Digital drum sounds are everywhere. Now with a few parts, a few hours of your time, and some electronics sawy, you can build your own digital drums and save money too. Build the Alpha Digital Drum Teettoni E sampled sounds are currently the “hot” item for percussionists. Elec- tronic drums weigh less and are much smaller than their acoustic counterparts, dont require the hassles or expense of ‘microphones, and in the scudio, assurea clean sound with no isolation problems, If you'd lke to get in on the fun, the Alpha digital drum—which plays real, digitally sampled sounds—can be built for less than $40, A variery of sounds are available on EPROM (see pars list); if there is suflicient interest, welll describe how to record your own Sounds in EP- ROM ina subsequent issue, The Alpha is ‘unable over three octaves, fully dynamic (ouch sensitive), and can be wiggered from sensors or pads. The pars are com- mon and easy t0 obiain, How It Works Referring to the schematic (Fig. 1), the Circuit consists of eight basicblocks: peak ‘detector, envelope generator, trigger com- parator, voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), counter, memory, digital-to-ana- log converter (D/A), and volage-control led amplifier (VCA). The peak detector is buik around ICLA (4 ofan M324 single-supply quad ‘op amp) and a few discrete components VR, the sensitivity rim por, atienuates the tansient signal generated by the pick. up (apiezoceramic disc) the signal then ‘couples into [C1A’s non-inverting input through RI, RI and DI protect the op amp inpur from negative-going signals ] | Parts List Integrated Circuits i415 4h7 lar 1M324 qual op amp R20 470k | 12 C3080 transconductance op amp 24,2526 IM2 | 1G (€D4046 CMOS phase-locked loop ROT3S 301 watt 1% 1c C4040 CMOS 12-stage binary ounter/dtvider Capacitors (16 working vlts DC) 1s" 2732 4K x 8 EPROM ay 4uT radia ead 1C6,1CT CD 4049 hex inverter €2689-13 100m ceramic dsc 3 Sin ceramic disc Resistors (4 wat, 54% tolerance except as noted) a 4470p ceramic dise RI71219 220k G 10m ceramic disc R218 10k BB 22 Semiconductors Rf IM DI 1N34A germanium signal diode B59 22k D23 TIN9I4 or equi. silicon sal diode 6,21,2223 4M? Re 150k Potentiometers 10.16.17 100k VRE 500k trimpot VR2,VR3/ 100k linear taper Sensor Piezoceraic disc, aprox. inch dia; Radio Shack #273-069, #273-064, or equivalent * The following sound EPROMs are alae for $5 each from Howard Cano, 7057 Vivian Ct. Arvada, CO 80004: Share, studio snare, high tom, midtom, low tom, kick, tudo hick, cow bel, woodblock orhand clap. n etched and dried pried circuit board is avaiable {for $10. include $1 postage per order. (66 Blcronic Musici’ February 1987oy ALPHA DIGITAL sagan Ls Be a s Sree eel edt BE Te iwror gaa L te + —— 7 i: ee ———————— ane pcetas na) onanreessi ieee mk sty a ‘fom Yee eee Zlas on 2. Stas 910 1» AJo7 ee 5 << Sos 8 Re Lc2 Slox ast uz +. ret She * Steno os QL Say se i noe Shs goa ‘une i ls tai 3] we (2 Shen ev + ane a sv 7 ae a 3 le ae a | a oe wav Son oot Bt aol “Nz oa PS es 221 oD os} | 2 a ene | med a ME aa per eset Tras soe Fig. 1 Cicut diagram for Apa Digital Drum croc Mascara 198747frssscos (uy lp] Mem MOO aa SS > OO n, . & iy edb je | iy ee Ll ie — J —) ICIA charges Cl through D2 during the | enough to give agood dynamic response input signal’ positive-going peaks unel | ICBI buffers the exponential envelope both inputs of ICLA are ac the same in- | and drives the conttol input of the VCA stantaneous potential. C1 holdsthis volt- | ((C2and associated components)through age during more negative input signals. | R5. The envelope, atenuated by R6 and ‘The charge slowly bleeds away through | R7.also modulates the VCO (IC3) 0 that R2and 83 thispparicularchoice of esis- | striking the sensor harder increases the {or values also gives the peak derector | frequency slightly, thus giving a more some gain natural sound: ‘When ICIA swings positive, it also | 1C3,a4046phase-locked oop, serves charges C2 through D3. These compo- | as the basis ofthe VCO. VR2 tunes the nents, along with R¢ and ICIB, form the | sampled sounds pitch over more than envelope generator. It may seem redun- | three octaves. The inhibit input (pin 5) dant 0 have rwo RC networks, but itis_| gatesthe oscillator on and off. Other sec- necessary. The shorter time constant of | tions of the 4046 are not used. (R2+R3)XCI permits the peak detector | IC\Cisthetrigger comparator. When to respond 10 rapid playing, such as a | the ourputofthe peak detector goes more drumroll,andthelongertime constantof | positive than the reference voltage set by R4 x C2 doesnt cut shor the longer | voltage divider R8/R9, this comparator drum sounds—yet stil veacts quickly | resets the 4040 12-stage binary divider. | Rid prorects the 404005 reser input, as Howard Cano is an electronics engineer | ICIC can swing higher than the 5V sup- and currently designs high accuracy labora | ply used on the 4040. tory equipment. He has manufactured sev- | When the counter (IC4) is reset, eral pes of musical equipment; his“Medu- | Ql2's output goes low and enables the lus Electronic Drums” are played and en- | VCO(IC3). The VCO clocks the counter, dorsed by Ed Shaughnessy On the NBC To- and the counter sequentially recalls the night Show. His hobbies mciude playing gu- | digital sound samples stored in memory to and ether snot ong rad cm | CHIC, 1 2732 EPROM. The samples trolled arlanes, and drving red spons cars, | are read ‘our of memory unsil counter ‘output QI goes high. The VCO is then inhibited, and remains so until the sen- sor is struck again, The counter may be resetatany ime during this sequence by rmuliple sensor strikes. The D/A converter, which consists of two 4049 hex inverers (IC6 and IC7) anda binary weighted resistor string (R21 through R35), ranslates the 2732' digital data into an analog voltage. C4 and C5 fier ou high frequency hash and clock glitches from the analog waveform "The D/A feeds the VCA through an attenuator (R12 and RIB), as the CA3080 is susceptible to overload. The CA20801s ‘transconductance amplifier whose out- put current is proportional to the differ ‘ential input voltage multiplied by the con- trol current flowing into pin 5. The ratio Cf R16 and RIT sets a bias volage for the (€A3080 output, and heir parallel resist- ance (along with VR3) determines the VCA gain, which is etjustlow enough 0 avoid clipping, RIB and C7 keep power supply noise out ofthe audio output. C8 ‘couples the output signal to volume con two] VR3. RIO permits maliple drum our ts tobe paralleled ifno mixer is avala- le: however, if you're feeding a typical |, PA orrecording mine, i's probably beterto lower the value to around 10k. R20 helps overcome the O6V diode drop at the control pia input, which would oth fenwise cause 2 “dead” spot in the drum response at low dynamic levels. ‘CONSTRUCTION NOTES ICS pinout allows for a single-sided printed circuit board layout (see Fig. 2 the circuit board foil arwork), The diodes stand banded-end up, and most of the resistors stand on end to save space (see Fig. 3, component layout) Even so, con- seruction isnot pariculary tighter difi- cul, «just keep an eye out for solder bridges strongly recommend using sockets fon all ICs. A’socket on the EPROM is, of ‘course, mandatory if you want to change sounds—a ZIF (zero insertion force) socker is best here. The circuit requites +5¥ at approxi- mately 75 mA and +12V at approximately 3:mA. There is rooms on the board for a 5V cegulator, which sith proper heatsink ‘ng could run five or more drums. The *+12V mustbe well-fitered, bur not neces: sarily regulated. The analog and digital ‘ground chould be kept separate and tie Together only a the poseer supply ‘RL, the sensitivity trim pot, can mount On the board or go someplace tore accessible if you anticipate using different types of oiggers. “The piezoceramic sensor may be ‘mounted in or ona practice pad, acoustic drum, or even a thin piece of plywood ‘wth rubber on top. Pace the sensor where it won’ take a direct impact, and use shielded cable berween the sensor and circuit board, Pickup phasing is normally ‘not important. If your particular sensor pad construction doesnt give quit enough bpur, you can increase the peak decector sain by reducing RSS value (halving &3 ives abourswice the gain). USING THE ALPHA DRUM ‘To use the drums for practicing or play- ing a smal gig, youll need an amplifier with a least 100 wats RMS of power. For proper reproduction, most drum sounds Fequite excellent bass and transient re sponse from the amp and speaker sys- tem, The Alpha drum ouput isline level, so pad it down if youre using a guitar amp. ‘Although mos people think of dightal drums as preny high-tech, they're not really al chat difficult t0 bull. So grab ‘your soldering iron and have fun’ ERY