Rhythm Studio from Pulsecode Inc. is going to draw comparisons with Propellerhead’s Re-Birth. However, if you check out the video above I bet you may still be interested. It looks pretty nice to me. What do you think? This app is not available yet.

“Rhythm Studio balances advanced features by using an easy to understand interface resembling real instruments. This means that one button does one thing just like it would with real hardware. Knobs turn, switches slide, and buttons press. You won’t get lost in abstract interfaces or design. Rhythm Studio is the next best thing to having the real hardware. Rhythm Studio includes a full 808 drum machine, 303 synthesizer, sample based synthesizer, XY style control pad, and mixer with FX.” – pulsecodeinc.com/rhythm-studio/

For more info: pulsecodeinc.com/rhythm-studio/

via Palm Sounds

DM1 – The Drum Machine for iPad – By Fingerlab from Fingerlab on Vimeo.

The Fingerlab DM1 is a very good iPad drum machine. I think it ranks up there with the iElectribe and Funkbox. It’s quite fun and easy to make patterns and the initial sert of drum machines sound great. After laying in a basic beat on the step grid you can jump onto the pad page and lay sounds in live. There’s a song mode, effects and a mixer page where you can control sound length and more. Highly recommended for anyone who likes drum machines.

“DM1 is an advanced vintage Drum Machine. It turns your iPad into a fun and creative beat making machine. Easy and fast to use, loaded with 24 superb electronic drum kits and beautiful hyper-realistic graphics, DM1 has been designed for a lot of instant fun.” – fingerlab.net

For more info: fingerlab.net

Here’s a trio for Tuesday. Three new interesting pro-audio related products. Number one we have Steinberg LoopMash. LoopMash mangles four loops. It’s an iPhone App. I grabbed it and it has a pretty cool faux 3D swipe to different screen effect worth checking out. Years after abandoning Cubase I’m using a Steinberg product again. Number two is Mike. It’s a microphone from Apogee that goes directing into your iOS device. It’s from Apogee so it deserves mention. Convenience and AD/DA conversion wise it should be a winner however I’m all about high end mic pres and Mike can’t use one. Number three we have SuperAnalog808 a Roland TR-808 sample pack from Goldbaby designed for Loopmasters. If you don’t own a real 808 or Acidlab Miami then samples are your friend. Goldbaby does them right and there’s a million suble differences between 808s and ways to record them so another sample set is always welcome.

For more info: LoopMash, Mike, SuperAnalog808

Grade 3 and a Drum Machine from Selwyn House School on Vimeo.

This is how it all begins with a little honest playtime. One of these kids will go home and dream of drum patterns. They will hear 808s on records and know where the sounds came from. They will realize how special that machine they played with was. One may become the next Hawtin. I started young obsessing over a TRS-80 Color Computer. When I hit my teenage years, fell in love and heard Depeche Mode it was all over. I knew my calling.

“During computer class some of the grade 3s decided to teach themselves how to program a 30-year-old Roland TR-808 drum machine.” – Selwyn House School

photo credit: fr4dd

2 Korg iElectribe Loops by thingstocome

Funkbox iPad -TR-808 Loop by thingstocome

So I’ve had my iPad for about a week and I can say it actually is a very different experience than the iPhone. Case in point the are drum machine Apps above. Funkbox on the iPhone is ok but I never really used it past a novelty show off item. On the iPad I can sit comfortably and knock out loops with pleasure. The iElectribe really knocks you out. It feels like hardware. Fanboyism aside if you have not had a chance to play with these and you make electronic music go do so.

Is it real or Memorex?

For more info: Funkbox and iElectribe.

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Klaus Suessmuth of Acidlab. He is the man behind some killer Roland hardware clones. Not only does he replicate the sounds of the originals to the extreme detail he also takes the time to extend the feature sets of these ancient machines. To top it off Acidlab hardware looks great!

I think the Roland TR-808 is the king of all drum machines sound wise. How close does the Acidlab Miami sound to a vintage TR-808?

Closer than any other 808 clone. Without a direct comparison not possible. The differences of the sounds are just in the pitch and in the range of the variation of the original. The Bassdrums decay is increased.

Does the Miami have a fully analog signal path?

The Miami has the same analog sound-circuits of the TR-808. The components are replaced with new components. In some sound-circuits, the original parts were used to achieve the same sound.

What features does the Miami have that a vintage TR-808 does not?

• programming on the fly (tap-write)
• all the modes (track write, track play, pattern write and pattern play) can be changed without stopping the sequencer
• two shuffle-modes
• synchronization with midi-clock
• midi mode (instruments can be played with midi notes,
• less noise and less 50Hz, because of newer opamps and no transformer in the housing

Let’s talk about how you make your wonderful toys. Do you manufacture all the Acidlab products by hand in Germany or do you outsource some of the labor to a small factory?

The electronic is assembled from a factory, I do the calibration and the rest of the assembling.

How long does it take to make a Miami?

Too long! Have to do a lot improvements on the production workflow.

Have you ever been to Miami Florida?

Yes, once in the airport on the way to costa-rica, with no money left (all was gone for the fly-ticket) …..

You have created some very nice clone machines. Have you thought about making an all original design? For example, I love my Vermona DRM1 MKIII…

The Bombass is an all original design! I have done a lot of  special moduls for my modular systems as prototyps…

Do you also keep another day job? Exotic dancer? Software developer? Sherpa?

Of course – Design and research as electronic developer in a big German firm. Main topics are powerelectronics and low noise sensor systems with highest resolution.

If you caught someone in your home stealing all your music equipment would you: A) Kill them.  B) Forgive them and give them 20 Euros for food. C) Tie them up and make them watch DJ Scooter videos for 24 hours.

They will get crazy from using my equipment !

Tell us some links where to find your products, websites, videos and anything else!

www.acidlab.de

In the US, contact: analoguehaven.com

MySpace:
myspace.com/acidlab_bassline
myspace.com/acidlab_bombass
myspace.com/acidlab_miami

There’s no drum machine like the Roland TR-808. It has kick that goes from a sharp click to boom and snares and hats that sound like chrome lightning. Since Roland never released the 808 and used prices are up and up it’s no wonder clones are arriving. We already have the Miami from Acidlab and as you can see above the MB808 from intellijel could be coming our way. I say yay.

More info: intellijel.com

I just released a new EP on my label called Diagnosis Terminal with Miro Pajic. One of the songs “IO” has a heavy swing to it. It’s a very easy two step process to implement Swing in Ableton Live. Swing is of course popular in Jazz and is one of the main stylistic points in modern “Minimal” techno.

To hear it work let’s create a test clip. I put and instance of Impulse with a Roland TR-808 kit on a track. I double clicked an empty Clip Slot to create an empty Clip. Then in the Midi Note Editor I laid down a 4/4 kick, Snare on the 2 and 4 and a 16th note closed Hi Hat.

On the top left side of the Ableton interface, to the left of the metronome “dots” you will see a number 0. That number represents the Global Groove Control parameter. Click and drag that number upwards to about 55.

Lastly, back down to the the Clip View and under the Groove drop down menu choose “Swing 16″ which matches the 16th closed Hi Hats you have placed in your clip. Now listen to the loop with the Groove Control parameter at 0 and then at 55:

Download audio file (groove_control_0.mp3)

Download audio file (groove_control_55.mp3)

If your working with a pattern that is mostly 8th notes set the Swing to “Swing 8″. This is the classic rock swing preset you hear on vintage drum machines.

Be sure to check out the swing parameters in plug-ins like D16′s Nepheton or Audiorealism‘s ADM as they both Swing in a awesome aggressive nature. For MPC timings and unique Groove Control patterns try out Propellerhead’s Reason 4 ReGroove Mixer.

Do you like to swing?

There are many reasons why I am in love with this video: clear plastic, chrome spheres, multi-color LEDs, laser scanner and Roland TR-808 sounds. I am really happy things like this and other unique sequencers such as the Monome and Tenori-on are being produced. I’m on the verge of either building one myself of buying one.

A tangible rhythm sequencer. Ball bearings are used to trigger drum sounds. Visual feedback is displayed from underneath to indicate the current time and the state of each ball bearing.

Do you want one too?

Peter Bennetts website: click here
via Matrixsynth

The Roland TR-808 is my favorite drum machine. To hear a real one in action check out songs like Jam on It by Newcleas, Shallow Then Halo by the Cocteau Twins or Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye.

On eBay they usually go for well over $1000 USD so not everyone can afford one. Even if you do own one sometimes using samples is just more convenient. A big tip off to seasoned listeners that your faking it is the Hi Hat sound of most samples. Here is a trick that John Selway showed me on how to make Roland TR-808 samples sound more real.

I’m going to use Ableton Live’s built-in Auto Filter but any filter plug-in should work. This is a very simple trick but once you hear it “fix” the sound you may use it often. I am trying to get rid of it that symbalance, feathery, super high digital sound and replace it with something more metallic and clear. Check out the original untreated samples in action here:

Download audio file (hi_hat.mp3)

Make sure your Hi Hats are on a separate audio channel and add Auto Filter as an insert. Grab the fluorescent yellow dot inside the automation display and drag it about a centimeter to the left and a half centimeter upwards. The kHz should read about 7.01 and the Q about 1.60. Take a listen to the Hi Hats now:

Download audio file (hi_hat_filtered.mp3)

Now take a listen to what these improved Hi Hats sound like in action. Here they are in a song called Body to Body off my new album Attack Decay: click here

Here are a few places you can find Roland TR-808 samples online. Keep in mind that Roland TR-808′s sound different from each other, have lots of tuning settings and can be recorded many different ways. The kb6 set is free, the Gold Baby set was recorded to tape and my personal favorite is the Wizoo set.

• Audiopervert
• Gold Baby
• kb6
• Music Machines
• Wizoo Platinum24

If you know of any good TR-808 sample sets online let me know in the comments.