DrumTraqs

Name: DrumTraqs
Author: Full Bucket Music

by Full Bucket Music · Drum Instrument · Sequential Drumtraks emulation

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DrumTraqs is a free emulation of the 1983 Sequential Circuits Drumtraks drum computer, built on a simulation of its Z80 system and original ROM samples.

It has old-school pattern and song building, stereo mixing, SysEx and MIDI import/export and MIDI Learn, and is free.

Best for: Drums, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Hip-Hop & Trap.

Keywords: free, 80s, hardware emulation, vintage, crunchy, simple, inspired by, resizable UI, sequencer, sound design.

What it does

DrumTraqs is a free recreation of the Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, the 1983 drum computer, built by simulating its Z80 system. The developer calls it "a faithful recreation of the original hardware with all its limitations" and says it is not meant to be a modern power drum plugin.

Sounds: 13 drum sounds across six channels with six-voice polyphony, using the factory ROM samples.
Extra ROMs: additional sample sets that mimic swapping the machine's EPROM sound chips.
Sequencer: pattern and song modes, programmed the old-school way as on the hardware.
Voice controls: basic sample tuning for the voices.
Extensions: stereo mixing in place of the original mono output, and sounds can be triggered by MIDI, even chromatically.
Data: import and export patterns as MIDI files or SysEx.
Control: MIDI Learn for all parameters and buttons, and a resizable UI.

The current version is 1.0.0 (13 Sep 2024). English and French PDF manuals are available. It is a free download; the developer accepts donations.

Source: Full Bucket Music product page

When to use it

DrumTraqs is the pick for the specific early-80s Drumtraks sound and for programming beats the way the hardware did. Compared with Battery 4 and XO it is far more limited: no custom samples, no effects and a fixed set of 13 sounds, but it is free and period-correct. Unlike Nerve, it has no modern sequencing tricks; its pattern and song modes follow the 1983 workflow.

Best for: authentic Drumtraks beats, crunchy 80s drum parts and hardware-style pattern programming.
Genres: synth-pop, new wave, electro, retro hip-hop and synthwave.
Look elsewhere if: you want to load your own samples or add effects; Battery 4 or XO are more flexible.
Tip: pair it with an external pad controller and audition sounds from the pads while building patterns.

What producers say

Reviewers like the authentic sound and simple workflow, and accept the limits as part of the design.

3DCANDY review gave it 9.5 out of 10, praising the "simple fast workflow", stability and "crunchy" vintage sound.
Gearnews said it "sounds good to my ears" and welcomed the quirky character, while noting the writer had never used the hardware.
Criticisms: no effects, no custom samples, and shared instrument controls on channel 6 (3DCANDY).

Where to buy

Full Bucket Music: Free

Tutorials and reviews

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