Learning and Performing with Drum Kit Technologies (Advanced)

The activities in this chapter are designed for undergraduates in their third year of drum kit studies who have developed advanced skills on the acoustic drum kit. This activity introduces students to the features and musical affordances of drum kit technologies. Students learn how to use percussion controllers and electronic drum triggers, in conjunction with music software they have experience of, to perform pieces of music in solo performance settings on hybrid, and fully electronic, drum kits. The three-stage approach includes: 1) exploring the built-in features of the percussion controller and associated music software, 2) using the controller in a familiar context, for example, to extend the possibilities of an acoustic drum kit in a hybrid setup, and, 3) creating a performance using only the technology (i.e., removing the familiar acoustic drum kit).