In the latest video from synthesist Alex Ball, he takes a look at the drum sounds of classic Depeche Mode.
Ball reverse-engineers the specific drum setup used by Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller on the album, Speak and Spell, from 1981.
Topics covered:
0:00 Intro
0:51 KR-55 Snare
1:55 Interfacing Setup
3:23 ARP 2600 Daniel Miller Kick
7:32 Roland MC-4
8:14 Test it out
8:43 Alternative Gear / Sample Pack
9:34 Outro Jam
And if you just can get enough of these sounds, Ball has created the Beat and Spell Sample Pack, which is available for $15. Sales help support the Alan R Pearlman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of ARP founder Alan R Pearlman.
Depeche did not have a MC4 on Speak and Spell. It was all arp sequencer synced to pulses on a tape machine. I produced a record alongside John Fryer who mixed Speak and Spell. They did however have a synclavier further down the line and here are some drum sounds off of music for the masses via my synclavier:
https://youtu.be/wyJm0n55GdA?si=ocb-RDliLIxt8oLn