Overview

The Drumtar is a wearable MIDI drum machine that controls a video of people dancing.  It has four pads, each of which controls an assignable sound. A bank select switch allows the user to toggle between different sets of sounds. As drumbeats are played, the dancers are manipulated in a syncopated fashion. The result is a unique interactive experience where the user creates a live soundtrack, and the dancing to go with it.  The Drumtar differs from similar products in that the user receives two types of feedback, sonic and visual, that are linked in a significant way. 

Inspiration

Gesture:
I often see drummers, and other rhythmically oriented people, tapping on their stomach. Some do it because they are constantly thinking or rhythms or feel the need to practice.  Others just do it because they are bored.  Regardless, it is a very natural gesture that most people have engaged in some capacity.  The Drumtar was designed with gesture in mind. 

Performance:
I have also heard from many people that electronic music or laptop performances can be very boring.  They lack the spontaneity that most live shows have.  I am hoping that a device like the Drumtar can change that.  By displaying some simple actions with immediate results, the audience becomes much more engaged.  And because the Drumtar is basically a drum machine, it requires musical precision and skill.  There is a lot of possibility for human error, an element essential to live performances in my opinion. 

Aesthetic:
I was tired of seeing MIDI controllers that were bulky, cumbersome, and looked like they were out of a sci-fi movie.  Thus I designed the Drumtar as something that you could wear while out and about, perhaps coming to or from a gig, and not feel out of place. It looks more like a fashion accessory or a bag than some space age controller.

Interaction:
In similar games like Dance Dance Revolution, the user responds to onscreen cues with physical action. Accurate replications are rewarded. With the Drumtar, it is the opposite. What happens onscreen is a reaction to the users input. When the user hits the pads, they receive both sonic feedback, the drum sounds, and visual, the video manipulation, that are linked together in a meaningful way. Dancing and music are after all, activities that are typically performed together.

Images

Screenshots from the video.

Video

Movies play in Quicktime.

Clip #1 (6.2 mb)

Clip #2 (5.3 mb)

Contact

jwl283_at_nyu.edu

© 2005 Jason Lee All Rights Reserved