Analysis of Drumbeats – Interaction between Drummer, Drumstick and Instrument

This thesis investigates the moment, when the drumstick hits the membrane of a drum. Experiments were conducted to obtain information about the interaction of drummer, drumstick and membrane during a single stroke. Using a modified drumstick, the force on the drumstick, the acceleration of the stick’s tip, the duration of the contact between stick and membrane and the sound of the drum were recorded. Strokes were performed at different dynamic levels, at different positions on the drumhead and for different drumhead tensions. Furthermore, possible influences of the drumstick model and the drummer were analyzed briefly. During the 3–6ms of contact between drumstick and membrane, the interaction process was found to be influenced by the deflection of the drumhead, the vibration of the drumstick and a traveling wave on the drumhead. Altering the different parameters of the experiment, provided an insight into the influence of each interacting component on the process of striking the drum.