Impakt Tom electronic drum demo - first commercially released electronic drum.

video upload by Momtnz

This one is via kevinwulf just in via the comments of this older post on a flyer for the Impakt Percussion Synth. Also see Vintage Drum Machine Demos & Book - RHYTHM MACHINES The Rise and Fall of the Presets.

"A short demo on what was the first commercially released electronic drum pad - the Impakt Tuneable Tom-Tom, which came out circa 1973.

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Impakt Percussion Synth

flickr By Chris Kann

Another manufacturer not previously featured on the site. Anyone know more about them? According to the bottom pic they were form Portland Oregon.

As you know Chris Kann has been uploading a ton of vintage synth scans. I'll feature some of the more interesting and rare items here, but not everything. Be sure to click through the flickr links in posts for more. Once there, on the right of the page you'll see "This photo also appears in" Synthesizer Brochures. You can click on that link to get to the full set in thumbnails.

Update via David in the comments:

"I know the intimate details about the rise and fall of Impakt Percussive Synthesizers. They were the first dynamic percussion electronic instruments, hit it hard it played loud hit it soft and it played soft) The inventor was Steve Lame (?) and marketed by his son Etienne. In 1971, I was the SE distributor for the production first production run by Rogers Mfg, an organ manufacturer in Portland.

The set had a foot pedal that would sweep through the tonal range. This was the primary selling feature. I sold two sets and got an endorsement from Charlie Watts (The 1972 Stones tour where Stevie Wonder opened) and Ollie Brown Stevie Wonder's drummer and Clare Fishers’ nephew. I have the only autographed drum by both aforesaid drummers.

I had demoed to David Hood, Muscle Shoals Swamp drummer, and various studio drummers; e.g., Robert Nix, Atlanta Rhythm Section and generated a lot of interest. The holdup was the foot pedal; I had sold the only two in existence, and Rogers wanted money before they made 1,000 pedals. I ended up with 900 synthesizers and the Lame folks sold the distributorship to a hotshot Fender rep who agreed I could warehouse them and rep his lines…I found handshake agreements were only as good as the paper they are written on….ended sending the drums back to Portland COD. Haven’t seen or heard from the Lames since.
I coulda been a contender if not for you (Steve), I could have been somebody…enough On the Waterfront references…

Have many more details if anyone is interested…I plan on selling the autographed drum on Amazon."



Update 10/8/25: see the comments below for additional info. Also see Impakt Tom electronic drum demo - first commercially released electronic drum.