The Swedish company Elektron has an excellent reputation on the drum machine market. The first drum machine Machinedrum got many fans among beat-makers and musicians. The latest model Machinedrum SPS-1 UW mk2, released in 2008, is a micro-evolution of the previous version.

Its body is made of ground aluminum and steel. In comparison to its predecessor, a sampler with 2.5 MB was added. For some users, a small amount may seem miser, but this makes one think about quality, rather than about quantity.

Machinedrum SPS-1 UW mk2 has 4 main types of percussion synthesizers: "TRX" echoes drum machines TR-808 and 909, "EFM" is based on frequency modulation, E12 offers a set of samples featured in the sampler E-MU SP -12/1200, "PI" is responsible for the sounds of physical modeling (realistic acoustic drums). And finally, "GND" is designed for various noises. Each synth is divided into "Machines" to create kicks, snares, claps, hats, claves, and bass.

There are also machines "RAM" and "ROM” which are responsible for MIDI transfer of samples or audio coming into the device via 2 audio inputs. ROM machines will be needed for user samples stored in memory, and RAM can also be resampled with the help of processing of individual or master effects.

Machinedrum SPS-1 UW mk2 has a wide range of drum manipulation capabilities, and each has its own set of functions. Parameters can include filters, LFO, attack change, distortion and more. The sequencer offers a grid/step mode, as well as a real-time mode.

The sequencer allows you to create up to 64 steps in patterns, while the song mode allows you to build patterns into a full track. The function button provides access to certain settings of the sequencer, such as: changing velocity sensitivity, mute, swing and slide.

Tags: digital synthesizer