Homemade Drum Triggers
Drum triggers are drum set attachments that are attached to a bass drum or to a snare depending on what kind of sound needs to be produced. When the musician plays the drum, the drum trigger uses a sound module to change the original sound and produce a different pre-programmed sound. A drum trigger is also used to create a consistent sound and constant pace every time the drum is hit. A homemade drum trigger is much cheaper and equally efficient than commercial drum triggers.
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Things You'll Need
- Piezo transducer
- Utility knife
- Plastic lid
- Toothpick
- Epoxy
- Shielded phono jack
- Solder gun
- Double side tape
- Duct tape
Instructions
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1
Prepare the transducer for the installment. The simplest way to obtain transducers is to buy them in an electronics retail store. Basically, a transducer that you would need for this project is a small plastic disc with a diameter of less than 1 inch, which is used to convert an electrical signal into a sound.
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2
Press the transducer disc with your fingers until you break the glue that hold two sides together. Don't press the transducer surface too hard because you could damage the wiring inside it.
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3
Remove the back part from the transducer casing with a utility knife. Do this carefully so you don't cut the wires inside. Use only the tip of the knife to pry off the back of the transducer disc. When you open the transducer, you will see two wires, a black wire and a red wire, sticking out from the disc. For now, do not disturb or touch these wires.
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4
Prepare the epoxy substance by applying two to three drops onto a disposable plastic surface or the inside of a plastic lid. Use a toothpick to mix the epoxy thoroughly. Remember that epoxy sets and hardens quickly, so make sure to stir it fast and apply it to the transducer in a matter of minutes.
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5
Apply a small drop of mixed epoxy around the transducer's edge inside its casing, but do not smear it all over. This will create a seal on the inside edge of the transducer. Use a toothpick to apply the epoxy as precisely as possible. If you smear the epoxy all around and not just on the transducer inside edge, the signal will be weak and the drum trigger will not function properly.
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6
Apply another drop of epoxy on both solder points of the transducer. The solder points are places where the black and the red wire are attached. Basically, it is the place where the wire is coming out of the transducer disc. You need to apply a drop of epoxy at the base of the wire. Use a toothpick again for better precision and then let the whole thing dry for as long as the manufacturer of epoxy suggests.
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7
Expose the wires from a phono jack by removing its jacket. A phono jack is also a part easily obtained in an electronics retail store. When you purchase a phono jack, you will see that is it easy to remove its jacket or covering simply by sliding it off.
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Solder the two transducer wires to the phono jack wires, in no particular order. Use a small soldering gun for the process of soldering, which is melting two metal items in order to fuse them together. Make sure to secure the connection and attach the two together firmly since the connection between these two parts is the essence of what makes a drum trigger work. If you don't make a strong connection, the jack and the transducer will fall apart and the drum trigger will not function. If you don't have enough experience with using the soldering gun, first practice connecting some waste wires.
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9
Wait at least 5 minutes before continuing with the next step. The soldering process needs a few minutes to cool off and then the joint is secure and firm. Now, by attaching phono jack to the transducer disc, you have created the assembly known as a drum trigger.
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10
Tape the drum trigger to the drum of your choice by putting a small piece of strong double-sided tape on the casing side of the trigger. Then press the trigger to the drum to attach it. The location should be about a quarter-inch from the edge of the drum.
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Secure the whole drum trigger assembly by placing a piece of wide duct tape all over it. You don't need more than 4 inches of duct tape to secure the drum trigger. This duct tape piece will completely cover the drum trigger and secure it to the drum head.
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Tape the jack to the side of the chosen drum, just below the trigger that is on the top surface, with the same duct tape. Point the top of the jack down to the floor because it needs to be plugged in a power source in order for the drum trigger to work and alter the drum sound.
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13
Plug in your homemade drum trigger and check if it's functioning properly by trying out the drum sound. You should note that the sound will differ depending on the particular drum you attached the trigger to. Basically, the sound you produce should always be the same no matter what physical force is used to hit the drum. If you can play the drums at constant pace and alter the sound, your homemade drum trigger is working.
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Tips & Warnings
The trigger can also be mounted to the inside of the drum. It all depends on the style of your playing. If you are likely to use the whole surface of the drum, you may want to protect the drum trigger by placing it away from the drum sticks.
Tape the drum trigger to a location that never gets hit by the drum sticks, otherwise the trigger will break and stop working.
