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Analogue and digital drum sounds cross paths with an expanded ’logue Multi-Engine
> It’s been a minute – more than 18 months, in fact – but Korg have finally launched Drumlogue, their “first hybrid drum machine”. Offering both analogue and digital sounds, this also includes an expanded version of the Multi-Engine found in other ’logue products, which lets you customise your Drumlogue with new synth sounds.
Drumlogue contains new analogue circuitry from Korg engineer Junichi Ikeuchi, whose previous projects include the ARP2600 M, MS-20 Mini and ARPOdyssey. This is used to generate kick, snare and low/high tom sounds, to give tracks “harmonic richness and a thick low end”.
You can augment these analogue sounds with seven digital parts, six of which are sample-based and one of which uses the aforementioned Multi-Engine. The sample-based parts can play both the built-in PCM tones and your own samples, which can simply be dragged and dropped from a computer over USB.
The expanded Multi-Engine now features Variable Phase Modulation (VPM) and noise generator engines, plus a new user slot that can host fully-fledged synth voices, complete with filters, LFOs, MIDI-controlled polyphony and other parameters.
For a taste of what this tech is capable of, Korg is including Nano, a new Drumlogue plugin from Sinevibes, which has previously developed a number of highlyregarded plugins for other ’logue instruments. This is described as a fully-fledged synth with dual oscillators, optional ring modulation, a 4-pole state-variable filter with soft clipping distortion, built-in EG and built-in multi-waveform LFO.
Of course, Drumlogue also boasts a sequencer – a64-step powerhouse that lets you generate complex patterns and polyrhythms. Features include per-step probability, per-step alternate trigger patterns, per-step micro offsets, per-track groove patterns and more. You navigate and edit sequences on the OLED display.
There’s also Chain mode, which enables you to create longer, more interesting patterns. You can also use Loop mode to switch between variations, and it’s said to be easy to record motion and accents. A randomisation feature is on hand for instant
