Vermona DRM analog sound, 1987 drumsynth

YouTube Uploaded by JM0101011 on Aug 7, 2011

"This is a short test of a very rare Vermona DRM from 1987, an analog drum machine with a very powerful 32step sequencer."

via this auction

" Here's a super rare Vermona DRM drumsynth, a vintage instrument with cool sound and reallly useful 32step sequencer. It's on perfect condition, only a little (around 2 mm) scratch up in the faders section (see pic 4) or email me for details. I don't know much about this one and it's hard to find some info over internet too, that's what I got:

Vintage Analog drum machine with TR style sequencer, made in Germany in 1987.
It was released in 1987 by a German synthesizer company named Vermona. These days they are best known for their
analog drum module the Vermona DRM-1.

It is supposed the European answer to ROLAND's TR-808,TR-606, TR-707,TR-909 and CR-XXXX drum machines.

SEQUENCER:
First of all it offers a 32 step TR style sequencer. It is as simple to use as the roland machines.
It has 16 preset patterns and allows you to store 10 of your own. There is even support to chain patterns together, change pattern length, change time signature between 4/4 and 3/4. The unit is MIDI syncable, it will respond to midi clock, start and stop messages. It will also respond to MIDI note data allowing you to sequence the analog voices from any external piece of midi gear. It also transmits midi data as well allowing you to use it as your master clock source.

Alongside your preset and standard patterns you have fill mode, where the drum machine will play a drum fill. The ability to have just the bass drum playing. Flam is also available for the Toms.

In addition to the analog voice control their is a separate sequence for a trigger out, and 2 bizarre time signature sequences which can also be used as trigger outs.

There are 11 completely analog voices on this machine. The timbre of each voice cannot be modified.

Bass Drum - Nothing like an 808 or 909. Very simple oscillator design with transient click. But great for electro/minimal pulsing bass drum.

Low Tom - The toms are all pitch varients of each other, with separate circuits. They sound nothing like real toms, something like a 606 tom.
Mid Tom - Great for melodic rhythmic patterns.
High Tom

Claves - Sounds exactly like an 808 clave to me.

Cowbell - AWESOME sounding FM synthesis based cowbell. Uses 4 oscillators to create a very convincing tone.

Snare 1 - Filtered noise ciruit snare. Sounds great.
Snare 2 - Similar to snare 1 with less punch.

Clap - Incredibly modern sounding hand clap. Short, no reverb. Nothing like a TR clap.
Closed High Hat - The high hats sound very similar to the VERMONA DRM MK3 high hats. Probably based on the same noise circuit
Open High Hat - Similar to a cr-8000 but very metallic sounding
Cymbal
Accent.

There are 10 volume sliders to control each grouping of sounds. A master slider for volume. A slider of accent.

The back of the unit features LEFT and RIGHT audio outputs, whereby each instrument is panned by a preset amount. Also features a Headphone out. A dedicated Trigger out and 4 foot pedal inputs to control program change, start/stop, fill and bassdrum removal.

There is an odd european style input port on the back which gives you access to each AUDIO OUT of each instrument. Also each TRIGGER out of each instrument. A dedicated TRIGGER out. And 2 addition rhythm Triggers.

It's a big machine"