Tags: Digital drum machine

Notes: Not just a drum machine but a drum synth, the LXR-02 combines the best analogue and digital sound design options to great effect. Six drum voices each with over 30 adjustable parameters.

Supplier's Notes:
Two companies - Sonic Potions and Erica Synths joined efforts to develop a drum machine that would stand apart from the masses and the LXR-02 was born. The LXR is a full-fledged digital drum machine with an integrated sequencer. Its sound engine provides 6 different instruments, each with over 30 parameters to tweak, producing sounds from classic analog emulations to crunchy digital mayhem, thus offering some of the most extensive sound design capabilities found on a drum synthesizer. Its compact, durable design and clear user interface make it ideal for live gigs.

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 aluminum casing

Notes: Erica's flagship drum machine is a thing of beauty. Hybrid four-voice architecture with digital sound engines feeding into analogue filters and overdrive. Beautiful design, brutal sound. A creative and original instrument.

Supplier's Notes:
It's rather sudden- the bolt of lightning strikes quickly, but the roar follows behind, as if giving one time enough to inhale. Finally, it strikes your ears like the skies breaking apart and in all its magnificence it rides the wind. PERKONS - a deity of old known by many names and also by ours on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea - THUNDER, lord of the skies. Erica Synths proudly present our newest creation - PERKONS (THUNDER) - a drum machine and synthesizer that will change your approach to electronic rhythm synthesis - an instrument which bears the weight of a storm beneath its sturdy casing.

PERKONS features four sonically versatile hybrid voices (digital sound engine + analogue multimode filter with overdrive) and a sequencer with simultaneous control over all four percussion tracks.

Each voice has 3 sound engine modes, a HP/BP/LP filter and 8 controls for nuanced sound design, including an internal BBD FX send. All voice parameter settings can be saved as KITS. To add dynamics to the performance, parameter automation is implemented and a modulation LFO can be assigned to all parameters.
For a real thunderstorm, integration with external gear is considered - each voice has a dedicated velocity-sensitive trigger input, individual output and FX send and return with 6.3mm jack sockets, along with extensive MIDI implementation. All voices are summed and run through a built-in optical compressor and master overdrive.

PERKONS HD-01 is a unique live performance and sound design instrument that tears down the borders between drum machine, synthesizer and drone instrument. Time to ride the skies!

Features:

4 hybrid voices (digital sound engine and analogue multimode filter with overdrive)
8 controls per voice
Velocity sensitive trigger inputs for drum pads
Individual voice outputs
Individual sends and returns
64 kit and 64 pattern memory + additional memory on the SD card
Built-in bucket brigade delay and optical 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
4 shuffle algorithms
MIDI IN and MIDI OUT

Notes: 1010's Nanobox range expands with the Razzmatazz, a tiny drum machine with FM synthesis, sampling and a built-in sequencer. Small but powerful, with built-in MIDI and touchscreen control.

Supplier's Notes:
Create the juiciest beats and tastiest rhythms with Nanobox Razzmatazz, a mini drum sequencer that combines powerful FM synthesis and sampling. Featuring advanced voice architecture, razzmatazz puts a huge range of percussive sounds at your fingertips-from deep and gritty kick drums to searing snare hits and crisp hi-hats. Perform using 8 touchscreen pads or your favorite midi controller, and craft up to 16 rhythms using an innovative visual sequencer that allows you to see all pad states and steps simultaneously. Shape the sound of each pad by combining any variation of two FM oscillators and a WAV file-plus two filters, two envelopes, a resonator, a snap generator, and three additional effects.

You can even choose from four unique types of distortion to create incredibly distinct and powerful drum sounds. Enjoy massive analogue drum sounds and an innovative feature set, all in a compact package that goes anywhere.

Technical Specs

Includes 120 presets and 112 wave files
8 pads that can support 2 FM Oscillators and WAV file each
Sample memory per WAV of 30 seconds
Power: USB-C connection 5V, 500mA
3.5mm audio input and output
Maximum input and output level: 2Vrms
DAC and ADC resolution: 24-bit
Internal resolution: 32-bit
Sample rate: 48kHz
MIDI Input: 3.5mm Type A/B auto sensing
MIDI Output: 3.5mm Type B
Clock Input: 1,2, 4, 8, 12 or 24 PPQ selectable
MIDI support: Note On/Off, Velocity, Pressure, Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, assignable CCs, program changes and clock
H x W x D: 1.5" x 3.75" x 3"
Weight: 0.25 lbs.

What is included:

Nanobox | razzmatazz mini drum sequencer with FM synthesis and sampling
MicroSD card with presets and wav files
Color matched USB power cord
Type B TRS MIDI To MIDI 5 Pin DIN adapter
Quick Start Guide

Notes: Killer digital drum machine from the excellent Modor. Six instruments, 128-step sequencer and some of the freshest, most innovative drum sounds we've heard in a long time.

*** New upgrade - July 2023 ***

Introducing this new upgrade for the DR-2, OS010. Built in cooperation with Berlin-based Canadian electronic music artist Nicolas Bougaieff!

Bougaieff frequently uses polyrhythmic structures, dividing bars or musical phrases of different instruments into different numbers of steps. Have one instrument play 17 steps in the time another instrument plays only 16 steps, or 8 steps in 5 steps, or... Like stretching N steps of one instrument over M steps of a second one, giving them an N:M speed ratio.

He felt that there were only rather limited possibilities in hardware sequencers and drum machines to achieve this.

The process of achieving this was quite challenging, but the result was worth it! This is a very intuitive way to work with polyrhythms, making use of stretched clocks. It is ready for download now on Modor's download page on their site!

Apart from the main sequencer clock, the DR-2 now has 2 polyrhythmic clocks (or 'polyclocks'), called polyclock A and B. Each of these 2 clocks relates to the regular 'main' clock with a certain N:M ratio. The polyclock takes N steps in the time the main clock takes M steps.

Next, every instrument can separately choose a clock:
the main clock,
the A polyrhythmic clock,
or the B polyrhythmic clock.

This means, you can let, for example, a snaredrum play 7 steps while the rest of the instruments plays 8 steps. The 7 steps are stretched equally in time over the 8 steps of the other instruments.

How is this done?

Keep the A or B button down, and set the N:M ratio using the SELECT/BPM (for N) and VALUE/SWING (for M) knobs.

Keep an instrument button A...F down and hit the A or B button to assign that instrument to one of the polyrhythmic clocks. Hit it again to return to the main clock.

Supplier's Notes:

The DR-2 is a 6 instrument digital DSP drum synth, with a built-in 128-step drum sequencer. At first sight, it will feel recognizable in some ways. There are sounds that will remind you of the good old classic drum machines, and the step sequencer will get you building drum riffs from the first second you touch it. But Modor uses digital sound synthesis to get beyond the possibilities of a classic drum machine, and the step sequencer does more than just hitting drums...

First of all: although it's digital, the DR-2 is not about sampling. It's a drum synthesizer, like a classic analog drum machine, but it uses digital sound synthesis algorithms instead of analog circuitry. There are no samples in the DR-2, and there's no sample memory.

Just like the Modor NF-1, the DR-2 is not built to recreate the classics of the past. The DR-2 uses digital sound synthesis to innovate drum sounds and rhythms. Many sounds will be recognizable. It is possible to make classic sounding bass drums, snares and rimshots. It's not difficult to program classic floorfillers with the DR-2. But with 12 synthesis parameters per drum, you'll easily find yourself creating your own individual sound.

The DR-2 has 6 drum 'channels', drumsets made of 6 drum instruments. These channels don't have predefined instruments. You can choose freely which instruments you want in your 6-channel drumsets. The DR-2 works with drum 'models', of which you can pick one for every channel. You can consider these 'models', or synthesis algorithms, as a collection of small but dedicated drum synthesizers, of which you can pick 6 to form a drumset. There are models for bass drums, snares and cymbals, but also for some more unusual drum sounds, clicks and ticks.

Every model has up to 12 sound synthesis parameters: Pitch with pitch decay, curve and amount, amp volume with panning, amp decay and curve, and parameters X, Y, Z and T that have a different function in every model, see the table below.

The DR-2 has an output jack connector for each of the 6 channels A-F, and 2 master L/R outputs. If there's no cable connected to a channel output, the corresponding channel is sent to the master L/R outputs. The individual channel outputs are mono, but have a panning parameter to give it a stereo position in the master mix.

But there is more! The A-F output connectors are actually insert points, you can use 6.35mm (1/4") TRS jack connectors to route a channel out of the DR-2, and send it back in if you want. This way, you can use external effects, equalisers, compressors, ... on each of the 6 channels individually, and still have them panned and mixed in the master outputs of the DR-2.
Next to the audio connectors, the DR-2 has 6.35mm (1/4") TS connectors for 24PPQN clock input and output, and has classic din-5 MIDI IN, OUT and THRU connectors.

The sequencer of the DR-2 has a lot more options than just the classic 16-step sequencer. First of all: you can use 32nd notes, so the DR-2 doubles the resolution of a classic 16-step sequencer. The DR-2 has 16 step buttons but you can see 32 step leds on the front panel. Keep the '16/32'-button pressed to access the steps-between-the-steps.

A pattern can use up to 4 of these 16/32-step pattern parts, these can be accessed with the 1-16/17-32/33-48/49-64 buttons. Using SHIFT + one of these buttons sets the pattern length. So, it's actually a 4x32 or 128-step sequencer.

But there's more: each instrument has it's own Accent, Flam, Tuplet, Break and Reverse patterns. Keep the ACC, FLAM, SHIFT+FLAM, BREAK or REV button pressed while using the step buttons.

MEASUREMENTS
Width: 440mm without rack ears, 480mm with rack ears (19")
Height: 267mm (10.5"/ 6U)
Depth: 40mm (front) - 80mm (back)
Weight: +/- 6kg

CONNECTIONS
9V, 600mA adapter connection, positive voltage on center pin
MIDI IN/THRU/OUT connections, 3x 5-pin DIN connection
Clock In/Out connections, 2x 6.35mm mono jack
Audio Instrument Outputs/Inserts, 6x 6.35mm TRS or mono jack, unbalanced
Audio Left/Stereo output, 6.35mm TRS or mono jack, unbalanced, capable of driving headphones
Audio Right output, 6.35mm mono jack, unbalanced