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HARK!
I hear ... musical repurposing...
From HARK Valley contributor Christopher Dorch:
You’re anxiously waiting for your drink at a local coffee shop. In the corner, a guitar player sets up his busking gig for the day, sitting on his suitcase tuning his guitar. But when he begins to play, your ears are greeted to the sound of a whole band! On second glance, the suitcase is some sort of all-in-one drum contraption, and with it, the guitarist turns an otherwise ordinary morning into something much more lively.
The man behind the device is David Duran. With his brand Not So Modern Drum Co., David transforms vintage luggage into stylish drums to be played by foot, like a kick drum. I visited his backyard shed/workshop/studio to learn more about his passion project.
From the moment I set foot in his space, I could grasp what David is all about. The floors were lined microphone cables, half finished ideas and new drum prototypes. In one corner I spotted an impromptu isolation booth (five foam panels surrounding a pristine Shure microphone). It reminded me of a bedroom music studio; just a relaxed space for being creative, equal parts DIY and comfy.
David, 23, is a musician through and through. He said that he recently formed a band, Olde Wives’ Tale (visit the band on Instagram) to write original songs with his friend Hannah MacDougall. He wears his musical influences on his sleeve, explaining that his style is inspired by Shakey Graves, a Texan folk guitarist who also plays a drum with his foot.
I was surprised to learn that he’s only been at this for a few months, and that making music is relatively new to him.
“I was kind of stuck, I wasn’t hyped on many things in life," he explained. Duran said he picked up a ukulele after getting bored with skateboarding. “Every couple of months I feel like I pick up a new instrument now. It’s all really new to me, which is so fun!”
It was after learning to play electric guitar that David discovered his love for drums.
“As a guitarist and vocalist, you’re pretty busy with your hands,” he said. “Drums were the only thing I could think of to add. You can get so many sounds all by yourself."
David says the hardest part of building his drums is sourcing the materials. Through a mixture of thrifting and asking around for hand me downs, he finds suitcases with enough surface area and volume to fit the drum heads. He emphasizes sustainability in the selection process, only using previously owned cases. He then attaches the heads and makes sure it's playable with the foot pedal. After adding finishing touches, like tambourines and straps, the drum is complete.
Not all of David’s customers are musicians, he adds. “People will buy them for weird decor in their house.” Many of the suitcases that don’t make the cut for a proper drum head end up like this.
The big question still lingers: how do they sound?
Click here to decide for yourself.
To my ears, they sound pretty great! The kick itself is surprisingly beefy considering how compact the whole package is. And it's definitely loud enough to be heard in a small band practice, especially if you're only up against acoustic instruments. The tambourine attachment adds just enough jangle to bring the setup to life; it's definitely more versatile than a cajon ( a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru) for band practice. The best part is that the whole thing can be played by foot while you dedicate the rest of your focus to your guitar or singing. It’s important to keep your expectations in check. These aren’t going to compete with a full acoustic kit. But the Not So Modern drums don’t need to be: For one-man bands, backstage practice or as a songwriting tool, it's a hard setup to beat.
As for the future of his company, David plans on creating a full-sized drum kit using vintage chests, boxes and of course, suitcases. His current lineup of drums can be had for around $300 on his website, although price varies depending on size and accessories. He hopes to have them sold in local music stores soon.
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