What is next for Roger Linn

[iowastate89]

I use my Linnstrument every day for sketching ideas, and RL seems like an authentic good guy (reminds me of the Silicon Valley hacker ethic from the 70s/80s).

I’m just curious if he and the team have anything in the works re: Linnstrument, or even anything completely different

I’m any case, thanks Roger for your inventions and helping wrap my head around MPE

[John the Savage]

The LinnDrum 2.0 is on the horizon...

Cheers!

[Roger_Linn]

Hi iowastate89,

You're very welcome and thanks for your kind compliment. Hacker? Guilty as charged! Today I'm playing with creating audio code for the Teensy 4.0 and Audio Adaptor board.

As John mentioned, I'm working on a drum machine that I call LinnDrum II, but it's going slowly.

Thanks for owning a LinnStrument.

[scottmoon]

Roger, I remember you talking about the Linndrum II a couple years ago. I guess things are still moving slow and I'm sure the electronic parts shortage isn't helping anyone. I keep looking at picking up a used Tempest to go along with my Linnstrument/Iridium combo but figure as soon as I pull the trigger, the new Linndrum will come to market.

[Roger_Linn]

I'm sorry to say that I'm no longer working on the standalone drum machine that I called LinnDrum II. It was too expensive, too much work and I'm less interested in drum machines than I was 40 years ago. However, I am interested in better human interfaces for music performance as as I'm doing with LinnStrument, so I may make a MIDI controller optimized for drum machine-style play but with expressive touch control.

[Tj Shredder]

That sounds much more interesting than a LinnDrum II...

[BobDog]

I'm sorry to say that I'm no longer working on the standalone drum machine that I called LinnDrum II. It was too expensive, too much work and I'm less interested in drum machines than I was 40 years ago. However, I am interested in better human interfaces for music performance as as I'm doing with LinnStrument, so I may make a MIDI controller optimized for drum machine-style play but with expressive touch control.

That is a real shame, I have been awaiting the LinDrum II with baited breath.

I understand though, I would imagine making money out of it would not be easy.

Very interested still though in drum midi controller, are you thinking of limited number of larger pads with X/Y/Z per pad?

[Roger_Linn]

Yes, something like that. There's nothing definite yet.

[scottmoon]

However, I am interested in better human interfaces for music performance as as I'm doing with LinnStrument, so I may make a MIDI controller optimized for drum machine-style play but with expressive touch control.

That actually sounds better to me than another drum machine. I've been playing electronic percussion for over 40 years. I've always kinda hated drum machines. I would like a playing surface with multiple zones, that can pick up subtle gestures/nuances and have minimal latency and big enough for more than finger drumming, but not so big that sticks are needed. Some sort of built in looper might be useful in lieu of a drum machine.

[glasskalas]

Roger, I'm curious as to what you were thinking on the sound engine side, if you don't mind the question.

Variation in drum sounds seems often limited to mapping velocity to subtly alter pitch/decay/etc. Or using round robins/velocity layers if available.

What parameters would you be inclined to map XYZ to? And is there anything out there VST-wise that is ready to handle it, or that you'd be eager to see with that kind of expressive control?

Love my '128, be very interested in the controller if it happens.

[Roger_Linn]

Here's a video of one way to use expressive touch control & MPE with drum samples and the Arpeggiator. This video uses one sound in my Logic sounds file, together with the "All Settings" memory #6 in the LinnStrument Presets screen:
https://youtu.be/HHWrSs8o1V4

[Dirk Diggler]

Roger that's a lot of fun, cool technique for sure.
That definitely helped me understand why MPE could be handy for drums and percussion.

[stikygum]

I'm sorry to say that I'm no longer working on the standalone drum machine that I called LinnDrum II. It was too expensive, too much work and I'm less interested in drum machines than I was 40 years ago. However, I am interested in better human interfaces for music performance as as I'm doing with LinnStrument, so I may make a MIDI controller optimized for drum machine-style play but with expressive touch control.

I was really hoping to see a LinnDrum II. I absolutely love my Tempest and out of all the drum machines I've owned and have played, it's my favorite. It's the most organic drum machine ever. I was hoping at some point either you, Roger, or Dave would develop another drum machine with sample import ability. Having all those envelopes easily accessible on the front panel to shape the sounds are amazing. Stacking 4 drum sounds on top of each other yield such dynamic sounds. It's like a playground for drum creation.

And the drum samples used are so wonderfully gritty when you pitch them down. I don't know why the Tempest sounds so much more gritty hifi than other machines on the market when you do this, but it does. It has that old school flare in the sound that I love. Drums have a really nice heft and punch to the sounds. The sequencer grooves so well and those pads feel so amazing to my fingers, so lovely and enjoyable to play. I find that those pads respond way way better than Akai pads for my fingers and that I can really achieve subtle nuances to my sounds much easier than anything else I've tried. I like being able to step sequence with the 16 x0x pads and also be able to play/audition drums and rhythms with my finger drumming. The ribbons are really fun to play with too. The modulation ability is really fun for off-the-wall drum sounds and noises. It's really well thought out.

Would've loved to seen a LinnDrum II or Tempest II with this grit and ability to apply that to your own drum samples. That would be a piece of heaven for me. Everything else out there just sounds too clean or with too much digitized/harsh/unpleasing grit.

[Roger_Linn]

Hi stikygum,

Thanks for owning a Tempest. Everything LinnDrum II would have been able to do--including gritty sounds and far, far more--can be done now with computer software and a LinnStrument. The main new thing that LinnDrum would have offered to drum machine players is 3D-sensing pads, which you can do now with a LinnStrument and computer software, as demonstrated in the video in my post that is 2 posts above yours. Try it-- you may like it.

[pdxindy]

A new Roger Linn MPE controller that had bigger pads and was more geared towards drums/percussion would be an insta buy for me.

For me, the Linnstrument is the premiere MPE controller available today. The Linnstrument is brilliant and has spoiled me! (in a good way)