That one time that MXR made a Drum Machine

[@Hainbach]

100% drum sounds I would never use, but gold in your hands.

[@AlexBallMusic]

I imagine you'd need to make it more palatable by recording it to nagra, setting up the loop on a beach and processing the result with test equipment. 😀

[@RogerWarszawa]

​@@AlexBallMusic at half speed, of course 👌

[@compucorder64]

Have you maybe just raised the challenge of using 100% of these drum sounds to make us gold hands ;)

[@gregorykulinski2186]

Gold in an artist hands.

[@tranceemerson8325]

oh come on now Heinbach, I know you could melt these drums into oblivion and make something truly delicious

[@HarryAxten]

Great as always Alex! Was my pleasure to lend it to you. Wasn't expecting such a thorough MIDI stress test - must have been a challenge to sequence! 😂

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks for the loan! I just wanted to make sure the midi worked properly. 😜

[@Wolfbabypuppylove]

I actually thought the midi test was going to kill it.

[@PaulBoos]

@@AlexBallMusic It handled the 'load' well. @HarryAxten you obviously did a good design.

[@FatNorthernBigot]

Your opening track is way better than that drum machine deserves 😂

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Thing is tho, it makes some dope sounds. Too bad it was underdeveloped.

[@geofff6671]

We needed products like this to get the drum machines we have today. Had to start somewhere.

[@morgenrode_music]

that track is really 🔥need full version

[@HexanaMusic]

Face reviewing sounds is more helpful than I'd ever imagine but there you go.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Naturally, it's as pure as it gets.

[@wingflanagan]

Ah yes! The 1983 MXR Drum Machine can't be beat! The sound really sticks with you, being a real cymbal of the era. I was really ensnared by the opening jam, which establish the bass line for its capabilities. I really need to brush up on my drum programming, so it'll be a big help!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Bah dum pssh!

[@Toolsquatch]

Demo 2 is pure Adrian Sherwood, might have to put on some Tackhead a little later today now: thanks for another lovely video!

[@HanHuman]

Review with the face is the best type of review.

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's pure science.

[@ToTheGAMES]

@@AlexBallMusic You need to write down your expression for it to be science though. ( 🤓aHCKSHUALLY )

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@ToTheGAMESall it requires is you make a record of events, photographs, audio, and indeed video also count!

[@johncochrane2707]

😀 This was my expression during your Face Review. Never heard of this machine before. Nice video.

[@CKT1138]

I think this is the drum machine from Cabaret Voltaire's "The Covenant, The Sword, and The Arm of the Lord", among other mid 80s releases from them, the cowbell sound is used a ton on "L21ST". Also a number of tracks from "Micro-Phonies".

[@AlexBallMusic]

Apparently so!

[@prosaschleuder]

Coincidentally, I've listened to both albums today and at the start of the video an interrobang probably manifested over my head... BTW, I've never seen/read/heard the Cabs talk about gear or production - anyone got some links? Are there any?

[@ncapone87]

Definitely it! Coincidentally I commented that Alex should do a Cabs video the other day

[@nihilvoid4112]

Cabs used this drum machine on Crackdown, Microphonies and Covenant along with a TR808. They said they liked it more than the Linn drum, they found the sounds to be punchier. They also used the Rim and Click output to trigger their Juno 60 arpeggiator for all the bass lines, because it wasn’t a proper trigger signal the arpeggiator behaved in a jumpy glitchy way which I think gives their songs a unique character, the best example of this being the Covenant album

[@CKT1138]

@@nihilvoid4112 Crackdowns too? I thought Crackdown was DMX, but I could be mistaken

[@alistairsteadman3765]

Lovely seeing the Aphex Triplet in action there. Great work mate.

[@hanswurst5493]

was surprised hear alex play some aphexish tune.great.

[@LeonTodd]

The face test needs to become the industry standard

[@evanglicanism]

This channel continues to deepens my knowledge of music in ways that I cannot anticipate. And your face continues to inspire

[@ClemensWennersMusic]

Wow, really like the sounds actually! But I'm a sucker for *that* sound. Great video Alex!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Right up your street, yeah!

[@artisan002]

Been a good minute since I saw you review something with your face. A welcomed return.

[@jesseanderson3835]

Kind of love that snare. Cool to see ya still grooving on that Colossus as well. Might have to pick up that sample pack. 🤘🏼

[@shepshepherd]

The opening track was fabulous. It put me in mind of early 1980s Japanese City Pop :)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@shepshepherd]

@@AlexBallMusic I've become quite a fan of City Pop since happening upon the reissued LP of Aerobics by Yuji Toriyama and Ken Morimura in a record shop in Cambridge a couple of years ago. To me the album sounds like a collaboration between the B.E.F. and the Yellow Magic Orchestra :)

[@Alica303]

I used (samples of) this drum machine a lot in my old music! I don't want to show any of it here but its nice to see this guy get some recognition :)

[@TisMeJohnDee]

I genuinely look forward to your posts, always informative and very well produced.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you!

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I think the review with your face really got Me to understand how you feel, wonderful stuff.

[@AlexBallMusic]

😮😊😏😬🤔😧🫨

[@hysterique_dominus]

I love your intro music Remind me delicious of 80s

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you!

[@dissident4117]

Your intro is groovy and experimental at the same time. This drum machine has very much Oberheim DMX vibe.

[@christofferainek]

Harry is an absolute legend! Got his 505-rom upgrade a while back. Pure fire!

[@Xaero188]

Alex: Gets a hold of probably the only working MXR Drum Computer in the world modified to reveive MIDI input. Also Alex: *"I am going to partake in a miniscule amount of tomfoolery"*

[@AlexBallMusic]

Always.

[@ronnetgrazer362]

The problem with clicking like right at the start of the vid is that there's nowhere to go from there, except perhaps an engagement comment. So engaged.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@prodby_trxllo]

That opening track is golden!

[@benjaminelshout]

thanks so very much for all these great videos and the research, much regards

[@bobfrode]

that outro baseline was AWESOME!

[@BigPharmaBeatmaker]

Great jam, bro!!!! I love it

[@timburdsey]

Wow, the magic really happens when you reunite the MXR with its sibling effects processor! Another great video, Alex. 👍🏻

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yeah, that pitch transposer is great on everything.

[@EarlySwerver]

You're really taking control of the drum machine at 3:47!

[@DankePlace]

That thing is huge, she said as she walked in on me naked, holding a MXR Drum Machine over my nether regions. This is how all drum machines should be made, simple UI, super fun to play, and most importantly, super fun to play. Cheers Alex, a total banger.

[@DankePlace]

If Mr Bean was a muso, his face would be the "CLAPS"

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Know Wot I Mean ‘Arry was mental! Loved it!!

[@Wolfbabypuppylove]

This is when the user completely out shines the hardware ....excellent stuff Alex you actually gave it character.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you!

[@erikopnemer]

Alex is taking control of the drum machine.

[@TheUnfinishedSynth]

For all that it missed the arrival of MIDI, the sound of it absolutely screams 1983, bless it!

[@pimhansen6720]

A true David & Goliath outro, fantastic! And that SH-7 😍

[@ianwynne764]

Hello Alex: Your face "reviews" always give me a good laugh. Thank you.

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's science.

[@michaelraffa]

The tracks in these videos are always really good, but that melody line on the SH7 took it to the next level.

[@sedumjp]

Another great video, packed with synth nerd goodness and always worth a 2nd or 3rd play to really appreciate the wit and musicality of the jams.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@mightyV444]

Oh man! Sooo often I'm back in my teens again for the duration of certain videos on this channel, including this one! 😄 Even though I remember a lot of the gear only from ads in musicians' magazines 😊 I did own an Alesis HR-16 drum machine at some point, though 😁

[@jimlampshady]

Processing each of the drum sounds with different external gear led to such a nice separation in the mix. Individual outs rock.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Love doing that, yeah!

[@philippendletonmusic]

I just picked one up!

[@PaulBoos]

That outro tune was killer! The MXR sort of reminds me of the base sounds on my Sequential Tom ( a few more than the Tom has). An interesting instrument, but I think I am happier I have the Tom myself.

[@minimism]

Flippin’ heck - I had one of these but sold it for about £100 in the early 2000s as I couldn’t integrate it with my setup. If only I had known how rare they were!

[@compucorder64]

It's a pretty characterful sounding synth, but I like these kinds of sounds since the only drum machine I could afford as a teenager was a Sequential Drumtraks for less than £100. Now, I can't afford a Drumtrax for over £1000 ;) So this sounds pretty good. And also, your intro shows how good Prophet 5 is for bass. I'm finding the same with my Sequential Take 5. Got it for polysynth duty, and it's great for that , but it gives Grandmother a merry chase for bass. Kind of like how the Novation Peak is stupidly good for burning acidic monophonic sequences. Then it makes you feel weird for using a powerful and pricey polysynth for doing straightforward bass/acid. 'I have many voices, and you always only want one' :)

[@AlexBallMusic]

The Prophet is a classic for bass, yep! I use unison mode but actually limit the voice count to two voices because 10 is silly.

[@compucorder64]

@@AlexBallMusic Yes, that's true, similar with the Peak. If you use all voices it starts to sound like a slab / solid bass. Don't know why many voices in Unison would make it start to sound more like an old Yamaha DX FM bass. It's an odd effect like it averages out all the differences to create this homogenous wall. Though cool with saturation for hard industrial /techno bass. Or a solid bass in a house track.

[@808music3]

As a nerd for old electronic musical instruments, it’s shows how technology improved to what is today. The difference it had back then was… many producer(s) had time to take and improvise with these equipment back then. Also taking in account that, ideas took a while to materialise, and then hits where then been born. You can see with MJ thriller album.🤘 One more thing… what are going to do with allthat equipment in your studio? It’s 2023😂

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

Nice old curiosity - also nice to bump into you last week.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Did you win big on the arcades? Nice to meet you too.

[@AdamRobertshaw]

You ever thought of doing a live music tour in UK or anything, with a mahoosive synth setup etc? Would be very cool to see some of these tunes live.

[@davidryle]

A piece of history which was overshadowed by many great machines of that period. I sold the Drumtraks and a DX but retained the chipsets in an HR-16 so all is good. I like the precision surgery of the beat with the HR-16. Would never give up "The Robot Twins" HR-16 and MMT-8 for any amount of gold. I approve of the "Face Review" technique. A face is worth a zillion words or something.

[@TeddyLeppard]

👍👍👍👍 That outro song is a killer.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@Beastmode-hk3fj]

I had the exact same facial expression when you were auditioning the Clap sound @ 1:58

[@dewulfe9913]

Yet again, a video which knocks 'it' (whatever 'it' is) out of the park. Everyone else in the comments is talking about the machine itself or the first and second demo (and rightfully so, all of that rocks), so I'll just mention the killer final jam and that orgasmic vibe coming out of the Colussus... .....JFC I was not expecting to see that thing again and *goddamn* that is the kind of sound which explains why so many of us spent countless hours running around in dark rooms and listening to repetitive electronic music...is it redundant to ask for 'more Colussus'?!

[@fotszyrzk79]

Second track - Aphex Twin vibes! ❤

[@patfinn2697]

I don’t want to play favorites, but this is your best video yet, until the next one….

[@onlychld6121]

Drum Computer jam is bananas!

[@tonep3168]

Always great stuff Alex!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@markgatland977]

Nice to see you using the old 'Swedish Death Metal' sound on the old Boss HM2 😊..(there's a pedal I never should have sold 😞)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Wonderfully silly pedal. Love it.

[@unclemick-synths]

Great video and jams as usual 👍. This MXR seems ideal for an authentic retro sound.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Very 80s!

[@Eisenbahnpatrouille]

Pure gold. Everytime.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you!

[@lordflatworm]

Demo 1 sounds like something I would make. I finally feel seen on this channel.

[@AlexBallMusic]

🙂

[@VEsound]

Brilliant face review as usual Alex! ❤

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

That 'arry song will give Squarepusher a run for his money. Great job!

[@scottvogel8477]

Review via your face is the best review method.

[@mynameistechno]

goddammit, i had all the drumcomputer in my private museum EXCEPT THIS ONE. iam still mad to this day. its a wonderful machine

[@AlexBallMusic]

Sad times. I hope you find one!

[@martinlund4510]

Yay, face reviews 😃 Much appreciated 👍

[@SisterRose]

I expected it would be like a KO DMX because of the similar letters and I was not disappointed. It's like the MXR boardroom decided to pull an Asylum Pictures.

[@eltomuzo]

great music and programming

[@DavidLee07]

Way to make me simultaneously interested and not interested in a drum machine in a single video, Alex. (I'll stick with Linn Drum samples in my original Alesis HR-16, which I just found out is related to this MXR!)

[@AlexBallMusic]

It is an interesting/not interesting product, indeed! HR-16 - hope to try one at some point.

[@SlippinnnJimmy]

Nice! No more Rythm Section Want Ads!

[@marsmediapro]

1st I have heard of this! Thanks, Alex!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, not many made, I hear!

[@marsmediapro]

@@AlexBallMusic not only that, but I never heard mention of it from local shops, or even Manny's where I ordered gear from in the 1980s!

[@AlexBallMusic]

​@@marsmediaproVery interesting!

[@garcope7858]

class as usual

[@edmx]

ALways love this one, kinda gutted you are telling everyone about it but that just shows what a silly sausage I am.

[@electronictiger]

Alex, I like that midi driven track! The MXR sounds fantastic there. Suppose the Microcosm helping a little bit in terms of sound? But also the composition, of course. Anyway, another fun video. Thanks!

[@gneissrocks1845]

Opening track is like a funky version of Radiohead's Airbag. I approve 😁

[@AlexBallMusic]

Wasn't going for that, but I'll take it. 🙂

[@chriswareham]

It seems like there's a lot of shared DNA in the LinnDrum, DMX, DrumTraks and this MXR drum machine. There's various discussion threads online that claim the people from all these companies were friends, and actually shared intellectual property including the samples. Someone even compared the hex dumps of the factory sounds from the Linn, DMX and DrumTraks - and the sounds on the latter are basically a mix of those from the other two machines! The outlier seems to be the E-mu Drumulator, which despite it's idiosyncrasies is probably my favourite of the early digital drum machines. It was very much it's own thing sound wise, probably because of the way E-mu squeezed multiple sounds onto single EPROM chips in order to meet the price point they wanted.

[@AlexBallMusic]

You'll be very interested in this interview clip. From 1m33s in. www.namm.org/library/oral-history/roger-linn

[@Chinintoo16]

Please consider doing a "getting the most out of your Rev 2" kind of vid in the future, I've seen the synth on your channel but haven't seen you talk about it much. Cheers

[@AlexBallMusic]

I sold it in 2020 unfortunately.

[@InFamousProductions]

Alex, I have so many thoughts on this vid. I'll just say, that you have managed to mix the old and new into a few kick ass tracks. that last jam is so killllleerrr. and putting the samples into the S2400 (which I got because of your reviews and tutorials) sounds so FAT. That S2400 seems to make samples more FATTERER. But the MXR does have a great sound.

[@Blank_Frank]

Ah yes, the Cabaret Voltaire drum machine

[@PWMaarten]

Off topic, but excellent patch on the SH-7 in the opening track!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks. The SH-7 is great at modular-esque sounds that can be dialled in quickly.

[@angaudlinn]

Another one I've got. But mine is in really crappy condition when it comes to the interface so I've modified it to work as a stand alone midi triggable sound module. It's a great cheap work horse för those basic and classic 80's patterns. I loved the review of the sounds and agree to most of that. :)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Is that using the trigger inputs that are originally on the back?

[@angaudlinn]

@@AlexBallMusic I hardly remember know, but I think at least one of those connectors was missing and I replaced it with a DIN-socket and ran it from a Kenton Kadi with some minor alternation.

[@_sl3600]

Demo1 : ooh, some Alex Twin!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Did that under my ALX pseudonym.

[@DetroitMicroSound]

1:42 #3 reminding me of some old Kawai R50e flat gatey dryness kind of sounds, because of bit depth, and memory conservation.... ZzZzZzZz 😴The other sounds are all pretty dope really! ...Also, sweet, you got out Microcosm! A staple of mine. It's funny how my LXR-02, is similar in some ways to this. Sliders and mute buttons on each voice, is so natural feeling, and fun on the LXR/LXR-02. I try not to get too crazy manually modulating a voice on the LXR-02 using a volume slider, or muting and un-mutining in tight patterns, even tho it's really tempting, because I don't want to wear the sliders and buttons out early. LXR-02 is already a bit wonky, in a couple tiny areas. I tolerate a few small niggles, for the greater power that is LXR!

[@XavierRadix]

MXR: *exists* Alex: Molests the MXR by running it through 64th note MIDI information at 647 BPM and somehow makes an epic tune out of it...

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂

[@gelatinous6915]

Every music tech maker made a giant pcm drum thing back in the 80s. The DX, MXR, and DrumTrax all look almost identical if you ask me.

[@brianp7022]

Looks spookily linn like

[@AlexBallMusic]

For sure! You can see what they were up to.

[@Goettel]

Matt Johnson just had a Q&A, told us you're his favorite KZbinr : )

[@rodgre]

Awesome as usual. Now tell us about that blue "Phazer" pedal that looks like a Tychobrahe Octavia box.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Hylight Phazer II!

[@jayweb702]

The face can do it all! Just ask Beardyman

[@princepaul5557]

very cool!

[@hdsubstance1]

Remember seen one of those in a pawn shop for ages thinking it was a msx game computer

[@AlexBallMusic]

Does look like a console or something, yeah!

[@mitchelldries6628]

i think ALL the weird MXR stuff is going to make a huge comeback...

[@AlexBallMusic]

Maybe!

[@adrianoconnor3020]

Just looked up the spec on that Isla S2400,that is a serious machine!!! Slightly better than the MXR perhaps 😀

[@HalonOfficial]

great drum machine. would love to own one 🙂

[@noisetheorem]

I made a sample pack for myself off one I found in the back of a guitar center. I should go dig that out and load them into the ISLA. That seems like the appropriate thing to do. (as you obviously thought, too....I commented before I watched the whole video)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, makes it the machine it could have been. 🙂

[@daviHuggMonster]

the fx part is cool

[@themadsamplist]

Face reviews are the best!

[@DaveG207]

0:25 I was listening to Uillean pipes just before this and that guitar riff feels like it has that Irish triplet stylee!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Was it because I was Dublin up the parts?

[@DaveG207]

@@AlexBallMusic 🤣

[@michaelfowler3187]

More facial reaction reviews plz

[@LFOVCF]

Ah! 8 bit, like sand in your 99 ice cream (with flake)...smooth with a hint of crunch.

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂

[@lazeeluq8261]

its drei und achtzig , nice jam!

[@AlexBallMusic]

That's German, I speak Deutschlish. Achty Drei.

[@oliverharvey3792]

More layers than a winter storm

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂