Moog DFAM

The Moog DFAM (Drummer From Another Mother) is anything but an ordinary synthesizer: It has an almost unique focus on creating percussive sounds. So it's a drum machine? Well, not quite. It's perfectly possible to use it to create melodies and pads, but the approach is refreshingly different. The DFAM has two analogue oscillators, a noise generator, Moog's 24dB/octave ladder filter, and three envelopes for shaping oscillator pitch, filter cutoff, and amplitude. This might make the sound synthesis options sound limited compared to other synths, but that's simply not the case. Instead of giving producers ready-made drum hits, it creates them whole-cloth using analogue synthesis. Much of this is driven by the built-in eight-step sequencer, whose steps can influence pitch and dynamics, delivering punchy kicks, metallic zaps, and even simple melodies. The Moog DFAM can do far more than meets the eye – or ears.

Moog's Drummer From Another Mother is an instrument that doesn't seem like a necessity – until suddenly, it is. The range of sounds it's capable of and the amount of exploration it encourages can be almost overwhelming, while the semi-modular patchbay provides considerable scope for expanding its synthesis architecture even without additional equipment. Unlike modern grooveboxes and drum machines, though, the DFAM offers no way to save sounds or sequences. Every change and adjustment is made entirely using the dials and patch cables, so users would be well-advised to record their most interesting creations immediately – exact replication is often impossible. Anyone looking for a traditional drum machine is likely to be disappointed, but artists prepared to experiment in search of unusual rhythms and entirely new sounds will find plenty to explore.