WORLDS CHEAPEST VIRTUAL DRUM at $10 [ Rs.500] - Using Pc ( No Drum Module Required )

introducing the worlds cheapest electronic virtual drum :-

1. Construction under $10 [ 500 Indian rupees ]
2. Brain - PC using software- flexi music orchestra
3. interface device - uses pc keyboard to link software and hardware
4. quality - excellent since in uses the samples in wav. or mp3 format or any else provided be user ...i used Yamaha and Ronald samples to get the professional quality .
5. 4 drums + 4 cymbals + a kick ( can be increased ) with sensitivity control
6. sorry no velocity sensitivity

Step 1: Parts List

all u need :

hardware + electronics + software

1. hardware :

1. wooden planks or plastic pipes to make a similar structure frame like ( if u want 4 +4 +1 ) :-
http://eqmag.com/article/yamaha-electronic-drum-set/Sept-2010/119075
2. hardboard (rough board ) plank cut into different diameter circles for drums and cymbals
i used :
drum : 7' snare two 10' toms and one 12' floor tom
cymbals: 5' bass cymbal two 12' crash one 10' hi-hat

3.
1.for attachments 8 suitable length stainless steel polished rods . out of which 4 are threaded out of which three are 1 inch and one for bass cymbal is 3 inch threaded
2. 4 nuts ( of size of the threads - i used no.)
4 voicers small + big , 4 springs + 4 chavi nuts
plz see image for corect idea
3. wooden pieces for bass pedal + suitable sized door hinges ( see image ) + 3 1 inch springs + an aluminium square + a not-bolt

2. electronics :-
1. 8 piezo transducer sensors here i get for 10rs. each ( 1 $ = 45/ rs. approx) [plastic / piezo any ]
2. 8 ic 741 op amps ( 5rs. each)
3. 40 * 40 PCB
4. 8 220k ohms resistors ( for feadback )
5. 8 4.7k presets(or pots) ( coarse) ( 2rs. each )
6. 8 470E presets ( fine ) ( 2rs. each )
8. connecting speaker wires ( 30 ft- doubled)
( 1.25 rs per feet )
9. last but not the least pc keyboard ( rs.200/- )
( or directly the IC if u get )
ALSO a female connector for the ic
i used a video game female connector the pins mismatched but i made it work randomly on the pins accessible

transistors can also be used here to amplifiy

3.software :-

as i mentioned

u need
1. flexi music orchestra
2. some professional quality wav. drum samples available widely

i attached both of them

tools :-
multimeter
solder gun + acc.
hot glue gun ( if u wish to glue the electronic joints)
super glue ( araldite , bondtite ..etc )
G- clamps
drill + 4mm drill bit
cutting saw etc.

Step 2: About FlexiMusic Orchestra

In FlexiMusic Orchestra you assign "small pieces of music beat" to each key/button of all your "Input Devices" and play it as orchestra or musical instrument. Small piece of music beat: You can choose any standard instrument/drum from midi bank. Or you can use sample of wave file you have. There are a lot of places in the Internet where you can download sound samples. We will provide links to these sites in our home page. Input devices: Computer Keyboard, Mouse, Joystick, Midi and other keyboard. You can use single or multiple input devices together. The input device can be any thing that DirectX can detect it. Real time: It plays the sound as soon as the key is pressed, unless you set it to queue. Hobby use: It can be used for simple use (like only use keyboard and mouse) for hobby to play sounds on your PC. Professional use: It can also be used as professional orchestra (many input devices, and set of music to change over). In a live music orchestra multiple keyboards can be connected to one PC and multiple persons can play music at the same time. And a set of music can be assigned and changed to change every ones sound. Midi sound: The General Midi (GM) 128 bank instruments and Drum sets can be assigned to keys and played. Background play: It can run in background. Once you put the input ON it will play even while you are working on another application. For example if you are playing a game or typing a letter, if you assign "UP pronouncing wave file" for "up arrow key", when ever you press "up arrow key" it will keep sounding "UP" "UP", making it fun to use your PC. DJ / juke box: If you have sound/music in wave file, using its queue and loop you can use this as good as a normal music player. Additionally it can play multiple songs at the same time. It is a multi sound wave player, assigning each sound wave file to each key of your keyboard or mouse or other and play it in Real time.

Here are some key features of "FlexiMusic Orchestra":

· Multiple sound wave player, assigning each sound wave file to each key of your keyboard or mouse, or other device, and play it in Real time.
· Real time key press informer, while running in the background.
· Hobby Use: To play sounds on your PC (only use keyboard and mouse).
· Professional Use: In a live orchestral performance, multiple keyboards can be connected to one PC and multiple people can play music at the same time. Also, a set of music can be assigned and it will change to change everyones sound.
· Midi sound: The General Midi (GM) 128 bank instruments and Drum sets can be assigned to keys and be played.
· Multiple Input Devices: Keyboards, Mouse, Joystick, Music-Keyboards, etc...
· Play Boards: An Unlimited number of play boards can be added.
· Assign a pronouncing key name sound to each key, and, as a key is pressed, it will keep sounding that pronunciation.
· DJ / Juke Box: With sound/music in wave file, using the program's queue and loop, it will work as well as a normal music player.
· Play multiple songs at the same time.
· Up to five different song queues can run concurrently.
· All inputs will playback simultaneously by doing live mixing in real time.
· It plays the sound as soon as the key is pressed, unless you set it to queue.
· Play Styles: It has Four different play styles available while assigning a sample wave file to a key: Play Once, Play Multi, Play Loop and Play Queue.
· Independent Player.
· Small File Size, The FlexiMusic Orchestra file format (*.FmOrc).
· Clean and easy-to-use interface.


Requirements:

· Pentium or equivalent or higher.
· 32MB RAM.
· DirectX7 or higher.
· Multimedia, Speaker.


download link :-
http://www.afreecodec.com/windows/fleximusic-orchestra-16475.html

i have also attached the software file

Step 3: About Drum Samples

flexi uses audio format samples to play as soon as keyboard key is pressed


the quality of u r drum depends on drum samples u r using

the following is ahuge drum machines ( Yamaha , Ronald ...and more professionals ) collections from in tor. format ..make sure u have u torrent client installed :-

http://torrentz.eu/c339b4b1e7915f6a40364f0fbf472fd2ab798678

beginners may try the default samples already present in flexi software

i have also attaches some sufficient and good samples

the torrent is too heavy ( 600 MB) so choose only which files u need ( u r favorite brand )

Step 4: About Keyboard Ic

take a pc keyboard open it ...remove the plastic sheets ....take the precious green ic WITH the usb / ps2 wire ...u r ic may differ with my one ....

PUT the ic in a female connector if u have ..
i do not get it here ...so i used one in the video game console which slightly mismatched the pins but i managed with the random pins which were accessible

what this ic does is whenever a key ic pressed on u r pc keyboard the two conductors on the plastic sheets conduct to the respective pins on the ic

hence u need to locate the two different groups of positive and negative pins . if u r confused between which one is positive and negative ....use an multimeter ....switch it to ac measurement
connect to the two different ic pins from two different groups u have located ..while the usb/ ps2 cable is connected ...if the meter shows negative reading invert the terminals ..now if the meter shows positive reading the the red terminal wire group is whole positive and the black negative ( ground)

When u short any different combinations from the group u see a letter on u r notepad

NOW ,
make 9 different combinations on the ic
out of which 8 will go to the ic for amplification and 1 will be directly shorted using the bass kick pedal hence u take any two wires from different groups and reserve for the kick
now ,
for 8 ( 4+4) drum and cymbals u need to do a shortcut take a common positive wire from the red groups of the ic and 8 diff. black groups wire....( hence this is a common anode type )
hence this should be random ..and u should not care for which alphabet / symbol / no. is formed
avoid function keys but

u might have guessed the remaining procedure

Step 5: Getting Ready With the Software + Ic Interface

now when u have chosen the combinations

open notepad and see u r randon conbinations note the the alphabets / sybols / no. avoid fuction keys NOTE the combinations as :
1:- A
2;- s
3:- 3
4 :- { etc.

now launch the brain flexi music orchestra ....align different files the the respective combinations from the bank of drum machines samples

suppose
1 -> A -> snare
etc. as u wish and note u r choice

Step 6: Making the Signal Amp

now to interface between each peizo sensor and ic combination ....to drive the sample ...u need to amplify the week signals

for this i use - ic 741

u may use plastic piezo or the normal ...as shown

find the polarity of the piezo using AC multimeter and connect reverse as shown ....OR experiment according to u r parameters

HERE ic 741 is used as a comparator ( i dont know exactly ) but no power supply is connected ...only 2 ,3 and 6 terminals are connected

do this 8 times on the PCB with common anode to all 6 terminals through the fine sensitivity trim ( refer diagram )

Step 7: The Hardware

bass pedal bass pedalbass pedal bass pedal bass pedal the hardware includes the
1. drums
2.cymbals
3. bass pedal


1. for drums :-
i do not get ready made pads and rings ( Here in India ) like Remo etc.
so i used rough board ( ply ) circles
snare-- 7"
tom 1 and tom 2 - 10"
floor tom - 12 "

they are each supported by SS rods bent to suitable shape and frame attachments ( i did this by putting it in a small door hole and bending it ) [ see pic]
piezo is attached at the FORWARD end so it recieves the shock of the impulse [ see pic]
i did it all with the SUPER GLUE and clamping it ....u may do with any other permenant method

2. cymbals:-
cymbals are similarly attached and sandwiched between the voicer and the spring to get the impulse
crash + ride - 12 "
hi hat - 10"
bass cymbal - 5 "

extra support beneath the piezo is given to balance

3. bass pedal:-
bass pedal is a direct contact switch ...where a adjustable nut bolt apparatus conducts to a metal plate above ...
wires are attached as u can see to connect to a suitable combination [ random ] on the keyboard IC

Step 8: Put Them All !!!

i put them all on a wood frame similar to the pic
idea- see a pic from google image page - find any one length parameter such as the cymbal is 16 "
then measure the dia of cymbal from the image
eg. 16mm then HERE, 1mm= 1inch then measure any dimensions on the pic u want and multiply with the scale ..ull get any measurements

i now my frame is to weak but is cheap enough

i put my ic between the two toms and wired the ic from ps2 to usb converter and used 4 wires to extend the usb 20 feet to my PC using old enameled copper wires
ENJOY>....
best of luck for the instructable
do ask any doubts
tell how efficient were my IDEAs and the project
comment plz.......