Aerodrums - air drum kit with camera

General

Air drumming for pros - Aerodrums takes it to a whole new level! This 'invisible drum kit' is nice and compact, as it only consists of two sticks, two foot sensors and a camera (a pair of paper sunglasses and a clear English manual are also included). Aerodrums is compatible with Windows Vista, 7, 8 and 10, as well as Mac OS X 10.6 and up. As far as the many different samples that are included in the software package, we can be brief: they're just plain good. You can accurately adjust the latency so that there's no delay as you're playing. It's a great gadget for drummers and other musicians, and suitable for young and old!

Aerodrums - how does it work?

In the box, you'll find two sticks with reflective sensors at the tips, as well as two sensors that you strap to your feet. These sensors are quite sensitive, and should be treated with care. Furthermore, there's a round lamp in the box with a camera lens in the centre that you can connect to your computer. To install the software, you'll need an internet connection. Once it is installed, however, you're free to go offline! The software is compatible with Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Mac OS X 10.6 and up. We cannot guarantee that it works with other operating systems.

Once you've connected the camera to the USB input of your computer and you've installed the software, you're ready to start drumming! The lamp emits a bright light that reflects off the sensors on the sticks and your feet (which is why Aerodrums included the paper sunglasses to protect your eyes - Aerodrums cares). The camera then examines your movements, analysing them without any delay and tells the software which sounds to trigger. You can look at your computer screen to watch an interactive image of the drums you're playing, so you can see what you're doing.

To ensure all of this works as it's intended, it's important that you're sitting against a non-reflective background, preferably without any other objects in the camera's view. For the best result, you should sit approximately 1.2 metres away from the camera. Do note that this system does not work well outdoors.

Aerodrums - extensive software package

The first time you use the Aerodrums, you'll have to go through a quick process of adjusting the latency and setting the camera up correctly. How this works and what exactly you'll need to do is described in detail in the included manual. After this initial setup, you'll be ready to play some drums! The first drum kit you'll see is a simple kick, snare, hi-hat configuration, which is ideal to help get you used to the feeling of playing the Aerodrums. As there's no stick rebound, playing the invisible kit takes some getting used to, so it might be a little while before you know where the various parts of the kit are.

Once you've gotten used to it and everything's set-up properly, you can select from various other preset drum kits, or even create your own custom kit. Another handy feature is the fact that you can control the software remotely, using gestures. That way, you won't have to get up and walk to the computer every time you want to adjust something. To the left of the snare drum, there's a little spot that triggers the menu. What's more, you can even adjust the way your invisible kit is set-up. If you want to move a certain tom or cymbal to a different spot, or want to adjust its height, you can easily do so. You can even adjust how far the hi-hat cymbals open and play with a double bass drum pedal. Of course, you can also adjust the sensitivity of the kit.

Using the software, you can record your drum parts, play them back and export them as WAV or MIDI files. This MIDI functionality allows you to load your recording directly into a DAW like Cubase, Logic or Reason and use it to trigger different samples. Furthermore, the Aerodrums software has a built-in metronome, which helps you keep time when you practise. Another fun option: you can use the software to play along to your own MP3 files, and even record it! Finally, you can adjust the volume of the individual drums in the kit, and add some simple effects to the sound!

• The lamp/camera emits a very bright light, so be sure to always protect your eyes with the included sunglasses, or a pair of your own.
• We recommend always transporting the Aerodrums in the original packaging to prevent damaging the sensors.
• Be sure to check out the videos tab for a better idea of what the Aerodrums have to offer.
• Never play a regular or acoustic drum kit with the Aerodrums sticks, as they will likely break and this is not covered by the warranty.