Exploring Classic Korg & Roland Drum Machines with Oli Freke

These classic drum machines still sound incredible!
Join Oli Freke as we explore the iconic beats that defined the ‘70s and ‘80s — from early analog boxes to digital legends.

This week, we’re joined by Oli Freke, author of the brilliant Synth Evolutions book and designer of the iconic poster seen behind me. Oli’s back to talk about his next big project — a new book all about vintage drum machines.

He shares the history, sound demos, and stories behind some of the most influential rhythm boxes ever made — from the Korg Mini Pops to the Roland TR-606, Boss DR-55, Korg DDM-110, and Yamaha RX17. If you love classic analog and early digital drum machines, this one’s for you!

🕒 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:37 – Oli Freke returns to TDL Synth Chat
01:02 – Oli’s new drum machine book project
02:05 – Why drum machines define entire eras of sound
03:06 – Researching over 1,000 drum machines
04:09 – Choosing the most iconic and influential units
04:23 – Demonstrating five classic drum machines
05:01 – The Mini Pops Junior (1971)
07:05 – Mini Pops sound demo and rhythm examples
10:01 – Famous uses: R.E.M., Echo & The Bunnymen, Jean-Michel Jarre
12:27 – Boss DR-55 – The first programmable Boss drum machine
14:03 – DR-55 sound demo
18:04 – Influence on early ‘80s synthpop and techno
20:07 – TR-606 – The Roland legend
21:20 – Programming classic 606 beats
23:01 – The 606 groove: early electro and house sounds
25:57 – Comparing the vintage TR-606 with the modern TR-6S
28:02 – Korg DDM-110 – Sample-based ‘Super Drums’ (1985)
30:35 – DDM-110 sound demo and analysis
33:32 – Early sampling limitations and quirks
34:03 – Yamaha RX17 – 12-bit drums and Latin percussion
35:44 – RX17 sound demo and programming
39:13 – The evolution from analog to digital to modern drum machines
41:04 – How drum machines shaped music history
42:04 – Where to find Oli’s books and posters https://www.synthevolution.net/
43:26 – Outro and invitation to join future episodes

🎧 Guest: Oli Freke – Author of Synth Evolutions
📘 https://www.synthevolution.net/
for Oli’s books, posters, and updates on his upcoming drum machine guide.

💬 Want to be on the show? Talk about your favorite synths or drum machines — leave a comment below!

#DrumMachines #VintageSynths #RolandTR606 #KorgDDM110 #YamahaRX17 #BossDR55 #SynthChat #SynthBook #TDLSynthChat