPants: An Entire Band in Your Pocket. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VS2jWqFKM0
A well-written and interesting post. Good use of the visual, and proper use of sources and citations! Well done! JM
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