About the LM-2 Linndrum (essential part of the 'A-ha - Take On Me' drumsound) emulation "VPROM" and tape simulation / saturation for e-drumming 😊👉


As you propably already know, I'm a big fan of drum machines (btw, may they be"vintage" or not 😄) and love to have them available on my e-drums with fully functionable open/closed hihat engines.

One jewel is the Linndrum emulation "VPROM" by Aly James Lab ❗️.
So much more authentic and lively and versatile than just loading stiff Linndrum oneshot samples into a sampler.
Check out the benefit in this video: https://youtu.be/69eiEPfSI3A?t / especially at the following timestamp: https://youtu.be/69eiEPfSI3A?t=938

Btw, playing all the sounds from the Vprom LM2 preset on e-drums is soooo much fun ‼️ It's just brilliant 👌😍. So check them out!

Of course the presented A-ha 'LM-2' sound ( https://youtu.be/69eiEPfSI3A?t=997 ) is not only achieved by the virtual instrument itself, but additionally by some audio effects like Tape Saturation, EQ, Reverb and Compression.
The result in the video is really nice but unfortunately we can't use the Baby Audio "Taipe" on e-drums because it adds way too much latency. So I tried a bunch of Tape Simulation and saturation tools and combinations and as I didn't want to be limited to Logic Pro, I had to replace the Logic onboard IR reverb and the EQ and the Compressor as well.

📢 Got super nice results with the following effect chain :

∙ Tape/Saturation : 1. Soundtoys "Decapitator" + 2. FabFilter "Saturn2" + 3. Softube "Tape" ∙∙ (or 1. FabFilter "Saturn2" + 2. Soundtoys "Devil-Loc" + 3. Softube "Tape")
+
∙ EQ : 4 . FabFilter "Pro Q2"
+
∙ Reverb/Room : 5. Valhalla "Vinage Verb" + 6. FabFilter "Pro R"
+
∙ Comp : 7. FabFilter "Pro C2" or Softube "VCA Compressor" + 8. Plugin Alliance "Vertigo VSC-2"
+
(finally an additional) 9. FabFilter "Pro Q2"

----

Latency:

my audio interface: 2.3ms ASIO output from "RME AIO Pro" (44.1 kHz / 64 samples buffer size)

+ additional audio effect latency: "Decapitator or Devil-Loc" + "Saturn2" (8 x oversampling mode) + "Softube Tape") = 1.6ms

---

Tools like "Saturn2" and "Softube Tape + VCA Compressor" are really super suitable for real-time audio as their latency is below 10 samples (" = 0 ms" is shown). And they sound awesome ❗️

Can live totally fine with that marginal additional latency as my system stays below 7ms
(even when using "Pro C2" 2x oversampling, it would be at 8ms in total.)

Testing around with tape simulation and saturation is really an eye(and of course ear)-opener about what these tools can achieve. IMO it's really important to gain experience with this topic because it's very relevant to drum sound and audio production in general in many ways.
The result will put a big smile on your face! 😊

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Candy for you :
Sign up on this new forum and you'll get my exact effect chain (all settings) in a Reaper project (works instanly with Roland mapping (all VPROM LM2 sounds are mapped and the hihat engine works properly)) and you can start playing that super nice & authentic vintage drum machine with that unique 'A-ha - Take On Me' drum sound.


ENJOY❗️😊



'A-ha - Take On Me' drumsound (timestamp: 16:25):