DM2 iPad drum machine ditches the samples in favour of synthesis

The sample-based DM1 has proven to be one of the most enduringly popular iPad drum machines, and now the core team that developed it has released Audionomy's DM2, which promises a new approach to drum synthesis.

As well as offering features that are common to a multitude of drum machines - a step sequencer, pads, a mixer and FX, for example - this also includes a graphic editor for editing your sounds. You get plenty of factory drum kits, and sounds from these can be mixed and matched.

Once you've created some patterns you can stitch them together to create songs.

Compatible with the iPad only, DM2 is available now from the Apple App Store for the '40% off' introductory price of £3.99/$4.99. Find out how its editor works in the video below.

DM2 features

  • Retina Display
  • Graphic design by Jonas Eriksson
  • Pure Data powered audio engine with dynamic rendering
  • Ready-made electronic drum kits
  • Step Sequencer with multi-touch matrix
  • 16 or 32 Steps per patterns
  • Polymetric Sequencer
  • Powerful graphic editor for Audio Synthesis
  • That offers for each sound:
  • A mix of an oscillator (Sin|Triangle|Sawtooth|Square) and a noise generator
  • Two self-oscillating filters (lowpass|bandpass|hipass)
  • Two volume envelopes (exponential|linear|clap)
  • A pitch modulator for the oscillator (exponential|lfo|random)
  • A distortion effect to boost or crush your sound
  • A stereo switch
  • Copy and Paste sounds
  • Swap sounds between two tracks
  • 9 Pads to play and record patterns
  • With Beat Repeat effect
  • Full screen Mixer with volume, pan and solo mode for each track
  • 4 FX Pads for your Master Effects chain : Compressor | Overdrive >>> Phaser | Chorus >>> Delay >>> Reverb
  • Mode song with fast editing and patterns repeat
  • Audio background mode
  • Audiobus support
  • Full MIDI implementation
  • Inter-App Audio support
  • Ableton Link compatible
Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.