A Completely Pointless Drum machine :)

[Chill69]

I like drum machines. Really old drum machines. Even Organ Disco Drum machines. One of the Drum machines I always hated to love was the DR-110. It was almost too simple to apreciate, and it's limited poly forced you to be creative in ways you normally wouldn't. I really like all the current offerings for drum machines, and the way some of them sound are really fantastic! They just leave way too many choices for sounds (I've never used all 12 sounds in my TR-707 at once in a pattern!) and most of them never get used. (hint - cowbell.. its completely ridiculous thing... )

So here's my idea for a completely pointless drum machine -

4 - Poly, no more.. ever...
only three 3 instruments -
a) A bass generator (the thump)
b) A noisey tom generator (the hit)
c) and two flat out noise generators (the tish)
the idea being with 2 different noise generators you can make either a closed/open hihat sound, or a hihat and cymbal. Either way, you only get 4 sounds, no more..

These instruments would be VERY SIMPLE:

OSC idea = Combined Saw/pulse for the bass, pulse/noise(White) for the tom, and noise(White)/noise(Pink) for the hats. If they could even share the same OSC that would be wild. (Eg, pitching the tom's effects the pulsewave of the bass, and the noise(W)for the hats). There are only a wide band pitch control for the OSC's, with 4 availible choices, one for each of the OSC types.

VCA - one for each "instrument", AD only. No soft curves, etc. Max envelope time of 2 seconds - OR LESS. Your choice, be pointless, but not silly.

VCF - One. Thats it. It's selectively global(eg, you can choose any of the 4 OSC's to be enabled through it, otherwise you get no filter), make it as pointless as you see fit. Band reject only, whatever

As cheezy a distortion effect as possible placed between the filter and the out. Global on/off only.

Only one output - it's mono, not stereo, and no panning is allowed.

MIDI is at the descretion of the designer, though the end user would appreciated it. HOWEVER! The unit would only recieve note information, the user could not control the filter, osc, etc from MIDI commands (NRPN, or CC). If the designer wishes to allow it, they may.

A possible nicity, if the designer is feeling especially generous - a globally selectable insert (mono only), for each of the "instruments", placed in the signal chain between the VCA and the VCF.

Graphics would be as utterly useless as possible. I particularly love the one found on the Freeware plugin Dirt. That plugin rocks!

Please feel free to contribute ideas for my pointless DrumMachine. I know I can create it with Modular, I just think it would be great to have as a machine running along side Dope (another of my favorites as of late). Cheers to Wavelength for making Dope!

Being useless ,

Chris

[ds-sound]

I really like your idea!
But you inspired my imagination... What about a Sample-Based Drum Machine instead of a synth based one? Something like "Battery"?

- A single WAV file will be loaded into one of the 64 cells.
- each sample will be triggered by a different MIDI note
- each cell will have a gain-fader and a panning knob (midi controllers supported), but NOTHING MORE, in order to keep it as simple and as non-dsp consuming as possible.
- each cell will have a single INSERT, for application of effects, dynamics etc'.
- AUX is also a possiblity
- ...and a Master-MIX channel, obviously!

...Think of it as a Drum-Oriented combination of a mixer and a sampler.This should form an easy-to-use ultimate solution for any drum need.

I feel an urge to buy a Scope and start creating this device myself.