percussion synthesizer

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. Read more…

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. Read more…

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. Read more…

Soniccouture has introduced The Skiddaw Stones, a new virtual instrument that lets you make rock music from sampled ancient rocks:

The Skiddaw Stones are probably the most unusual and certainly the oldest instrument that Soniccouture has sampled.

A Lithophone ( litho = stone, phone= voice ) dating from 1840, The Skiddaw Stones are composed of 61 tuned and shaped rocks, made from the rare hornfels stone, found in Cumbria, England. Hornfels is said to have a superior tone and longer ring than the more commonly used slate.
The Worlds First Rock Band

Created by Joseph Richardson, a stonemason and musician, it took almost thirteen years to collect and shape enough individual notes of hornfels to make an eight-octave range. The massive task of assembling this instrument consumed Joseph so absolutely that he and his family were reduced to poverty. Once complete, Richardson and his sons toured Europe as The Rock, Bell and Steel Band, and even performed at Buckingham Palace, by command of Queen Victoria.

See the Soniccouture site for audio demos – the Skiddaw Stones do sound awesome and unique.

Read more…

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! Read more…