Internally Actuated Drums for Expressive Performance

Actuated instruments is a growing area of activity for research and composition, yet there has been little focus on membrane-based instruments. This paper describes a novel design for an internally actuated drum based on the mechanical principles of a loudspeaker. Implementation is described in detail; in particular, two modes of actuation, a moving-coil electromagnet and a moving-magnet design, are described. We evaluate the drum using a synthesized frequency sweep, and find that the instrument has a broad frequency response and exhibits qualities of both a drum and speaker.