Developer Eric Archer is now shipping his Andromeda MK-1 and MK-2 drum machines, DIY minimal drum machines “designed as an experiment of making the most minimal drum machine possible using analog circuitry”.

In the video above, Archer demonstrates the two new drum machines, how they can interact and how you can control them in real time.

The Andromeda MK-1 and MK-2 drum machines are available for $55 each as DIY kits.

Here’s another demo. This one features 12 of Archer’s tiny drum machines:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Andromeda MK-1 analog drum machine has a minimal sequencer with sixteen preset patterns, selectable by the red switch block.  The pushbutton restarts the patterns.  This feature allows you to shift the timing of the rhythm when synchronized with other Andromeda Space Rockers instruments.

The sound of the MK-1 is from a pair of damped sine wave oscillators, which are triggered simultaneously.  The oscillators are reffered to as “X” and “Y”.  Their pitch is controlled by the photocells AND the capacitors labeled X1,X2 and Y1,Y2.  The capacitors control the overall range of pitches that it can play.  Larger value capacitors here make lower pitches.

The square grid of holes is called the Personality Center.  You can use it to add additonal circuitry to your MK-1 to change its character.  I will publish the Personality Center mods as soon as I get a chance.

The Andromeda MK2 analog drum machine has a minimal sequencer with sixteen preset patterns, selectable by the red switch block.  The pushbutton restarts the patterns.  This feature allows you to shift the timing of the rhythm when synchronized with other Andromeda Space Rockers instruments.

The sound of the MK2 is from an analog white noise generator.  This noise is filtered by a resonant filter, and the cutoff of the filter is controlled by the photocell on the left side of the unit.

The sequencer triggers an envelope generator (EG).  This creates a signal that controls the duration and volume contour of the sound.  The EG is controlled by the photocell on the right side of the unit.

The EG’s signal is sent to a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA).  The VCA chops up the steady output from the filtered white noise generator into little bursts of sound, controlled by the EG.  This is what you hear at the output.

The sound of the Andromeda MK2 is like a primitive electronic snare drum / cymbal / handclap.

This is a demo of the Korg Minipops 20 S, the stereo Minipops, a rhythm box/drum machine from about 1970.

The Minipops was probably most famously used by Jean Michel Jarre.

via AnalogAudio1:

Jamming around with the Korg / Keio Minipops 20s.The Korg Minipops 20s is an early rhythmbox from Korg. It’s the only one Mini Pops model which has stereo outputs. Different sounds come from the two outputs – that’s great!

I used them like single outputs with different effects in the video. I used a Yamaha ProR3 reverb and a delay from Roland DEP-5.

On the second half of the video I sent one of the outputs through an old ELECTRO HARMONIX HOT TUBES.

I love the Minipops boxes – I recently bought the 20S. Now I have them all

Sunday Synth Jam: The Korg Electribe ER-1 is a nice, cheap, easy to use virtual analog + sample playback drum machine.

This minimal dubstep drum machine jam gives the ER-1 a workout.

via mymy83:

korg er-1. minimal drums , bass.with a bit of DUBSTEP flavor.

Native Instruments has released Maschine 1.1, a free software update for its groove production studio.

The new version optimizes the workflow and increases the creative potential of Maschine through new MIDI I/O capabilities, support for the REX loop format, enhanced controller interaction, and more.

To allow producers to easily incorporate external gear into their Maschine projects, the new version adds MIDI I/O functionality. Hardware synthesizers and similar devices can now be controlled from the Maschine sequencer both through polyphonic tracks and from individual monophonic sounds within a Group, while a special “Batch Setup” function makes it easy to set up MIDI input configurations in existing projects. Maschine 1.1 also adds support for REX files, enabling users to include pre-sliced loops in their projects that sync to tempo automatically. Any pattern in Maschine can also be directly exported as an audio file into a host sequencer or other audio software through a convenient drag-and-drop feature.

Further enhancements in Maschine version 1.1 include additional slicing options, advanced scene triggering, new metronome and record count-in options, extended controller integration for parameter adjustment and file saving, and a wide range of minor optimizations.

The 1.1 update is now available as free download for all owners of Maschine.

This is a sneak preview of Eric Archer’s DIY Andromeda MK-1 and MK-2 minimal drum machines, with hand cut cardstock enclosures:

The enclosure is actually an afterthought. I added it to address any concerns about the bare board, to make it easier to put the device in your pocket, and to offer six surfaces for your artwork. Although as a friend pointed out, the enclosure covers up the surface bend /body contact points inside. So its just an option.

This video demonstrates different ways to use/abuse the infrared wireless signals that keep the instruments synchronized. The unit on the far left is the master clock.

Archer says kits will be available soon.

Dell’s Motherboard.tv visits Moby’s Manhattan apartment studio, where he talks about his “Noah’s arc” of rarified gadgets, bizarre synthesizers, and vintage drum machines.

If you didn’t hate Moby for having a better birthday than you, the multiple duplicate rare drum machines that line his studio walls may just push you over that edge.

Best line: “A rock band cannot rehearse in the suburbs at 3 o’clock in the morning. You can make electronic music at 3 o’clock in the morning, and your mom doesn’t complain. “

Check this video out - Wave Machine Labs has introduced iGOG (App Store link) – a $4.99 massive multisampled drum machine for the iPhone that offers velocity sensitive response!

Features:

• 8 velocity sensitive drum pads using patent pending VelAUcity technology
• Comes with 6 drum kits. More available through the built-in store
• Load your own kits using standard wav, aif or Drumagog .gog files
• Hi-hat and Ride pads change articulation as you slide across the pads
• Built-in sequencer with standard midi file support
• Sequencer features quantize, metronome, time signature, count-in, tempo and loop
• Backing track mode lets you play and record sequences in perfect sync to an mp3 file
• Mic trigger mode lets you play drums by tapping on objects, such as a table
• Built-in file transfer mode allows you to copy files between iGOG and your computer
• Mixdown feature lets you create an audio mix of your sequence

Description:

Borrowing technology from Drumagog iGOG features up to 384 multisampled drum hits per pad.

iGOG introduces the impossible: touch sensitive pads that respond to how hard you hit them! Using WaveMachine Labs own patent pending VelAUcity technology, iGOG accurately responds to your touch. The harder you strike the pads, the louder the drum hit. Finally, a drum machine that plays like a real kit.

Note: VelAUcity features are not available on iPod Touch.

Drumagog Technology iGOG contains a powerful drum sample engine which captures every nuance of a drum hit. Because a snare drum sounds different the harder it’s played, iGOG’s samples are packed with Dynamic Multisamples to ensure a faithful reproduction. iGOG’s Random Multisamples guarantee that no sample is ever played twice in a row, making rolls and flams sound realistic. Hi-hats take advantage of iGOG’s Positional Multisamples, which provide a smooth transition between closed and open styles. Simply slide your finger across the rectangular pad!

This is a video demo of the Simmons Digital ClapTrap, a digital sample playback percussion instrument.

via zibbybone:

Quick run though of a rare percussion synthezier.

This is a demo of the Acidlab Miami, a new analog drum machine based on the Roland TR-808.

Information on the Miami drum machine is available at Acidlab.de.

via redmartian:

Just got the Acidlab Miami (An enhanced clone of the Roland TR-808) and made a short demo.

The arpeggio is played on a Roland Jupiter-4 triggered by the Miami,

The bass is played on a rev 1 Prophet-5.

The chords are played on a rev 1 Prophet-5.

iPhone music software: This is a sneak preview of Drum Sequencer, a drum machine/groovebox for the Apple iPhone.

It’s expected to be released Sept 24th, 2009.

Description:

Drum Sequencer is a drum beat composing application. It’s designed for example DJ’s, live performances, practicing, interactive composing or just for fun.

Amaze yourself with this app. Discover the basics of drum beats, doodle around and use your imagination to find new exotic rhythms. You don’t have to be a DJ or live artist to sound like them.

App features:

• easy & fast use user interface for situations where you just want to evolve the beat quickly
• multiple drum sets (with high quality 44kHz sounds)
• realtime effects for each instrument (for example really nasty sounding distortion)
• bank & pattern for storing your best bits
• easy switching between patterns for example live performance
• tap tempo
• easy syncing to existing beat, song or any kind of fixed rythm

via zapallalla

Native Instruments has announced that Maschine version 1.1 is on the way, and it’s now in public beta test stage.

The upcoming 1.1 version of Maschine adds several features including MIDI control of external gear, Rex support, extended scene triggering and more. Details below.

New and improved features:

• MIDI Out Mode for sounds
• MIDI In for sounds and groups
• Drag-and-Drop audio export for scenes and patterns in host
• Record and trigger scenes switches via MIDI notes in host
• Scene retrigger option in plugin mode
• Loading groups without patterns
• Additional slicing sizes (1/8th etc.)
• REX file import
• Scene naming
• Adjustable metronome volume
• Record Count-In option
• Quick adjustment of group and sound volumes on controller

Fixes:

• Several fixes and stability improvements

This list is subject to change, and does not necessarily list all features and fixes that will be in the final update.

Nice! Oliver Chesler, of the WireToTheEar blog, has published an interview with Klaus Suessmuth of Acidlab.

Acidlab is a boutique electronic music gear maker that’s created nice clones of the Roland TB303 & Roland TR808, along with an original synth design, the Bombass.

This video demonstrates how sample developer Goldbaby uses an Oberheim Prommer to create custom EPROM chips for a DMX drum machine.

Goldbaby used this process to create their latest drum sample library, CustomDMX.

via GoldbabySamples

Denkitribe’s “ER-1 + Evolver” techno jam.

via ghostradioshow

Remember those classic electronic drum sounds of the 80s?

There’s a good chance that what you remember is the sound of the the Simmons drum synthesizer.

The video above captures some manual tweaking of a Simmons SDS 8 Drum Synthesizer.

If you’ve used the Simmons drum synthesizer, leave a comment with your thoughts!

via DX5:

Just showing what does it can do.

All the channels have the same VCO, so they are basically the same. In preset mode, each channel have different settings for each drum sound. You can put it in manual mode, then you can edit all the parameters. It is what I did.

This is a video demo of Eric Archer’s Minimal Drum Machines – a DIY preset beatmaker that can communicate wirelessly with other minimal drum machines, sync and create more complex rhythms.

Details below.

via EA78751:

I’m testing the definition of “drum machine” with these fun little prototypes. They have only two chips, (TL06x opamp and CD4089). No microcontroller. One knob (tempo). One button (reset). Sixteen rhythm presets on a DIP switch. Light reactive circuits to bend the sound.

Even though the machines can play alone, they’d rather play in a group. Thats because each machine has an infrared transmitter and receiver. This lets them form a wireless network to play at the same tempo. The IR link is limited to about 12? and does not work under bright incandescent light. (the video was shot with compact fluorescent)

At the end of the video I show how interrupting the IR link affects the sound. In theory, many of these machines could be networked.

Both machines in the video share the same sequencer design. It is based on the CD4089 binary rate multiplier. Their sounds are different though. The unit in the foreground uses a pair of bridged-T oscillators to make clave / rimshot / bongo sounds. The unit in the back generates filtered noise bursts with a classic “swing VCA” mechanism.

Once finalized the designs are intended for use in a fun educational workshop setting.

The Zro Hour caught up with the Beat Kangz to interview them about The Beat Thang sampling drum machine, and how they moved from creating sample sets to creating functional specs and getting manufacturers to create a new drum machine.

Mattias demonstrates treating an Korg Electribe ER-1 drum machine through his Synthesis Technology MOTM/Synthesizers.com modular synthesizer.

via RothHandle

The d-touch sequencer and the d-touch drum machine are tangible instruments that you can print from your Mac or PC and then play.

About D-Touch Instruments

The audio d-touch interactive surface consists of a simple printed piece of paper. The movable physical objects are marked using labels, also printed on normal paper. The computer observes the blocks and the paper through a low cost web-cam, and thanks to the d-touch marker recognition algorithm it can localize them precisely. The information about the position and orientation of each block is used to control a digital audio synthesis process. The system was designed to be extremely low cost, robust and easy to set up, which makes it possible to fully and freely release it for download.

he instruments are fully and freely available for download (Registration needed).

Audio d-touch is a collection of applications for real-time musical composition and performance, with very special user interfaces. The collection includes a drum machine and a sampling sequencer, both are controlled by spatially arranging physical objects on an interactive table surface. Each object represents a sound, and its position with respect to the surface is mapped to certain playback parameters. For example, the horizontal position of an object represents the timing of the sound.

All is needed to get audio d-touch to work is a standard computer (PC or Mac) with a webcam and a printer.

bleep!BOX (App Store link) is a combination drum machine and synthesizer for your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Description:

bleep!BOX has no samples, because everything is generated in realtime, meaning you can tweak to your heart’s content. It also means you won’t get stuck reusing the same sounds over and over.

bleep!BOX is not a simple toy – you can make real music. It’s great for house, hip-hop, R&B, electronica, drum ‘n’ bass, techno, trance and more.

Features:

• 10 Synth / Drum parts
• 50+ Parameters
• Save patches and presets
• Live performance modes
• Step sequencing + recording modes
• Parameter automation
• Realtime processing
• No samples

If you’ve used bleep!BOX, leave a comment with your thoughts!