Drum Machines

Drum Machines have been the cornerstone of electronic music production and performance since day one, with many iconic drum machines like pioneering Roger Linn LM-1 finding their way onto hundreds of hit records and productions.

Originally conceived as a medium to provide backing tracks to solo keyboard player and organists, early drum machines were crude brutish creations that used physical hammers and vactrol tubes to create percussion sounds whereas, more contemporary machines like the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 used analogue transistors (TR standing for Transistor Rhythm) to create the sound.

Nowadays drum machines are using a multitude of different synthesis mediums to create sound, the Dave Smith Tempest for example uses pure analogue synthesis, Elektron Analog Rytm uses a combination of analogue components and sample synthesis whereas machines like the Nord Drum 2 using pure Digital Virtual Analogue for its synthesis.

The influence that machines like the 808 and 909 have had on modern electronic music can’t be understated; the sound of the kick drum and snare on each machine is instantly recognisable and revered, so much so that many of these vintage machines have been emulated and in some cases re-released to satisfy demand.

We stock a wide range of Digital and Analogue Drum Machines from Elektron, Dave Smith, Korg, Roland, MFB, Vermona, JoMox and more.

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