Our long-awaited drum machine review part two is here! As we alluded to back in part one, it’s pretty interesting to know that the humble programmable drum machine has only been around for little over 40 years. We truly are spoilt for choice when it comes to beat-making machines, and that’s not including the plethora of software emulators or samplers! There was a time not so long ago when drum machines were the fare of ‘real musicians’, thankfully music technology has come a long way and drum machines have become a standard throughout many studios, regardless if you’re a bedroom producer, hobbyist or a super duper drum machine professional. One thing is for sure, manufacturers have included a stack of features that were unimaginable only a few decades ago! So how does one choose a drum machine? Not sure if we answer that effectively, but I do know we all need more of them. Hope this video helps:
Here is a snapshot of what I love about each drum machine reviewed in its video, along with the manufacturer’s features.
Erica Synths Perkons
Love:
- Percussion synth engines
- Invites hands-on performance
- Easy to navigate front panel
- Massive sound and scope
Features:
- 4 hybrid voices (digital sound engine and analogue multimode filter with overdrive)
- 8 controls per voice
- External trigger inputs for each voice
- Individual voice outputs
- Individual FX sends and returns
- Master FX send and return
- 64 kit and 64 pattern memory + additional memory on the SD card
- Built-in BBD emulation and a compressor
- Modulation LFO with morphing waveforms; up to 8 modulation destinations per voice
- 4 track sequencer, 4 time divisions and 4 time multiplications per track
- Per-step ratchets and probabilities
- Shuffle & groove settings for each track
- MIDI IN and MIDI OUT
Elektron Digitakt
Love:
- Drum sampling powerhouse
- That Elektron sequencer
- More sounds than one can imagine plus sampling!
- Immediate effects and compressor
Features:
- 8 internal audio tracks
- 8 dedicated MIDI tracks
- 1 × multimode filter per audio track
- 1 × base-width filter per audio track
- 2 × assignable LFOs per track
- 1 × overdrive effect per audio track
- 1 × amp envelope per audio track
- Delay send effect
- Reverb send effect
- Stereo compressor master effect
- Sampling capability
- 64 MB sample memory
- 1 GB +Drive storage
- 1 × headphones output
- 2 × ¼” balanced main output
- 2 × ¼” input
- 1 × Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port
- MIDI In/Out/Thru with DIN sync out
Erica Synths LXR-02
Love:
- Highly editable digital percussion/drum synth
- Dual oscillator per voice
- Immediate sequencer
- Compact size
Features:
- 6 drum voices
- Powerful sound design engine
- Over 30 adjustable parameters per voice
- Voice volume sliders
- Insert FX section
- 4 assignable 6,3″ jack outputs (2x stereo or 4x mono)
- Full-size MIDI in/out
- Flexible, performance-oriented 64 step sequencer
- Performance mode with mutes, rolls, master bitcrush, and kit morphing
- Kit, Pattern, Performance, and Song memory
- SD card for easy FW updates and Project backup
- USB MIDI
- Headphone output
- Extensive MIDI implementation
- Durable and compact aluminium casing
Elektron Analog Rytm MkII
Love:
- Elektron’s hamburger with the lot
- A huge palette of sounds
- That Elektron sequencer
- Scene and Performance modes great for live applications
Features:
- Drum voice features (×8)
- Fully analog signal path
- 1 × specialized analog percussion sound generator
- 1 × sample playback engine
- 1 × analog overdrive circuit
- 1 × 2-pole analog multi-mode filter
- 1 × panning VCA pair
- 1 × filter envelope
- 1 × amp envelope
- 2 × individual effect sends
- 1 × assignable LFO
- 1 × dedicated LFO fade envelope
Storage
- 4096 sounds (+Drive sound library)
- 128 sounds per project
- 127 samples per project
- 1 GB +Drive sample storage
Sequencer:
- 12 drum tracks
- 1 FX track
- Sequencer MIDI Out
- Up to 64 steps per pattern
- Individual length per track
- Individual scale per track
- Parameter locks
- Step recording mode
- Trig preview
- Trig probability
- Instant pattern, kit, and sound reload
- Live-friendly performance mode
- Trig mute, swing, slide, accent functions
- Trig conditions
- Micro timing
- Chromatic mode
- Scene mode
- Sample-per-step change
- Sound-per-step change
- Assignable retrig
- Full real-time control
Send effects
- Delay
- Reverb
Master effects
- Analog stereo distortion
- Analog stereo compressor
Hardware
- 12 large, velocity, pressure sensitive, and backlit pads
- 128 × 64 pixel OLED screen
- MIDI In/Out/Thru with DIN sync out
- 48 kHz, 24-bit D/A, and A/D converters
- USB 2.0 Hi-Speed port
- Balanced audio outputs
Roland TR-8s
Love:
- TR intuitive workflow and sequencer
- FM synth is delicious
- Assignable CTRL knob per voice
- Motion sequencing
- Customize kits with your own samples
Features:
- User Drum Kits: 128
- User Patterns: 128
- Step Sequencer
- 11 instrument parts and 1 exclusive part for trigger out
16 steps per 1 variation
8 (A – H) variations per 1 pattern
2 Fill-in patterns per 1 pattern
INST tone
- (Tone can be assigned to each 11 instrument parts freely.)
- PRESET SAMPLE: 300 tones or greater
- USER SAMPLE (imported form SD CARD for playback): Available format: WAV, AIFF
- Total time for all samples: Approximately 600 sec (at 44.1 kHz, mono)
Effects
INST FX: THRU, HPF, LPF, LPF/HPF, H BOOST, L BOOST, L/H BOOST, ISOLATOR, TRANSIENT, COMPRESSOR, DRIVE, COMP+DRV, CRUSHERREVERB: AMBI, ROOM, HALL1, HALL2, PLATE, MOD, HA-DOU
DELAY: DLY, PAN, TAPE ECHO, PITCH SHIFT
MASTER FX: HPF, LPF, LPF/HPF, H BOOST, L BOOST, L/H BOOST, ISOLATOR, TRANSIENT, TRANSIENT2, COMPRESSOR, DRIVE, OVERDRIVE, DISTORTION, FUZZ, CRUSHER, PHASER, FLANGER, SBF, NOISE, FATTENER, VINYL SIM
Other: SIDE CHAIN (for EXT IN), SCATTER (as one of AUTO FILL IN functions)
Display
- 16 characters, 2 line (backlit LCD)
- 7 segments, 4 characters (LED)
- External Storage
- SD Card (SDHC supported) for backup/restore function and import sample data
Korg Drumlogue
Love:
- Fusion of analog and digital sounds
- Performative sequencer featues
- Great sounding effects
- Motion sequencing
- Perfect physical size meets I/O
Features:
- Polyphony: 11 voices (*)
(*) User synths may be played polyphonically via MIDI, the actual voice count will depend on the synth’s implementation - Sound Engine: Analog 4, PCM / User samples 6, Multi-engine（NOISE、VPM、User Synthesizer）1.
- Number of Programs (including rhythm patterns)
- 128 (64 preset programs by factory default)
- Number of drum kits
- 128 (64 preset kits by factory default)
Effects
- REVERB、DELAY、MASTER
- Inputs / Outputs
- Headphones
- OUTPUT（L/MONO、R、AUDIO、OUT 1-4）
- SYNC IN/OUT
- AUDIO IN、MIDI IN/OUT
- USB A（TO DEVICE Only for MIDI controllers)
- USB B（TO HOST）
Novation Circuit Rhythm
Love:
Truly portable in every way
- Real-time front panel controls
- Large sound library plus sampling
- Grid FX
Features:
- 32 RGB backlit velocity-sensitive pads
- 28 RGB backlit tactile click buttons
- Rechargeable battery (up to 4 hours battery life)
- Expandable Storage (slot for microSD card (sold separately) for 31 extra packs)
- USB-C socket (power delivery, charging, MIDI)
- MicroSD card slot
- 3x MIDI DIN (In, Out, Thru)
- 3.5mm sync out
- 8x endless encoders with RGB indicators
- Sound engine & sequencer
- Maximum Polyphony (8 voices)
- Recordable Samples = 4096 (128 samples x 32 Packs [1 internal Pack / 31 Packs on micro SD Card])
- Patterns (8 patterns x 8 tracks x 64 projects x 32 Packs)
- Max Sampling Time (228 seconds per Pack (32 seconds max per pad))
- Import Format (WAV, MP3)
- Pattern Sequencer/Step Sequencer
- Resolution (24ppqn quarter note)
- Pattern length (1/32 note to 64 bars)
- Recording method (Real-time Quantization on/off, Programmable Step Sequencer with Micro-steps/Probability/Mutate)
- Playback direction (forwards, reverse, ping-pong, random)
- Effects (Delay Send with 16 presets, Reverb Send with 8 presets, Side Chain with 7 presets)
- Grid FX (Vinyl Sim, Beat Repeat, Reverse, Filter, Gater, Phaser, Digitiser)
- Sample playback (Slice, Chromatic, One-Shot, Gated, Looped, Reverse)
- 8 macro knobs (Pitch, Start, Length, Envelope, Overdrive, HP Filter, LP Filter, Resonance), Master volume
- Master Filter (High/Low Pass)
Power requirements
- USB bus powered.
- Built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery (up to 4-hour run-time). Charge via USB-C port.
ICYMI:, Here’s Part 1
