Jack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
I'm writing a long read for
Aeon magazine on drum machines. Here's a video of part of my research, with a thread explaining what's going on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSpia2cLMlk
Il Tamburo Meccanico

YouTube
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
Some people say that Leonardo designed (but apparently never built) the first programmable drum machine. (I'm not sure. Noel Sharkey argues that Ishmail Al-Jazari has a good claim https://techradar.com/news/the-forgotten-history-of-the-800-year-old-robot).
The forgotten history of the 800-year-old robot

There’s nothing new about robotics

TechRadar
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
But the wonderful curators at the Museum Speelklok in Utrecht put me onto Leonardo. (If you're ever in Utrecht, go to their museum. It's heaven). These lads built a full-size Tamburo Meccanico. https://coaa.us/index_archive/Issues_41_to_50/Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%20E%20Il%20Tamburo%20Meccanico%20(Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%E2%80%99s%20Defined%20Mechanical%20Drum)%20Ernestino%20Marchetti,%20_44.pdf
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
The thing is programmable using pegs positioned around barrels that flick beaters against two drum heads. I bought a toy one. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Academy-Da-Vinci-Mechanical-Drum/dp/B004U0632K/ref=sr_1_2?crid=TRO412736FUW&keywords=leonardo+drum+machine&qid=1673001903&s=kids&sprefix=leonardo+drum+machine%2Ctoys%2C69&sr=1-2
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
You can programme your beats by stacking up little wheels, each of which has a peg on. Trouble is, there are ten holes around each wheel, which means every rhythm is split into 10. This makes for good maths but bad music.
Show threadJack Stilgoe
In musical terms, we're forced into 5/4 time, which nobody really likes. Famous tunes in 5/4? Take Five by Dave Brubeck. It's brilliant, and features the wonderful Joe Morello. And it's the biggest selling jazz single ever. But that's about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT9Eh8wNMkw
Dave Brubeck - Take Five

Live in Belgium 1964Paul Desmond (alto sax), Joe Morello (drums), Eugene Wright (bass) and Dave Brubeck (piano)

YouTube
Jan 7, 2023 at 11:27amWeb
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
More appropriate for a military renaissance drum is the Mission Impossible theme, I feel. This means programming one side - the bass drum - to play quavers 1, 4, 7 and 9, and the other side - a sort of snare - to play beats 3, 6, 8, 9 and 10.
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 7, 2023
It ended up sounding like this
Show threadRyan NolanJan 7, 2023
@jackstilgoe look forward to reading the piece, Jack! I was playing around with a TR-08 the other day (the tr808 reissue) and it seemed equally as difficult to programme as desired as this one - if for very different reasons!
Show threadPhilip ShapiraJan 8, 2023
@jackstilgoe Jack, this is great -- your video demo prompted me to search online, and I came across an informative piece on Leonardo's Mechanical Drum, which states that an aim of automated drumming was to prevent deaths of conventional drummers in battle. https://coaa.us/index_archive/Issues_41_to_50/Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%20E%20Il%20Tamburo%20Meccanico%20(Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%e2%80%99s%20Defined%20Mechanical%20Drum)%20Ernestino%20Marchetti,%20_44.pdf
Show threadJack StilgoeJan 8, 2023
@pshapira thanks Phil. It’s an opening into the new subsubdiscipline of drum manchineel studies.