Nyström Crum Drum, a fun DIY 4-voice drum Synthesizer with random sequencing

Nyström Crum Drum is a fun, portable 4-voice drum Synthesizer powered by a random sequencer and a hands-on interface.

The YouTube algorithm often annoys me and many others, too. Often it doesn’t spread the news about a new video release or often it doesn’t show content. This time, I have to say thank you to the algorithm for showing me this synth.

Nyström, the maker of the “$70 Drum Machine” I already reported on in February, has released a fun, portable edrum synth called the Crum Drum.

Nyström Crum Drum

Crum Drum is a portable, hands-on 4-voice drum Synthesizer/drum machine. DIY and as an assembled unit. 

It hosts four distinct voices: a kick, snare, hi-hat, and bass. Every voice is synthesized. For example, the bass is based on FM synthesis. Each voice has eight parameters for sounds, including frequency, volume, decay, filter, tone, type, probability, and randomness. 

With the type switch, you can choose between three types of kicks, snares, hi-hats, and basses. Then, the modulation is handled by the randomness parameter. It increases the parameter modulation for each voice. The higher the randomness, the more modulation you get per step. 

You can tweak the parameters individually for each voice or all together to create a greater impact on a track. Also interesting for creating timbre morphing. 

To refine your sounds, it also hosts four global effects: overdrive, tempo-synced delay, swing, and reverb. Okay, swing is not really an “FX” in this case. They also fully tweakable from the front panel. 

Sequencing

There is no classic drum sequencer. But the Crum Drum has an internal random sequencer. It can have 16, 32 or 48 steps in total. Press the beat button, and it generates new rhythms for you. The dedicated BPM knob sets the tempo of the internal sequencer and is a clock divider with external clock. 

With the probability knob, you can also add variations to them. Alternatively, you can feed all four voices with a MIDI input signal from your DAW or hardware sequencer.

On the connection side, it has a main output, USB for powering and MIDI, and a clock input and output. Too bad no real MIDI.

First Impression

I often get upset about the YouTube algorithm. In that case, I say thank you for showing me it. Crym Drum looks like a very fun and crazy drum synth to solder.

Nyström Crum Drum is available now as a DIY kit for £165,83 or an assembled version for £235 + VAT + shipping.  

More information here: Thonk

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