M_Drummer Data Sets and Videos

To see all of M_Drummer's videos and data, follow the links:

DATA

VIDEOS

Protocol 

Published papers on the data:

Analysis of a Buzz Stroke

Snare Drumming Preliminary Results

Rudimental Coordination: From Snare to Set

The analysis of the 3 drummers who participated in the experiment are as follows:

1. Average of Position of Basic Strokes

2. Average of Position of Rudiments via basic stroke breakdown

3. Difference of positions based on basic stoke breakdown of rudiments

4. Overall analysis through triangulation of movement: Possible sin(x) or cos(x) reduction

Basic Strokes

The Rudiments are a subset of the Basic Strokes.

The Basic Strokes are a subset of the Positions.

Positions: Rest, Up, Tap

The rest position is when a mode occurs in the data. While the mode for each anatomical marker vector differ in time, the time in which a mode occurs for all anatomical markers and vectors are close in time; meaning the rest position is reflected by the occurrence of the mode in a five number summary for a data set. 

The up position refers to the maximum displacement value in the z (up and down) for the wrist specifically. While the origin of the stroke is at the shoulder (mainly from the scapula), the wrist determine the distance of the stick from the drum in the z-vector. 

The tap position refers to the wrist when the minimum displacement value occurs in a sequence for the z-vector. This position in time is closely related to the stick hitting the drum. 

The data for each drummer can be categorized by these three phenomena which map onto the traditional pedagogical terms used in snare drumming. The data is analyzed through this lens of maximum (up position), minimum (tap position), and mode (rest position). The other components of the five number summary used without a mapping of meaning to pedagogical snare drumming terminology. 

Basic Stroke Types: Full, Up, Down, Tap, Buzz

Full Stroke: Rest->Up->Tap->Rest

Up Stroke: Rest->Tap->Up->Rest

Down Stroke: Rest->Up->Tap->Rest

Tap Stroke: Rest->Tap->Rest

Buzz Stroke: Rest->Up->Tap(n)->Rest

(n) denotes the number of times the stick makes contact with the head within one

stroke...

The following are the position for the basic stroke trail of the tap stroke for the M_Drummer. The data shows through the standard deviation of each vector that the movement for this particular stoke is minimal. Due to the transformation matrix performed on the data, the median value of each anatomical marker and vector is either zero or approaches zero. This transformation allows for calculating the intersection and timing of anatomical markers as they move through each trial. 

Below is the transformed data:

As seen above, the M_Drummer for the tap stroke trial is minimal, between .2cm and -.2cm. This is a representation of the traditional approach to the tap stroke which is meant to have minimal movement of the body and stick. 

Positions of M_Drummer are based on the z-vector of the radius. This is due to the fact that most of the movement that pertains to the striking of the drum happens in the z-vector for the wrist, specifically the ulna and radius. This conceptualization of striking the drum can be applied to all data for snare drumming. Below is the wrist (ulna and radius in the z and r vectors)

As seen above, the z-vector chart lends itself for analyzation through the minimum and maximum displacement values. 

As seen in the table below, the radius in the z-vector has a standard deviation greater than 1. This means that there is marked movement for the radius anatomical marker in this specific trail. As stated before, the z-vector expresses the vertical movement in a particular anatomical marker. For the up stroke, the movement of the radius is expressed in all three vectors (x,y,z), yet the z-vector expresses the most movement in the particular stroke. As seen in the table below, the distance the wrist travels is about from -.6cm to 3.84cm. 

The transformation matrix provides a comparative analysis of each anatomical marker in all vectors.

As seen in the chart above, the movement of each anatomical marker has a similar movement for the first sequence of the up stroke. Strokes 2, 3, and 4 show and inverse relationship of movement between the wrist and the elbow in the resultant vector representation. 

The first iteration of the up stroke may be a mistake of M_Drummer. However, not enough data is available at this time to substantiate this claim. 

As seen in the table below, the trial has only one occurrence of the down stroke; around the frames 375 to 555. While this limits the availability to compare multiple phenomenon, one can gain knowledge from this one down stroke. 

As seen in the chart above, the radius has the most displacement. Also, there are certain points at which the transformed data for the anatomical markers intersect.  

As seen in the chart below, the elbow and wrist share an inverse displacement. Meaning, the wrist and elbow have their relative maximum and minimum values occurring in an inverse manner (elbow max, radius min). 

As seen in the chart above, the standard deviation of each anatomical marker in each vector for the positions are below 1. This means that the variation of movement is minimal and that M_Drummer returns to the positions in a similar value of displacement. Or, M_Drummer can approach returning the body to the same position through the different occurrences of the sequencing of the anatomical markers. 

Conclusion of Basic Strokes

While the data for M_Drummer is incomplete (no full stroke data), there is enough data previously mentioned to have an average of positions across basic strokes as seen below. 

This initial analysis of movement can be applied to the rudimentary trials. 

Analysis of the Rudiments Via Basic Strokes and Positions

The analysis of M_Drummer for the selected rudiments during the experiment trials will be based on the positions (up, tap, and rest) as well as the stroke break down found in traditional snare drumming pedagogy. 

Each rudiment trial has the positions cited in the analysis of the basic strokes throughout each iteration of the rudiment. Below is the basic stroke breakdown for each of the selected rudiments. All rudiments are broken down by stroke type. 

Stroke Break Down for the Selected Rudiments

Ratamacue

(Left Tap + Left Tap) +Right Tap, Left Up Stroke, Right Tap, Left Down Stroke

(Invert for Left Hand Lead)

Inverted Flam Tap 

Right Down Stroke + Left Tap Stroke, Right tap Stroke, Left Down Stroke + Right Tap 

Stroke, Left Tap Stroke

The Flam Tap 

Right Down stroke + Left Up Stroke, Right Tap, Left Down Stroke + Right Tap, Left Tap

Flam Accents

Right Down Stroke + Left Tap, Left Up Stroke, Right Tap, Left Down Stroke + Right Tap, Right Up 

Stroke, Left Tap

Paradiddle

Right Double Stroke, Left Up Stroke, Right Tap, Right Tap

(Invert for Left Hand Lead)

Conclusion

The rudimentary trials performed by M_Drummer have some unique occurances to the drummer himself. While the ulna and radius are expected to mimic each other, the elbow seems to exhibit a similar movement to wrist. This is very similar to the movement patterns of the above mentioned anatomical markers for M_Drummer in the first iteration of the up stroke. While the occurrance of similar movement in one instance of a trial might be an anomoly, the consistency of similar movement for the elbow and wrist in the rudimentary trial marks a constant movement paradigm (as seen above). 

In the experiment trial, there is enough data to substantiate the claim that the manner in which M_Drummer performs the assigned rudiments is the manner in which these rudiments are played outside of the experiment timeframe. Additionally, the consistency of the movement for each trial suggest that the data is accurate to M_Drummer himself; and isn't an odd occurrance since the standard deviation of the positions in each vector for each anatomical marker is below 1 (which means a minimal change in displacement). 

Linked here is the average of positions for the selected rudiment trials.