The Legendary LinnDrum

A look at the LinnDrum which is arguably the most famous digital drum machine of all time.
0:00 Intro Jam
0:43 Backstory
1:40 Face Review
2:32 How it works
5:49 Connectivity
7:55 Legacy
9:16 Outro Jam
Thank you to the owner of this LinnDrum
Download the free sample pack: drive.google.com/file/d/1gqpz...
Social:
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My Music:
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[@alphabeets]

The power of the hi hat trick in the LM-1 cannot be overstated. It provides a critically important non-repeating sample that always sounds fresh. The ear doesn’t tire of the sound like it does with a machine gun repeated sample.

[@mikemeengs5720]

Totally!

[@jairkerker2821]

I never understood why post 80's keyboards offered hihat, closing hihat and open hihat where they should have done side and tip of the drum stick, so you can groove. Especially because closing the hihat with tip or side pads works perfectly. To this day you regularly have to work around that flaw when you connect an electronic drumkit to another device, samplers and a handful VST plugins excluded.

[@neonblack211]

​@@jairkerker2821 because it would be double the amount of samples, also a sample doesn't care what part of the stick it's hit with, it's an electronic sound, you achieve those effects by playing with velocity pitch and cut-off, when you listen to a high hat sound created digitally it's up for interpretation how it's "hit"... most people just use slight variations of the same sound if they want a realistic human feel

[@asor8037]

@@jairkerker2821 Nostalgia's a b*tch, everything was better before right? Native Instruments session drummer does this all perfectly, and moreover, it' multisampled.

[@jairkerker2821]

@@asor8037 Everybody knows that everything is better now.

[@Tunerguy21]

Always a good day for a new Alex Ball video; even better when it comes with a face review.

[@AlexBallMusic]

😀😐😏🤔😬😟😲😛

[@paulinfrancis]

The cowbell didn’t disappoint 😄

[@trojanhouserecords]

Bahaha

[@darkstatehk]

I'm a big face review fan too :)

[@everpuremusic]

@@paulinfrancis Haha i thought exactly the same. There is way too little proper cowbell in today’s charts music!

[@notlobparrot3057]

That LinnDrum has been gorgeously preserved. Wow.

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's a goodun, yeah!

[@splode7414]

The gated reverb came on and the sense of hair gel and ripped stonewash jeans became almost tangible. Great video and thank you for the samples!

[@AlexBallMusic]

...and we all start chewing Wrigleys.

[@mordaciousfilms]

It's like 90% of the 80s PRINCE sound there at the end with the flange and reverb added!

[@FailedMuso]

Came here for the Linn. Stayed for Alex's jazz hands...

[@AlexBallMusic]

[Worzel Gummage GIF]

[@LFOVCF]

First time I saw an LM-1 was about 3 years ago, at a synth expo. It is a huge magnificent beast, and making it sound like Prince was just amazing. I think your 'ratings faces', need to become recognised synth units (ASU). Great video and tunes Alex.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Love how deep the LM-1 is. Like those old TVs or PC monitors that we're deeper than they were wide!

[@LFOVCF]

@@AlexBallMusic And as a TV engineer, I've carried them all, but the Philips video 2000 was a hefty behemoth.

[@MSM5500]

@@AlexBallMusic "Love how deep the LM-1 is" But the memory of LM-1 wasn't "deep" much resulted in that dodgy cycled hi-hat sample.

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@MSM5500 I meant "deep" physically. The thing just goes back and back. It's comically large for what it does.

[@MSM5500]

@@AlexBallMusic No worries! I know exactly what you meant. BTW There has been an open source HW Linndrum project out there which was entirely neglected by the crowd. I've built my one based upon that project but with use of the original Linndrum 4-pole filters in there (thanks to Cool Audio / Alfa PRAR for 3320 reissue). So I've learnt the architecture as well as circuit operation of both LM1 & LinnDrum very well. The sound module has advantage over the original LinnDrum in polypholy 12 voices vs 15 voices and plays both drum kits at a time yet packed up in 19" 1U rack unit.

[@NunyaB1s]

I never realized until the last jam that the linn drum was also all over early industrial too. You can hear it used on KMFDM’s opium and also on the first two Skinny Puppy LPs. I also recognize it from Ministry and a slew of other late 80s early 90s industrial bands.

[@gertjelken424]

Wrong Skinny Puppy 808 and 909 on Remission and Bites

[@NunyaB1s]

@@gertjelken424 There's no way Assimilate was written with an 808/909.

[@adamharris7775]

In the New Edition song "Cool It Now" (1984), the LinnDrum was heard.

[@adamharris7775]

In the song "White Wedding, Pt. 1" (1982), the LinnDrum was heard.

[@HotWheelsLeadingTheWay]

Real drums.

[@stevenbakos]

The ghost of Prince’s past returns! Love it so much

[@AlexBallMusic]

The sidestick is instant Prince. Can't hear anything else when I hit that.

[@stevenbakos]

@@AlexBallMusic and the Toms

[@willburrito9710]

My first engineering session with the LDrum was amazing. Yes. A basic sound canvas of the ‘80s. I still have those recordings and they are a sound time machine.

[@adamharris7775]

LinnDrum was heard in the song "Trick to Happy" (2020).

[@westerncivilization]

You are a gentleman and a historian. Great work.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@subwaygaragemusic]

The kick drum on this one is already punchy enough even without effects. That says a lot about the machine itself.

[@adamharris7775]

The LinnDrum bass drum was heard in the song "Peek-a-Boo!" (1982).

[@aleksamrkela831]

Glad to hear this legend running again! :D The outro jam was a real treat, and I loved the use of it in conjunction with a modular rig. Awesome work!

[@greatheightsu]

Thanks for the samples! And I labsolutely loved whatever patch you did on that Microfreak at the awesome outro jam!

[@stevenk2396]

Thanks for the very interesting (and funny) video. I really enjoy your "documentaries" about these instruments, keep up the great work!! And thanks for the sample pack as well, really appreciate it!!!

[@DEADLINETV]

I always enjoy your content! Thanks for making these backstories and sharing your effort with us!

[@SewerTapes]

Thanks for the rad sample pack. Your videos are just as informative as they are inspirational.

[@zackperkins6107]

Love the sounds. My absolute favorite sounds even compared to other drum machine greats like TR-808, 707, and almost the 909. Almost. Great and informative video Alex!

[@justaname1862]

THANK YOU "SO MUCH" FOR THE SAMPLES....YOU'RE A LEGEND!!! Been wanting these for years....im going to be busy!

[@MatONeill]

Thoroughly enjoyed that... thanks Alex! Very kind of you to drop in a little free gift for those who watched till the end - I happen to have been looking for a classic linn drum type sample pack and now I have the real deal :)

[@pedrokremermotta605]

Man i love your stuff. I was looking for good LinnDrum samples, cant thank you enought.

[@2.7petabytes]

Excellent video fine sir! You, as usual, come up with come great videos demonstrating some of the most iconic instruments out there!

[@Skraboing649]

Alex, I just DL'd the sample pack. Talk about thorough! Thanks so much!

[@mosswurk_radio]

Awesome, nothing beats analog in terms of fun. Very cool of you to make that sample pack, cheers 😎

[@Stevali1966]

Thanks Al for the video and the samples.

[@electronaut7429]

Nice video and a free sample pack. Thank you!

[@bennyshambles]

I have a friend who found one of these at a thrift store about ten years ago and it was super cheap, less than $50 if I remember correctly. It’s a good thing he found it too, because he was a synth and drum machine obsessed musician who has put it to good use.

[@thomaskolb8785]

Ha ha, isn't that what people usually say when they bought a vintage musical instrument for more money than what they care to admits? AKA "honey, it wa so cheap, I will make a ton of money when I sell it".

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

thank god no scalper took it before him. At least NOW it's actually used and not sitting around as "speculation object".

[@chrisevans1546]

Just stumbled across this channel/video. Thanks for making it fun.

[@andrewfurman9552]

This was phenomenal, thank you!!!

[@c4li]

wohoo awesome video as usual and thank you for the samples!

[@bikesandtech]

Thank you for the great video and the free samples.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Emjoy!

[@UrbanGarden-rf5op]

Yeah!😎😎 @ 3:47 "Place coin here if soundsheet slips" Those were the days. Thank you for the samples. I promise to use them for good, only.

[@pascalillustration3650]

Awesome video ! And thanks for sharing the sounds.

[@vinnytnecniv]

Great videos , its so interesting to listen to the History of the instruments , so much fun 👍🏼

[@dosgos]

Well researched and interesting narrative. Learned a lot about the Linn boxes today. Thank you.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Glad to hear, thanks!

[@SunLogic1973]

Excellent demonstration and background, Alex! I love the history associated with these.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Eric. Yes, always fun to research the backstory of these.

[@l0riz624]

the LinnDrum is in my opinion the best Drum Machine ever made. It's sounds are just pure magic and fit in basically every 80s Song!

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I remember progressing one in the studio in the '80s. I loved it then and would love to have one now. They were great machines.

[@dyscotopia]

It has a lot to recommend it as far as interface innovation, and it's got a well thought out kit, but any decent drum machine or groovebox from the last twenty years with loadable memory can surely hold its tiny bit crushed samples, with much more sound sculpting ability besides. It deserves its place in history. Linn is a legend, but best drum machine of all time is a stretch. Most important arguably, but I lost interest in music once everything became a dx7 and Linn drum preset. Just reams of awful synth pop

[@juanandresmonardes3390]

Hi Alex Excelent video and Thank you very much for the Free Sample Pack!

[@YesYesYessYes]

I've listened to your Jam at the end about 20 times❤

[@marcdanielnelson317]

Great Video, Alex! Made me smile and laugh a good laugh

[@denismkitchen]

Thank you for the sample pack!

[@adwarfsittingonagiantsshoulder]

Thank you very much for the samples !!! Excellent demonstration, I loved the Linn Drum hooked to the modular !

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers. Yes, always fun to drag things over to the modular to see what happens. Enjoy the samples!

[@adwarfsittingonagiantsshoulder]

@@AlexBallMusic Thanks a lot !

[@davidholloway3011]

Thank you for the Samples Alex, I'll be sure to put them to good use.

[@adamharris7775]

The LinnDrum was heard in the 1982 live version of the song “Young Turks”.

[@brittmurray9818]

Thanks for the samples! Back in the day I had a demo flexi record of the Linn Drum. Really wish I still had that!

[@anthonybrett]

Another winner Alex. Brilliant!

[@bowel_movement]

Wow, the outro jam was realy sick! Love the sounds and weirdness!

[@samanderson806]

Hey man, thanks for the samples!

[@GP-2000]

Wow, Alex, thank you so much for this. Been wondering if you were ever going to cover the Linn drum machine. Fascinated with this machine since the 80's. #prince 💜

[@dgsoundCA]

Thank you so much Alex for the whole package: great video, brilliant music, samples gift, glorious face review! ... cowbell face F T W !

[@adamharris7775]

The LinnDrum was heard in the 1992 ending version of the 1969 Sesame Street song "Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?".

[@VladoT]

Top video as always!!!

[@traitortotheliving]

Great video once again thanks Alex!

[@NoisyMachines]

Love the end track! Bro you are amazing! :D

[@siljamickeify]

You make such fantastic music!! Drives me nuts!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Mikael!

[@MAZZI100]

Superb as always!.

[@josefdepovic8495]

man you are killing me with those sample packs.

[@aquos_fox]

I'm so in love with this drum machine 🧡

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's cool!

[@glenesis]

334th! Howdy! Congrats on your reunion with this classic beast. Can't thank you enough for deep-sampling this. Thanks always for all you do!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Glenn. Yeah, nice to see it again for a short while. Deep-sampling was a must!

[@tehedx]

A lot of us probably face review your fave reviews with a big smile. Nice outro :)

[@001REQ]

Thanks... I will definitely use these samples!

[@peter-utrblk]

Oh Man, what a stunning track at the end of this informative video. Thanks Alex.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Peter!

[@midnightsocean2689]

lol you always make the happiest tracks. man that drum machine sounds so good.

[@soundforcenicolas797]

Waouh I never realize this thing was so big! It looks so huge next to the modern machine. Thanks for another interesting video Alex.

[@alexturcani3234]

You restored my faith in you by making that sample pack.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Restored your faith? Did I do something bad?

[@teddybearasaurus]

Awesome playing🔥 the other stuff is a bonus too. Love this🙌🏽

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@mackadresse6095]

Hello Alex Great job as usually, ad a real reference in the business. Sharing your knowledge is entertaining and never boring!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Mack!

[@baxtronicxavier]

The outro jam was sick!

[@Vim-Wolf]

Downloaded and throwing into my TR-8S. Thanks muchly.

[@creativecomposites6193]

Best facial LinnDrum preset sound review i have ever seen, thanks:)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Have there been any others? 😄

[@Rainier_]

Thank you for the samples! Great!

[@issiewizzie]

As always you captured the spirit very well

[@daisy_mae2004]

My teacher just showed us this in class. Absolutely loved it when you looked up every time you showed us a setting 😂

[@antongracon3345]

I'll review those Lit-up glasses with my comment. A great side dish to this channel, and marvelous explanation of an instrument I was able to install onto my Yamaha PSR-S970. Great job, Alex.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks for the....glowing review. 😎 Glad to hear you got the samples running in your Yamaha.

[@thiagopogliesi3856]

Such a hero sampling it !

[@ianwynne764]

Hello Alex: Your videos always make me smile. This video gave me a laugh as well. Thank you.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks Ian, appreciate it.

[@faylonbiryani]

Excellent as always! 👍

[@GiantBugs]

Great video ! You always find a way to make a piece of gear interesting

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks Max!

[@juxty3102]

Alex's channel is one the best and my favourite music channel. 😁

[@gophercrow]

Alex, your posts always get a like from me. I've wanted one of these since the 80s, so I'd like to give a second like for the LinnDrum video. When you used your Roland modular sequencer to change the pitch of the samples, I wanted to give a third like for that too! PS - Gated reverb is ace even on cheap 80s drum machines like the DDM-110. In fact, it could be argued that cheap drum machines benefit the most from reverb and other effects embellishing the cheesiness of their samples.

[@brandbusters183]

Thank you for the Samples Bro you are a Lifesaver.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Pleasure. Enjoy!

[@brandbusters183]

@@AlexBallMusic You're the best man! xoxo

[@TheTMontgomery]

If released as a new machine with new samples and midi this would still outsell some new sampling machines. Thanks for another wonderful review on every eighties musicians dream.

[@adamharris7775]

The LinnDrum was heard in the 2013 version of the 2010 Cartoon Network theme.

[@Elavator66]

Do you know about "EKT"? that mysterious song has the linndrum in it.

[@wingoshack]

The outro jam is magical

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@MaximeHendrickx]

One of youtube's best video's!

[@synthartist69]

Love the sound of this machine!

[@XavierRadix]

Thank you for providing the very informative and insightful 'Face Review' section in your videos. It's a fantastic way to measure the *stankness* and/or *phatness* of a particular sound. Which is very important to know for any potential buyer. Now I know that I need to at least buy three LinnDrum's. This technique should be used in every musical instrument review from now on. Trademark it while you can.

[@vaiman7777]

Awesome video thanks. Face review is priceless :D

[@DaveG207]

Wow, loving that closing track.

[@rhill109]

In my learned, all-knowing internet opinion, the LinnDrum is THE sound of the 80s.

[@AlexBallMusic]

😂

[@falangistavaleroso9689]

@@AlexBallMusic isla 2400 rules, sell me yours!

[@scouthanamura2380]

I'm also a denizen of the internet, so I feel that I have the credentials to corroborate your statement.

[@carlosserrano3985]

The Linndrum and the Simmons SDSV is the 80'S sound.

[@secretelitemusic]

The Oberheim DX and DMX tore NYC a fresh one in the 80s.

[@TheHorseValse]

Excellent! Alex Ball videos are always a treat! Your face reviews should be SI base units. :D

[@AlexBallMusic]

😃😁😍🤨😏😬🤓😲😋

[@evanglicanism]

You've been on a roll lately. 2600, Jupiters, now a LinnDrum! Your channel is growing too strong!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Some pretty obscene gear, yeah. Even better....there's more. Much more. 😃

[@jackodonnell3463]

Amazing content again, thank you

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Jack.

[@johntammaro]

I enjoyed learning about the history. Thanks

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks John, good to know.

[@kaikiefer8303]

Nice Intro Jam. Geert would love it. - Thx for the samples - those are gold.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Kai. Hope you have fun with them!

[@kaikiefer8303]

@@AlexBallMusic A-HA, Tears4Fears backing tracks. ;)

[@asiullopes]

your videos are amazing!!!