Classic birds: Roland CR78 and Korg Mini Pops 7 MIDI flyover

video upload by ohm_studi_ohm

"Since these days I have on hand 2 classic - shall I write cult ? - drum machines that I retrofitted with MIDI interface it was very tempting to compare them in real time, playing the same thing. So I did !

The Korg MiniPops features the Tubbutec Unipulse interface (https://tubbutec.de/unipulse/) and the Roland CR-78 was upgraded with Tauntek MCU replacement (http://tauntek.com/CR78.htm). Bless these guys for everything they give to the synth community.
In this video I don't go deep into the MIDI functionality, i simply wanted to compare the raw sound of these 2 units. It would not be fair to compare them features wise. 10 years or more separate them and in many aspects the technology gap seems abysmal.
BUT they are more alike one can think at first.
What makes them very close is the nature, number and choice of drum sounds. The MP7 has 15 of them and the CR78 14. They have those sounds in common: Bass, Snare, Rimshot, High-Hat, Cymbal, Cowbell, Conga, Large Bongo, Small Bongo, Claves, Guiro, Tambourin.
The MP7 adds a second Snare sound (longer decay) whereas the CR78 has a second Tambourine sound (longer decay). The "maracas" on th CR78 can be interpreted as Cymbal 2 on the MP7.
Actually soundwise the big difference is the "Quijada" sound that's on the MP7 and is nowhere else to be found. Quite a jaw dropping sound it is !
So anyway i MIDI mapped the MP7s sounds to their respective CR78 ones as best possible so I now have 2 analog expanders rack :-)"

Korg Mini Pops 7 with Tubbutec Unipulse Midi interface

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

"Quick demo of a recently serviced and upgraded Korg Keio Mini Pops 7.
Every single electrolytic capacitors were replaced, instrument calibrated and fitted with Tubbutec Unipulse card which adds MIDI synchronisation AND triggers to this classic drum machine.
First part of the demo I use an Arturia Keystep Pro to sequence and program the Minipops and on the second part I simply use the Keystep to clock and start/stop the machine, showcasing a few of its patterns."

via this auction

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

"For sale is a cult Korg Minipops 7 upgraded with Tubbutec Unipulse kit which allows for MIDI triggering of sounds and MIDI tempo synchronization.

Unit was serviced and fully recapped. It's working and sounding as it should. Check the video I made."

Pics of the inside below.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Rhythm Ace FR-6 MIDI (uniPulse Demo)

video upload by Tubbutec

"Midified Rhythm Ace Fr-6 using our uniPulse interface:
https://tubbutec.de/unipulse/
Video and installation by https://www.instagram.com/juicythedj/

Link to the installation guide:
https://tubbutec.de/blog/rhythm-ace-f..."

Boss DR-110 with MIDI (Tubbutec uniPulse demo)

video upload by Tubbutec

"Demo of the Tubbutec uniPulse MIDI upgrade for the Boss (Roland) DR-110 drum machine.
The kit adds velocity sensitive MIDI control, 2 extra sounds, accent control and MIDI sync.
https://tubbutec.de/blog/boss-dr110-u..."

Elka Sidekick with MIDI - uniPulse Demo

video upload by Tubbutec

"Elka Sidekick midified with our uniPulse.
https://tubbutec.de/uniPulse
Instruments are fully velocity sensitive (you can hear that later in the video).
Bassdrum is without velocity, but there is an additional bassdrum sound that does have velocity."

Korg MiniPops 45 with MIDI (Tubbutec uniPulse demo)

video upload by Tubbutec

"Demo showing a Korg Minipops 45 midified using our uniPulse interface:
https://tubbutec.de/uniPulse"

You can find additional drum machines featuring Tubbutec's uniPulse here.

MPC Electronics MPC-1 with Tubbutec uniPulse MIDI retrofit

video upload by Harry Axten

"Pretty rare British-made drum machine from 1981, originally intended to interface with the Sinclair ZX81 computer. I’ve installed Tubbutec’s excellent uniPulse MIDI retrofit in this, using the existing sync socket for the MIDI input. The drum voices are very responsive to playing dynamics, which I was pleased to find works great with the uniPulse’s velocity-sensitive outputs.

The sequencer board in this one was wrecked by a battery leak, which is sadly very common in these. The leakage also got onto the main analogue board, although fortunately not as badly. It ate up three of the potentiometers for the Tom 4 voice, and I haven't yet located suitable replacements, hence those controls being missing and blanked off; but everything else is now working as it should, having cleaned up corroded board traces and replaced a number of damaged components."

Simmons SDSV w/Tubbutec uniPulse Midi - Analog Drum - Pro-Serviced w/Restoration SN 002948

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

via Analog U.S Reverb | eBay

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

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roland TR-808 (1981) - Werkstatt Matlak

video upload by Werkstatt Matlak

"Final test after repair and service.
Upgraded with Tubbutec UniPulse."

Wilgamat III Modifications - version 3

video upload by mysterycircuits

"Modified Elka Wilgamat 3. DIY keyboard controller using Yamaha PSR-12 keys. Tubbutec uniPulse for MIDI clocking and drum triggering. Individual accompaniment sounds switched on and off from keyboard controller, accessible via DB25 to 1/4" breakout. Four octaves of square waves called "Synth" follow the bass lines. "Roll" button on keyboard activates a built in drum roll. Fill, Minor, and 7th are controlled from keyboard. More info at: www.mysterycircuits.com/wilgamatIIIv3.html"

Additional Wilgamat III posts

Roland TR-66 with midi Tubbutec uniPulse demo

Tubbutec

Showcasing a midi controlled Roland TR-66.
Midi interface: https://tubbutec.de/unipulse/

Roland TR77 jam

mick frigerio

"Session with Korg MS20, Roland 101 (System 100), Mod. Roland TR77 (All Drumsounds), Gibson LesPaul, Hiwatt DR103, Recorded on MCI 16 Track.

The tr77 runs with a tubbutec unipulse midi interface. I changed a lot of resistors and capacitors on this machine and put some potentiometer on it for the volume of the drum sounds and the release time of cymbals, hihat, maracas, tambourines etc."

Tubbutec Session #01 - Korg Minipops 7, Roland CR-78 and Roland SH-101

Tubbutec

"Three Tubbutec modified instruments in this video:

Minipops and CR-78 are both midi controlled via Tubbutec uniPulse. The interface allows velocity sensitive trigger of all instruments and clock sync.

The MiniPops Guiro can be pitch controlled, which is used to add a second melody line in some parts of the video.

The SH-101 is midi controlled using the Tubbutec SH-1oh1 CPU upgrade. Accent is controlled via midi, the additional filter envelope adds a smooth attack to the baseline.

More info:
https://tubbutec.de/uniPulse
https://tubbutec.de/Sh-1oh1"

BOSS DR-55 mods and midi! (Tubbutec uniPulse midi interface)

Published on May 19, 2020 Tubbutec

"This DR-55 has been modded and midi added by Landon Balk. Check out his channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/3yo3channel
He built the custom case to house the mods and added midi using the Tubbutec uniPulse midi interface: https://tubbutec.de/uniPulse
an installation manual for the uniPulse mod can be found here:
https://tubbutec.de/blog/boss-dr-55-m...

The Roland SH-101 is modded with the Tubbutec SH-1oh1 midi interface and feature upgrade:
https://tubbutec.de/sh-1oh1"

LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER Modifies a Roland CR-78

Modifying My Beloved Roland CR78 To Make It Actually Useful Published on May 9, 2020 LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER

"Today I Modified my Classic Roland #CR78 #Drum Machine to be a bit more useable using the Tubbutec Unipulse.
FREE Sample Pack available for download right here :- https://www.patreon.com/lookmumnocomp..."

Some Blondie Heart of Glass in there.

CR78 Modification With The Tubbutec Unipulse

Published on May 9, 2020 LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER BUT MORE SERIOUS ISH

Virtual Superbooth 2020: Eurorack Jamsession with Tubbutec µTune

Published on Apr 17, 2020 Tubbutec

See the red SUPERBOOTH20! label on the top lef of the site for more. You can find previous posts featuring the Tubbutec uTune here.

"Excerpt from a presentation for 'Virtual Superbooth 2020'

Using Tubbutec µTune and expanders to quantize CV and as a midi interface for a monophonic voice and a 3-voice paraphonic synth.

Also using midi velocity to control filter and clocking a sequencer via µTune.
A midified Rhythm Ace FR3 (Tubbutec uniPulse) is synced and triggered via midi, too.

Modules used:
Tubbutec µTune
Tubbutec µTune expander
Tubbutec Sumtiple

VCOs:
Haible Living VCO
Doepfer A-110-2
Leaf Audio VCO

Filter:
Oakley COTA Filter
Doepfer A-105 VCF
Doepfer A-121

ADSR:
Doepfer A-140

Other:
Ladik S180 / S183 Sequencer
EMW Stereo Mixer"

Midi controlled vintage drum machine

Published on Jan 23, 2020 tubbutec

"Quick video showing how to control a vintage drum machine (Keynote AutoRhythm) via midi.

This is using the Tubbutec uniPulse midi interface
https://tubbutec.de/uniPulse"

50-year-old Rhythm Machine with Midi! & Joe Jackson's - Steppin' Out

Published on Dec 20, 2019

"My Roland TR-77 / Rhythm -77 is just back from surgery after it had a Unipulse midi kit installed.

Here's Tubbutec's page on it: https://tubbutec.de/unipulse/

Here's the other videos I mentioned:

Sampling the TR-77: [below]

Processing with the Maxon RM-60: [posted here]

Thanks for watching!"

Sampling Vintage Rhythm Machines [INCLUDES FREE SAMPLES]

Published on Sep 12, 2019 Alex Ball

"I love the sound of old analogue rhythm machines, but I always wanted to be able to program them like my drum machines. Without the knowledge or skill to modify them, I thought that maybe multi-sampling them would give me what I was after.

I’m over the moon with the results and I think that the Kontakt multi versions sound awesome. Hopefully you’ll have fun with them too!

Download: http://bit.ly/RhythmMachines

Bit of background: Although the earlier rhythm machines were intended to accompany lone musicians (mainly organists) and were controlled with start/stop footswitches, they do crop up in a few records.

The “Cha-Cha” preset from the TR-77 appears in Ultravox’s “Hiroshima Mon Amour” and it’s apparently the (rather processed) rhythm machine heard at the start of Squeeze’s “Take me I’m yours”. The seemingly popular “Cha-Cha” also appears at the start of Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film” albeit at a different pitch (perhaps done with tape speed).

The earlier version of the Rhythm 55B (the Rhythm 55) was also the very unit used by Joe Jackson on “Steppin’ Out”. In fact, he’s recently been bringing it out on tour with him: [below]

The Korg is a bit of a hanger on being released in 1982 given that 808s, LinnDrums and DMXs were out by then. The Roland CR-5000 and CR-8000 also snuck into the 80s, but they were really at the end of this kind of instrument that had its heyday in the late 60s and 70s.

Instruments used in this video:
Roland Rhythm 77 / TR-77 (1972)
Korg Rhythm 55B / KR-55B (1982)
Roland SH-1000 (1973)
Korg MS-20 (1978)
ARP Odyssey model 2813 (1975)
Roland Juno-6 (1982)"

Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out (Studio version, Joe explains the song) - Live in Italy 2019

Published on Mar 20, 2019

Studio version, with the original drum machine!
Four Decade Tour
Rome, 19 March 2019
Auditorium Conciliazione

Korg MiniPops 3 midi demo (Aria Diamond) - uniPulse

Published on Dec 16, 2019 tubbutec

"Showing our midi kit for the Minipops 3 and many other drum machines: https://tubbutec.de/unipulse/

Midi controlled MiniPops, original sound with a bit of added reverb. The Aria Diamond shown is a re-branded Korg Minipops 3.
Info and installation manual see link above."

Roland CR-78 with midi (uniPulse demo)

Published on Jul 25, 2019 tubbutec

"Roland CR-78 midi controlled using the Tubbutec uniPulse midi interface.
https://tubbutec.de/blog/cr-78-midi-w...

Features
- Midi trigger of all CR-78 instruments, most fully velocity sensitive. Guiro pitch can be controlled slightly.
- Midi controlled accent trigger (send max velocity 127 to trigger accent). Accent amount is still controllable via knob.
- Instrument mixer on CR-78 will continue to work.
- Sync via midi clock, switch between internal clock and midi clock via toggle switch.
- Use CR-78 Rhythms and midi control simultaneously.
- Not need to cut any traces, installation is completely reversible."