GB2348735A

GB2348735A - Combined drum and stringed musical instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2348735A
Application number: GB9907922A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lawrence Rowland Vambe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-07
Filing date: 1999-04-07
Publication date: 2000-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-07
Also published as: GB9907922D0; GB2348735B

Abstract

An acoustic musical drum instrument whose body, in the form of a drum, is used to attach a neck from a variety of stringed musical instruments e.g the guitar, to tranform into a hybrid instrument whose components can be played simultaneously or separately as required. This combination produces a unique synthesis of sound between the two instruments. A stem member (1, Fig.1) is fixed to the inner side of the drum body and the neck of the stringed instrument is detachably connected to the stem member.

Description

STRUMDRUM ADAPTOR The invention relates to an adaptor device which can unite two separate members of the musical instrument family into one corporate body yet maintaining the individual characteristics of both.

A strumdrum is a musical drum instrument whose body, in the form of a drum, can be used to attach a neck from a variety of stringed musical intruments e. g. the guitar, to tranform into a hybrid instrument whose components can be played simultaneously or separately as required.

The resulting instrument has a form and dimension no bigger and more slimline than its stringed counterpart and quite literally stands on its own. In this aspect of its design, not only does it require less space, but does not need a stand.

The object of the invention is to make it possible to play two separate musical instruments in the same embodiment with ease and no added effort.

The embodiment is particularly designed to incorporate the drum with the guitar, cello or double bass variety of stringed instruments thus uniting the string and percussion sections of the orchestra.

Although it can be said that the banjo is a similar instrument, it does not have the advantage of facilitating the playing of the drum as a separate instrument. This is because the banjo skin is impeded by the bridge, which therefore limits the intrument to its percussive qualities rather than functioning as a drum in its own right, as the strumdrum does.

According to the present invention there is provided a stem member attached to the drum bearing a quick release bolt mechanism situated at the drumhead end of the body which, when pressed in the lock position, clamps the string plate firmly on the body or inversely, when left open, enables the strings of the instrument to connect directly to the edge of drum skin, acting as fine tuning of the drum and allowing slight vibration of the skin when the strings are played ; thus effecting a simultaneous vibration between them, giving a combined sound of the two composite instruments. This facility enables a strumdrum to produce the standard sound of the instrument when the bolt lever is in the on position, or the unique sound of the hybrid when the bolt is deactivated simply at the turn of a lever.

The top of the stem member, where it connects to the neck member, is provided with a slot to accomodate an optional standard violin or cello type tuning mechanism for the addition of an extra string.

Preferably the drum is made of wood, but it may instead be made of metal, fibre glass or plastics material.

A preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure I shows in perspective, an exploded view of the components comprising a strumdrum as listed below : ! Stem member fo adjoining body to neck via holes as shown.

2 Quick release bolt lever.

3 String fixing plate.

4 Detachable pickup (of standard acoustic type e. g.'Shadow').

5 Skin drumhead with metal rim catchment for tension bolts.

6 Drum skin tension bolts.

7 Optional adaptor stick.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a complete strumdrum ready to attach a stringed instrument neck member.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the resultant hybrid instrument after the neck being attached and strung.

Figure 4"shows thehside view of the assembled strumdrum with string plate lever in the off position, ready to attach a neck member A.

Figures l-f show the front and side views of the resultant stringed hybrid instrument, with the quick release bolt mechanism in the on and off position respectevly.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 A Strumdrum as comprising a body in the form of a drum, detachable stem member means for releasably securing the body to the neck of a stringed musical instrument, the stem member being housed from the inner of the drum by four fixing screws.
2 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 wherin a securing means are provided on the end of the body for mounting a string plate for strings to be attached to an instrument neck.
3 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherin a hole at the centre of the string plate and mounting is provided, allining with a corresponding hole in the stem member housing a quick release bolt mechanism acting as a clamp, capable of exerting minimum to maximum pressure on the securing means thus activating the combined sound characteristic of the hybrid instrument.
4 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 wherin housing for a detachable acoustic bridge type pickup is provided acting as a rest and means of external amplification for the instrument and strings secured to claim 2 as they pass over the body to tuning fixtures at the top of an instrument neck member.
5 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 wherin a hole is provided at the mid section of the body for sound emission and as the fitting housing for optional pickups.
6 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 wherin four equidistant bracket means are provided for securing tuning lugs to attach a skin drumhead to the body.
7 A Strumdrum as claimed in claim 1 or claim 4 wherin a receptor hole is provided on the end of the bridge pickup housing to accomodate an optional sprung mechanical adaptor stick device to facilitate the simultaneous playing of the strings and drum.

This device can be in the form of a u-shaped stick member acting as an extra string that, when struck, pivots at the bridge and is sprung to mechanically strike the surface of the drum skin, thus producing a drum beat.
8 A Strumdrum substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-7 of the accompaning drawing.