A Potted History of Drum Synthesizers

video upload by Alex Ball and Nathan Curran Tugg the Drummer (Tugg)

"A look at a niche within a niche, the drum synthesizer; a story that begins in the late 60s and continues to this very day."

0:00 Intro
0:25 Definition of a "Drum Synthesizer"
2:24 Precursors, DIY and Impakt
4:03 Star Instruments Synare
5:09 How these Instruments Worked
6:13 Syndrum: The First Famous Drum Synth
8:45 Ult-Sound: Japan's First Drum Synth
10:10 Pearl & Tama: Here Come The Drum Companies
13:20 Simmons: The Zeitgeist
19:21 The Flood Gates & Mega-Montage
24:48 Soviet Offerings
25:17 Decline and the Splitting Point
27:05 Vermona: A New Era
29:28 Elektron: Blurred Lines
30:58 A Plethora of Machines
32:24 Clavia/Nord: Simply Red
33:39 Modern Day: The Culmination
34:44 Summary & Thanks
35:23 Patron Outro Jam

Update:

1/14/26 Simmons SDS6 + TAMA DS200 + Alesis MIDIVERB II + CXM 1978

video upload by Cfpp0

"This is one of two videos I recorded for the great Alex Ball (‪@AlexBallMusic‬) to use in his video about the history of drum synthesizers. I’m using the Simmons SDS7 to trigger the two halves of the TAMA DS200, with reverbs from the Alesis MIDIVERB II and the CXM 1978. The DS200 is running hot through the MIDIVERB II, overloading the preamp. The CXM 1978 has a long predelay in lo-fi mode to create a grainy pitchy echo."

*NEW* Faderpunk — It Does MIDI Too!

video upload by Starsky Carr

"If you've been sleeping on the Faderpunk thinking it's just a fader bank, think again.

Most people see the Faderpunk from ATOV Projects and assume it's just another CV controller for Eurorack. It's not. This thing is a deep, flexible CV and MIDI controller — and after several months of hands-on use, I'm finally giving it a proper in-depth review.

In this video I dig into what makes the Faderpunk genuinely special: its app-based system. Rather than being locked into one function, you load different apps onto the hardware via an online configurator, effectively turning it into multiple different CV and MIDI modules in one compact unit.

I walk through a couple of the more complex apps: FP Grids (Mutable Instruments-style drum pattern generation), and the multi-channel sequencer.

You'll see it in action controlling the Roland CR-78 via MIDI CC (including live kick drum tuning for basslines), the Roland Galaxias for parameter and effects control, the Dreadbox Erebus via CV, the Dreadbox Nyx via MIDI, and the Vermoina DRM1 drum machine.

The sequencer alone — four independent tracks, each with variable step length, gate length, octave range, and rate — is something else. And with 16 save slots for recalling different setups, it's genuinely gig-ready."

Twenties - Hybrid Setup Jam (Analog + Move)

video upload by 2-Minute Warning

"This one’s built around two main pieces of gear: the Vermona Perfourmer handling nearly all melodic duties (bass, plucks, lead), and the Ableton Move taking care of drums plus a few piano/strings layers.

You already know the Perfourmer is one of my all-time favorites, but the Move keeps surprising me: super versatile for a 4-track box, and I feel like it doesn’t get as much love as it deserves ❤️

Everything is sequenced from the Hapax, I skipped the Move’s internal sequencer this time as it's easier to control all the sequences only on one machine. The breaks come from the Hapax 'FILL' feature as usual.

I treated the Perfourmer like three separate instruments:
Voices 1 & 2 → plucks (through H90)
Voice 3 → bass (Apocalypse + Julianna)
Voice 4 → lead (Lofi Junky + BigSky + Pill for ducking)"

Secular - Psy-Doom Drone - Elektron Tonverk & Vermona PERfourMER

video upload by Abre Ojos

"54bpm - Separation of Body & Soul

‪@WeAreElektron‬ Tonverk & Vermona PERfourMER

Video:
Live visuals using Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) from Archive.org played through cracked ancient iPad and processed through:
Video microscope
Sony ZV1
Roland V1-HD
‪@entropyandsons‬ Recursion Studio
Resolume Avenue
Recorded with Rodecaster Video

Dark ambient audiovisual stuff: https://abreojos.net"

Making of:

Tonverk vs PERfourMER - Make a track, make a rumble, use the Grainer & Wavefinder

video upload by Abre Ojos

"Come for a wander exploring the pairing of the Tonverk & PERFourMER. The make a track journey includes using track 8 to send MIDI to the Perfourmer and then routing the audio back in and using the Tonverk fx for the PerFourmer. Then adding a kick, making a rumble and then sampling the Performer and loading a Grainer and Wavefinder."

00:00 Intro ramble and global settings for the Tonverk
02:30 Setting up the MIDI track and routing the PERfourMER thru the Tonverk
06:35 Building stuff on the PERfourMER - pulsing bass & drones for days
18:47 Adding a kick
22:09 Setting up the sidechain using a bus track
23:33 Building a rumble
34:28 Snare
39:39 Hi-hats - random fun
43:31 Sampling the PERfourMER into the Tonverk
54:56 Grainer time!
1:02:52 Wavefinder time!

Easter Perfourmance MkII

video upload by Tim Shoebridge

"Happy Easter! Here in the UK we get a 4-day weekend, such a wonderful treat. For the very first time this year I've actually had enough spare time to sit in my studio for an hour, just relax, look around for a synth I haven't played in ages, and noodle on a keyboard for the fun of doing it. This little snippet of music was the outcome, noodling on a very special synth, the Vermona Perfourmer MkII. Effects are courtesy of two of my most favourite pedals, the Boss RE-202 and the Erica Synths Nightverb (well, the Nightverb is a desktop unit rather than a pedal but you get the gist!)"

Vermona drumDING: A New Perspective on Drums

video upload by OoraMusic and vermonagear

"The Vermona drumDING introduces a quietly radical take on the drum machine. Built around a single synth voice, carefully shaped for percussion, it invites you to create your own kits in a direct and immediate way—where sound design becomes part of the moment, not something prepared in advance. Sound, as it happens. Let’s dive in."

00:00 Introduction
02:50 Voice overview
07:56 Creating a kick
09:13 Sampling and assigning our first sound
09:47 Overview of the sequencer
13:15 The ALT function
14:11 Creating another sound
15:31 Creating a pattern and using modulation
20:52 Pinging filter to create percussions
22:12 Conclusions

Perfourm 🍀 (Vermona Perfourmer + H90 // Apocalypse + Julianna // Lofijunky + Bigsky + Pill // Hapax)

video upload by 2-Minute Warning

"For this * very long * 'one synth only' jam, you'll be able to hear the sound of the Perfourmer with and without the effects pedals 😉 (and even with and without the MIDI effects of the Hapax sequencing the Perfourmer).

The Perfourmer is setup like 3 instruments here:
Voices 1&2 for the PLUCKS thru the H90 pedal
Voice 3 for the LEAD/PADS thru the Lofi Junky + Bigsky + Pill pedals
Voice 4 for the BASS thru the Apocalypse + Julianna effects

The Perfourmer is fully sequenced by different tracks of the Hapax."

VERMONA Retroverb RETROVERB // Dusting Off // POST // No Talking

video upload by LESINDES

"This unit is a fantastic FILTERBANK with ENVELOPE FOLLOWER MULTISTAGE VCF +, SATURATOR, VCA, GAIN STAGE SATURATION , AD-ENVELOPE, LFO all in ONE BOX ++++++++++ a stunning SPRING REVERB PRE or POST these stages. This video is about the POST processiing stage in other words the spring reverb is AFTER the processing chain."

Dasha Rush live at SUPERBOOTH25

video upload by Superbooth Berlin

"Composer, producer and sound artist Dasha Rush performs a stunning fully improvised hardware live jam live at the SB25.

DASHA RUSH
https://www.dasharush.org/"

RetroSound Studio Tour: Analog Monophonic Synthesizers

video upload by RetroSound

"Welcome to RetroSound Studio Tour: Analog Monophonic Synthesizers & Duophonic — a deep dive into legendary mono synths from the 1970s and 1980s, including rare East-Bloc classics.

In this new episode, I showcase iconic instruments such as the Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, Roland SH-101, Maxi-Korg, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, alongside Soviet and East German synthesizers like the Polivoks, Alisa 1377 and Vermona mono synths.

These analog monophonic synthesizers defined the sound of electronic music — from the fat Moog and cutting ARP to aggressive Polivoks and raw Eastern European character.

This video explores the sound and architecture of true analog mono synths built around VCO, VCF, and VCA signal paths, highlighting their distinctive basslines, lead sounds, and modulation capabilities. From the Moog basslines to the aggressive Polivoks filter sound and the unique character of East German Vermona synthesizers, each instrument demonstrates why 1970s and 1980s monophonic synthesizers remain highly sought after by collectors, producers, and electronic music enthusiasts."

The Monophonic Analog Synths:
0:07 Maxi-Korg 800DV
3:17 Sequential Pro-One
6:30 ARP Odyssey Mk. III
8:39 Roland SH-101
11:56 Moog Prodigy
15:24 Moog The Source
17:34 Moog Micromoog
18:16 Moog Minimoog
20:56 Moog Taurus
22:21 Formanta Polivoks
24:44 Rodina Alisa 1377
26:48 Vermona Synthesizer

Take something - SQF - Vermona PerFourmer - Digitone 2 - Sub37

video upload by SQF

"DN2 drums
Roland S-1 on chords
Sub37 with some arp leads (a few program changes along the way)
GS Music e7 (multi mode, so I'm using several of the 4 multi-patches at once)
Vermona PerFourmer on bass and nastiness."

Vermona PERfourMER + Hologram Chroma Console

video upload by Electric Bear

"Jam with ‪@vermonagear‬ #perfourmermkii and ‪@HologramElectronics‬ #chromaconsole. Sequenced with ‪@WeAreElektron‬ #tonverk running through #analogheatfx . #dawless #synthjam"

Exploring OXI ONE: Lazy Ambient Jam w. Moog Messenger, Vermona Perfourmer, Prophet 12 & Eventide

video upload by copenhagennoiselab

"'Sunday Excursion' is a relaxed ambient jam built entirely around two sequences from the OXI ONE.
No composition. No arrangement. Just hands-on exploration and letting the hardware talk.

🔁 SEQUENCING

The OXI ONE runs two independent sequences:

Sequence 1 – Rhythm / Pulse
– Matriceal mode for controlled randomness
– Drives a Moog Messenger mono synth
– Acts as the rhythmic backbone of the piece

Signal chain:
Moog Messenger → Klark Teknik KT76 → Korg DL8000R → TC Electronic Fireworx

Sequence 2 – Melody / Texture
– Linear mono mode with probability-based notes
– Drives a Vermona Perfourmer in round-robin poly mode
– Each voice slightly different for subtle movement and width

FX:
Vermona Perfourmer → Eventide Eclipse

🎹 LIVE PLAYING

On top of the sequences, chords and textures are played live on a Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 12.
The patch is a slow, restrained pad with a simple overtone structure.

FX:
Prophet 12 → Eventide H9 (Blackhole)

This is not a 'track.'
It’s a documented session exploring how the OXI ONE interacts with a few quirky synths and late-90s / early-2000s rack FX.

If you’re into hardware sequencing, probability, and letting small variations do the work, you’ll probably find something useful here."

Analog Ice / Vermona '14 / Minimoog / Prophet 10 / Retroverb Lancet

video upload by Nik Nak

"Analog synthesizers and some winter mood.

Music & Video by NikNak"

Vermona DRM1 MKIII Deluxe Drum Synthesizer (w/ Triggers) SN D 11674

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Studio Live Ambient Sessions | Vermona Perfourmer MKII

video uploads by Laboratory 0

Playlist:

1. “Echoes” - Studio Live Ambient Session | Vermona Perfourmer MKII, Chase Bliss Thermae
2. Vermona Perfourmer MKII + Hologram Chroma Console + Piano
3. Vermona Perfourmer MKII + Intellijel Sealegs Generative Ambient Sequence

Vermona PERfourMER + Hologram Chroma Console

video upload by Electric Bear

#perfourmermkii #vermona ‪@vermonagear‬ #chromaconsole #hologramelectronics ‪@HologramElectronics‬ #dawless #synth #beatless (sequenced with #tonverk )

Stranger Things Theme - Synthesizer Cover

video upload by Zhou Jun

Arturia Keystep MK2
Arturia Minifreak
Korg ARP Odyssey FS
Moog Minimoog Model D
Vermona DRM1 MK4
Teenage Engineering OP-XY

Vermona PERfourMER + Erica Synths PĒRKONS

video upload by Electric Bear

"#perfourmermkii #chromaconsole #pērkons #perfourmermkii - #chromaconsole - #pērkons - #digitone #dawless"

Hologram Chroma Console + Vermona PERfourMERmk2

video upload by Electric Bear

"First play with the ‪@HologramElectronics‬ #chromaconsole Using it on the ‪@vermonagear‬ #perfourmermkii sequenced by ‪@WeAreElektron‬ #digitone"