Yesterday’s analogue drum machines, while not as authentic sounding as today’s digitally-sampled equivalents, have the character and warmth which PCM-based systems just can’t seem to replace. What’s more, a sampled version of an analogue drum sound loses all the variability of the original as the sound is “frozen” in just one of the myriad combinations of the editable parameters which the original machines offered. These factors are responsible for the major resurgence of analogue drum sounds which are now the essential ingredient for today’s rhythm based Dance music and two units in particular, Roland’s TR808 and TR909* are the much sought after ‘Dream machines’.The DrumStation features all the classic sounds of the TR808 and TR909; Bass drums, Snare drums, Tom-Toms, Rimshots, Handclaps, Cowbell, Open and Closed Hi-Hats, Ride and Crash Cymbals, 3 Congas, Maracas and Claves, with the following parameters:

Level: The volume of each sound in the kit can be set individually.

Tune: The pitch of each drum sound can be set individually.

Decay: The speed with which the Bass drum, Tom-Toms, Hi-Hats and Cymbals die away can also be set individually.

Tone: The brightness can be changed on the Bass drum, Snare and TR808 Cymbals.

Attack: The proportional amount of shaped pulse or ‘thump’ of the TR909 Bass drum can be adjusted.

Snappy: The proportional amount of noise from the metal Snare within the overall Snare sound can also be adjusted.

All of the TR808 and TR909 sounds are available simultaneously allowing any combination of drums to be used as a ‘Kit’.

Renowned world-wide for authentic analogue sounds - as featured in the BassStation keyboard and BassStation Rack synthesizers - Novation have now re-created with stunning realism the original character and flexibility of the TR808 and TR909 drum sounds using a new digital technique - Analogue Sound Modelling or A-S-M.

A host of features that were not available on the analogue drum machines of the past, made possible by the digital technology of today have been included to add a whole new dimension to these ever popular drum sounds.

Presets: Adjustments made to the drum sounds can be stored in memory which can then be recalled from the front panel or by using MIDI Program Changes.

MIDI: Changes made to the sound editing rotary controls are transmitted as MIDI controller data. These can be recorded into a sequencer and then sent back to the DrumStation which responds by re-creating the changes in real-time.

Distortion: Precise level control means that the overdriven sound some users favour can be set individually for each drum sound in the kit and stored in memory.

GM Compatible: The TR808 or TR909 sounds in the DrumStation can be assigned to the General MIDI Note Numbers for percussion sounds. This means that it can be used straight away with GM files or grooves, etc.

DIN Sync Output: The DrumStation converts MIDI Clock data into a Din Sync control pulse which will allow any compatible unit (TB303* for example) to run in synchronisation with other MIDI equipment.

A typical drum sound has a very complex structure made up of many simple wave-forms all occurring at the same moment in time. To re-model an original drum sound, first it must be broken down and analyzed so as to identify the various simple wave-forms in it’s structure as these can be converted into a digital code more easily. When the digitized waveforms are added back together the original sound is faithfully re-created in every detail whilst real-time, ‘fluid’ changes to the character of the drum sound can still be made using any of the front panel controls.

Modelled : Bass, Snare, Tom Toms, Hi Hat, Cymbals (TR808), Congas

Samples : Rimshot, HandClap, Cowbell, Cymbals (TR909), Maracas, Claves

Polyphony : 8 note MIDI Programs : 40 Total - 25 Factory/15 User

Controllers : All front panel rotary controls except Individual drum“Level” rotary controls.

Controllers via MIDI : Front Cut, Pan and Distortion on most sounds.

Note-Off Recognition : Selective Note-Off recognition for each drum sound.

General MIDI : Selective Drum Kit (TR808/TR909) for placement within the GM map.

Connections MIDI : IN/OUT/THRU Outputs : Stereo Left/Right + 6 Individual Outputs & Headphone

DIN Sync : Output - 24 ppqn

Power : 9VDC 500mA input. Use Novation PSU-4

Dimensions / Weight Width : 483mm Depth : 110mm Height : 44mm

Weight : 1.9kg