The drum mind of the 80s. Feel the original sound! The legend of the analog drum synthesizer is now in version 2! Hexagonal shaped Simmons electronic drums were ubiquitous on countless recordings and live performances throughout the 80s, used by artists and bands such as Genesis, King Crimson, Jean-Michel Jarre, Prince, Herbie Hancock, Pink Floyd and others. The sound turned out to be not very realistic, but the sound turned out to be its own, huge and versatile.
The most famous drum brain invented by Dave Simmons was called SDSV or SDS5, a drum synthesizer that brings synthesis to the drummer’s hands and at the same time defines the sound of a generation. The SDSV module, often used in a lazy way to create disco style tom sounds, could produce a wide range of sounds. It has excellent sharpness and sensitivity.
SDSV’s successor, SDS7, added lo-fi digital samples or FM modulation as a means to a wider range of possible sounds. The SDSV is historic analog equipment that found its way into the sound of the 80s and is still used as a secret weapon, drum layering, or centerpiece for a particular genre of music. In total, about 5,000 of these drummers were produced, so do not expect to find a worker easily and cheaply. Since there was no exact VST for this legend …
I had to make a VSDSX, a perfect replica with a lot of new features added! The instrument is dedicated to Dave Simmons …
VSDSX, which stands for Virtual Simmons Drum System Extended, provides as close as possible to real perception of each voice or, as it was called (module), accurately simulates analog sound generation, internal circuit tuning, velocity trigger sensitivity and all the details. His hybrid voices (HIHAT, CYMBAL, PROM and CLAP) are a mix of analog / digital, variable sample rate EPROM reads, perfectly emulated in real time.
It simulates SSM2044 filters, offering precise control over internal control voltages, trigger shapes, and VCA response. It also simulates the module’s response to triggering by pads or a sequencer … MIDI velocity will drastically change the synthesized sound, whether you’re using real drum trigger detection or in a piano roll.
The VSDSX offers multiple outputs for your DAW, giving you legendary analog power!
On top of that, one voice can load your own external EPROM (digital sample) data, just like a real SDS1 pad (based on EPROM), offering a whole new range of sounds. The SDSX is now on version 2 and includes, among other things, the perfectly emulated Simmons Digital ClapTrap module, a clap synthesizer that combines a variable sample rate digital source combined with analog tonal noise and the original feature of the device was never to play the same sound twice … Although integrated into VSDSX, as a bonus, a dedicated plug-in is provided with stereo expansion and chromatic trigger capability (for each note).
The VSDSX itself provides a powerful synthetic drum sound and can also be used with great efficiency when layering drums. Automation and modulation options can turn this thing into a crazy creative sound source. Using it for layering with VPROM can create a funky sound combining analog and early digital!
