Exploring the Crumar Nerve Centre 15
Crumar Nerve Centre 15 is an analogue drum machine that was build into a number of Crumar’s organs from the mid 1970′s.
“I took this particular specimen out of an old defective organ some years ago (and made a video of it) and now the time has come to find out how it works so that I can use it for something.
One very special thing with this drum machine is that there is a separate row of selector switches for the auto-accompaniment so that you can pick and chose independantly – in other words it is possible to combine for instance the samba rhythm with waltz bass and arpeggio (not that it would sound very good but it is possible). I wonder why so few organ companies came up with that idea. It makes the auto-band much more flexible and it only costs an extra row of switches.
The music in something I made on Yamaha HE-8 and Technics SX-C600 organs, Roland SH-2000 synthesizer and TR-66 Rhythm Arranger drum machine, and the little Casio CZ-101 phase distortion synthesizer.”
The Bleep Drum
Arduino based drum machine with adjustable samples and loop sequencing.
Available February 8th from bleeplabs.com and Sparkfun.com.
All audio direct from The Bleep Drum.
Transdimensional hand modeling provided by the HSS3jb (not hooked up to the Bleep Drum).
Specs:
- Four sounds, two with pitch control
- Four selectable sequences
- Record patterns just by playing them
- Tap tempo
- Reverse mode
- Hyper Noise 30XX mode
http://bleeplabs.com/store/the-bleep-drum/
Deep House with Juno-60, M1, TR-909
A Deep House-inspired improvisation using Roland Juno-60, Korg M1, Roland TR-909
Building Techno and House rhythms on the Roland TR-909
“I bought my 909 in the ’90s when it was at the peak of its popularity in Techno, House and Rave music. This old faithful has been to many raves and house parties back in the day, yet, amazingly, still works and more importantly, grooves like a fox on rollerblades.”
The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer is a partially analog, partially sample-based, drum machine introduced by the Japanese Roland Corporation in 1983. The brainchild of Tadao Kikumoto, the engineer behind the Roland TB-303, it features a 16-step step sequencer and a drum kit that aimed for realism and cost-effectiveness. It is fully programmable, and like its predecessor, the TR-808, it can store entire songs with multiple sections, as opposed to simply storing patterns. It was the first MIDI-equipped drum machine. Around 10,000 units were produced.
TT-303 Controlling Modular
Background description:
Machinedrum is master midi clock to TT-303 which sends CV to Intellijel Rubicon.
Gate is sent to Quadra. Other modules used: Dixie ii, Planar, Dr Octature, uVCA, uFold & uVCF
TB 303 How to program Da Funk
Daft Punk/Da Funk Program by Roland TB-303
Linn Drum LM-2 Vintage Drum Machine Overview
The LinnDrum was the second machine from Linn Electronics. It’s basically an upgraded version of the original LM-1 with added crash and ride cymbals to the kit. The LinnDrum uses samples of acoustic drum sounds. At the time, they sounded great and much more realistic and they were a fresh alternative to the analog drum sounds of the ’80′s drum machines. The LinnDrum also had a handy upgrade option, a well designed layout and interface, and live drum trigger inputs.
The LinnDrum had beefed up the sampled sounds from 28 to a 35kHz sample rate. It features 15 sounds including bass, snare, rimshot, hihat, crash, ride, three toms, cabasa, tambourine, high and low congas, cowbell, and clap. Up to 12 sounds are available simultaneously. Individual controls are available to tune, pan, and mix each drum sound via dedicated knobs and sliders. An Accent is available for the kick, snare and hats. The handy upgrade options involve inserting new chips containing new sets of sampled drum sounds created by many session drummers of the time.
The sequencer had some innovative features (for the time) such as swing, quantizing and memory storage! Two-bar patterns can be recorded in real or step time, with or without quantizing. There are 56 user patterns for storing your drum patterns. There are also 42 preset drum patterns. Patterns can be arranged into Songs for which there are 49 memory locations. Old songs and patterns can be off-loaded to cassette tape for storage. Designed for the studio, there are 15 individual outputs for each sound around the back as well as external sync and trigger but no MIDI (unless modified by a 3rd party). The LinnDrum’s features made it the most professional drum machine of its time.
TB303 programming with random tune tweaking
A quick demo of programming the TB303, then some random tune tweaking.
The Roland TB303 is a monophonic analog bass synthesizer married to a pattern-based step sequencer released in 1982. It features a single analog oscillator with two waveforms (ramp or square) and has a simple but excellent VCF (filter) with resonance, cut-off, and envelope controls. There are also knobs to adjust tuning, envelope decay, tempo and accent amount.
It’s not a performance synthesizer because you have to program a pattern of notes and timing info into it (sort of like a drum machine). Patterns can then be linked into songs. It was originally made to accompany a drum machine, the TR-606 specifically, and provide bass-line accompaniment to guitarists, keyboard players, etc. It was not a successful product in its time. As a result, creative DJs and aspiring electronic musicians found them for next to no money and began using them for techno and acid music. Usually a single pattern is continuously played while the performer tweaks the knobs creating an exciting and expressive musical event.
The TB-303 has become one of the most sought after vintage synths ever! It has helped develop and stylize many forms of electronic music including House, Acid, Trance and Ambient. If ever there was a need for a repetitive bassline/groove or an extremely resonant and bubbly sound, the 303 is KING. Truly a unique machine with a very identifiable sound! It has spun off several imitators as well: Novation Bass Station, ReBirth, Doepfer MS-404, MAM MB-33, Syntecno TeeBee, and more (see Related & Alternative Gear sidebar).
A short sequence showing how a TR606 sounds when distorted.
Indepth demos of the new Arturia Sparkle and Minilab at NAMM 2013
Arturia Minilab is a $99 controller that comes with Analog Factory soft synths and pre-mapped knobs. Sparkle is a hardware controller bundled with their complete Spark drum machine software, and is surprisingly easy to make beats on even for the untrained.
Cyclone Analogic BassBot TT-303 & Roland TR-909
The new Cyclone Analogic BassBot (TT-303) is a spitting image of the original Roland TB-303. It also sounds just like it, and some 21st century innovations! A 64 step sequencer, MIDI, and Arpeggiator to name a few. To put it to the test we brought out the 303′s partner in crime, the Roland TR-909. Also the blue pedal you see is a vintage DOD analog delay with the TT-303 being processed.
You can find more info and purchase the BassBot here:
http://www.switchedonaustin.com/products/cyclone-analogic-tt-303-bass-bot
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