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.

This percussive synth jam is OrbVroomer’s drumKat take on Crystal Method’s High Roller.

The drumKat is percussion control surface that features 10 velocity sensitive MIDI triggers.

via OrbVroomer:

Only two little synth notes not triggered live here.

The L.I.S.A trigger plays those.

Everything else is live playing.

I start with a mono drone synth note, then fill in the rest of the notes in that driving pattern. That pattern is then layered under the drum line. All it needs now is for the real CM’s sounds on top to conquer my sonic lameness.

Devices used: DrumKat, MidiKiti, Pole pads, DIY Triggers-LISA (piezo) , DIY WEEL Trigger, Hat pedal, Yamaha pedal, 4 foot switches, Mapper, E-MU XL-1.E-MU Orbit V2, Korg MS2000BR, A & H Mix Wizard.

Orb Vroomer is an electronic performance musician. Synthesizers & MIDI interfaces programmed by Orb. Custom Vroomulator rig designed & built by Orb.

Eric Archer’s Mini Space Rockers is a pushbutton analog drum with four transistors; you choose three capacitors to customize pitch and envelope.

via EA78751:

Its nice hot output level is guaranteed to distort any guitar amp more than Stevie Ray.It is designed as an intro-to-soldering project for Handmade Music Austin. The unit in the video is a prototype; real PCBs will be used in the workshop.

Chris Randall of Audio Damage has announced Tattoo, a percussion synthesizer for Mac & PC:

With the caveat that the UI isn’t 100% finalized, here you go. Have a gander at Tattoo, our first instrument. Some salient points:

1. No samples. This is a drum synthesizer. Each voice is purpose-built, as well, rather than just having a general percussion synthesis voice.
2. Every synthesis control has a sequencer attached to it.
3. If you own Replicant, you can immediately see how the randomization/likelihood works for each channel/voice.
4. The sequencer also outputs MIDI (in the VST only, of course) so you can use the randomization features in other drum synths or external hardware.

So, there you have it. We haven’t decided on a price, and I have no idea whatsoever as to when it will be done. We’ve got the synthesis all in place, but not “tuned,” and the sequencer is about 80% complete, but the hardest parts haven’t been done yet.

It’s just a teaser, at this point, but it looks like an interesting mix of old-school drum synthesis and modern features.

Here are some official demo videos for the new Korg Wavedrum.

The Korg Wavedrum can be used as a stand-alone percussion instrument, or integrated into an existing drum kit or percussion rig. The Wavedrum uses a real drum head as the playing surface, providing an authentic and familiar feel. This allows the performer to employ sticks, brushes, mallets and/or traditional hand-drum techniques (mute, slap, bend, etc.) to play.

Korg Wavedrum Chopsticks

Click here to view the embedded video.

Korg Wavedrum Demo Performance

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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 video offers an audio demo of drum synthesis using Plan B modular synthesizer modules.

Patch details below.

via bigcitymusic:

Plan B offers some alternative modules to your everyday “East Coast” style modules. In this patch we’re using a multitude of different modules, including some Cwejman and Analogue Systems.

The heart of this patch is the incredible sounding Model 13 Dual Timbral Gate. The M13 is in fact a low pass gate which is basically a cross between a low pass filter and a VCA. This is what gives us the beautiful, drum-like decay to the random pulses. The actual envelope is super short but the vactrols in the circuit ring longer.

We’re also using some random voltages in here. The Model 24 Heisenberg Generator is basically a sample and hold module, well, two of them really. The bottom section of the M24 allows you to move to the next random voltage when it receives a trigger or gate pulse. The Plan B Model 15 oscillator and the Cwejman VCO-6 are our sounds sources, each having it’s frequency modulated at a high rate. This is what gives you the hand slapping sound that a typical hand drum would have.

The Plan B Model 17 is also being used to great effect. The Triple Event Timer senses how high the voltages coming in are. There are three pots to set the threshold, deciding when a pulse is allowed through.

Korg has announced official specs on the new Korg Wavedrum percussion synthesizer.

The original Korg Wavedrum was introduced to the music world back in 1994. Now Korg has announced its next-generation Wavedrum Digital Percussion Synthesizer.

Wavedrum can be used as a stand-alone percussion instrument, or integrated into an existing drum kit or percussion rig. Unlike digital trigger-based systems, WAVEDRUM uses a real drum head as the playing surface, providing an authentic and familiar feel. This allows the performer to employ sticks, brushes, mallets and/or traditional hand-drum techniques (mute, slap, bend, etc.) to play with comfort and confidence.

The Korg Wavedrum Digital Percussion Synthesizer will be available in January 2010. Pricing is TBA.

Details below.

Synthesis:

DSP + PCM Combination

DSP Algorithms:

36 Total

PCM Instruments:

200 Total; 100 Head, 100 Rim

Programs:

200 Total; 100 Preset, 100 User

Loop Phrases:

100 Total; Various genres and tempos

Effects:

Reverb, Delay

Panel Controls:

Volume, Bank/Mode/Page select,
Program/Parameter select, Value control, Write

Input/Output jacks:

Output: L, R ¼” unbalanced
Phones: Stereo mini phone jack
AUX IN: Stereo mini phone jack

Display:

3-character 7-segment LED

Sampling frequency:

48 kHz

A/D, D/A conversion:

24 bit

Power supply:

DC9V 1.7A

Dimensions:

W x D x H: 13.74″ x 13.54″ x 2.95″

Weight:

4.41 lbs.

Included items:

AC Adapter, Tuning key, Allen wrench

Options:

Replacement Head HD-WD
Percussion Stand ST-WD

* Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement.

Description:

There are actually two playing surfaces on WAVEDRUM: the head and the rim. Under the head is an audio transducer, similar to a microphone. This transducer drives WAVEDRUM’s DSP and PCM sound engines, providing a far more expressive and natural playing experience than trigger-based systems that rely on PCM playback alone. The rim is outfitted with different-sized raised patterns on the left and right sides. In addition to using the rim as a traditional playing surface, rubbing a stick or mallet over these raised patterns can create interesting percussion effects, similar to an afro-cuban güiro, for example.

By combining 36 advanced DSP (Digital Signal Processing) synthesis algorithms with 200 PCM samples (100 for the head; 100 for the rim), WAVEDRUM provides a wide palette of sounds, ranging from traditional drum and percussion instruments to complex synthetic tones and sound effects. In addition to the ability to create new and unusual sounds, WAVEDRUM also re-creates a vast array of percussion instruments from around the planet, from familiar cajons, congas, and tablas to the rare and exotic. These include the udo, a clay pod percussion instrument; the jegog, a bamboo gamelan marimba from the island of Bali; a talking drum from Africa; gongs, and many others. WAVEDRUM can even reproduce stringed instruments such as the sitar, koto, and berimbau. This allows a single WAVEDRUM to replace what would have been a room full of instruments, sure to be a welcome addition to crowded stages, theatre/show pits, project studios and classrooms.

100 preset programs and 100 user programs are stored in memory, with 12 favorites available for instant access. Reverb and Delay effects add depth and character to the sound.

Sneak Preview: This is a demo of the Korg Wavedrum Percussion Synthesizer.

I haven’t seen an official announcement or specs on this from Korg, yet.

The original Korg Wavedrum is a rarity, but is sought after by many. Sound on Sound said this of the original:

The Wavedrum is a unique instrument which will probably sell mainly to percussionists, with some going to other musicians rich enough to indulge in non-essential gear. While it’s not without its faults, these appear to be outweighed by its undoubted appeal and playability, and by the prospect of exciting future spin-offs.

Leave a comment if you can translate and summarize the video!

via RockoNCompany, via Stretta

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 video gives an overview of iZotope iDrum, including installing and a basic demo.

via Stagehandspace

MFB has announced that their Schlagzwerg analog drum and percussion modular synth is now available.

Schlagzwerg combines CV-controllable percussion modules and a six-track CV/Gate-sequencer into a small drum-machine for live and studio applications.

The Schlagzwerg is semi-modular, so it is ready to play without requiring patch-connections. The CV-inputs, though, let the Schlagzwerg be modulated by external control sources.

Features:

• semi-modular drum-machine
• true analog sound sources
• kick, snare and tom (DRUM-04/-05/-06)
• cymbal and hihat (DRUM-07)
• step-sequencer with 16 steps and 16 A/B-patterns
• 6 gate- and 6 CV-tracks
• separate CV/Gate-tracks, e.g. for use with Kraftzwerg
• integrated MIDI/CV-interface
• integrated stereo-mixer with panning

MFB’s Schlagzwerg costs €680 and is available now.

Details:

The internal sequencer can store sixteen patterns, each holding A- and B-parts. Patterns can be advanced using gate-signals as well as thru start/stop and reset remote inputs. The sequencer can be externally synchronized. Start/Stop and clock-sync can also be remote controlled from the units MIDI-input without any further patch connections.

Schlagzwerg will double as a sixfold MIDI-CV/gate-converter. Two modes cover drum-sound control and a basic CV/gate-output of the sequences. Two additional modes allow conversion of incoming MIDI-data into CV/gate with the internal sequencer being inactive. Here, every drum sound is controlled by an individual MIDI-channel with a pitch range of two octaves. A separate channel with five-octave-range is used for synthesizer control.

The individual drum-sounds derive from our MFB’s drum modules. Trigger inputs are level-sensitive and allow dynamic performance via drum-pads, piezo-pickups or microphones. All drums offer CV-inputs for different parameters. The different drum-sounds do not require attenuators because the sequencer allows for scalable CV-output.

The bass-drum is the powerful sound from the MFB-503 drum-machine and offers a wide variety of possible kick sounds due to its attack, tune, decay, pitch and drive attributes. All sounds are routed into the internal mixer with adjustable panning and stereo outputs. Alternatively, the sound modules also offer individual outputs.

If you’ve used the MFB Schlagzwerg, leave a comment with your thoughts.

Musikmesse 2009: Jomox introduced the MBase 11 Analog Bass Drum Module.

According to the company, the Jomox MBase11 can do only one thing, but it does it right: Phat kick drums!

It generates analog bass drums, from extremely powerful to soft and covers the whole range from 909-style to 808-fashioned. And much more…the LFO has 8 different waveforms including true sine that can be used to create very different envelopes. The resulting sounds are not simply *kicks*…this turns out to be a bass drum *synthesizer*.

If you’ve used the Jomox MBase 11, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Details:

Like the XBASE 999/888, the MBase11 has a compression parameter to vary the thickness of decaying sound.
And…it offers a variable gate time to to create very different sounding attacks.
And…it also has a metalize parameter to have hundreds of variations on the attack noise.

For more intuitive editing, we have added an analog potentiometer that works alternatively to the parameter editing when scrolling the data wheel is too hard.

The MBase11 purposefully sounds a bit different to the XBASE 999/888, making it a great sounding expansion for our other drum products and other analog percussion.

The kick sets in very precisely and the attack sounds very snappy at all kinds of sound variations.

The MBase11 can also be used as a real bass with some limitations. If decay is cranked up it is long enough for tones and the pitch can be played on the keyboard in semitones over three octaves.

The kick drum can be triggered by an external analog trigger input. This is especially useful for live drummers who want to thicken up their live drum kit. The trigger input works with regular piezo pickups or audio signals.

Last but not least: one of the most convincing arguments for the MBase11 is the price: This is an inexpensive tool that helps you to create great kick sounds, without the timeconsuming searching accociated with mostly not satisfying samples. You save time and energy while reaching the sound quality you always imagined…

Tweak the sound you need. Everything is REAL.

Bass Drum

Although the MBase11 uses almost the same principle or block schematic for analog sound production as the XBASE999/888, the technology is different and results in a slightly different sound.

• Tune Varies the pitch envelope of the VCO
• Pitch Basses as low as 10Hz reach up to 175Hz
• Decay Up to 2 sec
• Harmonics Enrichment of harmonics of the VCO – for the hardest kick drums on planet earth
• Pulse Change of the pure pulse part of the attack – gate time affects this parameter also
• Noise Change of the pure noise part of the attack – gate time affects this parameter also
• Attack Level of the mixing of Pulse and Attack
• EQ Filters the bass drum with a low pass filter – for soft and 808ish kick drums
• Gate Varies the gate time from 0.1ms to 16ms
• Compr Compression of decaying envelope – for slim and clicky kicks and all the depth that is needed
• MetNze Metalized noise. A complex digital multitone pattern of 255 different combinations feeds the attack noise

Midi

The midi controllers of the MBase11 are identical to the XB09/X999/X888/AB/JB. All parameters including LFO can be remotely controlled by midi. The MBase11 is also compatible with our midi editors and templates in the bass drum department.

LFO

The MBase11 has an LFO that works on the pitch of the bass drum.
The LFO speed can be edited in BPM or be syncronized by midi clock. As on the XB09/X999/X888/AB/JB, the LFO can be synced by a note trigger or might run free.
Another feature is: we have implemented a one-shot LFO function that serves as an additional envelope.
The wave forms are:

saw up, saw down, sine+/-, triangle+/- and rectangle+/-.

Specifications

• Instrument Bass Drum
• Presets 110 (10 User RAM, 100 FLASH)
• Sound Engine Fully analog with storeable parameters
• Envelopes Analog
• LFO 8 waveforms: Saw +/-, Sine +/-, Tri +/-, Rect +/-, modulates the pitch, midi syncroniseable
• Display LED 7-segment 3 digit
• Midi Midi In, Midi Out
• User interface 1 data wheel, 1 potentiometer, 5 buttons, 16 LEDs for parameters and functions
• Outputs 1 mono out 1/4″ RCA jack
• Output Level About 0dBu
• Input External analog trigger, sensivity adjustable
• Supply External wall wart 9V DC
• Weight About 0.5 kg, 1.1lbs.
• Size 145×155x35mm

Musikmesse 2009: MFB introduced the MFB Schlagzwerg Drum Computer, a semi-modular drum synthesizer.

Features:

• analogue semimodul drumcompter
• kick (DRUM-04), snare (DRUM-05) and tom (DRUM-06)
• cymbal und hihat (DRUM-07)
• sequenzer (16 steps) with CV/GATE (Kraftzwerg)
• MIDI-Interface
• MSRP 680,- Euro

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.

This is a demo of the Tama Techstar TS306 drum synthesizer, under MIDI control.

Listen for the rhythmic bird squawks!

via bdufdiskc:

This is an old tama ts306 drum synth brain. Originally intended for use with a set of electronic drum triggers, it had no midi, only trigger inputs.

Thanks to the wonder of modern DIY electronic kits (thanks Paul Maddox and Laurie Biddulph!) I have installed a MIDI conversion kit. This is me playing it from my Korg electribe ER1.

Also, some extra squawks from a bird we were birdsitting at the time.

Simian Drum Scape #2=Drum, Drone, Noise Synth by Arius Blaze

This bizarre instrument combines drum synth features with drone and noise features.

via benpumpkin:

Created by Arius Blaze of folktek = folktek.com and ariusblaze.com…video one of three…This piece incorporates a wide range of textural sound scapes as well as straight analog drum synthesis…The synth is analog, the built in delay is digital.

Simian Drum Scape #1=Drum, Drone, Noise Synth by Arius Blaze

via benpumpkin:

Created by Arius Blaze of folktek = folktek.com and ariusblaze.com…video one of three…This piece incorporates a wide range of textural sound scapes as well as straight analog drum synthesis.

The synth is analog, the built in delay is digital.

Let me know what you think of Folktek’s strange synths!

Teragon Audio has released KickMaker, a synthesizer designed specifically for making good kick drum sounds.

It feautures four independent oscillators and a wide range of effects, letting you create customized beats.

“KickMaker is the perfect solution for producers who are tired of using factory samples or ordinary drum machines, and want an easy way to create a wide range kicks for their tracks. ”

It’s a free download and is available for Mac and Windows.

via MakingMusic

This is a demo of a MOTM-style modular synthesizer analog drum voice.

via djthomaswhite:

Here is my MOTM-panel build of the Marc Bareille clone of the old Coron DS-8 drum voice analog synthesizer.

It is very flexible for synth percussion and can be built for a very affordable price.

More information and pictures will be posted soon on www.naturalrhythmmusic.com