The Linn LM-1: The Drum Machine that changed everything
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2018
- This is the story of the Linn LM-1, the world's first ever digital drum machine. Iconic and incredibly rare, you're unlikely to ever see one (only 500 ever made). One was on sale and the owner was generous enough to let me test it and film it briefly before it went.
Here's a link to the samples recorded from it: www.dropbox.com/s/6lbofq90s54...
Some credits:
The music track in it that a lot of people ask about: alexball.bandcamp.com/track/l...
Many synth posters and images taken from this amazing archive: retrosynthads.blogspot.com/
It transpires that the PAIA image I downloaded that appears for a few seconds was not (as I thought) manufacturers publicity material but actually scanned from a recent Joe Mansfield book "Beat Box". Apologies to Joe. The book is available on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Beat-Box-Dru...
Rhythmicon audio sampled from here: • Rhythmicon demonstration
EKO ComputerRhythm audio sampled from here: • Video
Rhythm Ace audio sampled from here: • Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR...
Chamberlin Rhythmate rhythms from this library: optigan.com/shoptigan/soundwa...
Roland CR-78 samples from this library: samplesfrommars.com/products/...
LinnDrum and Linn 9000 samples from here: beatmachine.co.uk/
Some info and images from here: www.rogerlinndesign.com/past-p...
All other music composed and recorded by Alex Ball
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The music track heard at the end: alexball.bandcamp.com/track/linn-lm-1-synths
How do you add effects to each...sound?
finally. too bad its so short. thx tho
Alex, could you perhaps make it into a full song sometime? It sounds really nice
That sounds just like the human league..
Sounds like the human league
Roger Linn is not only a genius, he's one of the nicest and most humble human beings on the planet. I just got off the phone with him an hour ago. I bought a LinnStrument about a week ago and it stopped being recognized by my PC yesterday. After a few emails back and forth, he gave me his home phone number to give him a call. We tried a few things and couldn't get it working, so he's overnighting me a new one tomorrow. Now that's customer service! Then he asked me about my music making and we chatted a bit about that. Who does that these days? What an amazing guy.
Lamfy What a great story! Those big US three (Dave Smith, Tom Oberheim, Roger Linn) all seem so humble and down to earth, considering what they invented and pioneered!!
Lamfy Awesome story. It was cool watching him in the movie Sound City talk about making the first one. He described it as just another tool, but not a replacement for a real drummer. Drum machines for all their technology will never recreate “ feel”.
He's honestly just amazed someone bought one
It’s a shame that Rogers work on DSI Tempest was brought to a halt with the final OS still being incomplete/buggy. That said even with its faults the Tempest is truly mind bending and flexible, equally strong as a drum machine and at the same time a 6 voice analog/digital hybrid synthesizer. It remains my favourite all time instrument.
@@AlexBallMusic I would say four with Dave Rossum ;)
Prince got more out of the Linn Drum Machine than anyone else in music history. It was the perfect musical marriage.
Absolutely. Linn LM-1 is to Prince as Stratocaster is to Jimi
oo oo oooh ai hahooo ooh yea ai doobeedoo doo when doves cry
@@Yapostadodat He didn't write for Sinead O'Connor. He was annoyed when she covered his song.
What’s that one that features so prominently in _1999_ ? I think he used it in severral other places as well.
Stock Aitken Waterman had their fair of share Linn drums to compete with Prince
The Linn LM-1 is my number one favorite drum machine! I also love that Prince used it on 1999, Purple Rain etc! 💯💯💜💜
I still can picture Prince late at night working with the Linn Drum to the wee hours of the next day.
Dark VadeR and afterwards they would share a cigarette! ; )
with a chard of glass with some coke on it and a bad bitch with red lipstick begging him to come to bed.
Back in 1986, I found a LinnDrum at a local music store. I talked the salesman into selling it to me for $200. Yep, $200! It was in excellent condition too. I loved that thing. I used the triggers in the back with Simmons pads also. Fun 80's stuff ensued. It was stolen from me, unfortunately. :-(
Ouch, what a thing to get stolen! Did you have it for a long time?
One of the most significant things to happen to music ever. Absolutely huge. These devices laid the foundation for so much of what we have now. Awesome stuff.
The LM-1 is quite possibly my favourite musical instrument. The snare, toms, clap, kick, hats and rimshot are all pure fucking magic.
Walshy the musician LM2 is better ...higher fidelity
I agree Walshy. They were and still are magic
Eggzactly.
Roger Linn was a recording engineer and guitarist who worked for Leon Russell. From a conversation with Roger Nichols (engineer for Steely Dan) I learned that both of them were enrolled in the same 8086 microprocessor machine coding course, both with the idea of making a drum machine. Roger Linn's samples were of Jim Keltner. A friend of mine who worked as another engineer for Leon told about the process of Roger making the first prototype and how terrible the drums sounded, so no one believed it would happen. But when it did, Leon used it extensively in his many recordings... no need to argue with, or pay a drummer again.
Very interesting. I've seen a video of Roger Nichols sequencing drum samples in a computer using bespoke software he created. He joked that inventing a new bit of technology would be quicker than getting the drums as consistent as Donald Fagen required.
I hadn't heard that he studied with Roger Linn, but that makes sense. Fascinating.
They seem to have both made programmable, digital drums at the same time but with Linn making a physical product out of it and Nichols making a tool for his own productions. Does that sound right?
Jim Rogers Whoa! Some Leon information I didn’t know! I’m from Tulsa , too, so that’s saying something.
Actually the samples were recorded by session drummer Art Wood.
I used to think it was ironic that Phil Collins had a drum machine, and that it was on his biggest hit.
Im the air tonight is a roland cr-78, not a linn
Mamma by genesis is a linn drum
He used Rolands. What's strange is on the song "Take Me Home" he had another drummer, Chester Thompson, program the drum machines as well play regular drums.
Phil was a fan of the 808
It’s not the tool, it’s how you use it.
@@eelcovvliet Sussudio is most definitely a LinnDrum..
Never knew the history behind these machines. What a guy, I can't believe people are arguing about this VS a real drummer. Music is so expressive that both are great options depending on the sound you have in mind! Great invention!
It's nothing new. A similar argument arose with the Fairlight and musicians fearing the Fairlight would put them out of business. Why pay session musicians when one could hire a Fairlight. Obviously, the fear was unfounded.
The LinnDrum and Linn LM-1 were heard in the song "Thieves in the Temple" (1990).
I don't know a lot about music,or studio sound equipment, but I'm a Prince fan,and I've been going through interviews with various band members and sound engineers who worked with him,and they kept mentioning this Linn drum machine- I became curious and started searching for details- thanks so much for the musical history lesson!😊 It was interesting to learn about this.
Many thanks for making the samples available. Very generous! No idea if I'll use them, but they are part of our musical DNA. Thank you!
best snare ever
I always loved the kick too
Those were some of its best sounds. Owner of both, I’d say the Oberheims were just as good on many sounds, just different.
its because it has an error and the start transient is missing from the sample , when you tune it low it has more energy that the kickdrum :)
After the Ludwig Black Beauty.
Oh God when I was out in L.A. you couldn't get away from this thing.
I'm staggered that you have been kind and forward-thinking enough to provide free samples. I may never get round to using them, but appreciate the gesture as much as everyone else here.
What’s the difference between a drummer and a drum machine ?
You only have to punch the information into a drum machine once.
And no dribble to clean up.
A drummer has soul, vibe, and swagger. A drum machine does not.
A drum machine *CAN* keep a steady beat. ;)
@@Username_Invalid A drummer has soul, vibe, swagger......and drugs. Don't forget drugs :)
The old ones are the best
I had one. Sold it and have regretted it ever since.
I came here for the Linn LM-1 info but that drum machine history at the beginning was a nice bonus!
Thanks for the samples. I also recommend the Aly James Lab VPROM vst plugin. It's 40 euros but it's worth the money.
I've always found it fascinating how the level of technology has shaped the sound of music over the years. Great to see this mini voyage into drum machines ! Cool track at the end by the way!
Listening to these samples... the intro to 'little red Corvette ' by Prince came straight to mind!
The LM1 was the start of the beginning and is still a great machine!!
I have always wanted a history of the drum machine.... and now i have it. PRICELESS.
The most loving and genuine tribute to the LM-1 I’ve seen on TH-cam 💖💾
Thank you. It's a deserving machine.
Thanks for this amazing video. I love how you take the time to have us hear the music for our selves. I love old music stuff!
Prince owns that entire Linn drum sound......
Yep, totally. He was probably most creative with it.
True
No Phil collins
Can’t agree, ‘cause the Linn and Oberheim owned most of popular music early to mid 80s. He was one of the first to use it because he was one of the first to be able to afford it. The Linn sound really took off due to the Linndrum, which sounds as good or better, was cheaper, easier to use, portable, etc.
Prince would have copyrighted it if he could
Linn LM-1 = Prince & the Revolution ! 🎼😎👌
Great sounds and a great story. This is why Alex ball is one of my favorite music channels. fantastic upload thank you
Thanks Woody! Right back at you.
good to see you here Woody. Cheers!
Hi Tim :)
Yeah this was really cool. Historical and audiological.
Just listened to your album : loved it. It's really well worked out and the humor throughout is great :)
There's always a surprise in the harmony, instrumentation or the mix itself until the end that keeps me hooked !
Pablo Cortina Thank you! Glad you liked it. Was on the bucket list to do an album, so it's a bonus if anyone likes it.
Alex this is an amazing work, thank you for putting this all in one video !!
Another great Alex Ball documentary. Really enjoyed and thanks for the bonus sample link.
Finally got around to watch this. Excellent video Alex! Entertaining and educational, great cuts, smooth voice and I REALLY love the outro tune as well. Congrats my friend!
Thanks Espen, much appreciated! I've possibly got access to some other "holy grail" synths / drum machines from the 80s soon. Should get some good material from that.
Great video, I enjoyed the 80's vibe with all those legendary synths
Ynnon Tal Thank you, glad you enjoyed.
I'm so glad I discovered your channel! I love your music and now I'm looking forward for more "educational" videos like this one! Thank you so much for the samples!
Dude thanks so much for taking the time to make this incredible videos! They are so informative and entertaining! Thanks for having such a cool mentality about sharing knowledge! You are my favorite TH-cam channel!
Thank you! Nice to hear.
whenever i see this drum machine i automatically think "prince". Awesome video
Probably the best review of the Linn. Thanks.
I love the crazy ass prerecorded drums on the Chamberlain rhythmate
Thanks for the awesome video and the awesome samples; absolutely astonished your channel isn't more popular! Defo earned my sub; was engrossed throughout.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for subscribing!
Thank you so much for the free samples pack! You have no idea how much this means to me! 😃👍🏼
Super well done. I really enjoyed it. Especially the closing credits track at the end. Just great!
Thanks very much!
Man, you're such an inspiring artist and content creator. Every single vid is genius. U should get 10000000 views but I don't know why you don't get them. You definitely have my support my friend!!! and thank you so much for the videos and the samples, you're the best!
Thanks Yotam! Kind if you. Enjoy the samples.
these documentaries are absolutely wonderful!!! e MUITO obrigada pelos samples!
That music at the end does something I once thought would be impossible - it makes me want to go back to the 80's. Bravo to the conjuring devil who accomplished that.
😂 I've wanted to go back to the 80's since January 1, 1990.
A legend! the Linn LM-1 also was used by *Falco* on their first great debut "Der Kommisaar/ Junge Romer" , *ABC* on "The Look Of Love" , *Malcolm McLaren* on Hip-Hop tracks on their "Duck Rock Album".
Rose Royce also used it on Love Don't Live Here Anymore.
The music track you made with the Linn is incredible. I think I speak for everyone that we would like a whole 4 or 5 min song with a bridge and breakdown stuff.
That was an excellent documentary!
You really brought the era to life. Thank you!
My favourite drum machine of all time! :) RIP Pince!
Very cool history lesson I didn’t realise drum machine went that far back in time
Great video mate👍
Yes, same with synths. It starts decades and decades before the point that most assume it did. Was interesting to look it up.
I interviewed with Roger in the early 80s to write new Firmware for a new drum machine that would be the successor to the LM one. Sadly that project never took off. Roger was extremely nice and I had a nice long look at the source code for the 6502 firmware in the LM one when I was at his house. He wrote some very nice tight code.
Excellent video and production! The Theramin section was hysterical :) Was that your voice as well? If so, it was brilliant! And then the samples!!! Wow! Thanks so much for this!
Wow! This is so well done. You deserve a 100,000 subscribers. Fantastic. 🎹👏
Thank you.
What is that track at 3:39 ?
lovely compositions with excellent taste, I'll absolutely enjoy listening to your work on spotify, keep it up!!
I love your documentaries! Please don't stop!
The Linn LM-1 and Oberheim DMX are/were heard in the 1986 IVE (now Artisan Entertainment) theme.
These are quality samples!! Thank you!!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the samples great video and its good to know the history of music i have got an mpc x and i never would of thought it had some relation from the Lin drum machine of that the owner helped to create the mpc series
Lm1 I love the sound of it so much.... I wish I owned one
I love that Prince (Clap), those sounds are too dope..... I need it.
The low pitched sidestick also sells the "prince" sound too.
Yessss.
TriL TV Prince was knowed by the *detuned Rimshot sound* , that made sound like hit a wood table.
@@RobertoGinsburg more like someone knocking on a door lol
Thank god we had those old drum machines . . we never would've had the band Wall of Voodoo.
They sure did rely a lot on those analog ones, especially for Mexican Radio.
It's absolutely INSANE how much Wall of Voodoo got out of the Rhythm Ace and other accompaniment style rhythm boxes!
Mexican Radio is still one of my faves from back then.
Thanks so much for the download! Keeping the legacy alive for the next generation
Great video Alex! Probably my favourite drum machine of all time from its iconic great sounds used in drum tracks to many classic 80s hits! Also thank you for leaving a link the description for the sounds! 👍 And that dong you composed at the end containing those synthersizers and the Linn Drum kinda gave off Stranger Things vibes 😂
But apparently it didn't have a crash cymbal, which the Oberheim DMX got in 1981. A big plus for the DMX! But the sound otherwise is fatter on the Linn!
A trip down memory lane. I had the JX3P and the Pro One. Still have the MS20. Also had the SQ10.😍
Great synths. The Pro-One is pretty special, just sounds great on everything and dead easy to use.
MS20 has a real character, it's just weirder to get your head around. Mine is the mark 1 with the type 35 filter, so it screams in an awesome way. Is yours the mark 1?
SQ10 - wow, the original sequencing beast! Love the look of those. The guy I bought the MS20 from was also selling an MS50 which I understand are quite rare. Think those two worked together as a sequencer / modular combo?
Amazing video and what a gift from you! You are the best Alex!
Thanks. Enjoy!
Thanks for a very cool video, and the LM-1 is mentioned many times on a YT series about Paisley Park and Prince from the people which worked there...
Human League - Don’t You Want
Me (1981) most famous song that uses the Linn
Nope, that would be "Thriller".
1:49 Last Living Souls :D
ARE WE THE LAST... LIVING SOULS?
Im glad I wasn't the only one
Great history of drum machines. Thanks for this excellent work. Liked/subbed/sharing ;) Thanks very much for the killer links and samples as well. Cheers!
Great machine, great video. Thanks for the samples Alex!
wizzie65 Thanks. Enjoy the samples.
Thanks for the samples!
You're welcome.
OMG what an easter egg. :D Thank you!
Thanks, Alex, was about to write the same
Oh, that 80's "drum-hit"
I loved your album. Especially 🏠 home & get your 💖 through the 📻. Listening to them in midnight again and again. Just beautiful & perfect.
Thanks. Good to hear.
Alex, help, I can’t stop watching all of your stuff.
Cheers!
Haha, love this... My first drum machine was the Boss DR 55, Dr Rhythm.
Same here! I've still got mine, and it still works. :-)
Like the song at the end!
Thanks: alexball.bandcamp.com/track/linn-lm-1-synths
Amazing content, amazing informations, amazing track and amazing value overall! Many thanks
and 4 years later, the link is still live. thank you
3:34 love it
How weird that I hear about the Linn 9000 only now! I must lived under a stone...
Thanks for the video. Well done and very informative.
The Linn 9000 is probably the best sounding one! "You spin me round" by Dead or Alive is Linn 9000. Stock Aitkin and Waterman used it to death.
Alex Ball Sometimes best sounding is not what you'll be after 😉
Very true. The LM-1 tuned low sounds awesome. But the fidelity is laughable. Have you downloaded the samples? Listen to the lowest clap!
Alex Ball Downloaded the samples, nice set, put them in Live right away. Err, yeah, that lowest clap. Is this a challenge in finding ways to use it musically...? 😉
No bro..
hip hop producers of the 80’s & 90’s use to make reference to the linn drum in their songs.
I'd love to play with one of these. I have a free VST version and samples from the original LM-1, and love them. Truly iconic sounds.
. . . . . . . EDIT. . . .
By the time I posted you got around to mentioning the unit you sampled. Followed link and downloaded, and . . . yeah. . . your samples blow what I have out of the water by a long shot. Holy crap! Thank you so much.
🙏 Your videos are so great Alex. Thanks for making such informative and interesting content.
Joe Vittali-Ross Thanks Joe! Glad you liked it.
Thanks for the Samples!
Enjoy!
Brother Smith, I used to access this machine at a studio. Kindly assist with knowledge on how I can make use of the samples
Are you using a DAW or a hardware based sampler?
DAW sir
Oh man, the memories! I had the LM1 and the Linn9000, which was always crashing. And now you can get better sounding drums on your iPhone....for a few quid! Oh well.
Bob Heatlie Oh wow! Do you remember which serial number you had? The early ones were all made by Linn himself and are all different. Then he farmed out the manufacturing and they became more uniform.
Linn 9000 - I have the samples, which are probably the best of all the machines but heard it was really unreliable. Think that can be fixed nowadays with a software / firmware upgrade.
Assume you sold them long ago?
Alex Ball I don’t have the serial number of the LM1, but I bought it in 1981, and sold it to the guy from The Cocteau Twins, he was a collector of defunct musical technology. And don’t you dare tell me that they’re worth £10,000 now! Like you did with my sold keyboards! 😜 The Linn9000 was a nightmare, and it was back and forth from Edinburgh to London many times, but it never got sorted. The nail in the coffin was, I was programming backing tracks for a top artiste in Hungary that I was producing. I worked late into the night to finish the last track (I was flying there the next day) and it crashed! I tried load it up again, and discovered that all the tracks for the album had gone! So I went to the studio with nothing! I had to start all over again. Believe it or not, I ended up throwing it into a skip! And don’t tell me that it’s.......😡
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to produce these videos. Very informative, and most enjoyable to watch. 👍
Was that Robin Guthrie? He talks about using an LM-1 and it must be the one you sold him!
Linn 9000 - oh boy, that sounds bad! What did you do? Just start again and it took longer to record?
The LM-1 sells for what it cost originally in 1980! And I saw a 9000 for £850 or so a while back. You can fix the software gremlins nowadays, so no more 9000s in skips!
Alex Ball Probably was Mr Guthrie, I sold it to him through a friend who had a studio that he recorded in. And your second question. I had to stay behind after the day’s recording, in order to program the song for the following day’s work. Usually finishing late in the evening. Not a happy time, as all Jolly nights out on the town had to be cancelled! Grr!
Bob Heatlie
Better? Not really. Higher quality, for sure, but sometimes the low bit samples have a character that would be lost otherwise.
Just think at the samples in the Terminator 2 soundtrack. If you cover the song with modern and clean sounds, it just sounds flat in comparison.
How your channel doesn’t have more subscribers , I’ll never know. Great as always
Thanks. Glad you liked the video.
Thank you so much for the pretty samples.
what is the name of the outro track???? i gotta have it
For me, Dare by Human League is the definitive LM-1 album!
1999 by Prince lolol
I tend to agree. Their use was the more innovative. Prince was a rock bore.
@@stevehay964 - Gawd, you're dumb. It took Prince's mentees, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to revive Human League from the dead. Subsequently, completely getting rid of their other musicians. Who, in my mind were nowhere near the musicianship that Prince, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis has. Rock bore? You simp! 🤦♂️
Why you don't have a million subs yet is beyond me. Great video!
Well done! It brought me back to my early days of wanting to have my own 'home studio'.
And now home studios are easy to setup and all these sounds are just a download away!
How is the music genre of the song at 3:34 min called? I love the sound but I‘m not able to find simmelar music
Mix of 80s Electro and 80s synth pop.
Mid 80s electro synth pop
I used to have an oberheim prommer and program my own eprom drum samples for a Drumtraks -- but you can put the same eproms in this machine. One thing the documentary misses out is that all the sounds are changeable by replacing the eprom chips with ones that contain different samples. Sorry, the rest was great!
He said that the chips are removeabke
That's amazing that you have audio of those old devices.
In the song "Whip It" (1980), the Linn LM-1 was heard.
The CR-78 sounds like something Hall and Oats would have used on some songs
FIXTREME I can’t go for that. My imagination. Those are two of the songs that uses the CR 78.
And Phil Collins - in the air tonight - uses a preset.
The Roland TR-808 cowbells, Roland TR-808 claps and Linn LM-1 are/were heard in the song How Will I Know (1985) and I Wanna Dance with Somebody (1987).
This was a great short lesson for me. Good mini docu. Danke! 👍
Good info on this one man. Your videos are so high quality!
Thank you! It's interesting going through all the sounds of the other machines that preceded it. No wonder it was such a success, everything else was blips and bloops! Although that all came back in fashion in a big way.