The elusive perfect drum machine

The Lounge Other Gear
#61

I think Tempest and a decent sequencer would be my choice if I had to pick just one drum machine. But for some styles I would struggle to choose between a Tempest and an Alpha Base. Which I think has a much punchier harder sound which really suits upfront club music, Techno/House etc

Tempest is a really fun machine to use standalone but there are annoying limitations in its own sequencer, so I use it as a sound module. It has limited MIDI implementation; and only samples built in, but unlike many I like the fact it only has the built in samples - means you have to get creative with available samples and the synthesis options, which are VAST to make something unique.

Bizarre choices made however, such as not outputting the rolls to the MIDI out - which in my use would be great as I use Tempest pads via Cirklon to play itself but unfortunately can’t record the roll MIDI which would’ve made it a great MIDI rhythm controller.

2 Likes
#62

Tempest has feedback oscillators, use that on sub sonic frequencys, and it eats Analog Rytm easy. Also it can do these short snappy bass sounds like rattattat, knarz and wump. Only thing is, there is no fm, but that is quiete ok with all that pitch shaping possible.

But you have to put in the time to get the beat out of it, digitakt is a good partner.

1 Like
#63

I couldn’t help you, I love the DT & OT… smaples, snapples, slamples!! Then I just mangle however I want, distort, effects, filter, LaF-LO’s, reverse, retrig, and on and freakin’ ON & ON!!

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#64

Op you are too picky and slag off suggestions to mod the drum machines sound with another piece of gear like the Boum. Honestly that is the way to customize the exact sound you want, which is why people suggest it.

I don’t understand why you can’t modulate samples either. I have more flexibility modulating one shots in Ableton than any drum machine I have ever had. Why? Endless LFOs for one. Some modulations are already built into the Simpler, you just dial in the % you want.

You could take a Nord Drum, run it through a Boum, record one shots and have a massive library of custom samples that you then sequence in the DAW… OR you could take a Nord drum, learn it inside and out and get the mix how you want it coming out of the stereo outs and then run that into a Boum or whatever stereo effect you like and have a custom beat.

Seems like a lot of overthinking to me, but maybe I don’t get the use case.

5 Likes
#65

My favorite thing to do is program drum breaks on my drum machines, run them through effects, then sample them and chop them up and resequence with additional effects and modulation. Then I get to separate my sound design and my production days which works very well for me. Of course this can’t really be done live if that is what the OP is doing.

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#66

„great things are rarely perfect“ (if ever).

so there’s no such thing as „perfect drum machine“ in my mind, just interesting combinations of imperfect ones

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#67

I’m not a huge drum person. I’m more about harmony. Usually I tend to favour kick/snare 1-3 patterns with hats. When I’m doing more complex things in the DAW I usually use a very long reverb that I bitcrush and that I animate with stutter and glitches and grains. I use samples, and I’ve produced some but, right now, I’d like something immediate and fun and that sounds well in the context of live.

I’ve tried the Analog Rytm and despite having a lot of depth, I can’t get it to sound the way I’d like (with some exceptions). Usually to make it sound heavy I use compression and distortion, but the base sound never fully pleases me as much as the ones I get from my Nord Drum 3p. Hence why I dismissed the Boum: I don’t need another layer of compression and sizzling, I need to sell the Rytm because I find it too expensive to just be a sample machine (and it’s not great at that).

So either:

  • I find a box with at least 1 individual out and synthesis options that go into Nord territory. And I think I may have found it with the TR-8S (and I could still use Nord samples if it’s lacking).
  • I sequence the Nord from the Digitakt, eventually buy a Nord Drum 2 to minimize the footprint, and use a midi track on the Digitakt to send a kick signal to my Pill pedal for ducking (which is important for me). This costs me 0 and can even do ghost kicks (ducking when the trigger is not hearable).

There was a bunch of very nice suggestions along the way which helped greatly!

Not overthinking made me found peace.

Here, take a wip track with Nord Drum 3p:

3 Likes
#68

I do this with my Nord Drum 2, Virus input fx and Jomox T-Resonator II. The samples sound amazing, more unique and lively than anything that comes stock out of a drum machine.

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#69

Has anybody suggested over thinking it?

So far this thread is off to a good start - but this is only a start. I want charts, graphs, lists, feature comparisons, sound demos, links to Utube vids, more personal testimonials, circuitry diagrams, waveform analysis, spectrographs… until then we can’t make a decision.

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#70

meta-chart
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#71

OG Arturia DrumBrute it is then. Easy.

1 Like
#72

Strike me if I missed it, but do you have an idea of what specifically you ARE looking for in a machine?

@fffiiissshhh already had a great take on it, but I also think the TR8-s may work. Compared to your other options it’s extremely affordable especially used. I recently got it because I wanted something more immediate and performance centric for the pretty elementary patterns I was programming in on the DT. Nice to have analog modeled 606,707,808 ready to go and sounding great. It may be a good in-between option until you really nail down what you need.

If the other options already mentioned don’t do it for you, I think you’re headed ITB, friend. Feels like you may be at odds with a workflow problem and ITB seems to have the most options there

1 Like
#73

Yah. A ND3 with individual outs!

I’ve already got everything I need ITB. This question was more about a box for a live setup which as of now features:

  • Two MS-20 (well more like 1 MS-20FS and a K-2, but in the end it will be… 2 K-2 because those are lighter), running stereo into an Eventide Blackhole
  • An A4MKII
  • An ARMKII
  • Sometimes a Micromonsta 2
  • A Nord Drum 3p and sometimes a Digitakt/Midiphy Loopa
  • A 7 strings Ibanez guitar and a Helix
  • An RC-600 looper
  • A drummer doing its own thing

To do stuff like the track posted above.

With the AR I always end up compressing and sizzling stuff like:

And inevitably RS sounds like bells and the snare is shit and I feel disappointed. So I think I’ll sell the AR (or wait for the “elusive perfect firmware update”) whilst trying a new box.

And the strong suggestions were Jomox and Modor and Tempest and TR-8s and as I’m not too heavy on drums, I think the TR-8S might do the trick!

So pretty much case closed! Thanks everybody!

And don’t forget: do not overthink!

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#74

I’ll have to think about that for a while.

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#76

And I thank you for selling your samples of these machines. They have been high quality and awesome.

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#77

Thanks so much for your support!!!

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#78

You could also go with a used Jomox Airbase 99 (plenty of outs, great sound) or a Vermona Drm1 Mk IV and a dedicated sequencer like Arturia Beatstep.

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#79

Is there anything like a Tempest on the market atm?

#80

Nothing analog with pads and as robust a synth engine.

Form factor wise: Electribe, MPC, Analog RYTM…
Synth engine wise: Analog 4 (and even then, not really)… Full stop.

Cheers!

3 Likes
#81

For those owning a TR-8s and using the external input sidechain option so that:

  • Audio from another (set of) machine(s) is routed to the TR-8s
  • The kick track of the TR-8s triggers a ducking effect on that incoming audio

Do you know if the pumping effect is still achievable when the kick is not audible? Hence having a ghost kick?

Edit: found a video where I could hear the ducking being triggered without hearing the kick so I guess that’s a yes.