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drumdrum new

a drum machine

undisclosed Imported automatically; the author has not disclosed AI use yet

install

In maiden's REPL (the >> prompt at the bottom of the editor), run:

;install https://github.com/FoundSoundsMM/drumdrum

Or add the splines catalog to maiden and install it from the project manager. Restart norns if the script ships a new engine.

readme from foundsoundsmm/drumdrum

drumdrum

An eight-voice drum machine for norns and a grid 128.

Each track is a synth voice with a sample under it. There are four kits, per-step locks and conditions, clips, snapshots and a page of live effects.

Install

Copy the folder to ~/dust/code/drumdrum, then restart norns. Restart again after any update that changes the engine. If the screen says RESTART NORNS, do that.

Tracks and kits

The tracks are BD1, BD2, CLP, SNR, PRC1, PRC2, HAT and CYM. Each one can use any kit:

  • WARM: after the MFB Tanzbar
  • WOOD: cajon, tabla, wood block, balafon, shaker, cymbal
  • FM: after the OPL3 chip
  • ADD: additive sine-partial drums, after Autechre

Grid

rows 1-4   the selected track's 64 steps
rows 6-7   T1-T4  S1-S4  N1 N2  TC1-TC4  P1 P2  L1 L2  C1 C2
row 8      PLAY STOP SWING . [tracks 1-8] . CLEAR MIX COLOUR
  • Steps: tap to add or remove a step. Hold steps and turn a control to lock values to those steps.
  • Controls: hold one and turn E2 / E3. T is the voice, S the sample, N noise, TC conditions, P pulses (ratchets), L the LFOs, C drive and sends.
  • LFO: hold L1 or L2 together with a control, then turn E2 or E3 to patch it to that side. Keep turning to set the depth.
  • SWING (held): E2 sets the amount, E3 the grid, E1 the RAIN of random hits.

SHIFT and CLEAR

SHIFT is K2 on norns. CLEAR is grid row 8, column 14.

SHIFT +
step set the track length
S1 + step record a sample that many steps long
control keep it open
track hear the track
PLAY / MIX the SNAP / PERFORM page
STOP FILL while held
COLOUR TAPE loop while held
E2 / E3 change every track
K3 play / stop
tap on its own back to the main page
CLEAR +
step turn it back into a plain hit
track (hold) clear the track's pattern
control reset it, or remove its locks from held steps
snapshot (hold) delete it
clip slot empty it
PERFORM pad release its latch
tap on its own reset what E2 / E3 are editing

Pages

  • MAIN: E1 picks LENGTH / TIMING or DIRECTION / DILLA, and E2 / E3 set them.
  • MIX: faders and meters above the track buttons, with pan on the sides. Track buttons mute. E2 pans and E3 tilts.
  • COLOUR: the screen shows the master buss, ducker, texture, delay and spring reverb. E1 picks a setting. On the grid, the seven buttons above each track button are its clip slots. Row 7 columns 1-2 change the bank and column 16 is BYPASS.
  • SNAP: 64 snapshots. Tap one to load it on the next beat (every track restarts from step 1 there), SHIFT + hold to save. Row 7 columns 1-4 pick the kit: tap one for every track, or hold it and press track buttons.
  • PERFORM: 64 punch-in effects. Hold a pad to play it, SHIFT + pad to latch it. Track buttons mute. While playing, a press waits for the next beat (blinking) before it lands: PARAMS > PERFORM > quantize sets the grid or turns it off.

norns
K2 SHIFT
K3 next page (main, mix, colour)
K2 + K3 play / stop
K1 held fine adjust
E1 track, or what the page offers
E2 / E3 the two values on screen

drumdrum follows norns' clock settings: internal, MIDI, Link or crow.

Under Link or MIDI clock, every hit is sent early by PARAMS > SYNC > sync lead (30 ms by default) to make up for the delay in norns' audio output. To set it, record a kick into your DAW. If it lands late, raise the lead by that many milliseconds; if early, lower it. LOSS on the COLOUR page adds about 9 ms of delay while it's above zero.

The HISS floor (PARAMS > ANALOG) only plays while the sequencer runs.

Development

lua lib/tools/check-lua.lua        # run the script headless
lib/tools/check-engine.sh        # build the engine offline

discussion

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