What now nearly obsolete electronic instrument do songs by Michael Jackson, Prince, Run DMC and Blondie have in common? Each tune uses a drum machine to help drive the beat. The analog boxes were a ...

We're big fans of homemade instruments, synthesizers and other noise makers here at Engadget. Russian artist Vtol created a massive laser-powered drum machine installation as part of Earth Lab, a ...

You may not know the 808 drum machine, but you have definitely heard it: the original Roland TR-808 was the first programmable drum machine and has been a mainstay of ...

We’ve all seen it: A DJ is up onstage “making beats,” but there’s no drum kit in sight. Instead, her nose is glued to a computer screen, her hands poking the occasional slider or knob. Electronic ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: BSR Agency/Gentle Look via Getty Images During our recent Drums Week here at MusicRadar ...

When I first heard about the BeatBox, I was skeptical. A build-it-yourself drum machine made from cardboard? Wouldn't that disintegrate within half an hour? Finger-tapping isn't as violent as, say, ...

The beautiful thing about artificial intelligence is that due to its relatively back-end nature its applications seem to be virtually endless. Today is music’s lucky day, as sound is the latest area ...

Music's many stylistic evolutions have always been underpinned by technological innovation. Think of how many genres and attitudes are formed around a specific set of instruments - or a prerequisite ...

Let’s be honest – in 2024, the easiest and most flexible approach to beat-making is in-the-box. DAW tools such as Logic’s Drum Machine Designer, Ableton’s Drum Racks or the similar beat making tools ...

Roland TR-909 and TR-808 drum machines. Photo by Brandon Daniel (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original ...