Korg • DDD-1
The DDD-1 is a digital programmable drum machine from Korg from the mid-eighties. It offers 18 electronic drum sounds with a sound that is typical of this era. Basic kicks, snares, toms, rimshot, closed hi hats, open hi hats, ride, crash, claps, cowbell, tambourine and cabasa. Additional sounds can be added using ROM cards. The DDD-1 also featured a sampling option allowing very short and limited sampling for that extra edge of unique sounds to add to your drumkit. Drum sounds can be triggered from the 14 assignable velocity sensitive trigger-pads and there are some individual outputs.
Programming the DDD-1 is fairly straight forward. Memory holds 100 patterns which can be linked or chained to form songs, for which there are 10 song memory locations. The drum sounds have editable parameters such as decay and tuning. For added groove in your patterns there are Roll and Flam effects. The DDD-1 is equipped with full MIDI implementation making it an easy drum machine to use in any MIDI studio. If you like typical eighties drum sounds, the DDD-1 would be a formidable alternative to other similar drum machines like the Roland TR-707 and offers more professional features than its counterpart, the DDD-5.
It is a very underrated machine and it's really versatile. You can use step programming or tap in your different drum parts. You can also play it on the fly like a drumset by just hitting the velocity-sensitive pads.
Last year I got one with the optional sampling board and it is great!
The samples sound really crunchy when they are overdriven going into the machine but they are pretty clear when the level is right. ( I prefer 'em crunchy.)
Pick one up if you can. Also, the sound cards really exand the possibilties so get some of those if you can find them.
You won't regret it!