Electronic percussion instrumental system and percussion detecting apparatus therein

A method of making an electronic percussion instrument system comprising:

• providing a barrel section;
• providing a head having a plurality of openings through which air may pass;
• tensioning the head across an end of the barrel section to defme a percussion surface for receiving a percussion impact and a second surface facing opposite the percussion surface;
• and
• supporting a cushioning member and a transducer within the barrel section, with the cushioning member in contact with a portion of, but less than the entire surface area of the second surface of the head, wherein a portion of the second surface of the head is out of contact with the cushioning member to allow air to pass through the openings in the head upon an impact being received on the impact surface of the head.

An electronic percussion instrument system comprising:

• a barrel section having an open end;
• a head composed of a flexible net-like material through which air may pass, the head being disposed in a tensioned state across the open end of the barrel section to define a percussion surface for receiving a percussion impact and a second surface facing opposite the percussion surface, the second surface defining a surface area spanning the opening on the first end of the barrel section;
• a support member disposed within the barrel section;
• and
• a head sensor comprising a cushioning member and a transducer, the head sensor supported by the support member in contact with a portion of, but not the entire, second surface of the head to allow air to pass through the head.

A percussion instrument, comprising:

• a generally hollow body having an opening into a body interior;
• a generally flexible, net-like material tensioned state across the opening of the generally hollow body, the net-like material defining a percussion surface for receiving a percussion impact, the net-like material also having openings of a size sufficient to allow air to pass therethrough, upon receiving a percussion impact on the percussion surface;
• and
• a sensor supported by said generally hollow body, for providing an electronic signal in response to a percussion impact on the percussion surface of the generally flexible, net-like material.

An electronic percussion instrument system comprising:

• a barrel section having a first end;
• a head composed of a net-like material having multiple net members, said net-like material having openings through which air may pass, the net-like material disposed in a tensioned state across the first end of the barrel section to define a percussion surface for receiving a percussion impact and a second surface facing opposite the percussion surface;
• a support member disposed within the barrel section;
• and
• a head sensor comprising a cushioning member and a transducer supported by the support member within the barrel section, with the cushioning member in contact with a portion of, but less than the entire surface area of the second surface of the net-like material and disposed in communication with the transducer, such that the transducer provides an electric signal in response to a percussion impact on the percussion surface.