Virtual rhythm boxes
Vintage analog
drum machines can offer lots of inspiration for
songwriters,
beatmakers and practising musicians alike. The original
rhythm box devices are hard to find and the high prices reflect their rarity and demand. This page was created to allow everyone to easily try
virtual
lookalike versions of these remarkable electronic instruments. The idea initially came from wanting to make it faster to search for
suitable preset beats and sound samples without having to go back and forth connecting the actual devices. Programming and synthesizing the lookalike versions with
JavaScript and
Web Audio was a great
learning experience into how these original beatboxes operate. On this site I will share my experiences in hopes that more people out there
will get encouraged to create music with them - these magic boxes have so many invaluable song ideas in them!
Ace Tone FR-2L, Roland TR-330 and Boss DR-55 happily together.
Some special features of the lookalike drum machines:
Combine patterns with fast successive pressing of selector buttons
Share or save a link to your beat, The URL parametres define the beat combinations and tempo
Export a beat as a midi file ready for use in your favorite DAW or midi sequencer
Some devices include the possibility to program your own beats with step-sequencing. Please note that these are not saved
anywhere at the moment!
Many more devices will be added to the site soon!
"Analog is more beautiful than digital, really, but we go for comfort."
Anton Corbijn
Support this site
If you enjoy this site and want to help its continuous development there are many ways to do it.
with PayPal to help with the development costs - thanks!
Share this site on social media
If you own a vintage drum machine contact me and we can discuss about adding it here
