Korg Wavedrum Mini

Being a world-class drummer can be something of a curse. Never mind if you’re behind a drum kit – as long as you’ve got a pair of sticks in your hand the whole world is your instrument! But this doesn’t always go down well with friends, family and fellow commuters.

Well now there’s a way to vent your rhythmical needs, wherever you might be – and treat your audience to the complete, multilayered musical experience that until now was only in your head. The Korg Wavedrum Mini is a portable synthesiser and the world’s biggest drum kit in one compact gadget. With its single dynamic pad you can play over 100 ready-made sounds.

Plus, with the Wavedrum Mini’s dynamic sensor clip you can turn any nearby object into a secondary percussion instrument. clip it to a teacup, tabletop, banana, or bus seat. Each item will provide a unique audio response and give your performances a little visual flair.

But how does it all work? Well, let’s start at the beginning. The Korg Wavedrum Mini is battery operated and has a set of integral speakers for performances (or practicing) anywhere. Choose from the 100 sounds available (from traditional drums to string instruments) and play over 100 pre-recorded rhythms. Or create your own rhythms from scratch. 10 different effects let you meddle with the sounds you’re creating and a built-in Looper lets you add unlimited layers into your performance.

The expressive pad surface recognises where on the pad you are striking and precisely how hard, adjusting the sound output accordingly. This allows for a far more natural, sophisticated sound and gives novices a chance to practice their technique.

The Wavedrum Mini also comes with a handy strap, so you can attach it to your knee. Set it to the sound of a snare drum and attach the sensor clip to your foot. Assign the sensor clip a bass drum sound and presto! You have your own drum kit. Lay down a simple rhythm and then loop in more and more instruments. In no time at all you’ll have a complete track full of synth zaps, bass thumps and acoustic twangs. In fact, all you’ll be missing are vocals. But don’t worry. If you’ve won round your friends, family and fellow commuters by this time you might just get some volunteers.