Arturia DrumBrute Impact - Drum Computer

Product Information

In addition, the main output also features a handy distortion control, which can be turned off with the adjacent button. I found that keeping it on around 60-70% added a nice glue to the proceedings. It’s worth noting that using the individual outs does remove that instrument from the main output and thus the distortion circuit. Once you’ve honed your drums to tonal perfection, you can either record a sequence by turning on the metronome (which you could consider a bonus 18th instrument!) and playing in your pattern with the fully velocity-sensitive pads, or you can program it manually in ‘Step’ mode.

As well as Color, the Impact employs the tried-and-tested Accent concept, implemented the same as on the original DrumBrute. Sounds have two trigger levels (accented or not) and generally sound slightly different from one state to the other. As we’ll see later, Accent sequencing is handled differently to Color. First though, let’s run through the sounds. When it comes to built in effects you’ll need to decide if you’re a filter or a distortion kind of person! With the Drumbrute you can toggle a high-pass/low-pass Steiner-Parker filter on and off and adjust the filter’s resonance control. Arturia's Drumbrute Impact boasts the unique tonal signature punch and sizzle of it's distant cousins - the Minibrute 2Sand Microbrute, as well as the seamless sequencing architectureof the original Drumbrute. 10 high-energy, refined drum tones provide the foundation of an electronic drum kit for any style of music. I had a drumbrute and replaced it with the impact, and I think the impact sounds better, but not just because of the distortion.

Still need help ?

Everything from straight forward pounding rhythms to more complex phasing polyrhythms, you’ll enjoy every moment of the step-sequencing thanks to the intuitive controls that removes the obstacles between you and your music. Other features include the touch strip which allows you to create real-time breakdowns with completely natural sounding inflection. You can use the “Random” knob to get more of an organic feel to your instrument or the entire pattern or syncopate your groove with the “Swing” function. Hands-On Tactile Control Both snares have wide ranging decay controls, which can go from long washes of sound to tight rim-like hits. The low and high toms are fairly vanilla, Roland-style sounds, but both have enough punch and body to cut through a groove. Although they can be sequenced independently, the two sounds share a pitch control, so it’s impossible to tune one without affecting the other. Both lean towards the low-mid end of the spectrum, making them good for techno-style bass.

One of the most fun things about using the DrumBrute Impact is inevitably going be the touch-strip just underneath the volume control. There are rhythmic divisions from 1/4 to 1/32 notes, and this can either add a beat repeat effect to the entire pattern, or create rolls when a pad is held down simultaneously. Rolls can also be recorded into the pattern itself. The Impact’s sequencer will be familiar to anyone who has used a drum machine. Steps can be input in real time or while the sequencer is stopped. Handily, there’s the ability to record without quantization, which immediately gives the DrumBrute Impact a leg up over much of its competition that is tied to a 16th note grid. Copying, saving, and erasing patterns are all simple affairs. Thankfully, there is a metronome with its own separate volume control, as well as individual buttons for mute and solo. The Toms are fixed as short and punchy, with Hi and Low simply two different variations of the pitch, which is the only user-controllable parameter. Color lengthens the decay a touch and gives a little drive push. Cymbal is characterful, ringy and grungy with a rattly decay with an almost low-res digital character. It’s rather wonderful. You can control the decay manually, and lower the pitch with the Color effect. The Cymbal channel shares its trigger pad and level control with the Cowbell, which has no user-adjustable parameters. It’s a straightforward 808 cowbell, although it doesn’t quite capture the original’s exciting zing.Sharing the same prize-winning, prize-fighting sequencing architecture of the original DrumBrute, you’ll love the simple, fun, and intuitive sequencer in DrumBrute Impact. Create complex phasing polyrhythms and straight, pounding rhythms; record a finger-drumming performance; punch in a step-sequenced masterpiece; everything is a joy. Use the touch strip to create some real-time glitchy, beat-repeat breakdowns, spice up a single instrument or your whole pattern with a dedicated ‘Random’ knob, and add some syncopation and groove with the ‘Swing’ feature. Addictive hands-on fun

It would have been great to see the inclusion of a cowbell, but once again, we must remind ourselves of the price of this unit. Sounding Off French developer Arturia create not only emulations of vintage synths but original hardware products too. In recent years Arturia have released not one but two analog drum machines in the shape of the Drumbrute and the newer Drumbrute Impact. The Hat channels appear to share the same synth as they are always choked and use the same Tone control, which sounds like it adjusts both filter frequency and resonance. They are bright and ringy, and range from sharp to mellow depending on the Tone and Color settings. The Open Hat gets its own Decay control. I can’t fault them, they’re what I’d be going for if I wanted to patch my own analogue hat sound. The Arturia DrumBrute Impact is a small-but-mighty drum machine boasting full-size controls, super-fast workflow andraw analogue drum sounds. Raw Power and Monstrous Tone Whereas the clap is already drawn-out when it reaches a decent pitch, the snare is incompetent in offering sculpting options.Finally, you turn on the Remote features on the Drumbrute, and you can gain access with the sync from the Drumbrute in Ableton. Can I Use Drumbute With An Amp? Yea I tend to agree - I LOVED the interface and the feel of the device as well as the knobiness but the sounds just weren’t that good with exception of what you mentioned. The hi hats were particularly unusable for my taste. Arturia’s BeatStep and KeyStep sequencers have become pretty much standard issue in hardware synth rigs, and the DrumBrutes get the technology built in. As far as I can tell, the sequencer is identical across both Brutes. Bank and Pattern are selected from the step trig buttons via specific modes. Pattern launching defaults to instant take-over, ie. the pattern changes instantly but maintains the same beat position. This is how I like it and is ideal for preparing and performing variations and fills. You can choose ‘At End’ behaviour if you prefer pattern changes to queue until the current pattern finishes playing.

Which brings us onto Snare 2. This is a filtered noise source, with the filter swept by the Tone control. The Decay can go long, producing swooshes that are one of the defining character sounds of the whole instrument. In Color mode this module turns into a Clap, with brighter filtering and the classic analogue clap flam. The Accent variation is nice here, slowing the flam down and producing a smooth mellow clap. My most praised features are the "Color" function which transforms each sound, and the FM drum, that acts like a wildcard! Meaning you can transform it to many other sounds. Finally the distortion at the master bus makes the sound gritty and harsh, adding that special "brute" sauce!Be aware that the Drumbrute’s sounds are not meant to be direct emulations of Roland’s sounds but given the analogue nature of the Drumbrute’s architecture it is only natural that you’ll be able to detect certain sonic similarities.