Behringer’s LM Drum has been making waves in the drum machine world recently. Though it was first announced a few years ago, it finally hit the shelves just before Christmas of 2024. Units began shipping in January, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Even the creator of the original machine felt compelled to express his thoughts on his website. It’s clear that the LM Drum has been well-received, not only for faithfully recreating the UI and workflow of the iconic original, but also for introducing new features like easy sample importing and direct sampling capabilities.
After the original Linn Electronics company folded following the Linn 9000, Roger Linn went on to design the MPC for Akai. The MPC was a natural evolution of the Linn product line, providing users with the ability to easily sample and sequence full tracks. It went on to become a staple in Hip Hop and RnB production for decades.
Whether by design or not, the Behringer LM Drum can be seen as a bridge between Linn’s original drum machines and his later Akai innovations. It’s a lo-fi beatmaker’s dream, packed with nostalgia. This week, I’ll suggest some samples you can add to the LM Drum to extend its sound palette beyond the classic LinnDrum tones, while still maintaining that vintage feel.
First, let’s talk about the fantastic Reverb Machine and their three sample libraries. One of these is a must-have for anyone wanting to capture the full LinnDrum experience on the LM Drum. Back in the day, if you wanted to alter the sounds in your drum machine, you needed one that supported swappable EPROM chips.
Linn Electronics had a large library of sounds for the LinnDrum, called the “Alternate Sounds for LinnDrum.” Users could request a demo tape, listen to the available sounds, and then order the ones they liked by mailing back an order form.
These alternate sounds became incredibly popular, allowing LinnDrum users to step away from the standard, stock sounds. It was a clever move by Roger Linn! However, after the company’s closure, these sounds became hard to find.
Now, Reverb Machine offers these sounds as a downloadable package. For just £8, you can get all 326 samples in 16-bit, 44.1kHz WAV format. For an additional £8, an Ableton Live pack is available, making it incredibly easy to integrate these sounds into your workflow.
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