20 years of Jomox Drums.

In December 1996 we have shipped the first XBase09.

How does an anlog kick drum sound if you can control any of its parameters from the sequencer and plus combine it even with an LFO?


For much of the last twenty years, true analog drum machines appeared to be an extinct species. Fortunately, after the "dark" years of all-pervasive drum samples in the 80?s, the great vintage beatboxes of yesterday were rediscovered by the Hiphop scene. At nearly the same time, the exploding Techno and Electronica movement also declared these analog masterpieces to be veritable cult-objects and built an entire musical culture around them. Even today, rap, dance, rock, country, hiphop and pop recordings are quite often rooted with the warm and powerful sound of a true analog kick drum.

For those who know, analog sound has always been known to be "punchy, organic, powerful, living, warm and brilliant", often all at the same time. Moreover, the best analog instruments have offered tactile interfaces (often good old knobs!) for immediate and intuitive access.

Hoping to continue the grand tradition of these unique and intuitive analog instruments, while at the same time updating their abilities with the latest technologies, we are proud to introduce the JoMoX XBase09, our first analog drum machine. It combines the ultimate vintage sound with a modern, intuitive interface for both modern studio and live requirements.



Seven Instruments

* The sound generation of the Bass Drum is completely true analog, being realized with true discreet circuitry. The number of its parameters (tuning, decay, etc.) and the amount you can vary the parameters exceeds those on vintage drum machines. The XBase09 can provide kick drums ranging from very extreme, hard and punchy kicks, to pure 808-style booms, with ultra deep sub basses down to 25Hz and decay times which will exceed vintage instruments. If you choose, the Xbase09 also allows you to tune the kick drum chromaticly, allowing you to create the very purest basslines you've ever heard coming from a kick drum. The Bass Drum, having 8 parameters for control (in addition to volume), is a complete instrument itself.

* The sound generation of the Snare Drum is also completely true analog, again being realized with true discreet circuitry. Once again, along with its increased parameter control, the Snare Drum offers two oscillators which, when detuned, offer the convincing sound of a Cowbell.

* The sample-based Hi Hat/Percussion section features Open/Close HiHat (of course), along with Rimshot, Claps, Crash Cymbal and Ride Cymbal. This section, which also features Tuning and Decay parameters which are much more variable than those on vintage instruments, uses original vintage 6-bit samples with true analog sound processing, translating into powerful and cutting electronic percussion instead of polished, clean and polite sounds. Each sound can also be individually reversed (individually by step!). Also, a white noise sample has been included to throw extra spice into your pattern.

* All parameters on all instruments are digitally controlled and storable. Every parameter knob sends and receives midi data. So, if you'd like to do wild sweeps, extreme filter changes, or linear tuning rides, you could simply twist the knob, edit the data in your midi sequencer and sent it back. And, because all of the sound parameters have direct access into the sound generation circuitry, they work extremely fast!


Sequencer

* The built-in pattern/song sequencer turns the XBase09 into the ideal tool for either creating wicked studio beats or inciting crowds as a live-performance instrument. Live recording is as easy and fast as programming step-wise, and every single programming function can be accessed while the sequencer is running!

* However, the XBase09's most outstanding innovation may be its ability to give each single step on each track a completely different sound setting, and store that setting with the Pattern! Imagine, for example, starting your kick pattern with an 808-boom, followed on Beat 2 by a muted pulse kick, followed 1/16 note later by a hard Berlin thwack, followed by 2 high pitched muted kicks, etc, etc. Imagine applying that flexibility to each track! Perhaps even more amazing, these sound changes are handled without any perceivable timing delay, because all 23 parameter settings work in parallel. This means much faster access and tighter timing then serial midi control could ever be.

* Another important feature is the 'Micro-Groove/Shuffle'-Function. This makes it possible to individually shift each step by a maximum of +/- six 96ths of a bar. A very advanced Accent control also allows control over individual steps on each track. In combination with the Micro-Groove/Shuffle function, the Accent control allows nearly unlimited possibilities in programming tight and dynamic grooves.

* To take creative drum programming a step further, we have included 2 onboard analog LFO's. Each LFO has control for Shape (4 waveforms), Rate, Depth and Destination (6 to choose from). Additionally, each LFO can run "free", begin on every hit or slave to midi clock. Your choice. These LFO's can create soaring cymbal sweeps, warbly pulse tones, even kick drums with some wiggle!

* Besides its 3 internal drum tracks, each pattern has 3 additional monophonic sequencer tracks. Their data is sent out via the midi out jack, and each track can have its own individual midi channel. In this way, you can control up to three different midi sound sources directly from the XBase09. Even slide programming is possible.

* The back panel offers midi in, midi out and midi thru and a DIN-sync-out jack to connect e.g. Roland TB303 and TR-machines.


Final Thoughts

* We'd like to think that the Xbase09 is the ultimate analog drum machine. Certainly, that's what we've tried to create. Yes, we have built the Xbase09 to offer the very best in sonic analog quality by using today's best technologies offering advanced parameter control. But we've tried to take the Xbase09 much further by including a knob-filled interface, each knob sending and receiving its own midi data. We've included storage memory for storing your favorite patterns, sounds and songs. We built 2 flexible, analog LFO's into each unit. We've included what we feel are advanced implementations of Groove/Shuffle and Accent functions. We've included control over 3 external midi tracks. And we've done this all in a compact casing which is just as much at home on the road as it is on your desk in the studio. And finally, yes, we've included the real wood side panels (no extra charge!). Rock on.

We hope that you'll get a chance to take the Xbase09 for a test drive. You just may find yourself on the road to analog heaven…