Paradiddle: a 3D-printed drumming prosthesis

An open-source 3D-printed upper-extremity prosthesis gives drummers who have lost a hand or arm a new way to play. Working with renowned drummer Greg Anton, who lost his left hand, “Paradiddle” designer Dominic Siguang Ma developed unique features that allow the drummer to play intuitively and comfortably.

One of Siguang Ma’s main challenges was to design a mechanism that can control the drumstick’s bounciness, which allows the musician to play a “roll.” An adjustable polycarbonate spring gives the drummer a spectrum of bounciness control. The prosthesis includes a layer of EVA foam inside the socket, to achieve a comfortable fit.

Paradiddle is made of 3D-printed HP 12 glass-filled nylon plastic combined with existing mechanical parts that allow the user to simply download the file, print and start drumming.