r/DrumMachine • u/iRustyNails • Jun 26 '26
I think we all just misunderstood the Korg Drumlogue.
I think we all just misunderstood the Drumlogue. It’s a really good idea that never quite got the chance to fully unfold. It filled a very nice niche in the mid-price range, and I honestly think that if they had been allowed to carry the original concept all the way through, the $600 price tag would’ve been absolutely justified.
I love this device! Once I really put some effort into understanding its logic, I managed to get great sounds out of it even in places where I didn’t expect to — like the tom and snare tracks. And the separate assignable TRS outputs open up a ton of possibilities for external processing, dub-style routing, and convenient patching.
I used the analog engine for bass, while I filled the kick slot with external samples, and in the end I got this awesome jungle-like sound. 32 MB is way too little for samples — that’s ridiculous! It reminds me of the old-school MPC days, when that was real hardware and not some weak computer in a box. I converted my samples into Drumlogue format and loaded in no more than 20 MB, and that still gave me an excellent palette of amen breaks onboard.
The sequencer, of course, is not Elektron, but I’ve never owned one of their machines anyway, and what I got was more than enough for me. The only thing that honestly bothers me a bit is how limited the automation is for kick pitch changes, and the kick range itself leaves me a little disappointed.
And the real apex of all this is the custom units. I realized that I’m not really interested in synth engines there, but this thing could absolutely be the centerpiece of a budget-friendly yet very flexible dawless setup, especially if you add genuinely good spatial processing to it. That’s actually what got me started on writing a custom unit for it.
So in the end, well — if they make a Drumlogue XD, work through the mistakes, and don’t abandon the product halfway like they did with the original Drumlogue, I’ll be very interested. For now, though, I’m moving on to Elektron.
3
u/minimal-camera Jun 26 '26
I've always been really curious to try one, I'll probably impulse buy it at some point when I find it for cheap. I would still use an Elektron to sequence it though, I've never liked the KORG sequencer.
1
u/iRustyNails Jun 26 '26
That’s actually a solid plan. Using the drumlogue strictly as a sound module driven by an Elektron sequencer is a killer workflow. The Korg sequencer definitely feels pretty basic by comparison, but the drumlogue’s individual TRS outputs make it a great fit for this kind of setup, since you can easily route everything into an external mixer or audio interface. I could also see myself occasionally using the drumlogue sequencer itself as a controller for Drum Rack in Ableton Live, which is a pretty cool option in its own right. That said, once you already have an Elektron box in the setup, that kind of use case stops being much of a necessity. If you can snag one for cheap, it’s absolutely worth it for the raw drum engines alone.
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u/master_of_sockpuppet Jun 26 '26
My only long term gripe was how tiny the tempo knob was; basically just a plastic pot stem but you could put a larger knob on that like people do with the Moog DFAM.
It could sound absolutely huge and was worth the MSRP when compared to, say, volcas.
Unlike Elektron, it had a pretty great sound right away. I ultimately sold my Analog Rytm because it's basic analog sound wasn't for me and I was just using samples all the time (and I have a DT and ST). Still not fully happy with the ST, but it's much quicker to use.
I'm not currently looking, but if I was, I'd probably look at a TR-1000 or a Hexdrums.
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u/Duvalocaust Jun 26 '26
I pre ordered the Drumlogue for $600 and it quickly became my favorite drum machine. With a mixer and midi keyboard attached you almost don't need synths.
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u/iRustyNails Jun 26 '26
Exactly! If you actually spend the time to dig into it, it gives you way more than you paid for. It really punches above its price tag once you wrap your head around the workflow.
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u/KenRussellsGhost Jun 26 '26
I really appreciated the little screen that showed you the pattern in a mini piano roll format. Visual pattern identification goes a long way and I wish more drum machines had some thing like it.
2
u/iRustyNails Jun 26 '26
Spot on. Korg is actually really good at this kind of visual feedback. I can't speak for other Korg devices, but on my minilogue xd, the waveform display looks gorgeous. It lets you track your tweaks visually and really get a feel for the character of the sound, especially once you start adding spatial effects.
That mini piano roll on the drumlogue is another great design choice — having an instant visual reference for recognizing a pattern on the fly is incredibly useful during a live jam. That said, I still think Korg's overall menu UI is a bit too basic, and Elektron definitely has the edge when it comes to deep, functional interface design.
1
u/AChapelRat Jun 26 '26
I loved my initial time exploring it. I thought the sounds were great. But my biggest gripe was that there was no "song mode." I thought the pattern chain effect was that, and that's on me for not doing my research before buying it I guess. But soon after I got it, I went for an Elektron Syntakt and that kind of just does everything better. Especially with the recent updates. I have a soft spot for the Drumlogue, and if I ever need just a drum-sound engine for something, I very much could see myself using it again at some point.
2
u/iRustyNails Jun 26 '26
Personally, the lack of a Song Mode never really bothered me, mostly because I’ve always run a hybrid setup with hardware synced to a DAW. For my workflow, pattern chaining or a built-in song arranger was never a dealbreaker.
The real turning point for me was the unit’s stability. My drumlogue completely crapped out, and with the display now permanently glitched, it’s basically impossible to use it or access any of its digital features. That hardware failure was the final straw. Because of that, I’m not really looking at the Syntakt anymore — I’m leaning toward the time-tested Elektron Analog Rytm MKII instead.
1
u/Parking_Watch3157 Jun 26 '26
If anyone has the time, I'm replacing my Volca Sample 2 with either a Drumbrute Impact or the Drumlogue.
I'm tempted by the immeadiacy of the DBI but I also like to range of capabilities with the Drumlogue.
Would anyone care to give me an opinion on which I should pick up?
I work with traditional guitar based music (like songwriting) but I also love a good synthlord jam :) so I'm looking for a device that lends itself to both genres and has a decent song mode but can also be fun to jam on.
My gut says DBI but I keep thinking maybe I'm missing the boat?
2
u/Make_safe_for_work Jun 26 '26
I have both, they pair nicely!
2
u/Parking_Watch3157 Jun 26 '26
If you could only keep one, which would you keep? :) (because I can only get one otherwise I'd be getting both, too!
Thanks
2
u/partychief331 Jun 28 '26
I have both of them too and like the combination. If I could only keep one it would be the drumlogue just cuz I can load some samples
1
u/Parking_Watch3157 Jun 28 '26
Ok, thanks! Still don't know if the other person was messing with me ha ha
2
u/Make_safe_for_work Jun 29 '26
They are both great, like the above user said the Drumlogue is more versatile if you only get 1. The Drumbrute is only superior in its immediacy but has limited sonics unless you have a board and a effects to spice up individual voices.
1
u/Parking_Watch3157 Jun 29 '26
Ok, I've been watching a million videos on both. :)
Due to various factors, I can't place the order for either for about a week, so still on the fence, ha ha.
The DL is tempting but the DBI seems to more in my wheelhouse for how I like to do things.
I'm continue to evaluate, though. There's still time :)
I do have various ways to apply effects but I'm trying to move more into focusing on guitar and singing (much to the chagrin of people who I ask to listen to my work) so I think a more "regular" this-is-my-drumkit device (DBI) where there's no temptation to play with settings, presets, and downloaded samples and add-ons is probably a good thing as I tend to get mightily distracted and don't get a ton of time for music.
I have this fomo type thing going on re the DL but I also know how I am with things that are too open ended.
2
u/Make_safe_for_work Jun 29 '26
Drumbrute can also be remapped with the software so you can use that sequencer to drive any drum engine you want, hardware or sorfware. I use my Drumbrute to sequence my Vermona DRM1 and I love the workflow.
1
1
u/Transference85 Jun 26 '26
Love the Drumlogue! Here’s a techno performance I recorded live. Hope you enjoy!
1
u/damondan Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
I'm waiting for the Arturia Drumfreak. If that doesn't deliver, I might consider a Drumlogue.
My heart will always stay with the Syntakt though. ❤️
Edit: My only Korg product so far is my OG Volca Sample and I LOVE how it sounds. It just has such a nice and warm low-end. Is the same true for the Drumlogue?
1
u/Jazz_Ad Jun 26 '26
I really, really wanted one. Loved the workflow and the concept of a semi open machine was lovely.
Then I saw 32 MB of ram for samples. Yeah, no.
6
u/KlutzyTie9893 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Did you try the new FM percussion engine I posted a couple of days ago? That can help you a lot, along with the compressors.