Davulita: Adapting Davul for Live, Experimental Dance Music

This master’s thesis explores how to adapt the davul, a traditional Turkish drum for live, experimental dance music. Inspired by the cultural history of the davul, techno, and post-club practices, the project aims to offer a tangible, organic alternative to a setting often perceived as mechanical. The project’s practical outcome is Davulita, a hybrid instrument that enables players to process the organic sound of the davul and record loops using the custom controller attached to the mallet. This process involved finding solutions to capture the sound, using ESP32 microcontrollers and various sensors for the interfaces. The digital sound-processing methodologies were adapted from self-artistic practices. Tested in various public and private performances, the Davulita has shown it can be effective outside the genre that inspired it. User feedback confirmed the instrument’s energy and offered suggestions to make it more practical for future variations. In conclusion, Davulita comes from the intersection of davul tradition and ritualistic club experiences and it inspired artist to move freely beyond both.