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Loopop host Ziv Eliraz shared his latest video with us, an in-depth look at the Donner Essential D1 Drum Machine, which debuted at the 2023 NAMM Show.

The Essential D1 Drum Machine is a 12-channel sample-based drum machine. Donner says that it’s aimed at the entry-level market, “offering a simplified, yet inspiring user interface” and offers both real-time recording and step sequencing workflows.

As ever, Eliraz offers an overview of the Essential D1, digs into how it works, and shares his take on the pros and cons.

Topics covered:

0:00 Intro

1:10 Overview

4:05 Song structure

6:35 Build

7:10 Connectivity

7:45 Common params

9:35 Per track params

10:35 Folders

11:30 Params 1 & 2

14:15 Sequencing

14:50 Step seq

15:50 Param locks

16:40 Sub steps

18:00 Undo

18:30 Fill sequencing

19:05 Recording live

20:15 Quantize

21:35 Swing

22:00 Saving songs

23:20 Mute/solo

24:10 Note repeats

24:30 Effects

26:00 Control app

26:20 Pros & cons

32:15 Factory sequences

The Donner Essential D1 Drum Machine is available now for $299.99.

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Moon Bounce Simulator

A free new plugin from AudioThing and electronic musician and Youtuber Hainbach captures the sound of “moon bouncing”, a technique in which sounds are transmitted into space via radio telescope, bounced off the moon and captured on their return, only to be warped by the process.

In the video above, Hainbach visits the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory in the Netherlands and experiments with moon bouncing, reflecting the sound of a soprano vocalist and double bassist off the moon to create a spooky, lo-fi-sounding delay effect coloured with some interesting sonic artifacts.

In collaboration with AudioThing, Hainbach used these recordings to develop a free delay plugin that recreates the effect produced by moon bouncing, producing “crunchy and lively” echoes that sound as if they’ve been reflected off the moon’s cratered surface.

Like any other delay plugin, Moon Echo offers controls for delay time and feedback, along with a few controls you probably won’t recognize. Tweak the Doppler dial to introduce a modelled Doppler effect, which mimics the changes in frequency produced by the difference between the earth and moon’s movement as the delay returns to earth, like the pitch change heard when a vehicle sounding a horn approaches and recedes from a listener.

Moon Echo has accurately modelled the sound of the moon-bouncing process, right down to the specific types of noise introduced by the vintage radio equipment, which can be dialled in via the Moon Dust control.

Use Moon Echo in Duplex mode, and it’ll act like a conventional delay, but switch over to Simplex mode and you can recreate the unidirectional transmission Hainbach experimented with at the Dwingeloo Observatory, hearing a single copy of your transmission bounced back to you. Hit Ping Moon and the plugin will even pull accurate data from NASA regarding the moon’s distance and use this to adjust the delay time – pretty neat.

Moon Echo is available free for macOS, Windows and Linux in VST/AU/AUv3/AAX/CLAP formats.

Download the plugin at AudioThing website.

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KOMA Elektronik & Passepartout Duo have announced a Kickstarter project to fund production of their unique new touchless electromagnetic synthesizer, the Chromaplane.

The Chromaplane, a polyphonic analog synthesizer, is designed around ten tunable electromagnetic fields that are emitted from its aluminum surface.

The instrument is played in a unique way. The pickups are the main way in which you interact with the instrument, drawing lines over its surface to reveal drones, lively melodies, or distorted noise. The developers say that “this unorthodox approach is an invitation to invent new techniques and to make a very personal connection with the instrument,” adding, “there is no right or wrong way to play.”

The Chromaplane is a standalone device, including a filter and a delay, but can also be integrated into a wider setup, thanks to a variety of connectivity options.

Official Chromaplane intro video:

“We imagined a device that could combine the expressivity and immediacy of an acoustic instrument, alongside the endless possibilities of electronic sound design,” they note. “The most subtle gestures translate immediately into sound, giving a powerful connection between your hands and your ears.”

Production of the Chromaphone is being funded via a Kickstarter project, which will launch July 23rd, 2024.

Three price tiers are available as follow:

• Super Early Bird (limited availability): €299
• Early Bird (limited availability): €319
• Kickstarter Price: €359

Bundles including the Field Kit and multiple Chromaplane units will be available as well.

*Note: Crowdfunding campaigns can involve risk. See the project website for details.

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