You have probably heard of it, the NAMM Show is the “go-to” convention for any lover of the music industry.
Whether it’s about musical instruments or audio systems such as recording devices and hi-fi gear, the NAMM is THE place to discover all the exciting stuff coming up in the industry. And yes that includes us, passionate drummers.
Since we, at Vikory, had the chance to go there earlier this year, we decided to share with you the 5 best innovations for drummers we discovered at the NAMM Show 2020. From our perspective of course.
#5 - THE SNARE BUZZ MUTE
The Snare Buzz Mute is a device that you can fixate on your snare drums stand so you can, in just one small move, completely mute your snare buzz (hence the pretty explicit name).
Its creator wanted to address the very common problem most drummers face when they want to do live recording for example. When you activate the device, it presses your snare wires and totally mutes the buzz so you don’t get any unwanted noise pollution.
It can be very handy if you want to record with your band while your snare tends to ruin this rockin’ amazing intro from your bass player.
Although you can still use your snare while the device is activated, it actually gives it a much “dryer” sound, which can be very interesting.
When the bass intro is over and if you want to get advantage of your little snare buzz while playing (it does have its beauty sometimes, let’s admit it), you can simply deactivate the device in a second. Pretty handy!
#4 - KICKBLOCKS
Even though we assure you this is not a top for self-explanatory names, KickBlock is a very cool device made to… well, block your kick.
It does it thanks to a velcro-like technology that adapts to most kinds of drum rugs.
If you’re a drummer you know this feeling of seeing your drum kit running away from you while you’re playing. And it’s not a feeling we particularly like.
What makes it very cool is that the material is really made so that it won’t damage your kick in any way. The contact is pretty soft and it just doesn’t budge.
We did try it with some full squat lifting leg kick of our own (yes we do want to make that gym subscription worth it) and it didn’t move a single inch.
We also had the chance to try their soon-to-be-released Hi-Hat and pedals version we are pretty excited about.
You can check them out here on Instagram if you want to know when it comes out.
#3 - ZIKITDRUMS
Have you ever thought about buying multiple snares to have more sound options depending on your drumming mood? But then renounced because you were not ready to sell your home just yet? (nobody's judging, everyone has priorities)
The team from Zikitdrums thought about this by inventing a device that integrates with any snare to give it the ability to sound either like a 14”, a 12” or even a 10” snare.
The device is used in a similar way to your snare wires system, so you can switch it in a second while playing. Giving you multiple options while playing the same single track.
What makes them really smart in our opinion is that they created their own snare drums but are also selling the device separately in case you are not ready to give up your favorite Ludwig Supraphonic Black Beauty just yet.
And speaking of snare drums…
#2 - BENNY GREB SIGNATURE SNARE DRUMS FROM SONOR©
I know, I know… Promoting the small brands first… Challenging the old and not-so-innovative drumming industry…
Even though we do think that generally speaking the big traditional brands don’t innovate enough, we must be fair and admit when they do so. And Sonor© did strike a blow with this one.
This snare drum is not only freaking beautiful. It comes with a genius system that makes it very versatile and interesting, not unlike its ambassador.
Benny Greb is, let’s face it, one of the most interesting drummers of our generation. And he did demonstrate it well in this partnership with Sonor©.
The snare includes a really interesting device called “a sheep” (Benny Greb’s special disclosure: it’s all vegan).
Not unlike your snare wires system or even Zikitdrums, you can activate one of the sheep with a small lever. The material and texture of both sheep are different and its contact with your drum head will result in different variants of the sound.
One will make the sound dryer while the other will soften it.
The overall object is pretty pricey but if you’re thinking about investing in a new snare drum, this one is definitely on our top list.
#1 - SENSTROKE AND SENSPAD FROM REDISON
Yes, we know each other. Yes, they are friends of ours from northern France, just like us (and yes it is me on the picture).
But if we get along so well it is first and foremost because we are both in love with each other’s products.
Redison is, in our opinion, one of the most interesting growing companies in the music industry and their tech opens up the doors for unlimited possibilities.
Senstroke is a sensor that you can put on your drumsticks and link with your smartphone or laptop in order to be able to play the drums on literally anything.
You can set the drum set that you want on the app’s interface. It can be used with MainStage and you can easily record yourself in MIDI.
These are a few of all the possibilities the device offers and will be able to offer in the future.
As their tech improves, you can imagine all kinds of applications to your drummer life such as personalized online schooling, feedbacks on your performance, etc.
They are also currently developing their second product which goes by the name of Senspad.
Senspad is a wireless, connected practice pad. 100% portative and still unlimited possibilities in terms of sounds and applications. You can check its dedicated website for more info.
Overall, the NAMM Show 2020 has not only been an opportunity for us to discover a worldwide musical event with all the animations and opportunities that go with it.
It was also a chance for us to discover other challengers. Small companies like us who want to bring some change in the modern world of drumming and music in general.
We did appreciate the vibe very much and we are definitely thinking of having our own booth next year.
Until then, you can still check out our very own innovative drumsticks here.
We initiated the change by creating it. You can support this change by claiming it.
#VforVikory
Clément
Founder of Vikory
