v1.2 (2/9/03)
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Note: Some Zendrums have pads which may be larger or smaller than the pads shown. This does not affect annotation. |
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In order to be able to effectively communicate the playing of a Zendrum, a standard of annotation must be used. Since the Zendrum is by definition a customizable instrument, the location of which sounds attach to which pads is extremely important. The pads have been broken down into 6 "groups" for ease of discussion. All locations are noted as seen by the player, if wearing the Zendrum with a strap. The LEFT group is then what a PLAYER would see at their left on the instrument. |
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Pads are then numbered LEFT TO RIGHT according to the WEARER.
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Each pad can then get a distinct and unique AlphaNumeric name based on Group and Position as shown in the Naming diagram. |
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Pad Name Usage In describing a layout, if (for example) 5 pads are used in a given rhythm, the pads used may be simply listed, something like this: F3=Bass, C2=Snare, C3=Hi Hat, C4=Open Hi Hat, T1=Clave |
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Simple Zendrum Transcription In Text Again, to communicate via internet, I wanted to create an easy to follow way to describe a rhythmic pattern. This would need to include Sound Type, Pad Location, "Fingering" and Rhythm. The system presently does NOT account for duration of notes. That would probably be better suited to standard notation somehow. It also does not allow for complex polyrhythmic structures which mix triplet/sixteenth patterns. Again, this is just a way to quickly get rhythmic ideas across. A FIXED WIDTH TYPE FACE LIKE COURIER MUST BE USED FOR THIS TO WORK. One "." = 1 tick of resolution - a single sixteenth note by default, a thirty second note if needed, a triplet if needed. Every "tick" must be accounted for with either a "fingering (l or r) or a "." as a rest. Accents may be accounted for by L and R rather than l and r. For our example, let us assume a 4/4 beat, straight time (not triplet). This would account for sixteen ticks if broken into sixteenth notes. Beats are seperated by a space. A straight four count on bass drum played with the right hand on pad F3 would look like this: F3 (bass) |r... r... r... r... A basic rock rhythm, with ride cymbal on every eight note played by the right hand on pad T4, Bass on each quarter played by left hand on C1 and Snare on 2 and 4 played at C2 would look like this: T1 (ride) |r.r. r.r.
r.r. r.r. Seeing the "l" occur simultaneously on 2 and 4 and seeing the adjacent pad positions of C1 and C2, it becomes apparent that both pads are slapped on that note. A jazz shuffle in triplets for 2 measures may look like this: (The dashes after the instrument names are just so the Bar lines up properly) C3 (Close HH)|r.. ... r.. ...|r..
... r.. ... This may look very confusing at first, but with a little familiarity, it becomes a simple "Zendrum Tab" to be able to work with, using just plain text. |
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