Pulsar-23 is my favorite drum machine ever!

A dive into the unique and characterful world of this monster of an instrument. Props to Vlad and everyone at Soma for bringing these tools into the world: somasynths.com/
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[@waltersmetak]

Vlad is a friggin genius! Some of the most exciting and original gear today is being created by Soma - absolutely brilliant!

[@vprice509]

The Pulsar 23 is the Holy Grail of drum machines for me. I am on the waiting list with Soma. So by June 2024 I should totally be rocking out with alligator clips.

[@gonzosightseeing]

hahaha yeah basically. good luck. when you get it, it will feel like a thousand xmas mornings

[@ropeburn6684]

A lot like the Trabant waiting list in East Germany which was around 12 years in 1988, except it was much less technologically advanced.

[@RegebroRepairs]

Oh, good, I should get on the waiting list soon then, I hope to be able to afford one of these in 2030. :-)

[@nuwanda3682]

No worries, they are working fast ;) Got mine quicker than expected.

[@D.Z.A.-kp8lf]

@@nuwanda3682 how long did you wait?

[@Wormsie]

This must be the best introduction video to the Pulsar. Doesn't seem at all that mysterious now, and it sounds better than in any other video.

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

Agreed! This is now on my want list, because of this great demo. Lots of clever, and user friendly, ideas incorporated into the design. Would also make a great playmate for the Lyra-8, I built from a kit. Love the alligator patch idea, that also doubles a finger touch points for circuit bending. (also could clip some components, between patch points)

[@isham16]

This Video is Musical and we can imagine it in a track (funny it reminds a lot the tempest even they are not comparable) It decided me to put the trigger on!

[@TheGuacamoleXplosion]

yep, first time I really understood how this beast works :-)

[@LeoPerantoni]

I totally lost it when you were patching things with your fingers. That's SO DAMN COOL!

[@MusicalDistractions]

This is such a treat. Truly the highlight of my day. Didn't realize you had a side channel and seeing you make a video on a piece of hardware I've been so excited about is so great. There have been some really lovely videos made by small creators about the Pulsar 23 but I have to say, it's real nice to have it also get the Andrew Huang treatment.

[@ZenMountain]

A KZbin video is the highlight of your day??? Wow man...

[@MusicalDistractions]

@@ZenMountain 🙏

[@eternalsence3033]

weird of you to think thats weird, especially since your name is "zen" mountain@@ZenMountain

[@nomadvideomachine]

I just can’t believe how someone can conceptualise a machine like this and then translate it into something this intuitive and inviting - and sell it to the world (all be it limited) ... utterly flabbergasted! What a piece of art and timeless technology 🤘🤘

[@nomadvideomachine]

So perplexed I even forgot to mention the sound... 🤘🖤 🤘

[@brianwendt2520]

I really love these deep dive videos. I wouldn't mind seeing things like this on the main channel, but I understand if Andrew wants to keep the more bitesized/edited videos there.

[@StefanCreates]

Why does it even matter? You're subscribed here so you get them.

[@MrScarabey]

Andrew! You actually can record quantised and play at the same time: put a coin on the REC CONT! As I remember from LYRA8 usability pros, it will trigger the metal pad

[@studio48nl]

This drum machine is amazing! It also makes a good study object to design a rack with separate modular modules to these kind of results...

[@Getthenderson]

Picked up a second hand Lyra-8 a couple months ago and then found out about the Pulsar-23, was immediately on the waiting list, expensive as it is, i'll work something out.

[@gonzosightseeing]

Worth it. Most inspiring machine I've ever used.

[@zombitshe]

Damn this thing sounds incredible, definitely out of my price range but still, what a great piece of gear

[@D.Z.A.-kp8lf]

maybe Soma give poor guys discounts too?

[@MinusNoir]

I watched many but I think this is indeed the best / cleanest presentation of this drum machine on youtube. Btw I want the white one!

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

Ha! I forgot this channel was yours, Andrew! Great surprise! This machine is great sounding! It’s so nice you can tune it yourself instead of just a button that makes one sound. Funny how the clap sound has never been quite nailed after all this time. 😋 Super nice machine! Is it unusual for something so nice not to have a brand and model number on the front? Thanks for the demo and congratulations, Dad! Your child WILL be the one with the coolest parents! Hope your lady is doing and feeling well!

[@experimetalfan8851]

Hahaha, same

[@CypiXmusic]

This must be the coolest drum machine i have ever seen!

[@jonmackenzie]

that midi learn button stuff is reason enough to be interested in this, wow

[@oracle-0018]

Thanx for the recommendation! Finally came in at the stores bought the pulsar 23! It really is a great drum machine as you said! Thanx.

[@alanblight9233]

This I am sure , is the machine many of us have dreamt of . Nice price too , I got a whole bunch of modular drum stuff , left overs of a decade messing about . I’m gonna trade them in and get one of these little beauty’s .

[@joelkulesha8284]

Experimental IDM album when? lol

[@suturesound]

look up my album Ganglia :)

[@sameccleston8673]

@@suturesound WE NEED GANGLIA 2!!!!!!!!!

[@blushingfrieza]

@@suturesound ganglia was epic. Looking forward to the next idm album ❤❤❤❤

[@KnightMirkoYo]

@@suturesound it was fire, not gonna lie

[@Claidheambmor]

The best discussion and celebration of the Soma Pulsar-23.

[@MichaalHell]

I’ve made a 54hp 6u rack with focus on drums which gives similar results as those Andrew has shown in the video. It’s centered around Plaits, Basimilus iteritas alter and Bastl Waver. If you feel like you don’t want to wait for this then it’s a great starting point to get similar results

[@substance90]

Can you share your build?

[@MichaalHell]

@@substance90 sure thing, www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1362271 It’s only two oscillators, but still both plaits and BIA gives you lots of mileage. The main player though is Bastl waver which just adds that industrial flare to everything.

[@substance90]

@@MichaalHell Thanks for sharing. That looks cool. I wasn't aware of the Waver module. I'll look into it.

[@normanfreund]

Brilliant piece of kit going by the video. Their Tera (in development) looks exciting. Love their approach of left field.

[@praticle]

Pulsar is the best! Such an inspirational and expansive instrument!

[@m0n0c0n]

i really dig the fx on this thing...

[@snakeindigo7085]

Excellent review... Well structured explanation and you look to be well on your way to mastering an instrument that has baffled many other reviewers!

[@StefanCreates]

That connecting through your fingers is so cool!

[@vanessalouzon]

@13:00 Body conductivity! This is soooo awesome! It sounds so good.

[@ImpulseGenerator]

13:07 Oh come on! That is just awesome!

[@laugegroes9243]

Ha! [Applause] at 4:18 with the AI-generated subtitles. The machines are communicating with each other...

[@isoljator]

Marvellous piece of kit, but just wondering: *_Loops are NOT saved after powering off! gotta make a new jam every time_* I'm curious if this is a permanent limitation, or if it could change in some future sw/hw update? (Loop info being saved in a non-volatile memory, so it wouldn't be lost at power off).

[@BeTheAeroplane]

The 3 circuit bending components are: Top: A diode Middle: A 0.1 microfarad capacitor Bottom: A 10 microfarad capacitor Incase anyone wanted to know.

[@KidChemic]

Was searching for this comment to see if anyone got this as well 👌

[@vasilitkach1473]

Just got mine. I spent all the day, and totally forgot about all other things to do, it's just pure meditation!

[@tomjepson2295]

Holy crap. I’ve been looking at the Lyra for a long time but never made the leap. This might be the tool to have me make the jump into SOMA territory...

[@markwhittaker6321]

This is a fantastically helpful review!!

[@pongtrometer]

WOW ...performance heaven....superb overview

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

Lots of clever, and user friendly, ideas incorporated into the design. Would also make a great playmate for the Lyra-8, I built from a kit. Love the alligator patch idea, that also doubles a finger touch points for circuit bending. (also could clip some components, between patch points) Andrew, you are a great entertainer, while delivering excellent informational content. Always fun and uplifting, when I watch your channel. Have a great day

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Thanks so much for this video. I had no idea the pulsar 23 existed. Will be selling some gear to obtain this puppy I think…hopefully

[@marcosantacruz9086]

@12:01 whoaaah! That almost sounded like a vocoder! Would sound amazing in a big system setting.

[@inn5268]

Someday I'll have one in my hands

[@djtomt]

Great demo of a beast machine

[@parboilrice]

When you were messing with the delays 😍

[@NeoLudditevisons]

This machine is like an alien artefact!

[@christopherpederson1021]

ALien abduction

[@MatthewDevil]

so how did you go the entire video without mentioning the "WTF?" and "OMG!" patch points on the kick drum channel lol

[@suturesound]

oh yeah, they are considered some of the "circuit bending" patch points, for the kick's pitch and waveform. literally no other info about them in the manual. not sure how they differ from simply being modulation inputs over those parameters.

[@jdssurf]

Awesome

[@rorygiven1938]

Well, I’m really glad I pre-ordered one last month since I imagine 50 other people preordered one after watching this video lol

[@auraglasswerks4900]

I preordered this🖕🏽😆🖕🏽

[@ThierryMaillardTV]

thank you for your video, there are tutorials with presets? and can we have several paternal record and come out live?

[@this_connor_guy]

That is one hell of a drum machine! Pretty killer stuff!

[@MrWestergard]

andrew ive got two things to say: your eyebrows are impeccable like angry birds level beautiful eyebrows and the whole body conductivity concept is so tite are you kidding me? also congrats on the bebe

[@jedgould5531]

Do you still play it? I just got one ordered many months ago. In the meantime I have wearied of learning various and copious operating systems. However, if I continue to use it, I will retain the knowledge. I did with the modular dpme which is great for sounds. Due to your enthusiasm my cynicism is tempered. You got some terrific sounds. The record-punch-in aspect is encouraging for live performance, if that shit ever happens again. Slogging through the manual, for which SOMA has obviously employed a fluent English speaker to write, greatly appreciated. You are right about the sole output.

[@rue909]

If you want to hear the dry sounds of that thing in a full production check out "Tkay Maidza & Flume - Silent Assassin". Track slaps harder than the price of the machine!

[@0VRLNDR]

Would love to hear a jam from you with the Pulsar-23 and the Lyra-8!

[@NunyaB1s]

I'm not gonna lie... back in '99 when I was awfully trying to do anything industrial... I would have sold my soul to own a device that can create nasty sounds like this. Oooooh.... you've been a bad boy Matt... BD at 8:15ish totally reminds me of Autechre... I'm never going to get this one past the wife LOL...

[@shaft9000]

The volatile pattern memory means it's not a machine so much as an _instrument_ ...which is no bad thing, and a better descriptor anyhow. it means the user must attend to it - as any instrument that is played must. Automation is programming.

[@golafs]

cool, seems like an awesome drum-machine!

[@jupitor919]

Thanks Andrew, your demonstrations and explanations are always on point...

[@gibbypeen5826]

seeing stuff like this makes me wanna get into modular, yet im not a music person and also these shenanigans are expensive as hecc

[@GabeMillerMusic]

11:00 that glitched out delay was so sick

[@tommyg5095]

So, after waiting on a waiting list, and finally getting one of these units, there will undoubtedly be a newer, better product, hopefully one that will be immediately available, no waiting, reasonably priced.

[@xoio]

reminds of the more extreme 80's electro by LeBlanc, Latin Rascals, Front 242, KMFDM etc

[@koreanfriedchildren]

This thing sounds so good too

[@eyesintheskies]

Sounds absolutely awesome 👏

[@Dartagnan65]

13:01 is hilarious and awesome. Cheers Body connectivity... I would never get (or 'get') one of these, but it is crazy cool.

[@sawsickmusic]

Nice, I'm thinking about upgrading my setup drum wise. Looks like there's a new contender !

[@gonzosightseeing]

dooo iiitt! It's become the center of my setup. If you think you might want it, just get on soma's waiting list. You'll have at least a year to ruminate if it's right for you.

[@sawsickmusic]

@@gonzosightseeing Why the waiting list ? Isn't it available kinda everywhere ? (Thomann and co ..)

[@gonzosightseeing]

@@sawsickmusic Oh! I wasn't aware of thomann and co. Most people I know who have it were on a waiting list of like a year and a half and you could only get it through Soma. I guess things have changed hopefully ;) But it's def still rare

[@offworldnetwork]

Sounds like the drum kits i made as a kid... Tupperware containers and kitchen pans lol!!

[@BANJOTHEKID]

Why wasn't I aware of this channel? Double Andrew in my feed? Sign me up!

[@OmBotCult]

Very well designed machine. Wow!

[@Derrick_Evans]

I totally forgot you were Canadian then I heard the word owtside lol love the content man! Been waiting on a good overview of this.

[@dirtyduchamp]

as far as I know those 3 circuit bending components in the top left are just components, as in they don't connect to circuit bending points but can be used in patches in a way that resembles circuit bending. hopefully that makes sense...

[@joshgrondin3675]

Thanks so much for this vid! Such a clear, well-organized and fun explanation of this beast.

[@joshkorody7376]

Holy Hell great demo Andrew, this thing wasn't that appealing to me until i heard these sounds!

[@ALUC1DDREAM]

Such a beautiful machine

[@johanngrillenbeck]

Loving the idea of long nerdy videos on the second channel! Thank's Andrew

[@ElectronicazMusic]

Bonkers. Want one even more now. ♥

[@orangedogmusic]

Sweet Tutorial man. thanks, Gotta get on the list for one of these babies.

[@lardosian]

One wrong connection and Andrew's studio goes kaboom!

[@InFamousProductions]

Andrew you are the best. I’ve been waiting for this vid and also I’ve been in the waiting list for months .

[@jupitor919]

Thanks Andrew, you’re an awesome teacher.. I love your music..

[@waynegreenhaw3344]

When I try the quantize it seems to clear everything ? .. pilot error maybe 🤔…?

[@StephenMcLeod]

This is the best sounding drum machine I've heard.

[@AdamsOlympia]

I could seriously get lost with this thing for days, especially in combination with a sampler like Octatrack.

[@RulgertGhostalker]

It's a Drum Synth, ( and that's what i like about it ) , why does every analog drum synth have to have a integral sequencer, i don't know. that's a big buck flagship though ... i think i will wait for the 80 HP Behringer SY-1 clone....bite size percussion voices, two at a time.

[@danielpirone8028]

Been on the waiting list list for 2 freaking years.

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

Would think he could ramp up production to meet the demand, and make profit. But I think he prefers to make them in house, avoiding factory mass production. Perhaps in house production does not scale up easily. Just a guess. Wish he would offer it in kit form, like the Lyra-8, I built.

[@edwardprue]

I beg to differ with the bug attached to your channel link - I love your main channel, but it is not better (nor worse) by any means, this video is awesome! Great to have a place for videos with a different vibe than your main stuff. Thanks!

[@isham16]

Make more pulsar 23 videos please!

[@pepuletrz]

nice.

[@andimcc6131]

I'd be super curious to hear some completed tracks from you using this thing.

[@JohnoWells]

Andrew---thanks for this video---can you explain the rad bass line driven through Shaos at 14:15? You made the screen all blurry so we can't see the patch. I have the Shaos clocked through the main clock (/8), and with random values from the various bit outputs in Shaos going to the Bass voice CV - all I get is garbage. LOL Help a brother out! Thanks, man

[@dougdesmond7718]

Love the interface and creativity of this drum machine, I just wish the sounds it made always weren't always so lo-fi sounding.

[@orionsshoe2424]

Get to work yo!

[@odalv7278]

Some people like electric guitars, some acoustic.. gritty, industrial, analogue, dystopian, dirty sound is not for everyone …

[@trashculture]

Man that thing is amazing. And expensive. Wow. Great video, thank you for that!

[@WyattLite-n-inn]

Isn’t this kind of like Sugar Bytes’s “Drum Computer”?

[@cds9000]

No.

[@cullenmceaneney7024]

In a way, yeah. They use drum synthesis, rather than being purely sample based, like an MPC or an Electribe, for example. Sample based drum machines are generally more popular due to their focus toward finger drumming and playing live.

[@thierrymaillard132]

how do you get your father back when you turn off and re-ignite? does he have no way to save? best regards

[@MertensHelbelga]

0:12 ooo that dembow part is sublime

[@MinusNoir]

I would really like to see / hear comparison between this and Jomox Alpha Base!

[@Lumibug]

sick machine ! love it

[@penishead_official]

Is there a little latency by moving the knobs and the changes they do? I see it in the video. Or is it just because of snycing the video to audio? Please give me a reply. Thanks

[@dialnfornick]

Mine arrived today! ❤️

[@peterwalmsley2390]

The best video you've ever doen imo

[@HA11EYS_COM3T]

How did I never know about this channel?

[@bestsample3744]

This machine hasn't failed to impress me.

[@aSimpleChat]

Crazy video. My brain was hurting from imagining the bigger picture of creating with this monster! I’m using the Octatrack Mk2 as the MIDI controller. Can the Octatrack control each instrument track of the Pulsar-23? If so, how do you get each of those 5 audio instrument tracks into the OT considering there are only 4 audio INs for pass through?

[@ottsch]

Finally a drum machine that speaks to me