Erica Synths and the now-defunct Hexinverter Électronique have teamed up to reveal an upcoming drum machine – HexDrums. This is an analog beast, built on the foundation of the legendary Mutant Drum series, now reborn as a powerful desktop instrument ready for both stage and studio use.
Analog foundation, modern form
HexDrums offers 10 sound sources based mainly on the iconic Eurorack Mutant Drum modules. Included are:
- 2 bass drums (BD9 and classic Bass Drum)
- Snare, Clap, Rimshot, and Hi-Hats
- A modified Mutant Machine
- Erica Synths Cymbals – 10 sets of crash and ride samples
Each instrument features dedicated sound-shaping parameters. Every channel has its own output, while the master channel includes stereo panning, a compressor, and a Master Drive circuit (borrowed from the Mutant Glue). A kick-triggered sidechain? That’s included too.
Advanced yet intuitive sequencer
HexDrums is not just about sound – it also features a hands-on sequencer: up to 64 steps, per-track accents, microtiming, ratchets, rolls, per-step probability, and 16 banks with 16 patterns each. Designed for real-time groove tweaking – no touchscreens, just tactile control.
I/O and connectivity
- Individual outputs for each channel
- Stereo main output
- Headphone output
- Clock In
- MIDI DIN In/Out
- USB
A vision that survived the pandemic
“Our goal was always to create a desktop drum machine built on Mutant Drum DNA,” says Stacy Gaudreau of Hexinverter. “We started working on it before the pandemic – I’m thrilled that Erica Synths was able to complete the vision.”
Check it out at Wired Tunes
Erica Synths HexDrums is expected to hit the market later this year – follow Wired Tunes and stay tuned. If you're looking for raw analog power paired with deep sequencing, this could be your next drum machine.
