At Superbooth 2019, designer Vlad Kreimer gave us a quick introduction to the new SOMA Laboratory PULSAR-23 drum machine, and then showed us what it can do with an extended jam session.
Kreimer describes the PULSAR-23 as ‘an organismic drum machine’. Check out the video and you’ll see why.
The PULSAR-23 features 52 knobs, 11 switches and over 100 inputs and outputs, and, as Kreimer demonstrates, this means you have a tremendous range of sounds and rhythms that you can explore.
Features:
- 4 drum channels: Bass drum, Bass\Percussion, Snare drum, Cymbals\Hi-Hat
- 4 envelope generators with the unique ability to generate a sustain for the drum channels, turning them into noise\drone synthesizers.
- 4 independent loop recorders with the option for individual clocking. They record triggering events, not audio.
- Clock generator with an array of dividers as a very powerful tool for rhythm synthesis.
- Wide range LFO (0.1 – 5000Hz) with variable waveform.
- Shaos – a unique pseudo-random generator based on shift registers with 4 independent outputs, sample and hold and other cool features.
- FX processor with CV control incl. CV control of the entire DSP’s sample rate.
- Distortion.
- 2 CV-controlled gates.
- 2 CV-controlled VCAs.
- 2 controllable inverters.
The PULSAR-23 has MIDI control and synchronization, plus 3 assignable attenuators and 2 dynamic CV sensors for CV generation.
Details on pricing and availability are still to be announced. See the SOMA site for more information.
This guy is next level – that looks amazing!
Totally great.
amazing, this is amazing.
Next level stuff. After getting the demo at SuperBooth I signed up for the waiting list immediately.
Holy Bejeezus, this is some crazy awesome alien music making technology!
It’s great to see designers that are also musicians, so the instruments have a very unique character.
An object lesson in how to demo an instrument. Thought I’d skip through but watched it all, he even avoided the ubiquitous flour on the floor ’til about the 10.30 mark. Well done Vlad. The sequencer reminds me of what one can do with with the Latronic Notron jamming along with patterns, but in a very different way. Sounds are great too. If you’ll indulge me:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=AxdMPNUNkNA&list=RDAMVMAxdMPNUNkNA
Guitar is by Chris Dawkins.
I’m not into drum machines, but this one blew my socks off! How is he doing this?! I love that SuperBooth & Modular are bringing out so many new innovative musical options.
Yes a lot of cool gear coming out of Superbooth this year.
I really love this instrument! It’s going to be difficult convincing myself I don’t need it. ?
In every demo I’ve seen, Vlad likes to point out that this is “the only drum machine with sustain”. The Tempest and Rytm both have the ability to design a sound with sustain which can be played live with the pads and recorded into the sequencer. I use it frequently and it’s a wonderful performance technique. Maybe I’m not understanding the difference he is pointing out though.
What is this man thinking? Doesn’t he realize that what we really need is another box that rehashes 808 & 909 sounds? There’s no market for this… Learn to play it safe, Vlad! Innovation and originality lead to nothing but tears!
This is why I love electronic music, this is so inspiring. It makes me smile and it looks like Vlad is enjoying himself. Listening without the video you think how on earth did he make that racket? Watching the video doesn’t help much either! Outstanding.
The smile at 5:18 is everything.
damn, this is complete awesomeness…
First demo vid a couple of weeks back sounded a bit dull but this was a great musical and technical workout. My fault for not noticing it was made by SOMA/Vlad – he’s one of the most interesting synth designers around.
definite next gen of synth wizard! Soma has seemingly come out of nowhere with so really wild stuff. Ears around the world are getting tired of 808 bass drums. I like this!