ddrum
Percussion Controller
July 12, 1996 The world's most sophisticated electronic
percussion system, Clavia Digital Instrument's ddrum, just got even better with
the introduction of the new ddrum4. The ddrum4 features a completely new concept
in pad system design. The new pads, known as the Cast Precision Series, feature
real drum heads used in conjunction with cast aluminum shells. Not only does the
combination offer superb tracking, but the feel closely rivals that of acoustic
drums. The first pieces in the Cast Precision Series include the Cast Precision
Pads and the Cast Precision Kick, the latter of which features natural rebound,
enabling it to play bounce on and off for even more nuance capabilities. The
ddrum4 percussion controller also features a number of significant improvements.
The new unit now offers more than 500 different instruments that can easily be
varied by using a special algorithm for up to eight variations of each instrument.
Thanks to a new "ddrum Palette system", a further development of ddrum's "one-hand
access system", the user is able to change individual instruments with just one
touch--without changing a complete "kit" setup. The electronic percussion
system also features a newly-designed playback engine that allows it to simulate
the behavior of acoustic percussion sounds in many new ways. Several dynamic filter
algorithms have been developed to reproduce samples more naturally than ever before.
Further development of ddrum's Drumhead Vibration Algorithm, now called "DVA version2",
will change the relationship of overtones between every new stroke in a startlingly
natural way. People with Internet access will be able to expand their sound
libraries free of charge. Simply connect the ddrum4 into a "Net"connected computer
and download samples from Clavia's Web site into the ddrum brain via MIDI. Thanks
to an innovative compression algorithm, downloading samples will be up to eight
times faster than standard MIDI samples dumps while retaining the highest audio
quality. With ddrum4's Flashram and SCSI Option Package, sounds can also be
loaded and saved directly from CD-ROM disks. A ddrum CD-ROM disk containing the
entire ddrum Vintage Sound Library dating back to the original ddrumRack system
will be available later this year. The disk will also contain several hundred
megabytes of new percussion samples and loops. Perhaps one of the most attractive
features about the new ddrum4 is its price. The previous model, the ddrum3 Turbo
with a five-piece set of pads listed at over $5,300. List price on the ddrum4
(including five-piece pad set) will be closer to $3,000! Armadillo Enterprises
is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. for ddrum Electronic Percussion, nord
lead virtual analog synthesizers, EBS Bass Systems, Neuser Basses, SSD Basses
and Dean Guitars, with corporate headquarters in Clearwater, Florida. For more information, visit their web site
at www.ddrum.com. | 
