MusicRadar Verdict
At present the omissions make DM1 more of a casual plaything than a serious proposition. We can't deny that we had fun with it, though.
Pros
- +
A lot of fun. Repeat button makes for easy recording. Choice of 29 drum kits.
Cons
- -
Some effects only work on iPad 2. No sample import, AudioCopy or MIDI I/O yet. Only on iPad and iPad 2.
MusicRadar's got your back
Fingerlabs' DM1 is a slickly designed drum machine app based around a familiar pattern grid.
Tapping a step activates the drum sound for that beat, and double-tapping will make the note louder. Patterns can be arranged into songs and you can toggle between song and step mode.
A swing function is available. A mixer offers control over each drum's pitch, level and length.
You can select drums from the 29 available kits for each channel as desired. Kits include classics like the Roland CR-78 and TR-909, as well as original stuff.
You can record beats in with pads, selecting between "add" and "replace" modes, and there's a nifty Repeat ribbon that allows you to trigger and record repetitions of a given sound.
The FX page provides a pair of X/Y pads and effects like Delay, Phaser, Texturizer and Robotizer. These last three are only available for iPad 2, however.
As of version 1.0.1, there's no sample import, AudioCopy or MIDI I/O, although all are promised.
Computer Music magazine is the world’s best selling publication dedicated solely to making great music with your Mac or PC computer. Each issue it brings its lucky readers the best in cutting-edge tutorials, need-to-know, expert software reviews and even all the tools you actually need to make great music today, courtesy of our legendary CM Plugin Suite.
Fingerboard care basics: 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
“How long will Shergold be one of the unknown pleasures of electric guitar if it carries on making guitars as good as this?”: Shergold Masquerader Standard SM11 review
NAMM 2025: “A solid body electric guitar built around one idea: Playfulness”: Verso unveils Sine, a totally unique electric guitar with three-dimensional pickup movement for “a new layer of expressiveness”