EP4070050A1 - Systems and methods for capturing and interpreting audio - Google Patents

Abstract

A device is provided for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument such as a cymbal of a drum kit. The device comprises a detectable element, such as a ferromagnetic element, such as a metal shim and a sensor spaced apart from and located relative to the musical instrument. The detectable element is located between the sensor and the musical instrument. When the musical instrument vibrates, the sensor remains stationary and the detectable element is vibrated relative to the sensor by the musical instrument.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND INTERPRETING AUDIO

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application takes priority from US Patent Application No.

16/704,258, filed December 5, 2019, the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to capturing and interpreting audio. Specifically, this disclosure relates to hardware components for systems for capturing and synthesizing percussion instruments, such as cymbals.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Many traditional acoustic musical instruments, such as percussion instruments, cannot be easily emulated or synthesized by electronic systems. While attempts have been made to build electronic drums, such electronic drums do not currently reproduce the sound of acoustic drum kits, and the subtlety of an acoustic performance may be lost by using existing electronic equivalents of drums.

[0004] Modem electronic drum kits are typically activated using a set of binary triggers, such that striking an electronic drum pad at a trigger will produce a specific sound. However, an acoustic drum kit can produce a much wider variety of sounds by using the main drum pad as a continuum, rather than a series of discrete triggers, using the rim of the drum as part of the instrument, and by striking a drum with different materials or utilizing different techniques, each activating the acoustics of the physical object in different ways to produce different sounds. For example, drummers may make unique sounds by hitting the rim of a drum or a side of a drum, or other locations where electronic devices may not have triggers. While some electronic drum pads can distinguish between harder and softer hits, they are still limited to which trigger is activated and at what force. [0005] Traditionally, acoustic drum sounds have been captured by standard acoustic microphones that are prone to also detecting ambient sounds other than those emanating from the drums. Such ambient sounds may include unwanted sounds that are difficult to isolate during processing. Further, such microphones may create signals that are usable to recreate the specific audio from the performance captured, but which cannot be used to modify or refine playback of the performance, since such signals are difficult or impossible for a computerized system to interpret. Further, such signals cannot be easily used to control a computer and cause customized playback of audio other than an amplified version of that captured.

[0006] Similarly, in the case of cymbal pickups, acoustic cymbal pickups typically consist of standard microphones positioned close to the cymbal, or vibrationally sensitive elements fixed to the cymbal itself. In the case of microphones, the devices do not isolate the sound of the cymbal well from outside sounds, and they do not generate an electronic signal that can be easily manipulated. In the case of vibrationally sensitive elements, these devices typically require fixing wired elements to the cymbal itself, which is problematic because cymbals vibrate violently and swing and spin on their stands.

[0007] Further, existing electronic drum kits require musicians to familiarize themselves with a new set of equipment that looks and feels different from what they are used to. Drummers are typically comfortable with their kit, and they are proficient at executing special drumming techniques on the equipment they have used for years.

[0008] The key issue is one of human-computer interaction. Currently, computer interfaces for musicians typically require the use of binary buttons, knobs and controls of limited dimensionality. To use a computer for musical creation requires that you learn the interfaces of the system. Since these interfaces are typically composed of low dimensional input devices, the range of musical expressivity inevitably falls short of what is possible with acoustic instruments. Unlike computer interfaces, acoustic instruments have extraordinarily complex analog interfaces. Take for example a drum: an electronic drum pad may be able to replay a single sound at variable volumes when struck by a performer, but an acoustic drum produces infinitely variable sounds depending on how, where and with what the drum is struck.

[0009] Further, current digital instruments and environments are not capable of listening to its users and responding in musically meaningful ways. For instance, a sequencer is capable of being programmed to play back melodies, harmonies and shifting tonalities in time, however, it may not be capable of listening to another musician playing along with it and respond to that musician’s intent to change tempo, chords, or tonality in real time.

[0010] There is a need for a system that can emulate and synthesize percussion instruments without losing the benefits of the acoustic and analog nature of the original instrument. There is a further need for such a system that can interpret signals captured from such percussion instruments and utilize them to control the output of a computer system. There is a further need for such a system that is adaptable to equipment that percussionists use currently and are comfortable with without the limitations of traditional microphones.

[0011] There is a further need for a platform in which the system described may be trained to better recognize signals captured, as well as a platform in which musical information can be extracted from audio data streams acquired elsewhere.

[0012] Finally, there is a need for a system that has the capability of interpreting its input as musically relevant information in order to follow, play along with and support other musicians.

SUMMARY

[0013] The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for capturing and interpreting audio, as well as outputting sounds selected based on the interpretation by the systems and methods. Also disclosed is a device for use in conjunction with the system. [0014] A device is provided, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument such as a cymbal of a drum kit. The device comprises a detectable element, such as a ferromagnetic element, such as a metal shim and a sensor spaced apart from and located relative to the musical instrument. The detectable element is located between the sensor and the musical instrument. When the musical instrument vibrates, the sensor remains stationary and the detectable element is vibrated relative to the sensor by the musical instrument.

[0015] The device may be a cymbal clamp for use with a cymbal. The sensor may be an inductive pickup, such as an inductive coil, and the device may further comprise a magnet fixed adjacent the inductive coil such that the inductive coil and the magnet remain stationary when the cymbal vibrates

[0016] The shim may be spaced apart from the cymbal by a first pad or portion of a pad, and the shim may be spaced apart from the sensor by a second pad or portion of a pad, such that vibration of the ferromagnetic shim is proportional to the vibration of the cymbal. Such vibration may be at the same frequency as the vibration of the cymbal.

The pads may be felt and the shim may be steel.

[0017] The vibration of the metal shim may generate an electromagnetic disturbance detectable by the inductive coil.

[0018] The device may be a cymbal clamp which comprises a cymbal clamping location located between an upper and lower pad. The sensor module may be spaced apart from the cymbal clamping location by one of the upper or lower pads, and the detectable element is located between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor module. The sensor module may then remain stationary, or relatively stationary, relative to the cymbal mounting location, and the detectable element may then move relative to the sensor module upon generation of an audio event at a cymbal at the cymbal mounting location, such as by way of a hit from a drumstick. [0019] The detectable element may be embedded in the upper or lower pad, or one of the pads may be divided into a first pad portion and a second pad portion, and the detectable element may be located between the pad portions.

[0020] The device may further be part of a cymbal stand, such that the device itself is a cymbal stand having a cymbal clamping location between an upper pad and a lower pad, a sensor module spaced apart from the cymbal clamping location by the upper pad or the lower pad, and a detectable element located between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor modules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 shows an implementation of a system for capturing and synthesizing audio from musical instruments.

[0022] Figure 2 is a device for capturing and synthesizing audio from musical instruments.

[0023] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the device of FIG. 2.

[0024] Figure 4 is a view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 with a cymbal fixed at a cymbal clamping location.

[0025] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 with the cymbal fixed at the cymbal clamping location.

[0026] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the device of FIG. 2 including a cymbal.

[0027] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of components of the device of

FIG. 2.

[0028] Figure 8 is a sectioned view of the device of FIG. 2 with the cymbal fixed at the cymbal clamping location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0030] This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.

[0031] A hardware system is combined with software methods to capture sounds from a musical instrument, interpret those sounds, and use the generated signals to control a computer, such as controlling the audio output of a computer. Such a system may emulate or synthesize the sound captured, or it may instead output audio samples mapped to those produced by the musical instrument. Mapped audio samples may be new sounds not sonically related to the actual sounds of the musical instrument, but rather audio structurally related to the acoustics of the instrument and the musicians way of interacting with it.

[0032] The hardware components described may include a device comprising multiple sensors that can be used to capture sound from a musical instrument, referred to herein as both a device and a microphone. The captured sound is converted to an electrical signal which may be processed at a computer system using a variety of software methods. Similarly, the software methods disclosed herein and in related disclosures may be utilized to interpret signals extracted from hardware components other than those described to identify and emulate or synthesize audio for a musical instrument. It will further be understood that while the embodiment disclosed relates to percussion instruments, specifically drums, similar hardware and software may be employed to capture and emulate sounds from other musical instruments and acoustic objects as well.

[0033] The software routines discussed are designed to extract musically relevant information from the signals such as the onset of events (drum strikes, note onsets), quality of sound (timbral content), pitches of steady-state tones (notes), simultaneous and unfolding structures of tones (harmony and melody), rhythmic structures (tempo, time signature, phrases), musical structures (song forms, dynamic shifts, textural shifts), and styles of musical creation unique to a specific player, group, or genre of music. Such software methods are able to extract these multiple layers of musical information and translate them into a symbolic data format that allows these levels of musical information to be used as generic control sources for other purposes. This system is designed to work both in real time, responding to immediate sensory input, as well as responding to a pre recorded sensory input.

[0034] In some embodiments, any input signal may be interpreted to have musically relevant information. While the description included herein is primarily in terms of a system and devices for capturing and synthesizing audio from drums, inputs may include signals from any acoustic instrument as picked up through a microphone, another sensor type that is designed to track acoustic sound and physical movement resulting from a person playing an instrument, an electro-acoustic instrument such as an electric guitar via a built-in pickup, and/or a stream of symbolic data that carries musically relevant information as a time-series such as with a MIDI keyboard instrument or MIDI controller of any kind.

[0035] Input signals containing musically relevant information may be classified in various ways. Analog and/or acoustic instruments may be classified in the following categories: a. unpitched instruments, including drums, cymbals, and other un-pitched percussion instruments; b. pitched monophonic instruments, including horns, woodwinds, synthesized monophonic sound, etc.; and c. pitched polyphonic instruments, including guitar, violin, piano, and synthesized polyphonic sound, etc.

[0036] Symbolic instruments may be classified in the following categories: a. un-pitched instruments, including electronic drum pads and finger pad drums that output MIDI; and b. pitched instruments, including keyboards that output MIDI.

[0037] Figure 1 shows an implementation of a system for capturing and synthesizing audio from drums. As shown, the system comprises several devices 100 for capturing audio from drums. Identical or similar devices 100 can capture audio from a variety of drum types, including snare 110, tom 120, or kick 130 drums. While the system and device are shown in reference to a drum based implementation, the system can be adapted to any musical instrument by varying components of the system. Similarly, the method can be modified to apply to any of a number of musical instruments by varying the characteristics extracted from an audio signal. For example, the system may incorporate any number of devices for capturing audio from additional instruments, such as the device of FIGS. 2-8, discussed in detail below, for capturing audio, or vibration, from a cymbal. [0038] The audio captured is transmitted as an analog signal to a pre-amp or audio interface with analog-to-digital conversion 140 which processes the audio signals and then further processes the audio, selects an audio sample to output, and then generates an output signal to transmit to an audio output, such as a PA system 145 or a headphone monitor 147. In some embodiments, the audio interface transmits a resulting digital signal to an external computer 150, or a different external unit, for further processing and for selecting an audio sample or applying an audio synthesis process and generating an output signal. In such embodiments, the computer 150 may be connected to an audio amplifier or speakers for outputting audio signals in real time, or it may be configured to store the results of the analysis or a recording of an audio output. In some embodiments, the computer 150 or the audio interface 140 may be connected to other hardware devices, such as lighting systems or hardware synthesizers, that may be controlled by the system via an interface to allow for user designed output profiles. For example, control messages may be output as generic MIDI messages that can be routed outside the system.

[0039] This system may be used for a real time performance, in which case audio is captured from each drum 110, 120, 130 of a drum kit using the devices 100, transmitted to the audio interface 140 for processing, either processed by an onboard processor or sent to the computer 150 for further analysis and classification, and transmitted to an amplifier for immediate playback of emulated or synthesized sounds. While the immediate playback may be of samples designed to sound as similar as possible to the acoustic playback of the drum kit, it may also be playback of alternative samples or synthesized sounds designed to give the drum kit a different sound profile, such as that of a different drum kit, a different type of drum, or distinct samples unrelated to traditional percussion performance. Further, the signal may be interpreted and used as a control signal for functions other than audio, such as hardware synthesizers, lighting, or other devices. [0040] In some embodiments, the system may be provided as a device containing sensors 100 but no processing circuitry, and a separate audio interface 140 that functions as a standalone processing device. During performances, the output of the sensors in the device 100 may be provided to the audio interface 140 for processing, and interpreting signals, and the audio interface may output a finalized audio signal for amplification.

[0041] The software methods discussed may utilize the output of the device 100 shown in FIG. 1, or that discussed below with respect to FIGS. 2-8, but may, in the alternative, be applied to any physical object whose vibrations can be captured by a sensor or set of sensors. Acoustic musical instruments are ideal examples of these types of objects.

[0042] Figure 2 is an embodiment of a device 3200 for capturing audio from musical instruments, in this case a cymbal 3210 for a drum kit. Accordingly, in discussing the present embodiment, reference is made to a cymbal 3210, but it is understood that similar devices may work on other musical instruments as well. In some embodiments, the device 3200 may further synthesize and/or output audio using any of the methods discussed generally above.

[0043] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the device 3200 of FIG. 2. Figure 4 is a side view and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 with a cymbal 3210 fixed at a cymbal clamping location. Figure 6 is an exploded view of the device 3200 of FIG. 2 including a cymbal 3210.

[0044] As shown, the device 3200 may generally be a cymbal clamp and it may be incorporated into a cymbal stand 3220. As such, the cymbal stand may include a hinge 3230 for adjusting the position of a mounted cymbal 3210. The cymbal clamp 3200 may then provide a cymbal clamping location 3240 which locates a cymbal 3210 between an upper pad 3250 and a lower pad 3260. The assembly further comprises a fixation element 3270, such that when the lower pad 3260, upper pad 3250, and cymbal 3210 are fully assembled, the fixation element can fix all components in place. This may be a thumbscrew 3270 as shown for mating with a threaded shaft 3280 of the cymbal clamp 3200. Alternatively, the fixation element can be any of a number of devices for fixing a cymbal at a clamping location in a cymbal stand.

[0045] The arrangement of an upper pad 3250 and a lower pad 3260 of a cymbal clamp is typical of traditional clamps. In the embodiment shown, the pads may be made of felt, but they may also be made of any material similar to those used in traditional cymbal clamps. In this way, the material choice and pad construction would not affect the feel or sound of a cymbal in the cymbal clamp 3200.

[0046] Further, while the cymbal clamp 3200 is shown in the context of a cymbal stand 3220, it will be understood that the device 3200 may be the cymbal clamp alone, designed to be retrofit to an existing cymbal stand, or the device may be a sensor module 3300 and one or more pad components designed to replace components of an existing cymbal clamp. Accordingly, the device 3200 described here modifies elements of a standard cymbal stand 3210 by replacing all of or a portion of the “sleeve” portion of a cymbal stand with mechanically similar or identical components that incorporate electronic components as described herein.

[0047] The cymbal clamp 3200 comprises a detectable element 3290, typically a ferromagnetic object, such as a metal shim, located relative to the cymbal 3210, and a sensor module 3300 spaced apart from the cymbal. The shim 3290 is then located between the sensor module 3300 and the cymbal 3210. The shim is typically small, and may be a 6mm steel disc for example.

[0048] Typically, the cymbal 3210 and sensor module 3300 are spaced apart from each other by either the upper or lower pad 3250, 3260. As shown, in a standard cymbal stand 3220 this would usually be the lower pad 3260. Accordingly, the shim 3290 may be embedded in the lower pad 3260 or the lower pad may comprise a first pad portion 3263 and a second pad portion 3266, and the shim 3290 may be located between them.

In any event, the shim 3290 is then located between the sensor module 3300 and the cymbal 3210 and spaced apart from both. [0049] While a traditional cymbal stand 3220, such as that shown, is placed on a surface and locates the cymbal 3210 at or near the top of the stand, a wide variety of cymbal stand structures exist. For example, some cymbal stands may extend partially horizontally, and may hang a cymbal below a support arm. Accordingly, while in traditional cymbal stands 3220 the sensor module 3300 is located below the cymbal 3210, when assembled, and thereby separated from the cymbal by a lower pad 3260, a hanging cymbal stand may instead locate the sensor module 3300 above the cymbal 3210 such that it can be more directly fixed to the support arm, and may therefore remain stationary relative to such support arm. In such an embodiment, it will be understood that the sensor module 3300 is then spaced apart from the cymbal 3210 by the upper pad 3250, and the shim 3290 may therefore be embedded in the upper pad, or the upper pad may comprise pad portions. Alternatively, the sensor module 3300 may be consistently located below the cymbal 3210, such that the weight of the cymbal rests on the lower pad 3260 between the cymbal and the sensor module, thereby consistently transmitting vibration to the shim 3290.

[0050] When the cymbal 3210 vibrates, such as when it is hit by a drumstick, the sensor module 3300 of the cymbal clamp 3200 remains substantially stationary, as it remains fixed to the cymbal stand 3220, and the shim 3290 is vibrated relative to the sensor by the cymbal 3210. Typically, the shim 3290 vibrates at a frequency based on the vibration of the cymbal 3210, and the sensor module 3300 detects the vibration of the shim 3290. The vibration frequency of the shim 3290 would be related to the vibration of the cymbal 3210 itself. For example, the vibration frequency of the shim 3290 might be proportional or may otherwise function as a proxy or an approximation of the vibration frequency of the cymbal 3210. The vibration frequency of the shim 3290 is therefore directly related to the vibration frequency of the cymbal 3210 upon the generation of an audio event. Accordingly, the methods discussed above may derive the vibration of the cymbal 3210 from the vibration detected at the shim 3290. [0051] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of components of the device 3200 of FIG. 2. Figure 8 is a sectioned view of the device 3200 with the cymbal 3210 fixed at the cymbal clamping location 3240. As shown, the sensor module 3300 may comprise a housing 3400, an inductive coil 3410, and a magnet 3420 fixed adjacent the inductive coil within the housing. Both the inductive coil 3410 and the magnet 3420 are mounted on an electronic circuit board 3430.

[0052] Accordingly, the sensor may be an inductive coil 3410, and the magnet 3420 is positioned adjacent the coil such that it biases the coil. Vibrations of the shim 3290 generate electromagnetic disturbances that are then detectable by the inductive coil 3410. The magnet 3420 may be a neodymium magnet spaced apart from the inductive coil 3410 by, for example, 3mm.

[0053] When the cymbal 3210 is placed on the stand 3220 it compresses the lower pad 3260 containing the shim. Vibrations from the cymbal 3210 then pass through the first portion 3270 of the lower pad and vibrate the shim 3290 which disturbs the magnetic field of the inductive coil 3410 and magnet 3420 pair, thus creating a measurable electric voltage in the inductor.

[0054] The device 3200 may further comprise a processor 3440 on the circuit board 3430 for identifying an audio event based on vibrations detected at the sensor module 3300. In such an embodiment, the device may further provide an audio output 3450 for outputting a sound based on the audio event identified by the processor 3440. This identification may be, for example, by way of any of the methods discussed elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0055] Alternatively, the device 3200 may output raw data drawn from the sensor module 3300, and processing may be performed outside of the cymbal clamp. In such an embodiments, the voltage based signal generated by the inductive coil 3410 and magnet 3420 pair, functioning as a coil pickup, is then conditioned and amplified via circuitry, such as op-amp based circuitry, on the electronic circuit board 3430 and passes through a cable extending out of the sensor module 3300 to be recorded or otherwise used in a downstream system.

[0056] Embodiments of the subject matter and the operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on computer storage medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus. Alternatively or in addition, the program instructions can be encoded on an artificially generated propagated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus for execution by a data processing apparatus.

A computer storage medium can be, or be included in, a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or a combination of one or more of them. Moreover, while a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal, a computer storage medium can be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagated signal. The computer storage medium can also be, or be included in, one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices).

[0057] While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for capturing vibrations produced by an object, the device comprising: a detectable element located relative to the object; a sensor spaced apart from the object and located relative to the object; wherein the detectable element is located between the sensor and the object, and wherein when the object vibrates, the sensor remains stationary and the detectable element is vibrated relative to the sensor by the object.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the object is a musical instrument.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the object is a cymbal, and wherein the device is a cymbal clamp.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the detectable element is a ferromagnetic shim, and wherein the sensor is an inductive coil, and wherein the device further comprises a magnet fixed adjacent the inductive coil such that the inductive coil and the magnet remain stationary when the object vibrates.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the ferromagnetic shim is spaced apart from the cymbal by a first pad or portion of a pad, and wherein the ferromagnetic shim is spaced apart from the sensor by a second pad or portion of a pad, such that the vibration of the ferromagnetic shim is proportional to the vibration of the cymbal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first pad or portion of a pad and the second pad or portion of a pad comprise felt and the ferromagnetic shim is a metal shim.

7. A cymbal clamp comprising: a cymbal clamping location between an upper pad and a lower pad; a sensor module spaced apart from the cymbal clamping location by one of the upper pad and the lower pad; a detectable element located between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor module; wherein the sensor module is stationary relative to a cymbal mounting location and the detectable element moves relative to the sensor module upon generation of an audio event at a cymbal at the cymbal clamping location.

8. The cymbal clamp of claim 7, wherein the detectable element is embedded in the upper pad or the lower pad.

9. The cymbal clamp of claim 7, wherein the one of the upper pad and the lower pad between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor module comprises a first pad portion and a second pad portion, and wherein the detectable element is located between the first pad portion and the second pad portion.

10. The cymbal clamp of claim 7, wherein the detectable element is ferromagnetic.

11. The cymbal clamp of claim 10, wherein the detectable element is a metal shim.

12. The cymbal clamp of claim 11, wherein the sensor module comprises: a housing; an inductive coil; and a magnet fixed adjacent the inductive coil such that it biases the coil, and wherein vibration of the metal shim generates an electromagnetic disturbance detectable by the inductive coil.

13. The cymbal clamp of claim 12, wherein upon generation of the audio event, the shim vibrates at a frequency directly related to a vibration frequency of the cymbal.

14. The cymbal clamp of claim 7 further comprising a processor for identifying an audio event based on vibrations detected at the sensor module.

15. The cymbal clamp of claim 14 further comprising an audio output for outputting a sound based on the audio event identified by the processor.

16. The cymbal clamp of claim 7, wherein each of the upper pad and the lower pad are felt pads.

17. A cymbal stand comprising: a cymbal clamping location between an upper pad and a lower pad; a sensor module spaced apart from the cymbal clamping location by one of the upper pad and the lower pad; a detectable element located between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor module; wherein the sensor module is stationary relative to the cymbal stand and the detectable element moves relative to the sensor module upon generation of an audio event at a cymbal at the cymbal clamping location.

18. The cymbal stand of claim 17, wherein the one of the upper pad and the lower pad between the cymbal clamping location and the sensor module comprises a first pad portion and a second pad portion, and wherein the detectable element is a ferromagnetic shim located between the first pad portion and the second pad portion.

19. The cymbal stand of claim 18, wherein the sensor module comprises: a housing; an inductive coil; and a magnet located adjacent the inductive coil such that it biases the coil, and wherein vibration of the ferromagnetic shim generates an electromagnetic disturbance detectable by the inductive coil.

20. The cymbal stand of claim 19, wherein upon generation of the audio event, the ferromagnetic shim vibrates at a frequency directly related to a vibration frequency of the cymbal.

21. The cymbal stand of claim 17 further comprising a processor for identifying an audio event based on vibrations detected at the sensor module.

22. The cymbal stand of claim 21 further comprising an audio output for outputting a sound based on the audio event identified by the processor.