Noise for a U-He Drum Machine

[wuh]

I'm new round here, but I've seen a fair bit of mention of a u-he drum machine in different threads and I wanted to make some noise too.

U-He - your software is amazing, not just the sound, but the interfaces as well. I can't say enough good stuff about Bazille, it gets me experimenting and making sound in a way that no other soft-synth has ever done (no other synth full stop, in fact). The sound is incredible, and I always seem to be able to get what I want from it (with nice surprises along the way).

Anyway, for a while now I've been searching for the perfect drum machine, hardware doesn't fit in with my workflow very well, but even so I've been keeping an eye on new hardware drum machines as well as software. I've tried a few but I really think there's a gap in the market for a quality, characterful and thoughtfully designed software drum machine (the only thing I think comes close is Microtonic - the sound is not for me though). The hardware market now has the Rytm, it looks okay, but I always feel the Elektron stuff is more focused on performance than detailed studio work - not to mention the price tag.

So, here's my needy begging letter for a U-he drum machine - analog style modular, with built in sequencer and spring reverb. It's not too much to ask is it?

[Coorec]

Dont disturb with your noise and let them do the stuff on the to do list.
No new projects til Z3 is out !!
That being said.
There are more drum thingies out there then i'll ever need, and samples of em all too. I, for one have no need for another.

[pdxindy]

The hardware market now has the Rytm, it looks okay, but I always feel the Elektron stuff is more focused on performance than detailed studio work - not to mention the price tag.

I recently ordered the Rytm... haven't received it yet. I like that it is performance oriented. It also uses no cpu, is an integrated hands on instrument, and there is not going to be a u-he drum synth anytime soon

[wuh]

No no no, you're supposed to go "yes a u-he drum machine would be amazing - forget everything else, concentrate on the drums!". Hmmph.

I'll be back, with cheerleaders.

[Sendy]

U-he synths + a good sampler = lots and lots of power.

[wuh]

Making kits from u-he sounds you mean? I have thought of that, it's a lot less flexible but could still be fun.

My quest continues, I'm quite intrigued by this: http://www.sonic-potions.com/lxr

[pdxindy]

Making kits from u-he sounds you mean? I have thought of that, it's a lot less flexible but could still be fun.

My quest continues, I'm quite intrigued by this: http://www.sonic-potions.com/lxr

I use Geist... Geist actually samples ( ) It is easy, fast and fun. You can make velocity layers, round robin layers etc. The sampling has a threshold mode so you can play a bunch of individual sounds and each is automatically its own sound. You can then select a number of them and batch propagate them to the pads.

It is silly easy to make your own kits using Bazille, Zebra, Diva, ACE and the fx in Geist are excellent. And that way you can use any combination of synth presets...

A drum synth based on Bazille would kill plenty of cpu's... sampling sounds uses much less... I'll still use Geist to sample kits from my u-he synths once I get my Rytm... hell, I could load some of those samples in the Rytm!!

[zerocrossing]

While I'm sure a drum machine plug in from U-he would be great, I'd still use other software and hardware synths to get what I want. I think the closest thing to a perfect drum machine sequencer I'm ever going to find is Live and Push. That said, I also love playing around with a Tenori-on and love the polyrhythmic sequencer in Tremor. Oh, and Newscool [Reaktor]. That is FUN. For quick throwing together of some beats on the fly, Maschine is king. Glitch-o-matic? Breaktweaker. Could U-he make one sequencer to rule them all? Maybe, but doubtful.

Same with sound generation. I've made drum sounds with Zebra 2, ACE, and the usual suspects. I've made great drum sounds with a MoPho and Pulse 2. There are a ton of cool dedicated drum synth plug ins, like Bong, Drumaxx, µTonic, Tremor, etc. I use them all at different times for what they do well. Also, a little while ago I picked up a Nord Drum 2 and a M.Brane 1_1. Fantastic. So, again, could U-he make one drum synth to replace them all? Probably not.

So, I'd still put in a vote for a U-He drum synth. I bet their take on things would be really good, but it would be just another arrow in my quiver.

[wuh]

I have Push and Live and I find it pretty damn cumbersome and a lot of effort getting kits made using drum racks. It's funny though, Bazille requires effort but somehow it's a lot of fun - who can say why, but I think it has a lot to do with the interface - cabling stuff up etc. I think i feel more of a connection with the tool (excuse the pun).

I guess I have never found making drum sounds fun! Wow, this is turning out a bit like sound design therapy

[LFO8]

Guys.. Guys.. You can roll your own with Zebra man. Zebra can do awesome drum sounds. You can make whole drumkits in Zebra, you can make separate drum sounds, sequence them and then later sample them or process them further or whatever.

What I see over at Gearslutz a lot is people asking for plugins that make shwooshes, plugins that make weird FX and then plugins that are good for bass etc. etc. No .... no... you just need to get better at synthesis!

Anytime you find yourself looking again for that synth that does that one specific thing.. instead of doing that and ending up with a bunch of synths you don't need, always ask yourself this first: "What new things do I need to learn in synthesis to make these new sounds I want?"

Instead of: "What new synth do I need to get that will make that sound for me?"

Sorry for the rant guys. But really.. get one workhorse synth like Zebra (or preferably just Zebra) and dive deep. First learn that a synth like that can do all and any sounds. Then after you have explored that.. then you can have different flavours of synths

[GruvSyco]

I have Push and Live and I find it pretty damn cumbersome and a lot of effort getting kits made using drum racks. It's funny though, Bazille requires effort but somehow it's a lot of fun - who can say why, but I think it has a lot to do with the interface - cabling stuff up etc. I think i feel more of a connection with the tool (excuse the pun).

I guess I have never found making drum sounds fun! Wow, this is turning out a bit like sound design therapy

I love drum racks. I really dig that I can keep the synth sounds as synth sounds and macro stuff into the kit for automation. Push has only added to that enjoyment.

[Frantz]

When he was at Magix, u-he's Sascha made this cool little drum synth called Robota. I bet something like this with improved features and sound would be a popular u-he product.

[wuh]

Sorry for the rant guys. But really.. get one workhorse synth like Zebra (or preferably just Zebra) and dive deep. First learn that a synth like that can do all and any sounds. Then after you have explored that.. then you can have different flavours of synths

Don't you think there's something to be said for a single interface designed to perform one task, though? Zebra is great (I still haven't really clicked with it, but that's another story), but it's not an out and out drum machine, so the process is going to be different.

Like I keep saying, the sound is only one aspect, the interface plays a huge part (for me) in how much I connect with a synth. In my opinion, Bazille has the best interface of any of the u-he devices, I hope the others will get the same polished look over time. Diva is also very good looking and nice to work with.

[Sendy]

Gearslutz have caught the "whoosh machine" fever too?

I...

I thought they were nerdier than that.

[wuh]

For the record, I don't have whoose machine fever...