Korg Volca FM2 Vs. Sonicware Liven XFM Sound Comparison

video upload by Dylan Ferno

"These are 2 portable and budget, 6 voice, FM synthesizers. While the Sonicware Liven XFM is more capable as a beat making machine, I thought I'd put the Korg Volca FM2 up to the sound test to see where it can compete. No external effects were added.

Since synths can make millions of different sounds, it is hard to directly compare them. So to do the best I could, I compared some of my favorite presets/custom patches in the following categories:

0:00 Pads
0:45 Ambience
1:45 Bass
3:15 Lead
4:20 Keys
5:55 Brass
6:47 Strings
7:57 Mallets
9:00 Whistles
9:58 Drums

In my opinion, the XFM is warmer sounding and better for traditional electronic sounds with its own unique twist. While the Volca FM2 is better for beutifully replicating the sounds of acoustic instruments."

D16 Group's Nepheton 2 808 Based Drum Synth Now Available

video upload by d16group

"𝗡𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝟮 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄! Feel the booming blow with our famous 808 emulation. Better sound engine, lots of new features and huge factory content."

https://d16.pl/nepheton2



"The Iconic and Versatile 808 Sound

The most iconic and widely used drum machine in over 40 years of music history is reincarnated in Nepheton2. You'll find all the nuances of the 808 booming sounds perfectly reproduced. Now you have everything you need to create your next dancefloor shaking hit.

Paired with a Full-Fledged fx Section
The fully furnished effect section helps in creating more punchy and animated sound. It will cut through the mix like butter.

Modernized Drum Programming
Ease of use, interface clarity, and wide range of tools make the drum programming an inspiring process.

Get under the hood
808 as the base for Urban Electronic Music. Whether you’re producing hip-hop, R'n'B, trap or dance music, the versatile and in-your-face sound character of this machine will make you want to incorporate it into every beat you create.

A dedicated channel strip for every drum sound
With EQ and compression per instrument, you can quickly perfect that 808 boom and sizzle. Final Touches Are So Crucial
A capable master section will give the final punch to your beat.

MIDI map and Trigger Outs
Easily manageable MIDI map and employing trigger outs; the cherry on top.

... and much more

Substantial factory content
Over 1200 presets and patterns in factory content

Screen fit
Several UI sizes and HiDPI support for better screen fit

MIDI Learn
MIDI Learn for easy controller assignment"

Roland TR-505 & Roland D-50 Beat By Keyboard Kingpin Titled "Human Repression by Robot Aggression"

video upload by Keyboard Kingpin

"Welcome Friend's We are back again. This time with a beat made with strictly the Roland TR-505 Drum machine (1986) and Roland D-50 Synthesizer made in 1987. Some excellent midrange to low budget Roland gear for making nice Soundtracks. Things are getting Crazy out there Friends Don't let AI and robots replace Our souls. Join us for the first battle of the Synth Robot Revolt!!"

Teenage Engineering Introduces EP-133, K.O.II

EP-133 K.O. II by teenage engineering - performance demo

video upload by djpho

Update: video added. Don't miss Cuckoo's overview video below.

via Teenage Engineering

THE CHAMP IS HERE

A versatile machine with an impressive set of features, K.O.ii is the new champion in and outside the studio.

UNRIVALED BY ANYTHING IN ITS CLASS, this is the sampler you've always wanted at THE incredible price of just $299

Get ready for round 2

Meet the evolution of the world's most sold sampler. based on the legendary PO-33 K.O!, the new EP–133 K.O.II adds more power, more sampling capabilities, a fully reworked sequencer and brand new punch-in 2.0™ effects. introducing a workflow that lets you go from idea to TRACK faster than ever.

It's pocket operators gone pro.

Knock out features

9 projects each with 80,000 notes

projects contain 4 groups, each with 99 patterns

patterns have 12 TRACKS for samples and MIDI

variable pattern length per group (1 to 99 bars)

12 mono / 6 stereo voice polyphony

use groups to mix and match patterns on the fly

record and automate all 12 fader assignments

sequence in free time or quantized with swing

assign any pad to one of 16 MIDI channels

loop mode from OB-4 with length AND slide

12 pressure and velocity sensitive pads

instantaneous timE correction and erase

slice samples LIVE OR AUTOmatically

stereo / mono sampling at 46.875 kHz / 16-bit

punch-in 2.0™ effects (PRESSURE SENSITIVE)

arrange quickly using the instant commit feature

32-bit float signal chain, 24-bit ADC / DAC

SYNC IO FOR EXT. GEAR. 8TH, 16TH NOTE OR SYNC24

6 built-in send fx and a master compressor

drag and drop samples using the sample tool

Get started with the new EP-133, K.O.II by Teenage Engineering (Tutorial)

video upload by True Cuckoo

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:58 Hardware overview
02:19 Assign sounds to pads
03:08 Navigate sounds by typing
04:01 A quick glance at the "menus"
04:33 Live recording a beat
04:52 Setting pattern length in bars
05:16 Start recording from any bar
05:34 Recording "free" unquantised
06:20 Erasing a track
07:05 Quantising an unquantised recording
08:12 Step sequencer
08:54 Edit sound envelope
09:27 Edit sound amplitude
09:46 Replace a sound
09:59 Sample from the built in mic
11:23 Trim a sound
12:01 Punch-in record
12:13 Sample a vinyl form the line input
13:01 Chop a sample
13:47 Groups
14:20 Layers
14:35 Play chromatically with Keys mode
15:18 Edit sound play mode
15:48 Use a MIDI keyboard
15:47 Record a longer pattern, unquantised
17:32 Punch-in quantisation
18:13 The fader
19:52 FX
22:30 Punch-in FX
25:00 Looper
25:47 Setting the tempo
26:03 Having fun
26:20 Patterns
26:56 Commit and duplicate "scene"
27:48 Edit a duplicate pattern
29:08 Getting lost in the music
30:44 Recording the fader - jamming on
31:00 Jamming on…
31:36 The KO 2000
31:49 9 Projects
32:17 MIDI sequence an external synth
35:47 Looper affects MIDI out
36:19 Yeah!

Univox SR-55 Drum Machine SN 700504

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"The Univox SR-55 Super Rhythmer aka Korg Mini-Pops 3 is a fully analog drum machine featuring 20 different presets rhythms to choose from with 15 different drum voices total.

Volume, Tone, and Tempo are all adjustable and the different rhythms are arranged in 2 layers that you toggle between using the switches directly beneath the beat buttons.

The rhythm patterns are standard for the era but it does have a unique section for combining 6 types of kick & snare and 6 hi-hat patterns for the Fox Trot and Swing Rhythms (making 72 possible combinations!) and like most other machines of this type, the patterns can be combined by selecting multiple rhythms.

Also has Bass-Snare balance and Brush-Cymbal balance.
These machines were very popular in the 70's and the only competition was the Gibson Maestro MRQ-1!

The SR-55 is a very rare rhythm machine made by Keio Electronics of Japan as Korg Mini-Pops 3, marketed in the USA by UNIVOX (Shin-ei).

It plays great vintage beats (especially Latin rhythms), great for blues, reggae and rock.
SR-55 was used by Kraftwerk early on.


What's cool about this box is you can 'trick' it to vary a preset beat by depressing 2 of the style buttons together, some might latch and you'll have a hybrid pattern."

CLICK FOR MORE »

11/10/23 (demo) External audio through the modulation circuit of Maestro Rhythm King MK4 (for sale)

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Cfpp0

"A beat gets added at 3:35 to demo the full sound of the machine, but otherwise this is just the sound of the Hewlett-Packard 241A oscillator (into the Heathkit ID-4101, padded down by a Rucci passive mixer) sent into the modulation circuit on the Maestro Rhythm King MK4. Each available preset is selected so that you can hear how the circuit chops up the external audio in relation. You can also combine two or three presets for more complex rhythms."

via this auction

Note auction links are affiliate links. See the site's privacy policy for more info.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Molchat Doma | На дне | Moog Sound Lab

video upload by Moog Music Inc

"In a recent visit to the Moog Sound Lab in Asheville, NC, Belarusian-turned-LA post-punk trio Molchat Doma performed an exclusive version of “На дне (Na Dne, At the Bottom),” the dark, danceable opening track of the band’s second studio album, 'Этажи (Etazhi).'

Formed in 2017 and currently on the coveted Sacred Bones Records roster, Molchat Doma has been a force in defining today’s new-wave renaissance. The band’s synth-pop-meets-industrial style is a seamless and authentic representation of ‘80s synth-driven sound—revived and reimagined.

In this performance of “На дне (Na Dne, At the Bottom),” the band blends warm synth leads, pulsing bass lines, and deep, droning vocals. On top of a simple, resolute drum machine beat, the artists use Moog One, Moog Grandmother, and a Novation 49SL MKIII to build the track’s melodic leads and bass.

Molchat Doma is…
Egor Shkutko: vocals
Roman Komogortsev: guitar, synths, and drum machine
Pavel Kozlov: bass and synths

For more about Molchat Doma, visit molchatdoma.com."

Oberheim DSX SN A34523

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Pics of the inside below.

"Transport yourself back to the early 1980s, a time when innovation was paramount, and Oberheim was at the forefront. The visionary Oberheim Parallel Buss system emerged as a proprietary masterpiece that paved the way for seamless connectivity and synchronization in the pre-MIDI era. This groundbreaking system interlinked an array of Oberheim marvels, including the resplendent OB-8 eight-voice synthesizer, the rhythmic wizardry of the DMX drum machine, and the ingenious DSX Digital Polyphonic Sequencer.

The DSX, a true marvel of its time, also wove its magic with other Oberheim synthesizers, embracing the likes of the OB-Xa, OB-SX, and OB-X. It could either sway to the DMX's rhythmic beat or take the reins of control over the OB-synths themselves. But the DSX was not content with merely directing these musical maestros; it held the power to command an additional eight analog synthesizers through its 8 CV and Gate outputs, a feat unparalleled at the time.

For analog synth enthusiasts, the DSX was a revelation. It could faithfully capture your live performances, recording notes and patch changes in real-time, with an astonishing capacity to hold up to 6,000 notes. With room for ten distinct sequences or songs, each of these sequences could unleash ten polyphonic tracks, orchestrating a symphony of OB-synths and DMXs. The DSX even remembered the intricate details, such as splits and doubles. To refine your compositions, it offered quantizing, looping, editing, transposing, and the ability to merge sequences.

If you possess any of these cherished pre-MIDI Oberheim analog OB-synths, the DSX presents a timeless solution for direct, classic control without the need for MIDI retrofits or complex interfaces. Despite some cosmetic wear, this pre-owned gem is in impeccable working condition, meticulously serviced with a new internal battery, internal cleaning, and maintenance. To complete the experience, the DSX arrives with a sync cable for effortless integration with your Oberheim companions and a comprehensive manual. It's your chance to rediscover the magic of a bygone era, rekindling the analog spark that fueled musical revolutions."

CLICK FOR MORE »

The LoFi Magic of a Scottish Tape Drum Machine

video upload by HAINBACH

"The Bandmaster Powerhouse is a drum machine unlike any other: it uses 8-Track tape recordings of drum and percussion loops to play back 'Funky Beat', 'Modern Waltz' and 'Disco' patterns. Made by GR International in Perth, Scotland in the 1970s, only few survive and the tapes are even rarer. The warble and flutter, especially when pitched down, is horrible from a technical perspective, but it adds layers of texture that are a dream come true for the rare groove enthusiast."

You can find addtional demos here and here.

Stylophone Beat, East Beast, Kawai K1m Jam

video upload by ChrisLody

"Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Dubreq (they make Stylophones) on an hourly rate producing video content. This video wasn't paid for directly but as a result of my work with Dubreq it is marked as Paid Promotion

Right time for a weird jam! I've been ridiculously busy recently with my day job and music related work so can barely justify taking time off to make this (this is product endorsement which is about as close as I can get to time off at the moment 😅), but I risk my channel turning into wall to wall Sonicware news (more of that to come) so I'm trying to find time for a bit of silliness like this!

Dubreq sent me the Stylophone Beat a few weeks back and I've been having some fun with it. For such an inexpensive machine it has surprisingly features. It can play 4 different kits, 4 different bass sound, 4x 32 step patterns, has some realtime playback effects like a filter sweep and pattern length (think stutter mode), patterns can be copied, elements muted etc, the stock sounds are well chosen, really quite good. There are limitations of course, the volume of each sound is fixed, there's no sync capability (although technically the LED flashes at 1ppq so it could be hacked) and the memory is wiped when it's powered down so make sure you record you work. One saving grace in that regard is that it goes into standby quite quickly so this Beat was left on all night with my rhythm programmed in so was still there the next day for me to continue work on. One small caveat is that the drum sequencer supports 16th note resolution but it seems the bass sequencer doesn't, you'll get 8th note recordings. It does support glide though as you may be able to tell from what I've made here. So all in all a fun little machine!

I also bought a Cre8audio East Beast recently and haven't had the chance to use it, so here it is used in the laziest way imaginable with the Stylophone Gen X-1 as a delay effect. It's a very capable little semi modular but I'm not using those features here. I also bought a Kawai K1 which used to belong to former Sonicware staff member Evan Sirchuk, so here's that too playing one of it's presets. That's a really bright sounding bit of kit and I wasn't sure what to use it for at first but it fits in nicely here. I don't even think I've used that Korg NanoKEY2 for anything yet either and I've had that for years!

Anyway, I don't know how I ended making such an odd sounding jam 😁"

New Sonic Sand Castles' Audio Enjoyer XR-1 Groovebox Sneak Peak

video upload by Sonic Sand Castles

"A test jam with the xr-1 groovebox"

xr-1 909 groove test


"Testing applying a 909-style groove/swing in varying amounts on the xr-1"

via Reddit 2 days ago:

"Hey all, this is a prototype of the xr-1, a digital drum machine, sampler, and synthesizer. It’s powered by the Teensy 4.1 microcontroller.

It’s a 909 style sequencer (a step can be off, on, or accented), with 16 banks, 16 patterns per bank, 16 tracks per pattern, and a max of 64 steps per track.

There are 4 performance modes (tap, mute, solo, ratchet) and a song arrangement mode.

It has stereo in/out (usb audio in the future). It has 5-pin DIN MIDI I/O, 4 pairs of CV/gate outputs (really 8x CV outs with 0V to +10V range).

A micro SD card is used to store/recall audio samples and project data. Samples can be mono RAW or stereo WAV files. Mono samples can be looped.

There are 16 sample voices available, and 4 voices which can be used as synthesizer voices.

I currently only have a simple 2-oscillator subtractive synthesizer right now. More will be added later.

It has a capacitive touch keyboard which is useful for assigning notes to steps, playing while jamming, performing with ratchets at various beat divisions.

Lots more details to come.

I will be demoing this at the Machina Bristronica festival in Bristol next week (flying all the way from the metro Detroit area, first time overseas). If you’re able to make it, come by booth (My business name is Audio Enjoyer) and say hi.

I will launch a signup page later this month and post here again so you can sign up for more info."

#onedrumcomputeraday Drum Synth Videos

video uploads by #onedrumcomputeraday

Playlist:
1. toyo gakki ult sound ds-2

quirky little 70's drum synth made in japan

2. pollard syndrum twin

the pollard syndrum was one of the first commercially available electronic drums. this is the syndrum twin, sometimes called the twindrum - a beautiful drum synthesizer (brain) from 1976 which was part of an electronic drum kit. joe pollard was a session drummer working for the beach boys and other bands.

3. honky tonk music klone kit

sound demo of the quirky klone kit control module. made in the uk 1983 it was a cheap 5 voice alternative to other popular but expensive e-drum solutions of that time. all channels are identical except the snare channel which offers noise. the sound is very limited - followed up by the more flexible klone kit 2. since there's no demo of version 1 I decided to shoot a quick video with proper audio. retail was 299 ukp.

4. elka drumstar 64 (no talking hq audio)

quick demo of all preset patterns from this funky little Italian 80s drum machine.

5. electro harmonix rhythm 12

a short video about the lovely little electro harmonix rhythm 12 vintage analog drum machine from 1976. made in the uk by soundtech and licensed to electro harmonix.

6. rsf sd140 sampling drum machine

I finally managed to shoot a quick video on this super rare french sampling drum machine from 1986 - one of my absolute favorite drum machine of all times :)

7. böhm digital drums m. "digi-rocky" drummachine (no talking hq audio)

audio demo (hq) of all preset patterns (+fills) on this tiny forgotten digital 80s böhm drumbox.

8. electro harmonix drm16 drummachine (no talking hq audio)

short (hq) audio demo of this funky little drumbox from the late 70's

9. soundmaster sd-3 "disco beat" drummachine (no talking hq audio)

quick audio demo of this funky little japanese "stomp box" style disco drum machine from the late 70s.

10. pearl dr-x1

from time to time i have to sell something to make a little room for new stuff ;) so I decided to let this beautiful pearl dr-x 1 go and had to do a quick video before it left my dungeon - I hope you like it, had fun to re-listen and doing a few samples - best, steve

11. lel psr and radel electronic tabla

#onedrumcomputeraday is having a look at the worst digital drum machine ever (?) the russian lel psr in a double feature with the odd indian radel electronic tabla - also featured in a little deconstruction of the arctic sunrise song "forever yours".

12. uno drum - anthology drum libraries

very first & early look at the new & fresh libraries for the ik multimedia uno drum

13. icon design dsm200

last look at my the super rare 80‘s drum synth of icon design ... this one unfortunately had to go 😪 so I decided to create some footage for the world wide web before it's gone ...

14. twisted electrons deton8

checking out the little french 8bit drum machine from twisted electrons

15. dynacord percuter s

a little rough demo of the dynacord percuter s drum module (ca.1985) - including audio demos

16. bme rattlesnake

little jam on the rare bme rattlesnake analog drummachine (ca. 1982)

17. viscount r64s

Beat Breakdown with Nate Wood on the KORG drumlogue

video upload by Korg

"Nate Wood takes us through a beat breakdown of how he composed, 'Guru Model,' & demonstrates his masterful use of the New KORG Drumlogue and the fantastic features it offers to enhance his creative process.

Nate harnessed the full potential of the Drumlogue by utilizing all 64 steps, the randomizer to introduce certain notes at specific intervals, giving the piece an ever-changing and dynamic feel, & its built-in nano synth voice adding a unique and powerful bass layer to Nate's composition that serves as the backbone of the song. Mixing standard drum machine sounds with captivating synth sounds, he effortlessly brings in and out different elements, creating a mesmerizing musical tapestry."

Introducing the Stylophone BEAT

video upload by Stylophone

via https://stylophone.com

"Introducing Stylophone BEAT, the ultimate pocket-sized drum machine for music lovers on the move!

Create captivating beats and basslines anytime, anywhere – no drumming experience required!

Mix and match 4 drum kits and 4 bass sounds, from classic sounds to real beatbox samples, and craft your unique sound effortlessly.

Stay in time with the automatic tempo lock, record multiple layers, and mute sounds for endless beat-making fun!"

Making a Beat BUT I Pretend It's 1985 And I Don't Have a CPU

video upload by Jay Diggs Music

"Jay Diggs goes on a time-traveling music production adventure! In this video, jay takes you back to the golden era of music recording. An age when computers were yet to revolutionize the way we make beats. Let's take a look at analog music production and explore the techniques used to make hits that we all know and love without the aid of modern-day CPUs.

⏱️Timestamps⏱️
00:00 Intro
00:52 MPC 60 a 40 year old Drum Machine!
01:30 The Drums
3:10 The Bassline and Keys
4:36 The Brass
5:39 The Tape Machine
7:40 Recording Reverb in a Hallway and Effects
9:15 I Get ANGRY!
11:00 The Finished Beat!"

https://www.jaydiggs.com

7/16/23 DEMO: Maestro Rhythm King MKIV (for sale) chops TTMC and Trogotronic

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Cfpp0

"This Rhythm King is the true King of rhythm machines because it has an internal modulation circuit that gates your external audio to correspond to the pattern of the beat. You have control over the modulation depth and volume. You have control over the beat volume and the balance between drums or cymbals. You can combine more than one pattern to generate new patterns. For this demo I am playing continuous notes on the TTMC 112, which CVS the 158 oscillators, and the 112 gates the Trogotronic m11 and also sends pressure to the drive input. The output goes to a 106 then to a passive Rucci matrix mixer (I was going to make the modulation circuit feedback on itself a bit, which sounds cool BTW) and into the modulation circuit where the Rhythm King slices and dices."

via this auction

"This is a rare Maestro Rhythm King Mark 4. It is VERY different from the more common and more colorful Maestro Rhythm King (we have it too if you want to buy it). The biggest difference is that the MKIV has an external audio input, which gets fed into a gate circuit that follows the rhythmic patterns of the preset pattern you choose on the drum machine. Check the video in our photos and cut to 2:45 to see and hear how it works.

You can blend the drum sound using a fader to go fully hats, to be mostly kick and toms, or anywhere in between. The volume for the external audio has its own volume fader, as does the drum volume, so you can also use it just to modulate audio and not use the drums. There is also a blend fader for the gate on the external audio, so you can dial in how much of an abrupt cut you want."

CLICK FOR MORE »

MPC Electronics MPC-1 Vintage Analog Drum Machine Demo w MIDI2SDS MIDI Retrofit [mpc1]

video upload by fishjaco

"This is an extraordinarily rare MPC Electronics MPC-1 analog drum machine. It is the only vintage analog drum machine I am aware of that is velocity sensitive. The velocity sensitivity is particularly interesting when applied to the toms as it gradually mixes in "skin resonance" which, to me, sounds like a filtered noise source.

The sequencer only records a couple of the drum tones and is thus not useful. I installed the MIDI2SDS retrofit kit from Elby Designs to make it more usable. Unfortunately there are about 10 sounds on the MPC and only 8 triggers on the kit. In this video the Cymbal and Tom 2 are not triggered.

I chose the MIDI2SDS kit because it transmits velocity data (not demoed in this video). I installed it to receive Midi through the Sync In input so that the retrofit is fully reversible.

The primary purpose of this video is to demonstrate the basic functionality of this unit. It is not to demonstrate my (non-existant) beat making genius, so do not expect a rockin jam.

The audio was recorded directly into an Emu 1616m interface."

XW .G1 CASIO SYNTHESIZER-Experiment- Lycan/ Amyr Cantusio Jr

video upload by AMYR VON BATHEL CANTUSIO JR ALPHA III PROJECT

"CASIO XW.G1 SYNTHESIZER EXPERIMENT
Além de muito bonito, este Synth é complexo e oferece uma ampla gama de sons, além do Beat Box excelente e Sequencer(Drum Machine)"

Googlish:

"CASIO XW.G1 SYNTHESIZER EXPERIMENT
In addition to being very beautiful, this Synth is complex and offers a wide range of sounds, in addition to the excellent Beat Box and Sequencer(Drum Machine)"

Introducing CRUM DRUM - a generative drum synth!

video upload by Albert Nyström

Details via Thonk

"Crum Drum is a 4-voice drum machine with built in randomisation and probability based sequencing designed by NYSTRÖM

Rhythms can be created and manipulated using the internal random sequencer or externally via MIDI USB. Press the beat button to generate new rhythms, adjust the probability to create continuous variations, and increase the randomness to modulate the sound of your beats! Generated sequences can also be sent out via MIDI and Crum Drum can also sync via analog clock in and out.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Building A Song WIth Asynchronous Rhythms

video upload by EZBOT

"Welcome to another adventure in the world of rhythm and harmony! Today's journey is a little different - we're gonna go off the beaten path and experiment with something I find really fascinating: polyrhythms and varied track lengths. Sounds a bit wild, right? Trust me, it's not as intimidating as it may sound. It's just like cooking - a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, and voilà - you've got a delicious new beat. 🎧

Every track on the machine can have a different length. That's right, each and every one of them! This results in some really cool polyrhythms and unique timings for patterns that I thought might pique your interest.

Get the NEW Ultimate Octatrack FX Template 1.1.6 and Ultimate Octatrack Template 2FF here with continuous updates: https://www.patreon.com/ezbot and here if you want a one-time download: https://www/ko-fi.com/ezbot"