The Legendary LinnDrum

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@adamharris7775]

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

[@notlobparrot3057]

That LinnDrum has been gorgeously preserved. Wow.

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's a goodun, yeah!

[@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.

[@FailedMuso]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

[Worzel Gummage GIF]

[@mordaciousfilms]

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

[@westerncivilization]

You are a gentleman and a historian. Great work.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@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.

[@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!

[@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

[@windmill7708]

YES I LOVE THE LINN DRUM

[@daisy_maeHQ]

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

[@TheTMontgomery]

The Behringer LMdrum has been released Hope you will be getting one.Looking forward to your review. I plan to get one as soon as I can.

[@paulpuljic6025]

Boom...have a lot of their recent gear...Grind..Spice...2600..,.....Neutron...it just hit me too...putting in my pre-order on Sweetwater..!

[@peedee5324]

Don't count on Alex reviewing slave labor garbage.

[@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.

[@Jjrad308]

@@NunyaB1sin this version you are correct. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnOxhGOGapWUgs0si=xmQKesHqrX8dnHr6

[@justaname1862]

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

[@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!

[@romeopopescu]

Thank you for your excellent videos and for the free samples! Love your work!

[@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!!!

[@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".

[@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 :)

[@popcycles]

That side stick pitched down, sounds so dope!

[@subwaygaragemusic]

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

[@GrumpyTim]

The LinnDrum is the 1980s in one small (well quite biggish actually) box. So much music that I used to listen to was created using one of these - great to see and hear one again, cheers Alex.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, and then also weirdly the 90s too because of Daft Punk etc!

[@benanderson89]

@@AlexBallMusic even some modern tunes. Listen closely and you can hear linn samples dotted around modern pop records, and some tracks like Last Friday Night by Katy Perry are all Linn

[@GrumpyTim]

@@AlexBallMusic I think the resurgence in the 90s somehow passed me by, maybe I'd moved on to other music, or perhaps I just wasn't paying attention!!!

[@GrumpyTim]

@@benanderson89 Yeah, I'd spotted Linn samples in recent stuff - I couldn't tell you where I'd heard them, but every now and then I'll think "ooh the 1980s" because there's that familiar LinnDrum sound again.

[@LaraSchilling]

Come for the synth history education, stay for the facial expressions. Bravo, my friend!

[@AlexBallMusic]

🙂🙃😍😋🤔🤨😏😲

[@LaraSchilling]

@@AlexBallMusic And a 💩 for the snare.

[@LaraSchilling]

@@AlexBallMusic (mind you, the Linn snare is anything but 💩)

[@AlexBallMusic]

Always.

[@carlosserrano3985]

Ohh Alex, I sold my Linndrum in year 2000 and I regret it every single day, that one has the MIDI kit installed by Forat electronics. The Linndrum and the Simmons SDSV (Wich I still have) wasthe perfect marriage in the 80'S. Thanks for the samples and for another great video. Cheers!

[@AlexBallMusic]

I imagine they were pretty worthless around 2000? Post fashionable, pre-resurgance?

[@Skraboing649]

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

[@macronencer]

A true 1980s kicker! Thank you Alex, always a pleasure to watch your videos. Roger Linn is a lovely guy, too. I bought a LinnStrument recently and had a question about it, which he answered by email in person. Apparently he tries to do this for all his customers. An absolute legend!

[@AlexBallMusic]

The LinnStrument looks quite underrated. Awesome to see him still innovating and also answering emails personally! What a great guy.

[@macronencer]

@@AlexBallMusic Yes it's really lovely to play! It has a slightly unsettling look to it because of the rubberised pad overlay, but it works really well and is extremely expressive. I'm not a guitarist, but I've played double bass - so the fourth-per-row tuning isn't completely unfamiliar. But I don't have all the scales and arpeggios at my command just yet... got to give that time :)

[@colinoliver]

beautiful song at the end

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks Colin.

[@electronaut7429]

Nice video and a free sample pack. Thank you!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@Tmidiman]

Wow, I remember recording one of my early projects with one of those. Had to rent it and only had it for a few days. No time to learn how to program it, so we just manually played it and recorded the results to tape, later adding the bass and guitar.

[@AlexBallMusic]

You just finger drummed it? I guess that works too!

[@SewerTapes]

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

[@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. 😃

[@mosswurk_radio]

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

[@SeanSecret]

Here before 1k views :3 Always a pleasure watching your videos!

[@AlexBallMusic]

You're so early that midi hasn't been invented. 😉

[@SeanSecret]

@@AlexBallMusic What is midi?!?!?!?

[@MCBrainpower]

Very nice, sir!! Informative and funky, and even as a Linn enthousiast, it taught me a thing or two! One of them being m, I need me some of those Linn Flexi discs lol • Met Roger Linn in 2015, a super humble icon and all around great guy!!

[@tehedx]

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

[@midnightsocean2689]

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

[@greatheightsu]

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

[@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 hi-hat was heard in the song "Sushi" (1982).

[@pedrokremermotta605]

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

[@marsmediapro]

Thank you for your informative and entertaining videos! 🎉

[@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.

[@davedeanovic2908]

These beats are reminiscent of the dance floor moves you know, clapping hands , snapping fingers and throwing your arms and head back on the 2 and 4. Quite the technological moves found anywhere on our planet. Your stuff and the Lynn? Wow!

[@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.

[@teddybearasaurus]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers!

[@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

[@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.

[@alexturcani3234]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Restored your faith? Did I do something bad?

[@ashleehero9414]

I didn’t think you could make a LinnDrum sound any better But then you got to turnin them knobs and boyyy it made me fall for the Linn all over againn 😍🔊💕👂

[@dosgos]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Glad to hear, thanks!

[@adamharris7775]

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

[@vinnytnecniv]

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

[@Lewzz-t4d]

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

[@juanandresmonardes3390]

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

[@anthonybrett]

Another winner Alex. Brilliant!

[@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.

[@duncanparsons]

Nice to see Boss half-rack units :-) I have a couple of RPS-10s, RRV-10s and a couple of the compressors (one not from the *-10 range) oh, and lovely to see a Linn!

[@josefdepovic8495]

man you are killing me with those sample packs.

[@juxty3102]

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

[@qceventsound3050]

Face review is the best thing I’ve ever seen on a gear video. Ever. 1:45

[@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 !

[@artisan002]

Another prominent use of LinnDrum was Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's classic Head To Toe. (Not that anyone was asking, but listening to this vaulted that memory back to the front of my brain in a hurry.)

[@bikesandtech]

Thank you for the great video and the free samples.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Emjoy!

[@peter-utrblk]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Peter!

[@waugsqueke]

I want the Cold War to restart so we can get some good Frankie Goes To Hollywood Linn come back in style! Excellent work as always Alex.

[@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.

[@chrisevans1546]

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

[@c4li]

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

[@Skootavision]

Always here for an 'Alex reviews sounds with his face' vid 😁 🥁

[@grrlpurpleable]

It's impossible to have grown up during the 80s and not loved the sound of a gated LinnDrum :) Excellent video as ever and I concur with the review faces! :D

[@opiejaye]

A great machine! Stock Aitken and Waterman used one and used to include in the credits of their work “Drums: A. Linn”. As a kid I always wondered how a drummer could sound like a drum machine…

[@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. ;)

[@waugsqueke]

I had one of these all through the 80s, mostly used live since we had no drummer for a while. Love the sound. Strange thing I've noticed is the conga eeprom has a different sample on different machines, not sure why that is. On the one in the video (and most others I've heard from UK recordings), it sounds like someone hitting a conga which is what you'd expect. On the one I had (and others which seem to be from US sources) the congo has much less slap to it and is more like a boop-y sound. Often times we'd set up patterns where the output was shared by one or more sound and you could create cut-off effects using that. Ex since you can't play the toms and the congas simultaneously, we could create a pattern in the toms where they were all cut off shorter than the sample length, by using congas mixed in the pattern (we'd just zero out the volume of the conga and all that was left was the cut off toms).

[@jhowe5571]

Just too much fun in the studio, with all that gear!🤣

[@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 💜

[@thelanavishnuorchestra]

I like the dives into old gear from back when I started buying gear, but I love the period appropriate jams.

[@thelanavishnuorchestra]

And thanks for the samples!

[@VNDM-MUSIC]

dude, fucking 20 secs in and you have me grooving and most important: smiling ear to ear. Golden.

[@andrewfurman9552]

This was phenomenal, thank you!!!

[@2.7petabytes]

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

[@siljamickeify]

You make such fantastic music!! Drives me nuts!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Mikael!

[@PatrickRosenbalm]

Alex I had a Ball as usual watching your video! Always first class content! I wish I had one of those in my collection. I did have the opportunity of using one back in the late 80s. I don't think it really ever had a true equal.

[@neriboi]

intro jam is too good

[@davidholloway3011]

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

[@denismkitchen]

Thank you for the sample pack!

[@morphoice]

The cowbell face made me smile hard.

[@elmerfillekes621]

Focussed on the linndrum the first time i watched your video, the 2nd time i saw your super cool glasses! Factastic drum machine with cv control. Early pet shop boys songs had it too.

[@AlexBallMusic]

😎

[@ianwynne764]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks Ian, appreciate it.

[@aquos_fox]

I'm so in love with this drum machine 🧡

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's cool!

[@CJWriter0925]

The LinnDrum is such a fun sound! Great historical look.

[@creativecomposites6193]

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

[@AlexBallMusic]

Have there been any others? 😄

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

It’s fitting that you would be using the Roland System 100M to modulate the settings of the LM1, Alex. The 100M definitely was some sort of cult phenomenon in the era when the LM1 was manufactured and most people wanted the other synthesizers you played in this review. Back in 2004, the man to whom I sold my malfunctioning Fender Rhodes piano told me he had a LinnDrum with a faulty snare chip. The plan I formulated in my mind was to purchase that machine from him and get a replacement EPROM from a retailer that had accumulated a stock of chips from the Linn 9000. The idea I had was to attempt to plug Simmons hex pads into the trigger inputs. Now, I don’t know what stopped me doing any of that.

[@traitortotheliving]

Great video once again thanks Alex!

[@dgsoundCA]

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

[@baxtronicxavier]

The outro jam was sick!