What automated machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to produce a rhythmic drumbeat?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a mechanical drum to produce a rhythmic drumbeat automatically.

The device used a wheeled mechanism with rotating parts that activated drumsticks as it moved. Pegs or cams could control the timing of the strikes, allowing the machine to create a repeated rhythm without a human drummer continuously playing it.

Leonardo developed the design for a festival or theatrical setting, where mechanical spectacles could entertain an audience. It demonstrates his ability to combine gears, cams, wheels, and musical performance in one machine.

The mechanical drum is sometimes confused with Leonardo’s mechanical knight. The knight was a humanoid automaton intended for a court spectacle, while the drum machine was a separate musical device. Reconstructions based on Leonardo’s drawings have shown how the drum mechanism could operate, but the original machine has not survived.