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Leading drum research initiative The Clem Burke Drumming Project
has today announced a year-long collaborative research project which
will examine the benefits of using
 Activision
Publishing, Inc’s Guitar Hero World Tour’s Drum Kit
Controller.
The Clem Burke Drumming Project – a unique collaboration
between Blondie drummer Clem Burke, Dr. Marcus Smith from the
University of Chichester and Dr. Steve Draper from the University of
Gloucestershire – is based on the pursuit of knowledge through the
application of scientific principles to the various art forms of
drumming. With ten years of research behind it already, The Clem
Burke Drumming Project is committed to the dissemination of
information leading to increased enjoyment, health and well-being of
all participants involved in drumming.
With two raised pads that represent the hi-hat and either the crash
or ride cymbals, three pads which correspond to the snare and two
toms and a bass-drum kick pedal, the Guitar Hero World Tour
Drum Kit Controller simulates an authentic drum kit. When playing on
the Drum Kit Controller in the game on higher difficultly levels,
The Clem Burke Drumming Project believes Guitar Hero World
Tour will provide an opportunity to acquire the specific motor
skills needed for drumming. The Clem Burke Drumming Project
will investigate the transfer of skills and the physiological
demands of gameplay compared to live drumming.
The Clem Burke Drumming Project recently launched its first
wave of findings, revealing that gigging professional drummers had a
heart rate profile similar to professional football players and
expended a significant amount of energy (400-600 kcal per
performance). Physiological tests included the measurement of heart
rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate in rehearsal tests and
monitoring heart rate and blood lactate during live stage
performances.
The Clem Burke Drumming Project team will conduct a series of
physiological and neurological tests using the Guitar Hero World
Tour Drum Kit Controller, which will be permanently housed in
the University of Gloucestershire’s newly-built dedicated drumming
laboratory and at the University of Chichester.
One
area of research will be to examine the neurological changes in
Guitar Hero World Tour drummers, to examine how the brain’s grey
and white matters evolve when playing. The Clem Burke Drumming
Project will also investigate the health benefits of playing
Guitar Hero World Tour, and through collaboration with Prof.
Steve Williams and colleagues at the Centre for Neuroimaging
Sciences (Kings College, London), also examine how using drums and
the Drum Kit Controller may help individuals with existing medical
conditions (e.g. dyspraxia, stroke patients etc.).
“We’ve
been extremely impressed by the Guitar Hero World Tour Drum
Controller,” says Dr. Marcus Smith, Principal Lecturer in Exercise
Physiology, University of Chichester. “The Clem Burke Drumming
Project is all about promoting the benefits of drumming, and
we’re convinced those that learn the basics of the instrument with
Guitar Hero World Tour can use those skills when progressing
to an actual full drum kit. No other gaming controller comes close
to simulating the experience of drumming, and we’re confident the
game will breed a new generation of real-life drummers. Anecdotally,
we believe Guitar Hero World Tour is a perfect introduction
to the instrument – and we can’t wait to examine this scientifically
and unveil our findings throughout 2009.”
Dr. Steve Draper said: "This is the first facility of its kind in
the world and we are extremely excited about the potential here. It
is a unique collaboration between science and arts.” |
