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synths_and_drum_machines

Synths and Drum Machines

DIY

People

Interesting electronic music related people

Types

Drum Machine

Effects

Sampler

I think some kinda sampler or sample player is what I want next. I don't mind having to setup the samples on the computer then put them on a card, have no need for sampling with a microphone. I don't want to fuck with menus and tiny text. Something to work nice alongside the Roland TR-8, so a similar sequencer built-in would be nice. Leaning towards as Electribe ES-1 (ended up getting one~very happy with it).

Sequencer

Don't seel like I particularly need one, but down the line it would be fun to have one to act as a brain. I don't care about fancy algorithms.

  • Korg’s SQ-64 - BobWThW5IV4 - 64 steps, good for triggering modular setup
  • Arturia BeatStep Pro - Also lots of outs. Both are good 'brains'. Both have four channels.
  • Polyend SEQ
  • Cirklon - Like SEQ, it has lots of outs and features, but is expensive.
  • Also the SQ-1 - J0J101qE9J8, which seems nice and simple, and not pricey.

Grid

I really liked playing with the ToneMatrix website, and would like a grid-based sequencer. Lots of room to play and get surprised.

  • Monome Grid - https://monome.org/#grid
    Bare-bones, just a controller you can hook-up to other things.
  • Polyend Seq
    Maybe perfect, but expensive. No sounds on its own
  • Deluge
    Maybe similar to the Seq, but lacking all those MIDI outs.

Notes

A mess, sorted by manufacturer.

Akai

Rhythm Work

Drum machine with a nice bass instrument too.

Also do one called the Tom Cat that repalces the nice bass synth with a tom.

Arp

Omni

I really like the design of the Arp synths (etc.). Really like how easy to understand they seem, and like the sliders.

The Omni has a really lush sound.

Arturia

Drumbrute

Analogue! About $600! D: More like $350 on Gumtree?

More I see/hear it the less I want it though.

Matrixbrute is amazing but never ever affordable (several grand [whoops I bought one secondhand]). Minibrute closer to my budget? (oh god the Minibrute 2/s is like $1000). Micro is unappealingly small.

Minibrute

Smaller keyboard than the Korg MS20 Mini, but the arpeggiator is really appealing.

Casio

SK-1

Keyboard sampler. I like the human voice instrument, the delay changes depending on pitch.. Shame it's several hundred dollars.

Donner

B1 / Syn Bass

Eko

Computerhythm

Close to my ideal drum machine. Everything's all clearly laid-out, beautiful buttons, patterns stored on punchcards!

Erica Synths DB-01

Hohner

The Electronium is a synth in an accordion form!

Jomox

All their stuff seems ace. They also have some effects units that do interesting feedback and resonance, really rich dark sound.

Alpha Base

Lovely drum machine. Analogue, also some samples and even FM. Would love one of these.

Sunsyn

Synth.

XBase 09

TR-09 clone, but a wonderful one with lots of control.

Korg

ARP Odyssey

Electribe

Kinda into all the first Electribes. Ended up buying the ES-1, EA-1, ER-1. Might just be me, but there's a little something missing from the sound of all of them, so they really benefit from some external EQ and effects?

Electribe ES-1

Sampler/resampler/sequencer. Takes SM cards. Has decent samples included. Easy to use.

Electribe EA-1

90s analogue modelling synth. with sequencer. Sounds real good! Can get acidy sounds.

Electribe MX

AKA: Korg EMX

There's also an ESX, which's more the ES-1 equiv/upgrade

Minilogue

MS-20 Mini

Mini analogue synth. in and out, would work nice with a drum machine or laptop input too.

MS-2000

Opsix

FM synth that sames pretty easy to use (and has lots of presets).

Triton

Wavestate

Looks a lot like the Opsix, with uses wavetable synth.

Vladimir Kuzmin

Musician and Soviet synth designer.

Maestro

Search: Маэстро

Beautiful sound, neat UI.

Polivoks

Search: Поливокс, Polivoks, Polyvox

Melbourne Instruments

Nina

To-be-released, pricey, no-compromises synth. Wish those buttons were a sequencer…

Philips

PMC 100

FM synth, mostly want (really want :0 ) for the rad sequencer. Easy to use, can have heaps of steps. Has a tape slot, for both saving and playing audio, and saving sequences as data! No MIDI.

Polyend

Medusa

Kinda seems like the Matrix Brute's matrix/grid, with maybe an easier interface? Use it as a sequencer, use is as a keyboard of customised sounds. Seems rad. 3 digital wavetable VCOs, 3 analogue.

PreenFM2

Roland

I love effect-drenched Roland claps.

TR-8

TB-03

Boutique D-05

Sequential Pro 3

UDO Super 6

Beautiful rich sound, nice and hands-on.

Waldorf Blofeld

Has different kinds of synthesis: wavetable, FM… and it can all interact.

Can load in samples!

Can use as a MIDI controller

Waldorf Kyra

Yamaha

QY Series

Tempted by these things because of their Showa-era J-Poppy sounds. UX seems a bit fiddly, maybe enough for me to not want to use them, but also be fun to mess with on the train or in bed or something.

Update: I bought a QY100 and really enjoying playing with it in the backyard next to the cat :-)

MU Series

Desktop MIDI device kinda meant to be used with computers. Would love a 1000 or 2000 model. Try to get one with upgraded firmware (EX version). Additional features of the 2000 are a sequencer ad ability to play samples, not that useful, but can also load playlists of MIDI files of the Smart Media card. Drums are naff. Can also pass audio into it and use it as an effects unit.

RS Series

Tone generators with sequencers. Could be a more playable alternative to the MU series, but I haven't looked at them much. Like the QYs with better UX in palce of portability?

See Also

synths_and_drum_machines.txt · Last modified: 2023/10/17 19:22 by rjt