YAMAHA RX11

Very much the professional user's drum machine, the RX11 offers multiple outputs, pattern dump to RAM cartridge, 22 sounds, a more comprehensive LCD display than the RX15 and so on. Sound can be tuned and programming can be in real time or step time. The problem with all the RX machines is that you can't change sounds as you can with EPROM based units, so you'll have to put in a little more time on the mixing desk with the Eq for the sake of a bit of variation.

TECHNICS DP50

PCM-based, the DP50 offers an amazing 25 sounds, of which only half can be used to compose your own patterns. The other half are more exotic Latin percussion sounds which only play during the preset patterns, of which there are astounding numbers.

You'll have guessed by now that the DP-50 is clearly inspired by the home organ business, and partly because of this it lacks any decent song composition facilities (in fact seven files up to 32 measures long are available), although there are four preset patterns for every instrument which you can use and build upon if you like them.

Sound quality is very high but the MIDI facility, rather than allowing you to play the DP50's drum sounds from a synth, merely allows you to change patterns from the keyboard (shades of the home organist again). At this price we can expect it not to be a roaring success.

DR BOHM

A very sophisticated sampled machine available in kit form at a bargain price. Not many of them in the UK, but Continental users include Tangerine Dream, who know a thing or two about drum machines. The Bohm offers 24 sounds and a selection of preprogrammed and programmable patterns, but it's difficult to use and lacks interfacing capabilities. Partly intended to be built into an up-market home organ, it's rather lost in a stand-alone context.

SCI DRUMTRAKS

In the opinion of many, still the outstanding digital drum machine in the world today, and an enormously versatile studio instrument. Unlike the Linndrum, Drumulator, MXR or Oberheim, every drum sound on the Drumtraks can be individually tuned on EVERY BEAT within a pattern, so 32-tom rolls are easy and turning the crash cymbal into a giant gong takes no time at all. Programmable volume on every beat makes the old Accent facility seem prehistoric, while the ability to change chips for any of a vast selection sold by Digidrums makes the Drumtraks' sonic potential inexhaustible.

Slight limitations in the output side — you can't pan the toms apart unless you load one into a percussion slot — but superb provision of sync, MIDI control from a keyboard (with the 0.5 software), tape dump, quantisation, programmable tempo and tempo change, pattern and song editing, you name it. The one to have (at least this month).

MXR DIGITAL DRUM MACHINES

A favourite in some circles but beset by problems and omissions which have limited its distribution. Still, some fine digital sounds, only limited by the fact that they aren't tunable individually, although you can raise and lower the pitch of the whole set slightly. Alternative chips were a long time a-coming but eventually became available, but other limitations — such as the inability to step from one pattern to the next without stopping the machines and starting it again — still rankle.

Being just pre-MIDI the MXR also loses out in that field, although it could sync and dump to tape and had a separate metronome output. A second-hand model with a bit of expansion software could well be a bargain.

MOVEMENT 1&2

Now only available on the second-hand market, the Movement Drum Computer bravely tried to combine a set of sampled drum voices with a more variable analogue set, a computer/control system and a monitor screen. The result looked something out of Dr Who after the Cybermen had tried to reverse the polarity, but bands such as Eurythmics used the machine to great effect in the early days.

The Movement is modular to some extent, so you can decide how many voices (and of what kind) you'd like. On early models the looping on the Crash cymbal was very audible, and the ease of composition on the machine depended very much on which version of the software you had; the built-in TV screen showed the number of the pattern that was playing but precious little else.

One you've finished using your Movement for the day you can load up some word processing software to catch up on those important letters you never seem to get around to. And if that unusual option grabs your attention, remember that the machine's visual appeal depended very much on what colour yours was — there were a few very tasty bright orange ones going around at one stage.

SCI TOM

The new one from Sequential, with a specification which would be funny if it wasn't so awesome. Eight sounds with sets of seven more on ROM cartridges, every sound with programmable level, tuning and pan on every beat, programmable tempo and tempo changes, all sounds can be played in reverse, full editing, step time or real time composition, built-in flanging, full MIDI control of pitch, volume and forward/reverse mode from a synth keyboard, programmable footswitch control, sub-song composition for jamming, programmably random improvisation patterns, full tape dump and sync, and lots more.

The Tom's only problem is its lack of individual outputs — it has simply a stereo pair — but when you hear the thing that consideration may well fade into insignificance. A goodie.

EMU DRUMULATOR

Oddly limited in some ways yet stunningly powerful in others, the Drumulator has a legion of admirers who have helped it onto many a chart album — particularly from the States. A good selection of alternative EPROM's has ensured its sound hasn't become outdated, but the SCI Drumtraks launched soon after the Drumulator stole its thunder a little with programmable tuning, which the Drumulator conspicuously lacks.

Software and memory updates have altered the Drumulator since it was first released, so it's best to check on individual models if you encounter them as to exact song capacity and so on. The basic version of the machine had the facilities described below, although MIDI and DIN sync are now forgettable and the very versatile editing, auto-correct, "jamming" and other functions remain the same.

OBERHEIM DX STRETCH

A slightly cut-down version of Oberheim's DMX which ends up providing better value for money. Fewer sounds, and like the DMX based on whole circuit cards rather than single EPROM's which makes buying new sounds expensive. But versatile and rich-sounding, with a good selection of three snares, three cymbals, three bass drums and so on.

More recently announced was the DX Stretch, which adds four more banks of sounds to the DX and gives it MIDI and increased synchronisation capabilities, which could make all the difference.