How many of us have dreamed of playing at least one musical instrument in our lives? Violin, Piano, Bass, and of course, the most thunderous of them all: Drums! Who doesn’t enjoy the sound of drumsticks beating the heavy drums? Ever since the movie Whiplash came out, everyone wants to be a drummer and play in an orchestra. However, the sky-touching cost of this instrument, the difficulty of carrying the kit from place to place, the hassle of finding the right teacher, soundproofing, and curfews can all take their toll on an aspiring drummers’ dreams.
So here we are introducing Obilab, the cardboard drumkit topped with fiberglass. It is portable, durable, and even hooks up to a mic for a show. Why bother to have that expensive and bulky equipment anymore?
After watching street drummers improvising on cardboard boxes, Patrick Obadia, the France-based designer and musician, had an idea. Can a full drum kit that is designed from scratch with cardboard make drumming more accessible to everyone? Obadia knew that drum teachers sometimes suggest the students to practice on buckets or boxes at home when they don’t have their gear.
Why cardboard? This material has a wonderfully natural sound and is also easily available and affordable across the world. The entire drum kit that includes a kick drum pedal, stool, hi-hat, snare, and toms packs up into a single box that can be carried like a backpack. The kit is made out of a cardboard frame and tuned fiberglass drum surfaces. They may not look like much, but these cardboard drums make the pleasures of rhythm accessible to everyone.
A standard kit can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but the fully-functional kit from Obilab is available for $134. Unlike a typical drum kit, it is lightweight and portable. Everything packs neatly into the box that can be used as a stool when you feel like sitting down.
“The biggest challenge was definitely its resistance in order to secure a viable and long-term sturdiness,” says Cullière co-founder Obilab. “The parts where drummers can hit hard have been reinforced with fiberglass in order to make it strong and ‘beat proof.'”
For the designers, this kit that also comes in a kid-sized version, is meant to increase the accessibility of more and more people to this affordable instrument. They also point out that it’s better for the environment than a standard drum kit as it uses less material that can be easily transported with a smaller carbon footprint. If the drum kit wears out, you can put most of it in the recycling bin.
Check out Obilab’s drum kit at Kickstarter Campaign. Watch the video below and get inspired to make your “drums” come true.
This drum kit is a must-buy for every amateur drummer!