Instrument design is no longer that of an artist that handcrafts instruments, the future for engineers lies in developing new and improved MIDI systems for all instruments as well as improving the current applications or capabilities of instruments, music equipment, and accessories. Engineers in this field might work on developing more authentic drum sounds for vDrum kits or improved pickups for electric guitars. They may be working in the development of a new and improved electric violin or MIDI saxophone. Companies that make amplifiers, speakers, microphones, sequencers, mixers, etc. also hire engineers.

Most engineers that work in music research labs have music training or a background in music.  The industry is small compared to other manufacturing industries but engineers are still required to invent new musical instruments as well as modify and improve old designs. Because so many instruments are moving to include MIDI capability, it is an especially good time for engineers with electronic and software programming knowledge to jump into the mix.

For example, drums are known be the second oldest instrument in the world; right behind the human voice. As you probably know from tapping on different objects throughout your life or watching Blue Man Group, there are many factors that can change the sound of what you hit. With traditional drums, it doesn’t matter whether you are looking at a bass drum, a snare drum, or tom-toms, the elements that affect the sound are the size, shape, thickness and type of shell material. The type and weight of the stick, type of stick tip material, and hands, as well as the drum head treatment (damping material) also greatly affect the sound. Other considerations that affect sound are the heads and the gear hanging from the drum. (For example, tom-tom holders attached to the drums can reduce the vibration and deaden the sound.)

In general, the larger the diameter of the drum, the lower the pitch. This is especially evident with tom-toms that come in sizes from six to 20 inches in diameter. The pitch of each drum gets lower as the drum diameter gets bigger. In addition to the diameter, the sensitivity can be adjusted by changing the depth of the drum. A skinny drum will have acute sensitivity, so the musician will be able to play quietly with full tone vs. a fat or deeper drum that will have more range on low sounds, but they will require hits with more force to get the full tone.

Drums are usually made from several layers of wood. The most common wood is maple, but birch and mahogany are also popular. Some companies are also using acrylic, fiberglass, or composite materials, such as Acousticon (resin-impregnated wood fiber) but musicians complain that although it projects better, the sound lacks warmth. Thinner shells may be only four layers and resonate a “woody” tone. This is good for recording. A medium-thick shell is usually six layers, and a thick shell is eight layers. As the shell gets thicker, there is less vibration, which allows the sound to project further. Really loud bands use thick shells.

Snare drums are the exception to this rule in that their shells can be made of brass, copper, steel, bronze, carbon fiber, stone, plexiglass, stainless steel, tin, ceramic, aluminum, or wood. Each type of material changes the sound. For example, brass will produce a brighter sound (higher pitch) than wood, which may be good for a marching band, whereas the dark and warm sound of the maple shell may be required by a jazz band.

Electronic drum sets are another option - suddenly, you can bang away on a drum set in the middle of the night and not wake the neighbors. Basically, engineers took samples of hundreds of drum sounds on every different type of drum, put them into a computer database and then attached that computer to the drums.

Electronic drums are made out of rubber and act as “triggers”. That means that when you hit the pad, the sound of the sampled drum is generated and you hear the sound. This is very convenient because the computer can hold samples of any type of drum set. Instead of having a drum set for jazz music, a drum set for rock, and a drum set for hip hop, you can simply select the drum you want on the electronic kit. This is ideal for the traveling musician that doesn’t like to lift heavy drums. The electronic drum kit industry hires many drumming computer, software, materials, mechanical, and electrical engineers.

Besides traditional drums, engineers may also work in cymbal design. They may develop new bass drum or high hat pedals, triggers (which allow electronics to be hooked up to a traditional drum set), sticks made of new materials, and any other percussion instrument or gadget a band may require.

Celeste Baine is the author of, "The Musical Engineer: A Music Enthusiast's Guide to Careers in Engineering and Technology".