HOW TO USE
A particular drum sound can be associated with each of the four touch pads.
Pressing the associated pushbutton (S1 to S4) selects a touch pad (1 to 4) to
change. Then pressing the + or – pushbuttons selects a particular drum, stepping
forwards or backwards through the 40 available drum sounds. Finally pressing the
same pushbutton again fixes the association.
Pressing CONTROL + VOLUME increases the volume, SHIFT + VOLUME
decreases the volume. Pressing CONTROL + SHIFT + VOLUME toggles gain x 2
(double output voltage).
Pressing CONTROL + SHIFT + TEMPO recalibrates the touch pads. Do this when
you add external touch objects using crocodile clip leads.
Settings are saved to non-volatile memory. CONTROL + SHIFT + RESET restores
all settings to the factory defaults. Note that user rhythms are not restored though.
Funky Drummer can output an audio signal on its jack socket which has a
maximum peak-to-peak of about 2 volts. This is more than capable of producing a
loud sound in a pair of 32-ohm impedance headphones.
The sensitivity of the touch pads can be adjusted by pressing and holding down
one of the pushbuttons during power up (until after the self-test has completed).
Six settings are available and are suitable for different physical arrangements of
external touch pad connections.
Either connect a mains power supply (5-9V regulated dc, 300mA,
centre +) to the power socket or a PP3 battery to the battery snap. The
software includes a power-on self-test. The LED should flash twice if
Funky Drummer is working correctly.
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Connect headphones or powered speakers (with a 3.5mm jack plug) to
the audio output socket. Tap the touch pads with your finger and you
should hear different drum sounds. You can connect external objects
such as pieces of fruit or vegetables to the touch pads using crocodile
clip leads. Touching the objects will then sound the drums.
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The LED flashes at the start of the rhythm loop. Pressing any pad pushbutton (S1
to S4) stops the rhythm playing.
CONTROL + TEMPO increases the rhythm tempo (with auto repeat), SHIFT +
TEMPO decreases the tempo (with auto repeat).
CONTROL + SHIFT + DEMO plays all the preset rhythms in turn. Any pad
pushbutton (S1 to S4) exits demo mode.
Record Mode
CONTROL or SHIFT + RECORD selects record mode and allows the user rhythms
to be edited.
The LED flashes at the start of the rhythm loop and a metronome click sounds on
each beat of 4 beats. The touch pads record drum sounds at the current point in the
rhythm loop.
Recording is at one quarter speed, and a maximum of 64 drum events per beat can
be recorded.
Pressing one of the pad pushbuttons (S1 to S4) exits record mode and stores the
rhythm as one of the 4 user rhythms.
Rhythm Mode
Pressing CONTROL + RHYTHM plays the current rhythm or selects the next
rhythm if a rhythm is already playing. Pressing SHIFT + RHYTHM plays the
current rhythm or selects the previous rhythm if a rhythm is already playing. 12
preset rhythms and 4 user rhythms are available.
8beat #1 8beat #2 8beat #3 8beat #4
jazz shuffle reggae samba
disco #1 disco #2 elec pop pattern #1
user #1 user #2 user #3 user #4
Table 2 - rhythms
closed hihat open hihat high tom #1 high tom #2 high tom #3
low tom #1 low tom #2 snare #1 snare #2 snare #3
snare #4 bass #1 bass #2 bass #3 high conga
low conga high bongo low bongo high agogo low agogo
crash cymbal taiko timpani timbale china cymbal
cabasa brush #1 brush #2 snap clap
cowbell triangle gunshot scratch whistle
kalimba rimshot chicken bubble quijada
Table 1 - drums
