Who are the masked drummers?
These shy balloon tappers love nothing more than gathering in groups and falling into a groove. The bounce of the sticks; the tandem movement; the flow of the patterns bringing the music to life – they can’t get enough. They come from all around the world, from all socio-economic backgrounds, and all age groups and genders
Why were they created?
Beatmaps are all about providing visual cues to help users understand audio patterns. One of the main visual cues in music making has always been watching the other members of the group. I want people to have the feeling that they are playing in a group of players and have the visual reference of striking the drums together.
How are they made?
Since the main instrument for Beatmap music is the balloon drum, I wanted the masks to retain the DIY feel. All the masks are cut from pieces of cardboard, painted black, the eyes are cut from foam core and glued on. They attach to the straps of a welding mask with magnets.