Eric Archer demos four tiny drum machines with analog sound, IR wireless network, and photocell control.

One drum is running through a DigiTech Synth Wah pedal. The other three are mixed dry. The mix is playing through a guitar amp.

See the recent post on minimal drum machines for more info.

This is a video demo of the MADI–(multi) Mallet Automatic Drumming Instrument, Expressive Machine’s Newest Instrument!

via universal0neness

Click here to view the embedded video.

via axehole

Synesthesia has announced that it’s updated the Virtual Brain for the Mandala drum synthesizer to support multiple pads.

The new Virtual Brain v1.50 was developed from requests made by Mandala players and has been tested extensively in multipad experiments with Danny Carey of the rock band TOOL.

The new “Virtual Brain” v1.50 software is available now to anyone via free download from the company’s website at http://www.mandaladrum.com. Even without buying the Mandala, anyone can download the software and tinker with it – on its own, or with other PC or Mac-compatible musical devices.

The Mandala is an advanced drum synth device that works as a USB MIDI controller with most major music software such as Battery 3, Reaktor, FXpansion BFD, Ableton Live, Propellerhead Reason and Apple GarageBand. Synesthesia also offers a special set of presets and HD snare players for Battery 3.

Details on the update below.

New features include:

• Master Window and Pad Windows combined into one Main Window
• More user friendly for multiple pad connection and multiple pad control of program
• Onscreen pad zones light up upon strikes
• Double the amount of preset hotkeys
• Added preset changing via external MIDI program change
• Greatly reduced load time for full kit (multiple Mandala) presets
• Added ability (PC Users) for Mandalas to control the Virtual Brain and 3rd party programs simultaneously with MIDI Yoke (free download from http://midiox.com)
• Automatic audio level safety when changing presets
• Virtual Brain starts on last used preset
• Added visual of exact strike ring position over swirl logo
• Added screen jump edit button for laptops when more than 4 zones active
• Number of voices now saves with every preset

The Mandala 2.0 retails for $349, and is available online at http://mandaladrum.com. Each Mandala is hand-crafted and thoroughly tested before it is shipped. Synesthesia also offers a discount to Dual Pack buyers from mandaladrumstore.com and will issue a $50 rebate with proof of a multiple pad purchase from MusiciansFriend.com.

Ever wonder if your gear needs a vacation?

Kamoni takes his favorite drum machines on the road for a visual adventure in beats and blips, in this video - Would You Like to Tap My Box?

via kamoni

A small demonstration about how to program a Roland TR-909 drum machine. 

via nvanzoeren

Producer J.Force bangs out the beats, with a whoppin’ 256 KB memory, on the EMU SP-1200 Sampler.

The E-mu SP-1200 is a classic drum machine and sampler released in August 1987 by E-mu Systems as an update of the SP-12, which was originally created for dance music producers. It became famed for its gritty texture and ability to simulate the “warmth” of vinyl recordings.

The SP-1200 became an icon of hip hop’s golden age, due to its ability to make the bulk of a song within one piece of portable gear. This resulted in reduced studio costs and more creative control for artists.

Specifications

• 8 voice poyphony
• 22KHz 12 bit sampler
• Sample memory: 10 seconds, in four 2.5-second blocks
• SSM analog filter
• 100 pattern, 100 song sequencer
• Sequence capacity: 5000 notes minimum (depending on density of parts)
• 32 patch memory
• 8 Touch Pads
• Inputs: Sample, MIDI, SMPTE/Sync, Footswitches (3)
• Outputs: Mono mix Individual channels, (eight, programmable. tip = unfiltered. ring – filtered). MIDI out. MIDI thru, SMPTE, Metronome/Clock
• Storage: 3.5″ floppy diskette

Resources:

• Kid Nepro offers EMU SP-1200 samples
• SP-1200 forum
• Info at Emulator Archive
• EMU SP-1200 at Vintage Synth

The Beat Kangz overview of their new beat box/workstation, the Beat Thang.

This may be the best presentation out of the 2009 NAMM Show.

Best quote: “SD cards. What? How many of them? What? I think there’s two of them. What? 16. What? Gigabytes per card.”

Let me know what you think of the Beat Kangz Beat Thang in the comments!

Elektron’s Machinedrum SPS-1 is a state of the art drum machine and drum synthesizer. It builds on the features of the best classic drum machines, and adds improved drum synthesis technology. 

In his EM review of the Machinedrum, David Battino said:

Although it builds on the time-tested features of classic drum machines, the Machinedrum leaps off in a wonderful new direction with its distinct synthesis and live-performance capabilities. It may seem expensive, but a couple of noisy, unreliable vintage rhythm boxes would set you back a lot more, and they would have far less creative connectivity. You can control all 384 of the Machinedrum’s tone-tweaking parameters with MIDI.

The Machinedrum is a specialized instrument, but it’s one of the easiest to personalize. If you’re tired of the sampling bazaar, get to know the Machinedrum. Frequent EM contributor Todd Souvignier once advised, “Let machines speak with their own native tongues.” When the Machinedrum speaks, it’s so joyfully synthetic that it verges on being alive.

Here’s another video, via Zane Brzezinski, of the Machinedrum in action:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Features:

• 16 voice polyphonic drum synthesis
• Oscillators
  • Sample Playback and Synthesis; 39 drum sounds via 4 synthesizers:
  • TRX (12 instruments), EFM (8 instruments), E12 (16 instruments), and PI (6 instruments).
• 16 LFOs (2 per voice); dual-waveforms assignable to various destinations
• 1 Multi-mode resonant filter per voice 24 dB/oct (4-pole)
• 4 Master Effects: Rhythm Echo reverb/echo, Gate Box reverb, 3-band EQ, Dynamix compressor. Each drum sound has 2 independent echo and reverb Sends.
• Instrument effects: Amplitude Modulation, 1-band EQ, Sample-rate Reduction, Distortion.
• 16 Trigger pads for triggering sounds and/or programming patterns
• Memory: 64 Drumkits, 128 Patterns (up to 32 steps each)
• MIDI IN/OUT/THRU, External Audio Triggering

Resources:

• The Elektron Machinedrum website
• Machinedrum review at EM
• Machinedrum at Vintage Synth

Overview

The Sequential Circuits Studio 440 is a classic music production center from 1986 that combines the best features of drum machines and samplers, and has a crunchy 12-bit sound that people still respect:

If you combine a high quality digital sampler featuring individual outputs with a 50,000 note SMPTE/MIDI based sequencer, all you need to create a superior drum machine is velocity and pressure-sensitive pads. The 440 has eight, organizing its 32 sound samples into four kits and four banks over these eight sound pads. In addition, every sound has two sets of sound parameters that include sample play back direction, pitch-bend envelope, loop types, loop points, start point modulation, and the familiar VCA VCF controls.

The four programmable kits allow for infinite variations of the same sound by editing only the performance parameters. Performance parameters can be assigned to any pad and include sound number, pan, pitch, volume, and a choice of one of the two sound parameter sets. These performance parameters are easily edited in real-time, and settings for all eight pads can be stored and recalled instantaneously from any one of the kits. And since the alternate parameters can have individual start/end points for each sound, there are actually up to 64 “different sounds” available at one time.

Sequential’s factory library includes over 300 sounds, and is immediately available. In addition, any Prophet 2000 or 2002 sample can be loaded directly into the 440, so the actual number of sounds now available is too numerous to list. The STUDIO 440 is the ultimate drum machine. 

The highlights of the Studio 440 are probably the analog lowpass filter and the 8 track sequencer, which can be used to drive external MIDI instruments. The biggest limitation, on the other hand, is the 440’s paltry 520kb of sample memory! 

While these sold for 5K originally, these now sell for around $1,000. 

Specifications:

• 8 track sequencer
• LCD display
• 8 sound pads
• Selectable sampling rates of up to 41.667 kHz
• Computer assisted looping functions (including cross-fade looping)
• Multiple sample locations for storing up to 32 different samples in memory at one time.
• True stereo outputs (2) plus separate audio outputs per voice (8) for individual processing of each.
• 32 levels of programmable panning per voice.
• Separate analog and digital controls per voice, including fully sweepable filters and VCAs for modifying any sample.
• 768K bytes on board memory with access to hard disks or CD-ROMs via the built-in Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI).
• A 3 1/2 inch double sided disk drive
• Real-time sample monitoring. 

Resources:

• Wine Country offers Studio 440 sample disks, parts and repair
• The unofficial guide to the Studio 440
• Studio 440 information at VintageSynth

Just thought I’d say thanks to all the people who bought my products… or put up with my forum posts… or said nice things about my samples.

I wish you all a merry Christmas…. and here is a present from Goldbaby!

This pack contains drum sounds from the MicroTonic drum machine recorded to tape.

Check out the MicroTonic here.

Download the free sample pack here.

SoundJump

The VDM Complete collection contains the following vintage drum machine emulations:
 

• 808
• DMX
• MXR
• 909
• Drumtraks
• SDSV
• 707
• Drumulator
• SK-1
• 727
• Linn9000
• Rhythm Ace

Description:

This collection of vintage drum machines was created from the original drum machine. Additionally, the sounds were modified with distortion algorithms, vintage reverb and transient enhancements to offer an even wider sonic palette.

The “VDM Complete” includes a self contained Reason ReFill featuring Combinator Redrum and NN-XT patches with “eye-candy” graphics that are reminiscent of the original drum machines. Also, an assortment of 125 blank Reason Combinator skins are included for you to customize your Reason rack.

For non-Reason users, the VDM Complete includes the “Sampler Collection” which has all the .wav files (1,448 Samples) and preset files for the following soft samplers:

• Apple Logic EXS24
• Digidesign Structure (All Versions)
• NI Battery
• NI Kontakt

Furthermore, all 1,448 of the samples in the collection are in organized folders for you to browse and load into any software or hardware device that uses the standard .wav format such as Pro Tools, Cubase, Logic, Sonar, Akai MPC, Roland MV, etc.

MSRP: $39.99.

It’s 8/8/08 – so Experimentalists Anonymist has pointed out that it’s 808 day – a day to celebrate one of the two most important drum machines in electronic music, the Roland TR-808 Computer Controlled Rhythm Composer.

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was one of the first programmable drum machines. Introduced by the Roland Corporation in late 1980, it was originally manufactured for use as a tool for studio musicians to create demos.

When it was initially introduced, musicians were not generally impressed by its sound; a 1982 Keyboard Magazine review of the Linn Drum indirectly referred to the TR-808 as sounding like marching anteaters.

Like the TB-303, though, the TR-808 found it’s true call when it was accepted on its own merits and it became one of the foundations of electronic dance music.

Here’s an example of the 808 sound:

The TR-808 cost US$1,000 upon its release, and it’s kept it’s value pretty well, with used 808’s going for close to that price.

Here’s a great intro to the Roland 808 from the documentary The Shape Of Things That Hum:

If you need some 808 samples, you can download EA’s free 808 sample pack. (zip)

Update: Tom Whitwell has a nice roundup of 808 links to help you celebrate the day!

Image: bdu

Don’t buy an Akai MPC5000 until you read this: hip-hop producer Just Blaze’s rant on the MPC Akai calls “the most advanced MPC on the planet.”

“THIS THING IS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AND SHOULD NOT BE!” says Blaze. “Some of the bugs in this thing are ATROCIOUS.”

He goes on to detail a litany of bugs and limitations he’s encountered in trying to use the MPC 5000, and summarizes his experience like this:

“I…recommend that you don’t buy the MPC 5000 until they release the next operating system.”

“Please don’t do this again Akai. As a fan, avid user, supporter, and friend. Don’t let the decline in hardware sales (or whatever is contributing to this) allow this to continue.. Quantity over Quality, Numbers over Blunders, Sales over Sincerity and Profits over Professionalism, it makes for Bad Business, Disgruntled Devotees, and Cold Hearted Customers who will Cease, Desist and Discontinue their Dilligent support of a Diluted brand.”

Ouch.

An introduction to the MIDIbox 808 project – a DIY Roland 808 clone & sequencer.

Looks like a great companion to the x0xb0x.

The Vintage Machinez Collection offers users a 21st century design of all old drum machine classics divided into 3 major categories for quick and convenient use. Categories include newly remastered Mono versions, plus unique Stereo and “Xtreme” versions specifically geared for Hip Hop’s Bounce, Dirty South, and Crunk styles.

Vintage Machinez 1 contains 36 different kits carrying a total of 1056 samples.

Each kit is separately arranged into presets for easy loading into all major software samplers. Native formats include: HALion, EXS24, Kontakt, Battery, Reason’s NN-XT, SF2, and Wav.

ModernBeats’ Vintage Machinez presets give users a new level of power over each classic machine where users gain control over velocity, duration, pitch, and all other user-defined parameters. Such programmed features go far beyond the capabilities of the original machines.

In addition to these added features, each kit contains indentical layouts for all Mono, Stereo, and Xtreme versions! Such layouts give users the ability to swap any sample version for another within a sequence, bringing a new level of ease and creativity to producing music.

Drum machines in Vintage Machinez 1 include: Rhythm Ace FR-1, Electro-Harmonix 16, Electro- Harmonix 32, Linn 9000, Roland TR-66, Roland TR-505, Roland TR-606, Roland TR-626, Roland TR-707, Roland TR-727, Roland TR-808, and Roland TR-909.

A list of all samples include: kicks, snares, claps, rims, closed hats, open hats, ride cymbals, crash cymbals, toms, congos, congas, bongos, bongas, quijada, guidos, guidas, chimes, shakers, maracas, cabasas, tambourines, agogo bells, timbales, cowbells, claves, and whistles.

“Vintage Machinez 1″ is available for download for $29.95, or can be ordered on CD-ROM.

More information is available at the Modern Beats site.

Roland SH-101 Analog Synthesizer + TR-606 by RetroSound

Description:

In this demo, by Retrosound, the Roland SH-101 internal sequencer is triggered by the TR-606 Drumatix.