Q&A with the Aerodrums team

Here is a quick-fire Q&A with the Aerodrums team, so you can get to know us a little more! We asked each Aerodrums team member five questions – here are their responses.

Anything you’d like to know about our team? Ask us on social media: Facebook | Instagram

Tell us a little about yourself – where are you based? What kind of work history led you to Aerodrums?

Maria: I grew up in Leicester and am now based in Liverpool. Before I started working at Aerodrums I worked as an Events Manager for a charity in London. In May it will be 10 years since I joined the company.

I love to travel and experience new cultures – Lebanon is one of my favourite places I have visited.

Richard: I grew up in Dublin and live just outside it now. Before Aerodrums, I spent 10 years in the videogames industry, working on physics and AI technology. I now spend most of my time putting those programming skills to use on the Aerodrums software.

Liam: I’m based in the South West – I grew up in Cheltenham, spent a long time in Bristol, and now find myself in Frome, Somerset. I’ve worked in marketing for almost 20 years and have been a drummer since the age of 7, and in my adult life my music has taken me all over the world, touring with various acts. Back in 2018, I received Aerodrums 1 as a Christmas gift, so I’ve been aware of this amazing instrument for a while. I always kept an eye on what Aerodrums was up to, and it feels quite serendipitous to now join the team and tell the world about Aerodrums!

Yann: I am based in Liverpool. I am from France and grew up all over, from Mayotte to Tahiti passing by Damascus. I used to be a computer science researcher but stopped shortly before accompanying my wife who went to work as a doctor in a rural South African hospital. That is also when I started Aerodrums with Richard (2011).  I settled in Liverpool in 2015 and now have a 7 year old daughter and a 5 year old son. I have been trying to be a jack of all trades for the company, but enjoy developing Aerodrums 1, 2 and new products the most.

What motivated you to start up/at Aerodrums?

Maria: I was intrigued by the product and quickly grew very impressed!

Richard: When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was play drums. Instead, 90% of my practice time was spent swinging sticks with no drum kit.  When we came up with the idea for Aerodrums, it immediately struck me that this would have completely satisfied those urges I had as a kid – to actually make music, rather than just practice rudiments over and over.

Liam: Like Richard, at various stages of my life I’ve been a ‘frustrated drummer’ – not always having the space or environment to express myself on a drum kit. That turned me on to the cajon, which I still gig with to this day and really enjoy… but nothing beats having a full kit. I feel motivated to encourage drummers to try Aerodrums because as a drummer myself, I really believe in its legitimacy as an amazing instrument, not to mention its convenience, practicality and educational value. It’s not a toy, or a gimmick, it’s an amazing and versatile drum kit and all-round rehearsal, recording and performing solution!

Yann: The realisation that the idea we tried in the lab could be made into products that could give access to drumming to many people.

What are your main hopes and aims working at Aerodrums?

Maria: I want everyone I meet to know what Aerodrums is without having to explain.

Richard: I want to show people that rebound from your palm is enough to play drums, and that there’s far more to the instrument than sticking technique. It’s not just a tool for learning drums – it’s a fully expressive instrument in its own right, capable of recording drum tracks and being used for live performance.

Liam: To bring Aerodrums to drummers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds all over the world!

Yann: For air drumming to become an accepted and common way to drum. To be recognised as one of the people who made this possible.

What is (or would be) your favourite track to air-drum to?

Maria: If I could drum it would be ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ by Sinead O’ Connor.

Richard: ‘Entertain Me’ by Tigran Hamasyan is a fun one – it sounds easier than it is! Lately though, I’ve been air drumming to the band Angine de Poitrine.

Liam: Ordinarily I’d have said something rocky like Foo Fighters ‘Breakout’ or Chili Peppers ‘Throw Away Your Television’ (having fun with the toms). But with Aerodrums, and the access to kits of all sizes and styles, I’ve been really enjoying trying out different genres. Right now I’m really enjoying a playlist of drumless funk tracks on Spotify – I use the preset funk kit and can be really creative, putting my own stamp on the instrumentals.

Yann: Mastodon – ‘March Of The Fire Ants’ (if I could actually air drum properly).

Tell us about a hidden talent you have…

Maria: I can touch my nose with my tongue!

Richard: My secret passion is graphics programming. Even though the Aerodrums software has very simple visuals, I spend much of my free time working on hobby projects that explore cutting-edge graphics techniques.

Liam: Having my dog do the exact opposite of what I’ve asked.

Yann: I play League of Legends too much, though I seem to have managed to stop recently. Oh and I am absolutely not talented at it. If you must have a talent I’d say having cutting edge politics.

Look out for more from the Aerodrums team in the coming weeks!