Elektron MachineDrum emulator is now playable with all the features in your browser without installation or ROM files.
This was all about Elektron Monomachine and Machinedrum emulators. Two different emulators appeared: one replicating the full hardware unit, and another providing just the engines for use in a DAW.
To round off the week, I have another emulation to share—though this time, it’s not for the DAW. Another developer is now offering an Elektron MachineDrum emulator that you can play for free in your DAW.
Elektron MachineDrum Emulator Browser
While the first two require a DAW, this third emulator makes the Elektron MachineDrum accessible to everyone. A Chinese developer created a web-browser emulation, making it available to all.
No installation or ROM hunting is required. You can start playing the instrument as soon as you visit the website. Better yet: it works not only on the desktop but also in the browser on smartphones or tablets.
The browser-based instrument is a virtual Elektron MachineDrum. According to the info in Chinese at the bottom of the page, it’s a non-original hardware sound emulation. So, it doesn’t use the original ROM.
MachineDrum was a drum machine/drum Synthesizer with four independent percussion synth engines: TRX (Roland TR), EFM (percussive FM), E12 (sample playback), and PI (physical modeling).
For each drum sound, you can edit it with AM, a 1-band EQ, a multimode filter, distortion, a sample-rate reducer, and delay + reverb effects. It also features an advanced creative drum sequencer with two modes and more.
There is no built-in recorder, but you can easily capture the audio from the browser using apps like OBS and others.
First Impression
Of all the MachineDrum emulators currently available, this is the most beautiful in my opinion. It keeps the past alive in a neat way. It makes the instrument playable for everyone directly from the browser without installation. Even those without a DAW can discover MachineDrum.
Elektron MachineDrum emulator is now available in your browser.
More information here: Study Pages
I can tell you in a blind comparison the emulation is not 1:1 the snare is totally different I never did a comparison with the usual suspects offerings but I suspect or assume some comparisons will show diffences a bit harder to do with a synthesizer though and I don’t own a real version of these offerings
I find the comparison quite difficult. It’s a bit like comparing an emulator that emulates a video game system originally designed to run on a CRT display, and then using that same emulator on an OLED TV. You’re no longer using it under the same conditions it was designed for: the signal chain has been altered, and the overall result can obviously be different.
I think it’s pretty much the same situation here. Elektron has a very high-quality audio circuit, with dedicated DSPs and an audio architecture designed to deliver a specific kind of sound and character.
Testing the emulator simply through a PC’s sound card, usually without a high-quality audio system or monitoring chain afterward, makes the comparison rather unbalanced. The audio chain is completely different, and some of the differences you hear may actually come from the hardware and monitoring system being used for playback rather than from the emulation itself.
lol you’re being way too pedantic with that comparison. I grew up with snes, PSX, n64, arcade games, etc. I played them back then on their original hardware. I emulate them now under those modern so-called “altered conditions”, and have just a good a time with them back then as I do now. Same goes for emulated digital synthesizers. Been using those TUS Virus and Nord Lead synths for ages and they’re amazing, way better than a VST clone would’ve been capable of. My main point being that most people have the context and knowledge to know the differences between the original hardware and the modern emulated experience to still get joy out of either. I have analog hardware for those more ‘authentic experiences’, and even that sordid ole debate on analog vs. digital gets tiresome. Especially if the end result is good music, most normal listeners would care less on what was used in the final product.
Anyway, the above website “machinedrum” seems to be a bad clone instead of an emulation like the VST, doesn’t even have the routing section. The VST using the TUS emulation code is pretty solid so far aside from the high CPU use. I’ve watched a ton of videos and listened to a ton of original material from the machinedrum over the years, and the VST emulation is pretty much 1:1. Tho it is a lot more cumbersome to program with a mouse compared to a real elektron box.
100 % does not exist anyway. As soon as the digitally created signal exists the Elektron box through its physical outputs, it will be altered. And the personal impression this signal then has on different human beings, is probably the most substantial factor. For example, my left ear can only perceive signals up to ~15300 Hz, my right ear up to 17000 Hz. I can’t hear this test tone on both ears. Can you hear it on both ears?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMNa8yqUEbE
Sorry for the typos ;).
so this is not a true but a spiritual emulation I’d say, if you look to the left below the gui you’ll see “Independent drum synthesizer prototype – Non-original sound simulation”. Nevertheless, I like the sound.
ah tanks 🙂 I need to learn better Chinese 🙂 corrected it
Thanks so much for sharing this!
Just a small note: this project was mainly made as an accessible way for people to play with a Machinedrum-inspired drum machine in the browser. The sound engine is not intended to be a 1:1 recreation of the original hardware.
I also have an iOS version currently available through TestFlight, with a few additional interaction ideas built around the phone itself.
Really appreciate the feature and the discussion here — thanks again!
what is the minimum ios requirement for ios version?
That’s really cool. Are you inviting anyone to test it atm?
it’s been a while for testflight,now on appstore:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sway-rhythm-instrument/id6811997833?l=zh-Hans-CN