DISC Dave Smith Instruments Tempest Analog Drum Machine

Full Description

The best of analog and digital

The Tempest's six analog voices each have two analog oscillators plus two digital oscillators (with a large bank of included samples), the classic Curtis analog low-pass filter with audio-rate modulation, an additional high-pass filter, analog VCA with feedback, five envelopes, two LFOs, an extraordinary variety of analog modulation routings and stunning sonic quality, warmth and punch. It excels at tuned sounds as well as drum sounds and can double as a six-voice analog keyboard synth.

Pressure and velocity sensitive pads

The Tempest has sixteen pressure- and velocity-sensitive pads arranged in a 2 x 8 configuration. This gives intuitive access with all your fingers, and is an ideal compromise between the 4 x 4 pad arrangement typical of real-time programming and the 1 x 16 of step programming.

The Tempest does both, as the pads can be used to play thirty-two drum sounds (two banks), mute/unmute the sounds on playback, play and arrange sixteen beats in real time, play one sound at sixteen tunings (in a variety of scales) or sixteen velocities, or as sixteen time steps for step programming.

Drum rolls and repeated groove patterns can be created with the ROLL button, by varying pad pressure as the beat records, and it doubles as a momentary "stutter" effect when the pads are assigned to play beats.

Note FX slide control

There are two pressure- and position-sensitive Note FX slide controllers to allow real-time recording of note or beat-wide sound parameter changes into the drumbeat as you play. You can record simultaneous filter frequency, tuning, envelope decay and pan changes for each note. With the Playback key you can use the slider to override these parameters on playback, and record it back into the beat.

They can also be used in performance to alter beat-wide sound parameters like low-pass frequency or resonance, high-pass frequency, and envelope attack or decay. The Tempest has six stereo direct voice outputs, plus stereo mix outputs and phones outputs, two inputs for foot switches or expression pedals, MIDI in/out and USB.

Features

• Two analog oscillators per voice capable of producing sawtooth, triangle, saw/triangle, and variable pulse width square waves, with hard sync
• Two digital oscillators per voice loaded with over 450 drum samples and waveforms
• One sub-octave generator per voice (one octave below oscillator 1)
• One classic Curtis low-pass filter per voice (switchable 2- or 4-pole) with audio rate modulation, self-oscillating in 4-pole mode
• One High-Pass filter per voice
• Analog VCAs with programmable feedback level
• Five envelope generators per voice (ADSR plus hold)
• 2 LFOs per voice
• 8 x 8 modulation matrix
• Hardware MIDI delay per voice
• Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator
• 16 pressure and velocity sensitive lit pads
• Two pressure and position sensitive touch sliders
• 650 Sound Program locations
• Analog compressor and distortion (available on Main audio outputs)
• Sophisticated realtime sequencer
• Roger Linn Designed Swing modes
• Stunning OLED 256 x 64 display
• USB type B receptacle
• MIDI In, Out
• Main audio outputs: 1/4" phone jack (unbalanced)
• 6 individual voice audio outputs: 1/4" stereo phone jack (unbalanced)
• Two pedal/control voltage (3.3 VDC max.) input (1/4" TRS phone jack)
• Headphone output: 1/4" TRS stereo phone jack

Specifications

• Construction: Mahogany end panels
• Included Accessories: Power supply for 100V – 240V AC operation, Operation manual
• Dimensions: approximately 15.4″ L x 9″ W x 2.5″ H (39.1 cm x 22.8 cm x 6.4 cm)
• Weight: 6.5 lb. (2.95 kg)