If you’re like me, you’ve been salivating over the LinnDrum II/BoomChick or whatever it’s called, since the announcement from Dave Smith and Roger Linn.
Well, it looks like a bit of the economy set in and they realized that both of their customers wanted something totally different, which would create a super expensive monster machine if there were to please both sides.
Roger put an update on his site in December 2009:
LinnDrum II, a Beat-Centric Music Production Station, is a product being developed in collaboration with Dave Smith Instruments. Following on my (Roger’s) early drum machine products like the LM1-1 Drum Computer, LinnDrum and Linn9000, as well as the MPC product line I originally designed for Akai, the goal of LinnDrum II is be a new musical instrument for the real-time creation and improvisation of beat-oriented music, both in live performance and in the studio. As we’re able to release more information, we’ll be posting it here and broadcasting significant updates to our email list.
Update – December 17, 2009:
Not too much to say but I wanted to post an update. As I mentioned below, Dave and I learned along the way that his customers want a different product than mine, and it’s too expensive in today’s economy to make one product that pleases both. So I’m working on one or more products that, while different from the early LinnDrum II designs shown below, will be powerful, creative and not too expensive. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. I can’t give any product details or release date estimates, but I (and also Dave, by the way) won’t be showing any such product at NAMM. (Roger Linn Design no longer exhibits at trade shows anyway because I don’t think they make much sense in the internet era.) Regarding Dave’s product plans, I can’t speak for him but it wouldn’t hurt to visit his site periodically, if for no other reason than he makes some very fine products. When I have any interesting updates, I promise to post them here.
Nice to have the update, also nice to see Roger is going to continue his work on a new product that will come in at a lower price point than everyone was expecting had he and Dave been able to come out with a dual purpose product.
I don’t know what to think just yet, I’m sure whatever he comes out with will be awesome, but I think many of use were very excited about having a sampling sequencer that also had a real analog synth inside.
Like all of you, I will continue to watch the development of this product and I’m looking forward to whatever it is.
We can continue to wonder what could have been, but I’m more interested in speculating on what will be!
WHATS GOOD SAINT !!!! I’M GOING TO THE NAMM SHOW NEXT YEAR !!!! IS THE MACHINE BETTER THAN THE MPC2500 ? THANKS FOR YOUR IMPUT !!! PAPA DRE’
sup fam! It depends on what you want to do. For me…I like Maschine better..especially if you’re just sequencing loops and chops internally and not trying to control a room full of gear.
THANKS HOMIE !!!!! PAPA DRE’
yep
as far as comparisons to mpc’s keep in mind the maschine is far more versatile but at the same time is indeed a software instrument. that given, I don’t touch my mpc anymore. not because i don’t like my mpc but because there is nothing major that my mpc does that my maschine can’t do… and faster.
I agree fam, I just can’t see myself purchasing another mpc now lol…Maschine is just too dope and keeps getting better.
What up Saint Joe, been a minute.
I am glad that you posted this information, it’s interesting and hopeful.
Coming from the world of working in the big studios and now basically doing the exact same thing on Mac/PC, I miss the boombip of hardware.
The look, the feel and the energy is what I miss. Yes, there is Openlabs neko, and several other hot synth workstations out there, but they have forgotten one thing. They have closed themselves off to the masses of young producers and programmer who simply cannot afford $3,000 – $6,000 for a single piece of gear and then have to spend a few hundred more just for sounds.
The Akai MPC, Roland MV880 and a 61 key Motif are top of the line and a cut off point for most young up and coming producers.
Honestly, I think that NI’s Maschine for $599 is the new standard for young producers and soon the BeatThang may break all the rules.
Manufacturers really need to do exactly what Roger Lynn has done, and that is “re-think” the products and keep in mind the pockets of the consumers.
They need to design products that give the live boombip feel and vibe, yet are affordable. NI’s Kore & Maschine…both for under $1000, plug them up and go……Plenty of sounds…..bravo….Please, Give me more.
Peace
Good to see ya around Groove, always love your input. And you are right, back in the hayday of hardware, a guy could get started for under $1000. It may not have been the best, but he had a decent sampler, and maybe a standalone sequencer. For a lil bit more he could get into an mpc or mv.
No one is putting out stuff like that anymore. You’re right, I think NI hit it on the head and like you said, the beat thang will come in at a pricepoint that keeps it out of the toy factory yet is still reachable by most working class folks like us lol.
times are changing, the atmosphere at this years namm was definitely software focused in the “electronic music production” category.
you still have the hardware synths…but those are definitely pro level in their pricing, upwards of $3000 or more, made for folks really doing this music thing or running their own studios.
I agree onboard synthesis would have been dope, but this probably halves the price now. I imagine we won’t see anything groundbreaking, but more bang for the buck than Akai’s current range. Even if it was just an MPC clone with more ram and better pc/mac interfacing at a lower price I’d probably cop one.
btw – The new masthead logo is fresh!
Yeah man, we’ll see what it do! I definitely think there will be more software/computer integration with it.
thanks for the compliments on the logo!
yo whats up man I have 2 question what do you think about cubase 5? also I was looking at Battery 3 or Sonivox sampla which one do you think
Cubase is cool, I don’t use it personally though.
Battery and Sampla are both good drum samplers, just depends on what you want to do. Sampla does more than drums, it can play instruments, setup keygroups and also chop samples.
so whats opp with that beat thang is it realy the shit i been hearing that cats been having alot of problems with it.and you guys are telling the truth about this hi price shit back in the day we had hi price samplers but what mad it dope was that if you had skill you could take inney thing and make it do what it do i rememeber me and j dilla had them alessis seq.and some cheep 5 second sampler and was making some hot shit boy these pc producers dont know what they have.we had to work for years to buy a pawn shop 4 track and hope that shit work to all producers the key to making it know is the same way we started be about the music iney thing that can get you paid do it dj. studio work mix tape it all adds opp.the game has change i mad more money 10 years ago making beats my first beats i got paid for was em bad meets evil and i got fuck.but that was kool they fuck that beat opp inney way trying to not pay for the sample 2 beat 59.em boy king of kings i got 10 grand for that but did not see a thing cause i caught a case .its all fuck opp i what happen to real hip hop.real pro ducers like us
nobody has the beat thang yet, well, they have the software, and it’s coo for some folks. My desire is to get the hardware.
i def feel ya about hustlin to get ya stuff man, I used to rock all hardware, buying stuff used, selling gear to get other stuff…then I sold pretty much everything and now I mess wit software.
Took me a while to switch but I’m straight now.
I’ll keep you posted on the beat thang, I’m trying to get a early unit. I have the software, it works, like anything software it has it’s issues but it’s been pretty stable for me.
yo saintjoe i been seeing you do your thing on you tube and keep opp the good work this pc shit is new but im get there i seen your you tube vid on machine do you like the song mode in it and do the beat thang sample
thanks fam.
song mode is different from the mpc but once I understood it, it’s really easy.
beat thang samples but I don’t sample with it.
of the two whitch one would you go with
Maschine, no question.
what are you sequenceing with what is your main peace
Maschine or ableton live. Mostly Maschine.