X1L3 - circuit bent - synth mod - yamaha DD-10 drum machine with midi

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. X1L3 - Circuit bent Yamaha DD-10 - evolving percussion

Published on Jun 26, 2015 manufacturedZ3R0 .

"Improvised percussive set utilising the internal sounds and the additional oscillators that have been added. The oscillators can be set to drone or to follow the amp envelope of the output as shown here. A very simple drum pattern in order to show how much this can do on such a basic foundation."

X1L3 - Circuit bent Yamaha DD-10 - power electronics / noise wall

Published on Jun 26, 2015

"Improvised set of PE / noise wall and ambience generated with the embedded oscillators and fx in the DD-10.

Since the DD-10 is near 'unbendable' and seeing a modified one is a rarity i thought i'd give it a go and see what i could come up with."

via this auction

"Circuit bent - midi retrofit - yamaha DD-10 drum machine.

Modifications and embedded circuitry:

Analogue resonant filter with high pass and low pass bands
Gain, resonance, low pass/high pass toggle and cutoff
A nice warm filter based on the synthacon.
Lot's of resonance and a unique character of it's own.
Violent, squelchy and crunchy when overdriven in this machine.


Digital 'death industrial' delay
Rate, noise, feedback, off/on toggle
This delay variant is based on the formula applied and the output of circuit bent delay pedals which have been sold in the past.
A versatile and if desired aggressive set up that can drift between ambience, echo and all out harsh noise wall and power electronics.

Analogue distortion
Dual mode distortion with diode clipping, filter and gain.

PSU - DC hum suppression circuitry
A regulated psu is now built into the machine.
This gives a stable and quiet power supply to both the drum machine and additional circuitry as well as
providing a quiet output and excellent noise floor.
Input voltage is +12V tip positive running 2 amps.
Please be aware of the amp rating of your adapter. It MUST run 2 amps or above.
Suitable adapters are available at low cost on ebay.
If shipping within the Uk i will suppply and adapter free of charge.

Master pitch control
Gives a large global pitch range - demonstrated in the demo videos The pitch has a high and low setting and a coarse and fine control. The fine control gives you conventional pitching of the drums, the coarse will take them down to vicious noise, droning and glitching. The drum machine now serves not only as a percussive instrument but a generator of abstract sounds and textures.

2 X Drone oscillator section.

The oscillators can be set up as drones or as amp envelope followers. In the first instance they turn the machine into an interesting drone and noise synth, with the features of the FX chain at hand to liven things up. In the second mode they add a tone to the drum patterns which will follow the amplitude of the pattern envelope and add a low end growl to the pattern when the distortion is engaged. Both modes are demonstrated in the videos below.

External input and mixer section.

An external input has been added which has line level and pre amp selection. You could if you wanted to plug a guitar or microphone into it now and apply the effects to the incoming signal. You can also mix this external signal in with the drum sounds and oscillators via the mixer section. Everyhting can be faded in and out as desired.

Cnc machined aluminium panel work with black anodize and engraved text and graphics

The DD-10 comes with midi as standard. It has a good and varied range of sounds and although it can't glitch as with a lot of other old DD drum machines it's been reworked here with a number of additional features to give it a warped character which can hold it's own when put side by side with the machines which are open to rom glitching. It's quite unique in how it behave and sounds now. They're something of a rarity in modified form due to how difficult they are to modify. With some forethought and synth diy application it can now hold it's own amongst the most unruly and bizzare of circuit bent instruments.

Watch the demo videos below for some examples of what it can do.

The first video is a very simple percussive pattern. Intentionally simple in order to show what the machine can do with something very basic. The second video is an improvised noise set. Constantly shifting and evolving. Quite violent at times. It shows what the DD-10 can now do outside of the confines of it's original drum machine format. Harsh noise wall, ambience, fx and power electronics are all within it's grasp."