SynthFest UK 2024 - Iconic Drum Machines

[@AndyVonal]

I was in the audience for this seminar and totally loved it! It was the highlight for me in what was a rather bland Synthfest. Insightful, thought-provoking and delightfully funny!

[@eddydeegan]

I was in the audience and found this a fascinating and informative seminar!

[@callumhall967]

This was really fascinating, awesome to see that wurlitzer from 1959 in action. And in only 20 years it was at the 808, just wow.

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Splendid sonic journey

[@TheHorseValse]

Very nice!

[@simoningate2056]

Fantastic talk - I should have stayed to see it.

[@djgreenhornet2892]

✌🏾😎🥁

[@horizontalblanking]

“.. ‘Cause the 808 kick drum makes the girlies get dumb We're rollin' Rainier, and the jealous wanna get some.”

[@plusgoodproductions1550]

No Linn. ?

[@OliFreke]

As explained in the talk, I cover the range 1959-1980. The Linn definitely gets mentioned in context of the TR-808, but there will need to be a part 2 to cover the 1980s digital revolution...Linn, Drumulator, DMX, MPC-60 et al...!

[@ClifBratcher]

A good presentation but it feels like two different talks stuck together. Once they hit the 808 they stop. Don't get me wrong, it's a classic drum machine and the deep dive is interesting. There are just a lot of iconic ones that came out after it.

[@OliFreke]

Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed it! The reason we went up to the TR-808 and no further in this particular presentation is because we wanted to illustrate the incredible development over a mere 20 years in drum machine technology, usage and design, through the five iconic machines on stage. This short period covers the transition from presets to user-programmable rhythms; from the home organist to professional musician/studio use, and the accelerated technological evolution from valves to microchips via increasingly minituarised transistors. And, of course - of course - how drum machines went from merely replicating existing dance rhythms and contemporary music in the 1950s and 1960s to forming the basis of whole new electronic music styles and genres from the 1970s onwards that wouldn't have been possible without these incredible machines. For all of which we were lucky enough to have access to some of the key machines over that time period that illustrate each of those points. For a more complete story of the drum machine, please listen to my SOS podcast which also covers the sample based and sampling drum machines of the 1980s and beyond! www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/drum-machine-history-podcast

[@AndyVonal]

@@OliFreke Nice response, Oli! Personally, I thought the talk was great! (I was there in the audience)

[@audiosuy]

Truth is that he put very little effort into recreating the sounds of the 808... Give an overrated hippie a microphone and these things happen

[@audiosuy]

@@OliFreke so you need to surround yourself with more sincere people (or with higher standards)