Dropped in to say how much I’ve enjoyed your gear reviews, always a different and more honest approach than the typical “SHOCKED home alone face“ clickbaity synthfluencer reviews out there. It is very much appreciated that you put in the time to make these videos for us.
Great video showcasing the "other" side of the Perkons, 99+% of HD-01 vids/YT channels are locked in to hardcore techno jamming with this product. I have only seen 1 add'l channel exploiting the more synth-like approach with the Perkons. Thanks for sharing Tim, and, Happy Holidays!
Nice to see you use it in the same way as I use it, as 4 monosynths. That specific sound on the 3 voice is great, and you should really get the Steampipe for more of those kind of sounds.
I think the strength of the 16 step sequencer is apparent when looking at it as a whole , especially where you are able to see the grid right in front. this approach would to me seem to indicate that this is a performance drum machine. I believe they are encouraging folks to practice creating permutations on the fly. This is a method the average improvisationalist might like, since you eliminate the load of paging over to the next 16,32 , 48 steps etc. as for its sound it sounds like an er1 or a volca drum. One thing I think is a massive pro on the Perkons is the size. I think we are a bit tired of pocket sized synth and gear and tiny knobs , it seems with the perkons you can really develop a players relationship with it based on its dimensions and UX / haptics. In my opinion the perkons is a mixed bag, I look forward to other companies implementing its workflow ideas , maybe in an analog style.
Great video as always Tim. Agree completely that this is an inspiring bit of kit. I also am finding the Teenage Engineering OP-xy to be very inspiring right now. Never gelled with the OP-1/F but the xy goes so deep and is so portable plus great sounds, synth engines, modulation capabilities and connectivity to my other synths. The Dreadbox Murmux, which you previously did a video on, is also top of my current list of gear that inspires me the most, along with the Soma Terra and Haken Continuum. I’m looking forward to diving into the Sonicware ELZ_1 Play that just arrived and hopefully I’ll be able to grab one of the Orchid synths on release from Telepathic Instruments later this week when they launch.
Well I never!! I wasn’t aware you could tune a voice. On the one hand it’s like a nice early Xmas present. On the other hand I’m now looking at A&H Z14’s. Thanks for that mate! 🤣 Top vid as always! 🥳
16 steps ... I can't believe manufacturers are still putting out limits like that. I mean in 1983 the Roland JX-3P's sequencer had 128 steps and up to 6 voices (though programming it was a pain especially if you were doing polyphonic). At the very least they should have added a way to chain the 4 sequencer lanes to make it 64 steps. OTOH, it sounds amazing for the uses you show in the video. I've always been a huge fan of using non-drum sounds as the rhythmic element of a track. I mean, that's what made early Tangerine Dream's work so tasty. At least it was for me. I'm tempted by this machine. I really am. We'll see if my small studio can house so much real estate.
At some point when listening to your improvisations I was annoyed that it sounded so familiar, and then I realized it is just because your improv style is nearly identical to me own. So I was just not surprised by it. But it is actually really very much to my taste haha. It was a weird feeling because I don't think I've ever felt that feeling of hearing something so similar to my own sensibilities done by another musician. Great stuff. Good sounding machine, but I'm happy with my quirky gear that is 1/10 the price and gives me way more dynamics. The 16-step sequencer is absurd. Inexcusable.
The trick for this and I am talking for Ambient stuff, is to slow the BPM right down so your hits are sparse, but you have all the control in front of you to be able mangle and manipulate whilst tending to other things. I recently got rid of a Jomox AB which was too overwhelming for my needs, the kick is otherworldly. HD 01 though seems like something that I really could gell with, time will tell. Hope all is well and thanks for the upload.
*I just read through this a fixed some errors, I am super sick and did voice dictation, so excuse the errors that I missed* Hey Tim, great video like usual. I’ve had one since it came out and I’m not sure if you know about a lot of it features. There are features that are not even in the manual. For instance, holding down shift and any knob will do a Global adjustment on that knob. holding down any button in the sequence or will record whatever you change when turning the knobs in that channel. The clock division feature can give you a kind of fau 64 track sequencer. And when the record button is locked on every movement anywhere is recorded. There are some frustrating things for me is that it’s very difficult to get drum sounds that I like. But I have other drum machine machines to do that so I just try to make interesting things. The sweet spots are so tiny that you have to really fine tune any sound. But with the global record and step record for each Sound on every step combined with the probability and role feature, that is random, you can get this thing to sound like it does have 64 steps. I think they knew that when they put it out like this and is why they made it like this. I’m not completely in love with the sounds that they put in and I am hoping that they do a firmware update that gives it more variation, but it’s still great. Also, I find it a lot of work to fit in a mix. But I route mine directly into the DAW with Focusrite AD converters. With that and the four outputs it’s unlimited in the stereo effects inside of logic for instance. One thing I wish they would address is Getting the volume knobs for each channel to work in individual output mode. It’s kind of weird that you cannot adjust the volume when you’re mixing out through the four outputs I hope they read this and fix that. I’ve actually sent a video to them for the next version of The perkons. And just yesterday I realized that I’m going to send them a message. telling them that they need to put a shift button also on the right side of the machine and make it possible to switch kit sounds and sequences at the same time instead of having to do one then jump to the other or maybe they can do a firmware. but if they fix the lack of volume control for the four outfits, then you would get your attack. But you get the attack now if you just do mono out, and all of the effects the volume gain everything is then recordable so you can get those attack if you like. The best thing to do with this thing is to do like all the things that I had laid out here in my long rant and it really makes this thing unbelievably deep, especially how each step could be a completely different sound than the next one . I hope you don’t mind my long rant on this.
Great gear! No compromission in this review. Hope see you more in 2025! Best wishes! Cheers (I use a simple looper and electro harmonix "space drum") (later i got the IK UNO drum, which has goodness to offer)
Yeah, it sounds good and seems fun and inspiring to work with. Also a great fysical design. I can definitely see the value, even if I personally don't gonna get it this year. 😅
Like you I’m not a Drum person. I have the Elektron Digi- tack/tone Mk#1 pair which between them provide all I need as far as drum sounds go. PK HD Sounds good. It appears to be a good partner for the Syntrx 2 design wise I wonder if they play well together?
I as usual enjoyed your video, an interesting slant on an unusual piece of kit. But may I ask what effects pedals you were using as I am not able to see them all. Also have you had a chance to explore an ASM Hydrasynth as of yet? I would be interested to see your take on one.
I’m also surprised you picked up the Perkons! I love mine, while not used all the time, I appreciate the immediacy of the controls. It’s fun and never heard it as beautiful as the way you have played it. Care to weigh in the the new Erika steam pipe?
Hi Tim, I'm glad to see you have an A&H Zed 14. What do you think? Is it a good choice for mixing, perhaps also for EQing and synth routing? Is it transparent enough to not mess with the original signals? How does it compare to the SSL SiX?
Don’t take this the wrong way Tim, but I (and probably many others) kinda knew for years that drums weren’t really “your thing” judging by how you have used them… 😏
Very insightful video Tim, as always! However, I have never really found a reason why I should buy an external sequencer (or drum machine). I have four synths with built-in sequencers, and they are all more than capable of doing what I need (especially the two from the Poly- and Matrixbrute), but also offer so much more for the money!
I use the same sequencer for a lot of different things and I think it often comes down to behaviors and preferences. A person may not necessarily gel with one sequencing style as opposed to another
I looked briefly at the Perkons and because of its price coupled with the “performance” slant and because of only 4 voices I stopped looking. I have an Analog RYTM and Roland TR8S currently of which the TR8S is marked as a “performance” drum machine has 8 contiguous measures using the same “kit” of about 10 sounds. The RYTM has fewer voices but a song mode. All that said the hands-on analog nature of the perkons is alluring but not so much to push me over the edge. I do hope you find the constraints productive.
What an interesting review.. I FEEL like you’re trying to go down rabbit holes with it that are a little outside the intentionality of the design? AND.. I guess I feel like your approach to electronic music, maybe might be, sorta more composer-e then how many electronic instruments are really designed.. which is something I share with you. FOR ME the Perkons is… sorta about improvising.. with a drum machine, that as a paint brush, is a little broader then a drum machine.. I mean I don’t own one, I kinda want one, and that’s just the idea in my head about it. I use a lot of stuff for drum machines.. not always in the traditional way.. the top ones, right now.. probably, would be the Tempest, Rytm, and DFAM.. but also a an OP-Z and Dirtywave M8.. and an MPC Live… right now I’m on the fence for pulling a trigger on an Octotrack, digitak 2, or.. I think I’m really going to get a DSI Pro 2.. But.. I don’t know.. I’m looking for performative approaches.. where stuff evolves over time.. that with creative mixing, sorta creative modular madness and signal process.. and a sorta curation to collage approach.. I’ve some how fallen into an obsession with music concrete… I’ll get somewhere? (I feel somehow stuck in a kinda early 70’s avant garde approach to electronic music that I’m trying to bend into something a little more accessible that maybe lands like a kind of “progressive” music style. But.. yeah.. I really wanted the Perkons to be a bit more stereo.. and… I mean I do love how laterally you’re trying to use it?
The perkons needs thinking so the 16 steps are so much more by speeing up turining down tempo, dividing etc. Step programming. Once you understand the challenge, it s not so limited, it s challenging
It's definitely niche but it's also a niche that's otherwise pretty empty I think. No matter what you do with it, it's made to be performed. If you actually do drums, the trick is to combine tracks together and then the limited sequencer isn't really an issue anymore. As for drone or noise, I think pretty capable because it's very well equipped in terms of IO. I personally keep a couple of voices for setting the ambiance or mood of my tracks and route the rest through analogue Eurorack. It's essentially allowed me to have several digital oscillators on hand if/when I need them along with a decently strong noise and possibly rhythmic section. It begs to be paired and routed through pedals and effects. And the onboard effects are far from terrible! As for the price, honestly, there are some decent deals to be had these days. I just wish they made a firmware for drums and an alternate firmware with more noise/drone/osc and modulation options.
actually you can chain patterns on this machine as stated on p.26 of the manual. unfortunately the description there is a little vague: you have to press and hold PATTERN, then while holding PATTERN you push the buttons where you saved your patterns one after the other. after that the machine switches your patterns in the order you pressed them before. DOWNSIDE: you can edit your patterns while playing, but as soon as the machine switches to the next pattern, it reloads the pattern from its last saved state so all unsaved edits get lost. every pattern also has a master pattern length, that is set to 16 steps by default but can be changed to min. 1 and max. 64 steps (p15 of the manual). i didn-t have time to play with this as i got my machine just some days ago. there-s a demonstration of pattern chaining here: ruclips.net/video/QpWk7HF5fZU/видео.html
This is nice. To my ears the Perkons sounds terrible as a drum machine. The video by Blush Response is exactly what im talking about. If pure over-distorted static and noice is your thing, then the Perkons is for you.
Dropped in to say how much I’ve enjoyed your gear reviews, always a different and more honest approach than the typical “SHOCKED home alone face“ clickbaity synthfluencer reviews out there. It is very much appreciated that you put in the time to make these videos for us.
❤ I loved the honesty and humility of this man ❤
Amazing demo! Never heard these kind of sounds coming out of the Perkons before and I watched most of the existing demos!
Great video showcasing the "other" side of the Perkons, 99+% of HD-01 vids/YT channels are locked in to hardcore techno jamming with this product. I have only seen 1 add'l channel exploiting the more synth-like approach with the Perkons. Thanks for sharing Tim, and, Happy Holidays!
12:17 That Boss RT-20 Rotary gives me Star Trek vibes with its Light effects. Great video as always.
Nice to see you use it in the same way as I use it, as 4 monosynths. That specific sound on the 3 voice is great, and you should really get the Steampipe for more of those kind of sounds.
@@Owid1 I was thinking the same thing. And Steampipe has stereo out…
wow welcome back with hardware stuff
Tiiiiiiim...there you are....welcome back.
Came here to watch and hit Like right away, hehe! Thanks, Tim, for all your inspiring videos (and for always triggering that sweet, sweet GAS). 😅🎶
Seeing your new video made my day. It’s charming, and cool looking. Thanks Tim.
I think the strength of the 16 step sequencer is apparent when looking at it as a whole , especially where you are able to see the grid right in front. this approach would to me seem to indicate that this is a performance drum machine. I believe they are encouraging folks to practice creating permutations on the fly. This is a method the average improvisationalist might like, since you eliminate the load of paging over to the next 16,32 , 48 steps etc. as for its sound it sounds like an er1 or a volca drum. One thing I think is a massive pro on the Perkons is the size. I think we are a bit tired of pocket sized synth and gear and tiny knobs , it seems with the perkons you can really develop a players relationship with it based on its dimensions and UX / haptics. In my opinion the perkons is a mixed bag, I look forward to other companies implementing its workflow ideas , maybe in an analog style.
Great video as always Tim. Agree completely that this is an inspiring bit of kit. I also am finding the Teenage Engineering OP-xy to be very inspiring right now. Never gelled with the OP-1/F but the xy goes so deep and is so portable plus great sounds, synth engines, modulation capabilities and connectivity to my other synths. The Dreadbox Murmux, which you previously did a video on, is also top of my current list of gear that inspires me the most, along with the Soma Terra and Haken Continuum. I’m looking forward to diving into the Sonicware ELZ_1 Play that just arrived and hopefully I’ll be able to grab one of the Orchid synths on release from Telepathic Instruments later this week when they launch.
When are you going to do a studio tour?
Your reviews are always honest and insightful. I’m also very partial to music of your style, so it’s makes for a pleasant experience.
Well I never!! I wasn’t aware you could tune a voice. On the one hand it’s like a nice early Xmas present. On the other hand I’m now looking at A&H Z14’s. Thanks for that mate! 🤣
Top vid as always! 🥳
I would say, Tim, you are the sort of person who deserves a Perkons. 🙌👍
16 steps ... I can't believe manufacturers are still putting out limits like that. I mean in 1983 the Roland JX-3P's sequencer had 128 steps and up to 6 voices (though programming it was a pain especially if you were doing polyphonic). At the very least they should have added a way to chain the 4 sequencer lanes to make it 64 steps.
OTOH, it sounds amazing for the uses you show in the video. I've always been a huge fan of using non-drum sounds as the rhythmic element of a track. I mean, that's what made early Tangerine Dream's work so tasty. At least it was for me. I'm tempted by this machine. I really am. We'll see if my small studio can house so much real estate.
I use the midi out sometimes to trigger Ableton drumracks live. The limited sequencer is a bliss for creativity...so hands on.
At some point when listening to your improvisations I was annoyed that it sounded so familiar, and then I realized it is just because your improv style is nearly identical to me own. So I was just not surprised by it. But it is actually really very much to my taste haha. It was a weird feeling because I don't think I've ever felt that feeling of hearing something so similar to my own sensibilities done by another musician. Great stuff.
Good sounding machine, but I'm happy with my quirky gear that is 1/10 the price and gives me way more dynamics.
The 16-step sequencer is absurd. Inexcusable.
Oh come on Tim ; ) Live happily within the very flexible 16 steps of the sequencer 🎉
The trick for this and I am talking for Ambient stuff, is to slow the BPM right down so your hits are sparse, but you have all the control in front of you to be able mangle and manipulate whilst tending to other things.
I recently got rid of a Jomox AB which was too overwhelming for my needs, the kick is otherworldly.
HD 01 though seems like something that I really could gell with, time will tell.
Hope all is well and thanks for the upload.
*I just read through this a fixed some errors, I am super sick and did voice dictation, so excuse the errors that I missed* Hey Tim, great video like usual. I’ve had one since it came out and I’m not sure if you know about a lot of it features. There are features that are not even in the manual. For instance, holding down shift and any knob will do a Global adjustment on that knob. holding down any button in the sequence or will record whatever you change when turning the knobs in that channel. The clock division feature can give you a kind of fau 64 track sequencer. And when the record button is locked on every movement anywhere is recorded. There are some frustrating things for me is that it’s very difficult to get drum sounds that I like. But I have other drum machine machines to do that so I just try to make interesting things. The sweet spots are so tiny that you have to really fine tune any sound. But with the global record and step record for each Sound on every step combined with the probability and role feature, that is random, you can get this thing to sound like it does have 64 steps. I think they knew that when they put it out like this and is why they made it like this. I’m not completely in love with the sounds that they put in and I am hoping that they do a firmware update that gives it more variation, but it’s still great. Also, I find it a lot of work to fit in a mix. But I route mine directly into the DAW with Focusrite AD converters. With that and the four outputs it’s unlimited in the stereo effects inside of logic for instance. One thing I wish they would address is Getting the volume knobs for each channel to work in individual output mode. It’s kind of weird that you cannot adjust the volume when you’re mixing out through the four outputs I hope they read this and fix that. I’ve actually sent a video to them for the next version of The perkons. And just yesterday I realized that I’m going to send them a message. telling them that they need to put a shift button also on the right side of the machine and make it possible to switch kit sounds and sequences at the same time instead of having to do one then jump to the other or maybe they can do a firmware. but if they fix the lack of volume control for the four outfits, then you would get your attack. But you get the attack now if you just do mono out, and all of the effects the volume gain everything is then recordable so you can get those attack if you like. The best thing to do with this thing is to do like all the things that I had laid out here in my long rant and it really makes this thing unbelievably deep, especially how each step could be a completely different sound than the next one . I hope you don’t mind my long rant on this.
A lot of drum machines seperate outs can t be turned down, they just do the mix in the master out. So will need a mixer on all of them
Great gear! No compromission in this review.
Hope see you more in 2025! Best wishes! Cheers
(I use a simple looper and electro harmonix "space drum")
(later i got the IK UNO drum, which has goodness to offer)
Yeah, it sounds good and seems fun and inspiring to work with.
Also a great fysical design.
I can definitely see the value, even if I personally don't gonna get it this year. 😅
wow fascinating
ohhhh these are sounds i never heard from this machine 😮
@timshoebridge thanks for mixing it up. In like your color audio patch cables. Where do you get those?
Hi. It's a multicore cable.
Like you I’m not a Drum person. I have the Elektron Digi- tack/tone Mk#1 pair which between them provide all I need as far as drum sounds go. PK HD Sounds good. It appears to be a good partner for the Syntrx 2 design wise I wonder if they play well together?
Great video Tim , as to buying one don't think so, too many limitations
I as usual enjoyed your video, an interesting slant on an unusual piece of kit. But may I ask what effects pedals you were using as I am not able to see them all. Also have you had a chance to explore an ASM Hydrasynth as of yet? I would be interested to see your take on one.
You can do pattern chaining, as well as make creative use of odds, ratchets and track timing mult/divs to get past some of the limitations of 16 steps
I’m also surprised you picked up the Perkons! I love mine, while not used all the time, I appreciate the immediacy of the controls. It’s fun and never heard it as beautiful as the way you have played it. Care to weigh in the the new Erika steam pipe?
Hi Tim, I'm glad to see you have an A&H Zed 14. What do you think? Is it a good choice for mixing, perhaps also for EQing and synth routing? Is it transparent enough to not mess with the original signals? How does it compare to the SSL SiX?
Don’t take this the wrong way Tim, but I (and probably many others) kinda knew for years that drums weren’t really “your thing” judging by how you have used them… 😏
Very insightful video Tim, as always!
However, I have never really found a reason why I should buy an external sequencer (or drum machine). I have four synths with built-in sequencers, and they are all more than capable of doing what I need (especially the two from the Poly- and Matrixbrute), but also offer so much more for the money!
I use the same sequencer for a lot of different things and I think it often comes down to behaviors and preferences. A person may not necessarily gel with one sequencing style as opposed to another
@@the_glove Absolutely true!
Will watch soon. Just coming to click Like
I looked briefly at the Perkons and because of its price coupled with the “performance” slant and because of only 4 voices I stopped looking. I have an Analog RYTM and Roland TR8S currently of which the TR8S is marked as a “performance” drum machine has 8 contiguous measures using the same “kit” of about 10 sounds. The RYTM has fewer voices but a song mode. All that said the hands-on analog nature of the perkons is alluring but not so much to push me over the edge. I do hope you find the constraints productive.
What an interesting review.. I FEEL like you’re trying to go down rabbit holes with it that are a little outside the intentionality of the design? AND.. I guess I feel like your approach to electronic music, maybe might be, sorta more composer-e then how many electronic instruments are really designed.. which is something I share with you.
FOR ME the Perkons is… sorta about improvising.. with a drum machine, that as a paint brush, is a little broader then a drum machine.. I mean I don’t own one, I kinda want one, and that’s just the idea in my head about it.
I use a lot of stuff for drum machines.. not always in the traditional way.. the top ones, right now.. probably, would be the Tempest, Rytm, and DFAM.. but also a an OP-Z and Dirtywave M8.. and an MPC Live… right now I’m on the fence for pulling a trigger on an Octotrack, digitak 2, or.. I think I’m really going to get a DSI Pro 2..
But.. I don’t know.. I’m looking for performative approaches.. where stuff evolves over time.. that with creative mixing, sorta creative modular madness and signal process.. and a sorta curation to collage approach.. I’ve some how fallen into an obsession with music concrete… I’ll get somewhere? (I feel somehow stuck in a kinda early 70’s avant garde approach to electronic music that I’m trying to bend into something a little more accessible that maybe lands like a kind of “progressive” music style.
But.. yeah.. I really wanted the Perkons to be a bit more stereo.. and… I mean I do love how laterally you’re trying to use it?
Getting early tangerine dream vibes
The perkons needs thinking so the 16 steps are so much more by speeing up turining down tempo, dividing etc. Step programming. Once you understand the challenge, it s not so limited, it s challenging
It's definitely niche but it's also a niche that's otherwise pretty empty I think. No matter what you do with it, it's made to be performed. If you actually do drums, the trick is to combine tracks together and then the limited sequencer isn't really an issue anymore. As for drone or noise, I think pretty capable because it's very well equipped in terms of IO. I personally keep a couple of voices for setting the ambiance or mood of my tracks and route the rest through analogue Eurorack. It's essentially allowed me to have several digital oscillators on hand if/when I need them along with a decently strong noise and possibly rhythmic section. It begs to be paired and routed through pedals and effects. And the onboard effects are far from terrible! As for the price, honestly, there are some decent deals to be had these days.
I just wish they made a firmware for drums and an alternate firmware with more noise/drone/osc and modulation options.
actually you can chain patterns on this machine as stated on p.26 of the manual. unfortunately the description there is a little vague: you have to press and hold PATTERN, then while holding PATTERN you push the buttons where you saved your patterns one after the other. after that the machine switches your patterns in the order you pressed them before. DOWNSIDE: you can edit your patterns while playing, but as soon as the machine switches to the next pattern, it reloads the pattern from its last saved state so all unsaved edits get lost. every pattern also has a master pattern length, that is set to 16 steps by default but can be changed to min. 1 and max. 64 steps (p15 of the manual). i didn-t have time to play with this as i got my machine just some days ago. there-s a demonstration of pattern chaining here: ruclips.net/video/QpWk7HF5fZU/видео.html
This is nice. To my ears the Perkons sounds terrible as a drum machine. The video by Blush Response is exactly what im talking about. If pure over-distorted static and noice is your thing, then the Perkons is for you.
Hi Tim please consider reviewing Dteadbox Artemis
You are such a good musician , dear Tim,-
Really only have space for one drum machine, and between this and a pulsar 23.
the steampipe seems much better value
ruclips.net/video/koN_Wpja6jY/видео.htmlsi=wxNv3yQH7P0WdtDA
H90 before updates, probably great in this setup.
Don’t think it’s going to be a classic IMO
overpriced and
under featured