client:

personal work

year:

2017 - present

My passion for vintage synthesizers, drum machines and other electronic devices lies in the esthetic beauty of these machines and the pre-digital, nostalgic feel they have. Having to carefully study these machines made me like them even more. The idea that these complex electronic circuits, designed by a handful of people, have shaped our popular music keeps inspiring me to digitally reproduce them. Modeling them in 3D is my way of saying thank you.

 As the Beastie Boys memorably noted: “Nothing sounds quite like an 808!”

[1980] Roland TR-808

My absolute favorite drum machine and by far the most difficult one to model. The 808 was a commercial failure because of it’s unrealistic drum sounds. After it’s price dropped it became very popular in pop and early hip-hop. Its popularity with hip-hop has made it one of the most influential inventions in popular music, comparable to the Fender Stratocaster's influence on Rock 'n' Roll. Used by a lot of artist including the Beastie Boys, Talking Heads, Madonna and Kanye West.

[1981] Roland TR-606

The Roland TR-606 Drumatix is a programmable analog drum machine. It was designed to be used with the Roland TB-303, an analog bass synthesizer, to provide a simple drum and bass accompaniment to guitarists without backing bands.The 606 has seven analog drum sounds that are still popular today. Used by Aphex Twin, Massive Attack and Moby among others.and Kanye West.

[1983] Roland TR-909

While the TR-808 was fully analogue synthesis-based, the Roland TR-909 combined analogue synthesis with digital sampling. The TR-909 was also notable for being the first MIDI-equipped drum machine. If the TR-808 was the rhythmic godfather of hip hop music, then the TR-909 is the same to techno and house. 

View this project on Behance

E-mail: [email protected]