DM1 - The Drum Machine

I like the sound of that! AUv3?? We can only hope! Decided to take a look again. I really liked it way back in the beginning. Then things went awry. Looks like it’s back on track. The kits are great and it feels right again. I say get it! If it was AUv3 it would be better but since it’s so easy to export I’ll take it. Definitely back on the keeper list. FX section messed up. Seems like they fix one thing and break something else that was working. Oh well…can't recommend as it is now. With the new update AudioCopy works like it's supposed to. Export to DropBox still opens DFX. Not perfect but I'm OK with it I guess. I like it otherwise. I want to love DM1 however it does not export properly. I can record into AudioShare by using AudioBus but exporting just doesn't work. When I try to export to Dropbox it opens the DFX app... you get the picture. Hope they fix it soon. I don't suggest buying this until they do.

Believe me when I say this is a fantastic music app, and it delivers on every promise by its developers. It’s incredibly powerful, and yet very easy to use. It’s just fun to screw around with it when you’re not busy making music with it. That being said, I think there is a serious limitation in the drum machine programming section—that being, one should be able to change the length value of any activated button. In other words, let’s say that you have all the hi-hats for a single measure on; no matter what you do, those hi-hats will play in eighth notes with regard to the tempo. What I’m looking for is to be able to change eighth notes to sixteenth or thirty-second notes—you know, if you want to trap-style hi-hats. That, and the ability to just randomize the on/off switches in the drum programming section would be great. Really, these are the only flaws I can see in this program; this is a great program that deserves more attention.

This was one of my first apps on my iPad in 2012. I’m happy to say that it is still relevant even though it hasn’t changed much since its first version. Something about the ease of use of this app that makes me revisit it often. There are couple of thing that could make it significantly better though: ***MIDI is problematic with this app. No matter what I do, it will not send MIDI to BeatMaker 3. It will not send or receive MIDI to DM2. I receives MIDI from Ruismaker FM just fine. *** Variable length / step count for individual tracks. This would allow polyrhythmic rhythms. DM2 has this feature. *** Step division. The preview of the upcoming new app from Fingerlab shows that steps are subdivided, I hope that this feature makes it into DM1 too! I also hope that, unlike in the DM2, step subdivisions create unique MIDI notes. *** Custom kit creation could be made much more powerful by allowing mixing instruments from different kits. Currently this is not possible easily. *** I wish it was possible to change instrument assignments per tracks. This way you could quickly audition different instruments for an already created pattern. This would also simplify things when using DM1 with and external MIDI source. And if a given instrument could be doubled, that combined with the adjustable individual track length would allow amazing rhythms. *** AUv3 is the future. I hope DM1 becomes an AUv3 instrument!

DM2 has been here on the AppStore for awhile and has steadily improved and built upon a simple but solid interface to become one of the must-haves for “padtronica”. Easy for a beginner to build something on-the-fly and have it sound decent, with enough features and inter-app communication options for it to be right at home with a traditional DAW and/or hardware. My one (or two) wish(es) would be for more individual drum sound-sculpting options like frequency filtering and EQing and maybe to inject some life into the FX section with more parameter control/different FX. But I can understand the reason behind not adding too many more options, as it is more than capable as-is and it’s restrictions are, in the end, what gives it it’s unique character.

Definitely a good app, with all these icons and an underground vibe, and swing seems to work better than DM2. It might be big, but the stuff is worth it. From clean analog sounds to gritty sounds to apparently, animal noises, you’ve got a lot of possibilities, especially paired with a recording app for multiple tracks. However, I have a question. So, I bought the everything pack, and if a new in app pack is released, do I automatically get it, or do I have to buy it? How would you go about doing it? Hope the answer helps!