After doing two synth sample libraries — FatsoSynths Vol 1 and Tape101 —, Goldbaby returns with another drum sample library: The CustomDMX.
Besides drum machines recorded on tape machines, sounds sampled on the vintage MPC60 and SP-1200, and drum machine sounds pressed on vinyl & played on various turntables, we now have new type of treatment: The DMX + Prommer.
The Oberheim DMX is a classic drum machine that uses sampled PCM (Pulse Code Modulated) audio for its sound source. To store the individual sounds it uses EPROMs (Eraseable Programmable Read-Only Memory). The chips on these EPROMs can be erased by exposing them to ultraviolet light and you can (re)program them with a PROM burner, also called a Prommer. You can watch a video of Goldbaby creating a custom EPROM here.
Goldbaby writes:
Countless hours were spent creating these 8 bit custom EPROMs. Then installing them in the DMX and recording the result . This was definitely a labour of love! Get hold of some really unique old school drum sounds.
The CustomDMX features
- 1182 x 24 bit – one shot wav samples.
- Plus the DMX groove templates!
- Battery, Guru, Refill and Wav formats.
I had a go with the Battery version which also includes 15 kits to get you going right away.
The samples include drum machine sounds from various sources (DMX, 808, 909, Drumulator, Mbase, MXR, MicroTonic, and more…), sampled and processed in several ways. The DMX standard drums are available as raw samples, re-sampled ones and you get a folder of UBK Fatso goodness. There’s also a folder with various sounds like eastern percussion, SH-101 fx, sampled vinyl hits, etc.
The CustomDXM is available for purchase for $24 USD (includes all formats).
So what do I think?
As you would expect from an 8-bit drum machine, the CustomDMX samples have that same lovely lo-fi sound that the original ones have. The DMX was used by a lot of artists in the early 80’s so you might recognize its sounds from hit songs like Holiday by Madonna, Rockit by Herbie Hancock & Bill Laswell, and Prince’s Purple Rain, to name just a few.
Besides the DMX samples there are plenty of other sounds in this library. Goldbaby even included a bunch of vocoded sounds. Goldbaaaaybaaaaaiyah! This is another top notch sample library of sounds I don’t really need, but does one ever have enough unique drum sounds? I guess not!
What else can I say… Just head on over to the CustomDMX product page and listen to the demo mp3s, these sounds speak for themselves.
More information: Goldbaby Productions
