Arthur Joly has created a new version of its lovely, handmade Recodrum 7-voice analog drum machine with a spring and tube.
Designing synthesizers and drum machines is a craft. Being a circuit guru is not enough to create an instrument. You also have to be able to design it (housing, interface, etc.). Many of today’s instruments come from large companies and are crafted by big dev teams. Then later, mass-produced in big factories.
The complete counterpart also exists. One fascinating Boutique developer is Arthur Joly from Brasil. His instruments are handmade and only available in mini quantities. The Recodrum is an analog drum machine from 2021. It has now been re-released as a new version with two juicy add-ons.
Recodrum Spring Tube
Arthur Joly’s new version of the Recodrum is identical in its main features. It’s a complete analog drum machine with seven individual drum voices: hi-hat, kick, snare, clap, hi perc, lo perc, and stick.
Each voice has a handful of parameters to adjust the sound, including tune, tone, and more. New additions to this version are a built-in spring reverb and a true tube saturation, each tweakable with two parameters (gain, tone).
Both effects are available per voice and can be mixed into the sound using send parameters. The sound changes drastically with these effects, and the whole thing takes on a nice, vintage, dirty character with a lot of whump and bang.
Then there is also a built-in drum sequencer with patterns on the bottom. You can program it with glowy red buttons and with mechanical mute switches. The sequencer offers classic 16 steps with live jam capability, pattern save, and recall on the fly.
The new Recodrum Spring Tube has also grown visually. It is a little bigger, has a striking tube sticking out, and has a vintage-looking VU meter. Arthur Joly’s instruments all have a gorgeous, beautiful design. You can tell the craftsmanship that went into the instruments.
There are no off-the-shelf synths or drum machines. It’s a gorgeous-looking instrument that will be the eye-catcher of every studio.
Full I/O
On the backside, you get individual voice outputs, a main mixer out, a MIDI in/out interface, a clock output, and a power supply input. Everything you need to jam in the studio with other gear.
First Impression
What a beautiful boutique analog drum machine. The Recodrum from 2021 was already an eye-catcher. I think this version/revision is even more attractive. The added spring reverb and tube fit this device perfectly and give it a little epic character. If you want something special in your studio, you should check out Arthur’s instruments.
Recodrum Spring Tube will be available only in a limited batch of 15 units made between December 2023 and March 2024—price TBA. The first Recodrum had a price of 8000 Brazillian Real, so around £1000 + shipping and import taxes.
More information here: Recosynth
Thank you very much for the review.
It is very important to me. You guys are always there since the begining. I will not forguet this.
Thank you
Arthur
What an awesome sounding drum machine – really unique… Congrats Arthur on such a wonderful design.
Cheers,
Paul