Arturia Intros $499 DrumBrute Analog Drum Machine

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Arturia has announced the DrumBrute, a 100% analog drum machine and sequencer that they say is designed “with performance and in-depth sound editing at its heart.”

It offers 17 distinct, fully analog drum and percussion instruments, an intuitive sequencer, comprehensive connectivity, a two-mode Steiner-Parker filter, and dynamic performance controls.

Here’s the official intro video:

DrumBrute Overview:

DrumBrute Audio Demos:

https://soundcloud.com/arturia-official/sets/drumbrute

In addition to the 17 analog drum instruments, the DrumBrute offers a 64-step drum sequencer with song mode; polyrhythmic capabilities; step-repeat glitch effects; sequence looping and more.

It can also act a hub for various gear, as its connectivity allows you to output different sections of your mix separately, and connect to all your existing studio & performance gear with USB, MIDI, and Clock I/O.

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Features:

  • Analog: DrumBrute features 17 fully-analog drum and percussion instruments, including two kicks, snare, clap, open and closed hats, high and low toms and conga, maracas, rimshot, clave, tambourine, zap, cymbal, and even a reverse cymbal.
  • Synth features: the main output contains Arturia’s two-mode Steiner-Parker filter, allowing the user to add dynamic frequency sweeps and bass drops. In addition, every drum sound has multiple parameters that can be tweaked to customize your kit.
  • Easy to use, quick to learn: each one of the DrumBrute’s 64 sequences can contain up to 64 steps, and can be chained together in a song mode.
  • No menus: every feature has its own dedicated button, knob, or pad.
  • In-depth editing: DrumBrute offers Swing, Randomness, Step Repeat, Roller and Looper functions, and you can accent particular drum hits to add punch.
  • Plays well with others: DrumBrute will work with modular, synth, and sequencing gear with its extensive connectivity and sync options, including MIDI, Clock, 1PPS, 2PPQ, DIN24, and DIN48.
  • Amazing in the studio: DrumBrute features dedicated audio outputs for each instrument channel, expanding your options for external processing and multitrack recording; 3.5mm and ¼” headphone outputs; and it can act as a fully-fledged MIDI interface to control your DAW.

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Pricing and Availability

DrumBrute will be available November 17 for 449€ / $499. More information is available at the Arturia website.

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72 thoughts on “Arturia Intros $499 DrumBrute Analog Drum Machine

    1. This comment reeks of ignorance. I do not own a single Roland VA, yet I have hacked the code and it is a brilliant bit of engineering. The only people that actually still argue analogue vs digital, do not understand the science nor the technology.

      1. If you don’t care about analog, just stick with VSTs. For some analog makes sense, why emulate when you can just buy. Especially at this price point.

      2. “yet I have hacked the code and it is a brilliant bit of engineering”
        Dude, seriously?? You have “hacked” the code?? WTF!
        I too love V, and am aware that anything can be simluated as long as its done well… but, your comment reeks of bullshit!
        If ya want to lie, at least make them believable.
        PS Im a “real” electronics engineer.

        1. Brett,

          I’m glad you asked, actually the encryption on Roland’s synths are
          not that sophisticated, I suppose that is all relative.

          Allow me to help educate you, all you need is a basic hex editor as the Sys-1 runs on FPGA processors, and whilst their is some proprietary technicalities to
          overcome, there is nothing bollocks about it. You can find me on KVR and I actually walk you through it before you seek a refund on that education.

  1. I like the separate outs but……it doesn’t look as if you can assign instruments to the separate outs without them also coming out of the main mix. Thats a bit of a pain if you want to treat one or more instruments independently from the remainder. So – they would have to all go via the separate outs to achieve this? If so, there go 11 or 12 inputs on my mixer.

    1. In my experience with most drum machines that have individual outs and a main mix out, when you put a cable in that drum sounds’ output (kick, e.g.), that signal is removed from the main mix, and all other sounds are still sent to the main mix out. I don’t see why this would be any different..?

      1. Exactly. The point where you want a drum machine that loads samples, you are veering away from an analog synth drum machine (which this is).

        I too would like a drum machine with an SD slot, the ability to load velocity-switched samples, and the ability to set each track to its own step length, and ratio of steps:beats. But that seems only exists in software not in hardware boxes.

      2. Never replied to another comment here before so I don’t know if this post will be in the right place, but:

        In regards to a sample player with the same build and functions as this… yes, it would be useful. There are not a lot of sample players out there, and certainly not many with multiple outs as this has

        Honestly, though, I wish Arturia would embrace the modular set-up they conceived with the Beatstep Pro… where synths, and drum machines or sample players, do not necessarily need sequencers built in…

        Or at least they should come out with some gear that can utilize the CV/Gate outs of the percussion section of the Beatstep Pro.

        The only option right now are modular drums and sample players that would cost thousands of $ to get full use out of the BSP.

        1. I really don’t know why people are not in more wonderment for the connectivity to the BeatStepPro…

          I imagine they had development of the BSP and the Drumbrute simultaneously. Besides the world clock, there is no direct connectivity to the BSP outside of midi and midi through, which is already taken by other gear in my rig…

          It is strange. When i first saw the Drumbrute I thought the individual audio outs were CV ins and i was stoked….. now i am really really not….

      1. Such is life, since you’re essentially adding a whole new massive component: audio sampling. Folks want everything for nothing these days.

        1. If Akai could make the MPC1000 in 1999 for $1000, The technology absolutely exists to make something similar for $500 today.

          I can buy an entire 16gb tablet computer for $49 at Best Buy. This stuff is only so expensive because nuts like us create the market for price gouging.

          1. Its like comparing a BMW to a lemon that still gets you from point A to B. If everyone wanted a cheap tablet in their studio for music making, cheap tablets would be raising their prices. Stuff cost that other stuff…money. Otherwise, you would see photos of professional studios with a set of nice speakers and an ipad pro on the desk. Thats it.

            1. That’s not what I am saying at all. The MPC1000 is essentially a computer. It has RAM and an operating system. It performs EXTREMELY specific functions compared to a PC, but it’s a computer.

              The fact they can make a tablet for $49 was simply to illustrate how cheap it potentially is to obtain computer componentry.

              If you can make me a 16GB tablet with a full color screen and a $3.99 beat making app for $49, you can build me a more modern version of the MPC for $500 (and you can give it several GB of ram over the 128mb you were stuck with in 1999).

                1. with the Touch, I would need a laptop or tablet. The whole point is to remove that kind of thing from the live performance. I want standalone hardware.

              1. Akai have made it, the mpx16! they just forgot the sequencer. That ended up in the rhythm wolf, unfortunately. I agree with you, I wish akai would get their shit together and make a great mpc again.

                1. Agreed, a new standalone MPC that sounds great is very much needed. Akai could make one that can be run in standalone mode or controller mode, surely. Best of both world. Both markets covered with one box.

          2. there is a reason that tablet is 49 bucks
            IT SUCKS
            most of those cheap tablets have the power of a dead slug under a pile of trash that is on fire (add more if you like)
            Now if you spend just a little you can get a tablet that can sound ok or maybe somewhat decent

  2. Looks like midi is only for sync. No knob midi in/out makes it a bit of a bummer for me.. could of done a lot with external automation to change the sounds during the sequence, sound memories, basslines with pitch etc.

      1. Asking for only some midi implementation (like volca beats) which sends/receive some params from external. Does the digital sequencer send data over midi? Midi seems only to be used for sync and to backup sequences. Correct me if I am wrong here.

  3. Yeah, I wish presets could be stored or at least sent via MIDI. Then, I’d seriously consider. Otherwise Analog Rytm is a better choice to still with. Still dig that that they’re pushing the envelope with this. The individual outputs is nice welcome surprise. The v2 will probably have and it should have CV control to go with BeatStep Pro.

  4. I think I really like the form factor here – this box is very slim and appears to make great use of panel space.

    Also it seems to sound good, but I’ll reserve judgement until I can actually hear it.

    I’d like to see the ability to choose which instrument(s) are routed to the Steiner filter. I assume the individual outputs are pre-filter though. I’d also like to see filter mod via the step sequencer, or at least an envelope follower or something.

    Most drum machines in this segment have a stereo output, but I think mono is OK, especially with a global analog filter on the output. Distortion and/or compression might have been nice too.

    Overall it looks like Arturia has a winner on their hands! I can’t wait to try this out!

  5. Everyone adds swing but no one considers micro-timing like the elektron machines. Always boggles my mind. I even remember when FruityLoops 4 had the “shift” feature where you could shift a single note left or right in increments. When your whole thing is to shift notes manually to personalize the swing, every new machine with a step sequencer give you swing and calls it a day. The Circuit, the volcas, this machine, the TR-8 and 9. Maybe its not really a thing people do i guess but i find the best music has a drunk drumtrack that is constantly tripping on itself with offset snares and hi hats.

  6. Im very fond of analog machines, many knobs without menus. but this one leaves me a bit cold. the sound is missing something. even when the demos use an additional compressor and eq, it doesnt kick my butt. so this is more a kind of a luxury rhythm wolf than a competitor to a rytm or tempest (or even TR-8, which kicks more ass though ist only virtual analog).

    1. oh and I forgot: If you listen to the single engines: https://www.arturia.com/drumbrute/details, some of them like hihat or clap just sound (sorry for the harsh word) crap. Also S/N seems to be quite bad as there is quite a lot of noise on some of the instruments. Im really let down by this… sometimes cheap and analog dont make a good combination

  7. sounds like shit. throw this in the bin with the rhythm wolf! all the sounds are weak! sounds like a failed clone of the 909 and 808

  8. I think it sounds nice, has an excellent layout and a rich feature set for the money. At $499 (more like $400 for me :-)), it’s a bargain for what it is. I’ll definitely be adding it to my collection.

  9. The kick sounds .so…. not exciting…….OK, i must try this machine first by my self….looks that the kick from a Volca Beats sounds more awesome?

    1. Yeah, the kick is probably my least favorite of the available voices, but it seems serviceable enough, and the other voices sound great.

  10. Exactly, would be fun to use this machine in combination with the upcoming Volca Kick…. lots of kick control over there…. 🙂

  11. dont like the sounds? then dont look for analog drums. why bother with vst in a box from other companies? love samples? get a sampler. i bit the bullet and ordered custom mpc1000 years ago, 1600 but to my exact specs – sample and tweak all sorts of “analog” sources. most commenters seem to want analog, but hate the way it sounds/limitations of sonic variation. big suprise.
    gotta know what u want before bitching about new products.

    theres a reason cheap machines sound cheap. want user samples? ur daw already supports. want tru analog? reach for ur wallet. want standalone hardware? wallet again. want new and “innovating” plastic
    boxes? go to amazon then return to bitching.
    takes a decent collection of gear to “get all”
    that aint gonna change soon.

    /endrant

    1. MPC 1000 for $1600 custom? Sounds like you bought it new, with thick pads, colored faceplate and sides, JJOS 2XL with the XXL screen and you bit the bullet? Did you not know what you were buying? Sounds awesome! Good rant tho.
      This is a pretty sweet box and a lot of users dont understand what they are getting themselves into but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that kick drum could use some post processing.

      1. blacked out with smoked out lit buttons, xtrafat pads with corx, refurb with mahogany sides, max ram jjos2, reg screen but blue backlit, 160gb hd. not gear bragging but ya ur guess was pretty close. not my first mpc.

        the”bite the bullet” statement was satire, having to actually save and buy exactly what u want/need as opposed to hoping companys release do all gear of their dreams for under $200

  12. uuuh, at first i thought those little outs would be gate outs. how great would that have been. the layout i must say, looks pretty self explanatory and logical, well done. soundwise i think it´s a bit “woody” and industrial, not even digital, cos digital can be good, if you look at the LXR drummie. after an in depth feature on all the single sound options, it´d be a bit clearer. i kind of would want it just for the sequencer and the usability, but i guess this definitely wont replace my lxr and for insdutrial stuff i´ve got a RY30, which sounds a lot better. it also would be nice if you could decide what comes out the minijacks….audio or a trigger. should not be too difficult to achieve that.

  13. Hey.
    As we have seen the TR-8 has the possibility of sending all the individual drum sounds separately to an DAW via the USB. So you get the ability to mix all the 11 individual tracks separately. This I find very handy and important.
    Please tell me that the Arturia also has this feature??
    Please respond.

  14. Finally a drum machine with individual outputs and dinsync option. For me it lacks of a play/stop input jack.
    Roland has a few things to learn….

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