GEAR TALK @ Common Ground

DRUM MACHINES
- first only presets

- later drum machines enable to make and program beats

- drum kits, synthesized or samples

Drum sound synthesis

A key difference between such early machines and more modern equipment is that they use sound
synthesis´rather than digital sampling in order to generate their sounds. For example, a snare drum
or maraca sound would typically be created using a burst of white noise whereas a bass drum
sound would be made using sine waves or other basic waveforms. This meant that while the
resulting sound was not very close to that of the real instrument, each model tended to have a
unique character.

Digital sampling

The Linn LM-1 Drum Computer (released in 1980 at $4,995) was the first drum machine to use
digital samples.

Round Robin Sampling - play back several sampled variations of the same sound each time you hit
the same key, the aim of which being to emulate the inconsistencies in acoustic sound, or in our
case analogue electronics.

Programming

In real time: the user creates drum patterns by pressing the trigger pads as though a drum kit were
being played

Step-sequencing: the pattern is built up over time by adding individual sounds at certain points by
placing them, as with the TR-808 and TR-909, along a 16-step bar

MIDI: If the drum machine has MIDI connectivity, then one could program the drum machine with
a computer or another MIDI device.
First Ever: Rhythmicon by Leon Teremin

The invention could produce sixteen different rhythms, each associated with a particular pitch,
either individually or in any combination, including en masse, if desired. 

Roland TR-808
influenced the development of dance and hip hop music

introduced in 1980. discontinued in 1983

one of the earliest drum machines that allowed users to program their own rhythms instead of
using preset patterns

used analog synthesis rather than samples, imitated drum sounds

DIN sync port (a precursor to MIDI) to synchronize with other devices through the Digital Control
Bus interface, which was considered groundbreaking. The machine has three trigger outputs,
which can synchronize with synthesizers and other equipment

was a commercial failure, then became a cult

Used by:

Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy, The Talking Heads, Damon Albarn, Diplo, Fatboy Slim, David
Guetta and New Order.

Kanye West used the 808 on every track on his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak

The limitations pushed artists to get creative: On their 1986 track "Paul Revere", the Beastie Boys
reversed a recording of an 808 to produce backwards-sounding percussion. Producer Rick Rubin
popularized the technique of lengthening the bass drum decay and tuning it to different pitches to
create basslines.

Famous songs:

"Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlSiASsUIs

"Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h6pcqC6wrI

I wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=eH3giaIzONA
Roland TR-909
used samples for for its crash, ride and hi-hat sounds and MIDI allowing it to synchronize with
other devices, or for sounds to be triggered by an external MIDI controller for wider dynamic
range. 16-step sequencer influenced dance music such as techno, house and acid Derrick May,
Frankie Knuckles and Jeff Mills

Used by:

Derrick May, Frankie Knuckles and Jeff Mills

Famous songs:

Hunter by Björk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyM5wow-hUk

Revolution 909 by Daft Punk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uURB-vo9rZ4

Mr. Fingers - "Can You Feel It" https://www.youtube.com/watch?

time_continue=55&v=UeiH9Mm0E5Y

Speedy J – "Rise" https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=jiwm_jZPuoM

Aphex Twin - Heliosphan https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=54&v=0Z4cLmbw6q0

Pump Up The Volume by M|A|R|R|S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9gOQgfPW4Y

Oberheim DMX
digital drum machine launched in 1980.  the second digital drum machine ever to be sold as a
commercial product

contributed to the sound and evolution of 1980s new wave, synthpop and hip hop music.

24 individual drum sounds from 11 original samples. allows for a maximum 8-voice polyphony

In addition, it featured tuning abilities for each drum sound, as well as swing functions, rolls and
timing variations in an attempt to create a machine that could play as close to a human drummer
as possible

Used by: Run DMC, Dr. Dre, The Chemical Brothers, Justice, Mike Oldfield, The Police

Famous songs::

New Order - Blue Monday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYH8DsU2WCk

RUN-DMC - Sucker MC's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOKMWSR2Aio

Rod Stewart - "Young Turks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ41hqlV0Kk

E-mu SP-1200
mostly associated with hip hop’s golden age. Thanks to SP 1200, the hip-hop producers started to
shift from drum machines to sampled loops.

its use as a phrase sampler produces a "gritty" sound due to the machine's 26.04 kHz sampling rate
(roughly half the fidelity of a compact disc), its SSM2044 filter chips and its 12-bit sampling
resolution.

can store up to 100 patterns, 100 songs, and has a 5,000-note maximum memory for drum
sequences. It also has a mono mix output and eight individual outputs, MIDI in/out/through,
SMPTE sync, and a metronome output. There is one button that allows you to select between
banks A, B, C, and D, which gives the user easy access to each of the 32 sounds.

Used by:

Beastie Boys, De La Soul, DJ Krush, DJ Premier, Madlib, MF DOOM, RZA, J Dilla, Dr. Dre, KRS-One,
Bibio, DJ Premier, MF Doom, Kid Koala, Cypress Hill

Songs:

Pete Rock making beats on SP1200 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-FLx_gIVCE

Roland Compurhythm CR-78

The first drum machine to use a microprocessor. An important advance in drum machine
technology at the time, in particular by allowing users to program and store their own drum
patterns.

front panel allows the user to customize the preset rhythms by altering the volume balance
between bass and treble sounds, canceling some sounds altogether, and adding "metallic beat"
(three filtered square waves that create a distinctive chime timbre).

No digital control of tempo is provided on the front panel, with only an analog knob for tempo
control. However, the CR-78 accepts an external V-trig clock, allowing a control voltage to be fed in
from another device such as a music sequencer

The wood effect cabinet and preset rhythms of the CR-78 such as Waltz, Bossa Nova and Rhumba

The CR-78 uses analog drum voices, which sound very little like real percussion instruments.

Used by: Visage, Simple Minds, Blondie, Genesis, Culture Club, OMD

Songs:

Heart of Glass by Blondie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

OMD – Enola Gay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5XJ2GiR6Bo

Radiohead - Present Tense https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti6qhk3tX2s

Linn LM-1
was promoted with slogan “Real drums at your fingertips”. Real samples of acoustic drum sounds,
not digital

It also featured revolutionary rhythmic concepts such as swing factors, shuffle, accent, and real-
time programming, all of which have since rooted themselves in beat box technology. Only about
500 were ever made, but its effect on the music industry was extensive

The LM-1 offered 12 tunable drum tones with individual voice outputs, real-time programming, a
13-channel stereo mixer, BPM meter, auto-correct capability and cassette tape data storage
(similar to older readers’ Commodore 64 datasets).

Used by:

Peter Gabriel, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Human League, Gary Numan, Michael Jackson,
Giorgio Moroder, and particularly Prince

Songs:

Culture Club - Do you really want to hurt me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nXGPZaTKik

Madonna - Burning Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pufec0Hps00

Don't You Want Me - The Human League https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0

Interesting articles:

https://www.attackmagazine.com/reviews/the-best/top-ten-classic-drum-machines/

https://enmoreaudio.com/amen-breaks-808s-a-look-at-the-most-influential-drum-machines-ever-
made/

https://blog.landr.com/moments-music-10-affordable-drum-machines-outshine-price/

https://www.gearnews.com/revolution-14-iconic-drum-machines-one-virtual-instrument/
Drum machines presentations on 19. 6. 2018
KOMA women - MPC, KORG Volca Beats

Lucas Sesboüé – presentation of the MFB 522

Isabella Bassi alias Isabassi - presentation of the Analog Rytm

Isabassi is an italo-brazilian electronic music composer and DJ based in Berlin. Highly inspired by
industrial and rough sounds, her musicality translates this aggressive environment through harsh,
erratic drummings and dark textures. https://soundcloud.com/isabassi

Anna-Marie Van Reusel aka Aporia::Atopia – presentation of the Vermona DRM1

improvised electronic music on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/aporia_atopia

on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh9oL1Vijr8vg3hYvonINMg

Radius aka Radius Etc – a presentation of the Novation Circuit, live set

A self proclaimed; “Jazzcat with a drum machine”, Radius started crafting beats in 2001. After
producing tracks for local rappers, he began to further hone his skills as a producer/ live
performance artist; by winning in Chicago area beat battles and later performing in various hiphop
and electronic showcases with the Moment Sound Crew (Garo, Lokua and Slava). Known for his
improv hardware live PA/electronic sets, which range from a wide variety of tempos and
multicolored soundscapes; highly inspired by his hiphop, jazz, dub and house music roots; due to a
South Chicago upbringing and a worldwide nomadic lifestyle.

Etcrecords.com (Label, Full Solo Releases, Affiliated projects & friends)

Soundcloud.com/Radiusone (Various Beats, Remixes, etc)

mixcloud.com/Radiusetc (Live PA Recorded sets & All Vinyl [mostly Jazz] Mixes)

instagram.com/Radiusetc (Photography, Music, Event Flyers & Show Updates, Lifestyle film/video)