Electronic Drum Module

An electronic drum module is the device in an electronic drum kit that serves as the central processing unit and sound module. The nomenclature varies (see below). For example, electronic drum modules are called "percussion sound modules" in the case of Roland Corporation, or sometimes simply modules. A common colloquial term for this device is drum brain. (see below).

Electronic drum modules are included with most electronic drum kits or can be used with triggers attached to regular acoustic drums. An electronic drum module is a special-purpose electronic device which accepts input from the drummer via external triggers that are hit with regular drum sticks. With an electronic drum kit, the player hits triggering devices as a synthesizer player would strike the keys of the synthesizer keyboard. Triggers may be pads or cymbal-shaped devices or piezo-electric pick-ups similar in function to a guitar pick-up. When the triggers are struck or activated by the vibration of a drum or other instrument, the electronic drum module interprets the signal and outputs the specific voice assigned to that trigger. The sound (or "voice") may be a sample or synthesized reproduction of any of a wide variety of drum, cymbal, percussion or other instruments, or even vocal sounds. It is similar in concept to modern MIDI musical keyboard workstations or synthesizers especially in that any sound available within a given module can be assigned to any trigger plugged into the module.

Most electronic drum modules come with a number of pre-programmed "kits" or "sets" - collections of voices assigned to specific triggers which emulate a traditional drum set. Many modules allow the player to save their own collections of sounds as additional kits and allow the player to recall them as desired. In effect, a single set of triggers may serve the same function as several traditional drum sets or collections of miscellaneous percussion instruments. Some modules may allow kits to be saved with labels such as: "rock kit", "jazz kit", and "hip-hop kit." Others simply assign a number to each saved kit. Modules may allow varying degrees of control over individual sounds such as the relative volume of each trigger input or reverb or other effects.

Most manufacturers also include more eclectic sounds in their modules, such as sounds from well-known drum machines, plus a large variety of ethnic, industrial, claps, and general percussion instruments or even vocal sounds. Manufacturers of electronic drum modules such as Roland Corporation have often built unusual playable sounds into the sound banks of their electronic drum modules to showcase the capabilities of the technology. Electronic drum modules also provide advanced features such as the ability to drive digital samplers. When used in conjunction with a sampler, the sounds that can be played are practically unlimited.