The final run has sold out.
If you want a cooler version of the Bleep Drum, check out the Hanan Cumbia, a device made by Oficina de Sonido based on the open source Bleep Drum code.
The Bleep Drum was an Arduino (ATmega328) based lo-fi rad-fi drum machine designed by Dr. Bleep. It was originally sold from 2013-2016, first for Dam Funk as the Dam Drum, then as the Bleep Drum.
– Four sounds, two with pitch control
– Wonderfully crunchy 8 bit DAC output at ~10kHz sample rate
– Available with and without a MIDI input (implementation info)
– Four selectable sequences with 32 steps each.
– Record patterns just by playing them. The built in quantizer keeps hits where you want them.
– Click track
– Tap tempo
– Reverse mode
– Noise mode (expanded in new version)
– 9V battery powered
– “Stereo” 1/8″ output (see “How do you listen to it?” below)
Trigger input modification guideKit instructions
Chip replacement guide
User Guide with MIDI and hacking info
Code, schematic, and PCB files
How do you listen to it?
The Bleep Drum has a phased stereo 1/8″ output. This means that through headphones it will sound nice and huge even though it’s really just a mono signal that’s phase is flipped on the other channel.
To plug it into a mixer, amp, USB interface, etc, a mono cable must be used.
Can I add my own sounds?
Yes! See this guide for all the details. All you need is an Arduino UNO or another way to program an ATmega328. The device has 2 seconds of sample storage total.
MIDI?
Midi implementation guide here.
The device can receive MIDI notes to trigger the sounds and other options as well as MIDI CCs to change the pitches but it can’t do MIDI clock unfortunately. There’s only so much the little chip can handle.
Modular triggers??
See this guide. It’s a pretty simple circuit that will allow you to activate the sounds using your modular.
Charity form bleep drum 2020 sales
June and July were Voix Noire, and The Trans Justice Funding Project.
August and September were Austin ECHO and RAICES.
Oct – Dec were Houston Food bank and RAICES
Jan – Feb Austin Mutual aid
