XBASE 888 Analog Drum Machine -

This drum machine is my first venture into the world of hardware sequencers and so far I have no complaints. JoMoX, based out of Berlin Germany, has manufactured several groove boxes, as well as a variety of niche machines like their T-Resonator box and their ridiculous kick drum box the Mbase 11. The xbase 888 has 4 analog sound generators perfect for creating unique sounding KD, SD, HT, and LT. In addition the Hi Hat, Clap, Rim, Crash and Ride are all 8 bit samples that pass through an analog envelope providing a lot of flexibility and control over every sample.

At the heart of this machine is the internal step sequencer. Alternating A/B patterns allow for either two 16 step patterns or one 32 step pattern. Coming straight out of computer drum machine programing land and being pretty comfortable with Logics Ultrabeat, programming patterns with the xbase 888's individual step edit mode is where you can really make your money. Very similar to how the Ultrabeat works allowing you to programe EACH step like it was its own intrument or sound (you can get carried away with this so watch out...).


KNOBS!! 16 of them! Editing sound on the fly is possible with very intuitive rotary encoders for every analog parameter. Push a knob over here... mute a track... turn a knob over there... adjust the volume, decay, cut off... What ever really. I'm sure these types of features are very standard for any groove boxes or drum machines out there but since this is my first time experiencing it hands on, I'm impressed.

Links:
Manufactures Site
a n a l o g u e h a v e n

Them Times Are Changin

For the longest time I've been wallowing in the land of Logic and Ableton clicking away at my mouse and assigning midi messages to various midi controllers, all in an effort to be able to both play and create music in a more traditional way, however. After days of working on a song (and what used to be weeks or months...) all I would really be getting out of all this work would be song that I didn't really feel connected to, as apposed to say a mix tape that I were to put together as a dj.

While I'm in the process of writing track I can sometimes spend hours just playing different drum patterns with either Logic's Ultrabeat or Ableton's Drum Rack and having fun, a feeling that I would closely relate to playing records. Spontaneous and unpredictable almost. And it's during these times that I ask myself why I haven't just started to write songs that I can perform live instead of writing songs that in the end can only be heard with a CDJ or Mp3 player...?

This led me to experimenting with Ableton Live as a live instrument for performing my songs and a search began for the most versatile midi controller's I could find to get the job done. After a year of using several midi controllers a certain consistency of midi issues, driver/computer issues, and software issues, as well as my general apprehensiveness towards playing music with my laptop on stage, I decided that I needed to head in a new direction, and for now leave Ableton Live at home for studio and production work. Even seeing Deadmou5 play his Ableton Live set in Seattle as well as several others performing with Ableton Live just didn't even come close to what I would consider an entertaining or an engaging live act.

That being said, and as "ass backwards" as this may sound, I'm back to square one in a sense and really getting to know my Moog Little Phatty and XBASE analog drum machine. Both, real analog instruments and neither of which have issues with crashing or giving me any serious headaches. Just plug them into a wall outlet and turn on the power and that’s it! In much the same way I put the needle on a record and do what I do to mix records, I feel just as in control of the music I create with my little drum machine and synth.

These days Logic Pro and Ableton Live still retain their roles in my the recording studio and as important production tools, but as far as what I am most interested in "live performance," I'm going to be sticking with the idea of lugging around real analog instruments and gear to future shows in an effort to bring new music and creativity to my performances.

"Sorry computer you’re not a musical instrument"

Ahh Yea! Do work!