Roger Linn's LinnDrum (often miscalled the LM-2) is the sound of an entire decade: the sampled-drum machine that put real kicks, snares and hats into pop, R&B and new wave and never looked back. Fifteen 8-bit acoustic drum samples (at a then hi-fi 35kHz), up to 12 playing at once, each with its own tuning, pan and level slider, plus accent. The sequencer was ahead of its time: swing, quantize, real or step entry, 56 user patterns, 42 presets, 49 songs. Swappable sound EPROMs let you drop in alternate kits. Fifteen individual outputs feed it straight into a desk. A genuine slice of music history that still grooves like nothing else.

FEATURES & PROS:

• The 80s Sound: The sampled kick, snare and hats heard across an era of hit records.
• 15 Sampled Voices: Real acoustic drums at 35kHz, up to 12 sounding simultaneously.
• Per-Voice Mixer: Dedicated tune, pan and level for every drum, with accents.
• Clever Sequencer: Swing, quantize, real/step entry, 56 user and 42 preset patterns, 49 songs.
• Swappable EPROMs: Drop in alternate Linn (or 808/909-style) sound chips.
• 15 Individual Outputs: Send every drum to its own channel at the desk.

AS USED BY

• Prince, "I Would Die 4 U" and other Purple Rain-era tracks
• a-ha, "Take On Me" (widely credited to the LinnDrum)
• Daft Punk, "One More Time", for its crunchy LinnDrum hi-hats
• A fixture of 80s pop, R&B and new-wave production

Note: its close sibling, the earlier Linn LM-1, is the machine behind The Human League's "Don't You Want Me", Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Prince's "1999".

THE WORD: Vintage Synth Explorer describes the LinnDrum's sampled acoustic kit as a fresh, more realistic alternative to the analog drum machines of the early 80s, with a well-designed layout, per-voice tuning and live trigger inputs. Read more at Vintage Synth Explorer.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Model: LinnDrum (Linn Electronics)
• Released: 1982 to 1985
• Designer: Roger Linn
• Type: sample-based drum machine
• Sounds: 15 8-bit samples at 28 to 35kHz (bass, snare, rimshot, hats, crash, ride, 3 toms, cabasa, tambourine, hi/lo congas, cowbell, clap)
• Polyphony: up to 12 simultaneous voices
• Patterns: 56 user, 42 preset, 49 songs
• Sequencing: swing, quantize, real/step time
• Outputs: 15 individual plus mix
• Sync: DIN sync (pre-MIDI), 5 trigger inputs
• Storage: cassette