Dave Smith Instruments Tempest – Is It A Drum Machine Or A Synthesizer?

This video, via ttaralli, offers a live demo of the new Dave Smith Tempest drum machine. Dig the bass synth coming from this thing!

All of the sounds in this video are from the Tempest. . There are no external Effects or synths used.

This is quickly turning into one of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever owned….and the OS is still in Beta.

FX used
Roll
Delay
LP Filter knobs
LP Filter on the touch pad
ADSR to shorten the main synth sound
Reverse

The Tempest isn’t cheap, but nobody’s made a drum machine like this before, either.

8 thoughts on “Dave Smith Instruments Tempest – Is It A Drum Machine Or A Synthesizer?

  1. i have one, and the i think the best way to describe it is as a drum-oriented synth. the architecture is just so flexible that calling it a drum machine doesn’t work.

  2. I returned mine. I found as an analogue drum machine it was lacking. It has a great sequencer and plenty of cool features but I found that the best way to get a good sounding drum was to use the samples. Without dedicated drum circuits it was to impossible to make a drum sound as good as other options that exist out there in vintage and modern gear( Jomox, Vermona, Acidlab, etc) without relying on the included samples. The Tempest doesn’t allow you to add or import your own samples either.
    I was also really excited about it’s poly synth capabilities but on top of the fact that they haven’t implemented that feature yet, it still is just a Prophet 8( which has always sounded atrocious IMHO ) in mono with a sequencer attached.
    I’m selling mine and with the money I will get back I have bought the following for under $2k:
    MFB 522;
    Kawai Sx210;
    Akai Ax80;
    Roland Jx3p;
    Moog Concertmate MG-1;
    Logig 9Pro.

    As I already have Maschine and an 888 and DRM1 mk3, it’s just not for me. I am glad it exsists though and appreciate that DSI have tried to do something different and look forward to Roger’s product in development. I just hope he uses dedicated drum circuits.

    1. i might be with you there. still learning my way around, but i’m definitely not sold on its drum sonics, and i sure didn’t buy it as a Poly Evolver.

    2. The Prophet 08 sounds “atrocious”? How?

      I would think that the Tempest would be closer to the Evolver than the Prophet, considering it has digital oscillators and hp-filter.

      Anyways, I have yet to be truly impressed by any of the videos I’ve seen so far concerning this product. And it would seem that such an extensive feature-set will require a lot of menu-digging in operation?

    3. You sound like a newbie. Maybe you should stick with your fruity loops in your bedroom. It’s obvious you don’t know synthesis!!!

  3. It kind reminds of my Yamaha RY30 (circa ’92) in that there are several synth waveforms that can be used to make bass sounds, and whatever else you like. Each sound can have two waveforms, plus, there are hi-pass filters too.

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