We haven't had a good old open thread in awhile, so maybe we're due? What's your favorite drum machine (you can choose separate ones for analog and digital) and why?For me, I'd say the Korg KPR drum machines for my analog choice. Just for the snare drum alone (which will be familiar to anyone who owns Depeche Mode's first album...)
For digital, I'm going to make an unconventional choice in the Fricke-512B. This not-very-well-known 8-bit drum machine just sounds so amazingly crap that it's brilliant in a way. Reminds me of the Korg DDM-110, which was my first drum machine, but I think the Fricke is a bit more unique-sounding.
So what are yours? Answer in the comments!
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I love the sound of old rhythm machines, my favorites being the Acetone FR-1 and Korg Mini Pops Jr. On the other end of the spectrum - for programability Elektron's Machinedrum has yet to be beat (though I think Tempest might just claim that title for me come August. )
Fav Analog Drum Machine - Korg Rhythm 55
(classic Depeche Mode Speak & Spell rhythm snare fills)
Fav Digital Drum Machine - Kawai R-50E
(Love the solid Kick & Zappy Hi-Q sound,,used on many Wax Trax & Nettwerk releases!)
My Other Great Fav notable Drum Machines:
Digital - Linndrum LM2 classic rimshot/cowbell/and claps..think DOA You Spin Me Around !
Digital - EMU Drumulator classic rimshot/cowbell and claps..think early Depeche Mode & Front 242 !
Analog Preset - Roland Rhythm 77..all sounds..think early Cabaret Voltaire, John Foxx, Siouxsie "Red Light"
Analog Programmable - Roland CR-78
think the movie Liquid Sky "Me and My Rhythm Box"
AWESOME :-)
OK everyone wants to out geek each other on this for the most obscure drum machines...
sure the Minipops is gorgeous but it is so tied to JMJ's Oxygene that you can't do anything else with it.
LinnDrum- v. cool sounds too but not versatile enough...
but I am going to be totally obvious and chose the 808 with a distortion pedal and a bit of space echo. I don't think there is a better sounding kick anywhere on the planet, plus its interface is yet to be bettered in terms of getting great sounding patterns out.
p.s. Tom/anonymous are you sure about the drum machine used on Speak and Spell? I know there is a ton of debate on this matter. i know Vince said that they used the Boss DR55 in his Analog Monologue on the JP4. i have one (gorgeous snare that sounds pretty much correct to my ears)
At Line Of Control,
I'm actually friends of Daniel Miller..we even share the same birthday :-)
Well anyway...when Depeche were first out of the box on a compilation album called Some Bizarre 1981..they release there first demo mix of Photographic..they used a Korg Rhythm 55 for preset percussion..turned the Kick pot down..and trigger that pulse to a ARP 2600..with Daniel miller who created the Kick Lazer Sound for Vince Clarke...when Speak & Spell was composed they used the Korg Rhythm 55 & KPR 77 for all percussion & snare sounds..and again used the ARP 2600 for the Lazer Kick Sound..now when Depeche were doing those early days of touring they brought on stage the little VHS sized Boss DR 55 of which Vince Clarke had Dave Gahan Control on stage and had multiple little stickers on it of there set for Dave to know which pattern to turn the big black knob too !!!\Depeche used the TR-808 on there 2nd release, and Martin Gore now took over as chief composed and favored an electronic simmons type kick to work along the TR-808 snare & percussion.
Hope this clarifies everything.
p.s.s That famous lazer kick sound that Daniel Miller created was used on his Silicon Teens Project, Fad Gadget..on my Fav Ricky's Hand..on Soft Cell's Memerobelia and on the ultra futuristic early ebm outfit from germany - Liaisons Dangereuses !!
very cool!
thanks for that info.
Looks like i need to track down a Kp55 and 77 off ebay now...oh and an Arp2600 would be nice too...
I got a korg ddd - 1 it's got that old school 80's sound got 2 luv it....
80's hip hop sound that is....
For me my fav. drum machines are fairly simple, for obvious reason the Roland TR-505, TR-606, TR-707, TR-808, TR-909 are always at the top, but for everything else, Boss DR-55, DR-110, DR-220, DR-880, Yamaha RX5 and Alesis D4, Kurzweil K2000, Alesis SR-18, ect. the list for sounds is ever great in number but you cannot forget the Linn Drum and Linn LM-1 plus any number of sampled drum set/kits would do with tweaking their sounds after sampling them from real live kit or from the drum machines themselves, but since the 1987-1991 I've come to love the SIMMONS Drum Kits, because they looked weird with hexagonal pads and plus they sounded great.
Casio Rapman, all the way.
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