Sequential Circuits DrumTraks

Sequential DrumTraks Image

(click to enlarge)

The DrumTraks is a very programmable classic drum machine from the eighties. While its electronic drum kit sounds may not be as popular today as the TR-909 or TR-808, the DrumTraks exceeds them with superior editing capabilities. Thirteen drum sounds all with programmable tuning and level control. Extensive editing with copy and paste ability. There's even a mixer section for individual sounds, six individual outputs, one mono mix output, and cassette in/out for offline memory storage.

Sequential DrumTraks Image

(click to enlarge)

Pretty basic and easy programming, record a couple patterns and link them into a song. The DrumTraks can send Roland sync/clock to control a TB-303, TR-909, TR-808 or TR-606. It is also fully MIDI capable and syncable. This makes it very easy to use with old analogs and new MIDI synths and sequencers. If your looking for classic eighties electro beats and the vintage instrument that generates them then look no further than the DrumTraks. It is used by Orbital, Freddy Fresh, and Prince.



24 VISITOR COMMENTS

Sol
March 4, 2012 @ 7:40 am
Wanted one of these for a long time and managed to pick one up which Im very happy with. When you use EQ and sub the drums to a channel and then compress, particularly multiband compression it really shines. Its the kind of drum machine which can really give you a particular sound. I had the samples but they never sounded as good as the real thing. Its the little differences like changing the pitch of the drums, adding accents here and there which seem to produce a different sound to the samples. Probably because they hit the filter circuitry harder. Justice used it on the Cross album.
VisceralVoids
December 7, 2011 @ 11:42 pm
@Kevin: You need to add a MIDI interface to the SH101 and make sure the Drumtraks has the latest operating version 5. Also 'enable pads out MIDI' which is in the manual. Hope that helps.
kevin
October 17, 2011 @ 11:04 pm
1) Can you use it to sync a Roland SH 101 synth? 2) Could you use the midi for your DAW and then sync to the Roland SH 101, which would create an interface for your DAW and SH 101?
spencer
May 29, 2011 @ 12:16 pm
Does anyone know if this has a trigger-out function at all, similar to the Roland TR's rim-shot activated trigger out function?
Dr Sanchez
May 19, 2011 @ 12:24 pm
This is my favorite drummachine. It sounds warm, a bit muffled and has very nice sluggish feel in the timing. The bassdrum is nice'n punchy. The youtube videos don't do it justice, you'll have to hear it live to know what I'm talking about. Secret tip: remove eprom chips from the crash and ride to shorten the decay!
 
Post Comment!
VSE Rates It

Excellent

You Rate It

Rated 3.9 (158 Votes)

  • Demos & Media
  • YouTube Thumbnail
    Video 1
    - Sequential Circuits Drumtraks Drum-Machine

    Audio Clip 1 - A sample drum loop and individual hits of each drum tone.

    Samples - These are individual audio samples of the Drumtracks 13 tones, in 16-bit, 44.1kHz wav format.

    Manual - The original Drumtracks owners manual in PDF format.

  • Specifications
  • Polyphony - 12 voices
  • Sounds - 13 tones: kick, snare, toms, hi-hats and cymbals
  • Patterns - 100
  • Songs - 100 (3300 note capacity)
  • Keyboard - 13 Trigger Buttons
  • Effects - None
  • Control - MIDI IN/OUT, Run/Stop and Next/Repeat Foot switches, Click IN/OUT
  • Date Produced - 1984

Errors or Corrections? Send them here.