What's New

Electrodrum

SD5K

Old name
New owners
New shapes

Mandala

7 zones
Sticks or fingers
Brain inc.

Zendrum

Lovely wood
Unusual
Controller only

New Kid on the Block - The DrumIt 5

Swedish company 2box have introduced a brand new Ekit, the prototype of which was shown at this years NAMMS. This could well be a serious rival to Roland and Yamaha as it now allows you to use your pro samples such as BFD or Addictive Drums with a fully pro kit.

Press release

2box site

STOP PRESS expected release date will be August 2008 priced at just under 2000 euros,

The Simmons SD5K - RRP $600

The new SD5K Electronic kit has sensitive drum pads made of a durable, yet highly responsive, material that accurately captures' every hit. All pads have adjustable' rack and angle adjustments for old unlimited customization to your playing style. The sound module contains 237 voices and gives you plenty of sounds with which to customize your own drum kits.

For more information see Guitar center who are now the Simmons distributors though in name only.

Midi Controllers

TheSynesthesia Mandala Drum ($999)is a multi-zone electronic pad for use with sticks or fingers and hands. The Mandala drum is velocity responsive and very expressive. The Mandala's controller can be used as a standalone instrument as it has its own inbuilt sound generator or to control other midi sounds.

The pad has up to seven playing zones, these zones are rings emanating from centre of the Mandala. In its simplest form, the Mandala is a single zone which effectively means one instrument voice can be triggered.

For further information seeSynesthesia Corp.

TheZendrum (from $1200) consists of a triangular body made from quality hardwoods onto which 24 plastic pads have been mounted. These pads are touch sensitive and serve as midi triggers that are played by tapping or slapping with the fingers or hands. The Zendrum has no sound generator and has to be used with a separate midi controller which means it can also be used to control non-percussive instruments as well.

For further information see Zendrum corporation

Historic landmarks nad historic homes in the US.