Tempest is a new analog drum machine, introduced at the 2011 NAMM Show. Tempest is a collaboration between Dave Smith and longtime friend and fellow instrument designer Roger Linn. Though they've consulted with each other on past projects, Tempest marks the first time a product will carry both the Dave Smith Instruments and Roger Linn Design logos. "If you're going to make a drum machine, who better to have in your corner than Roger Linn?" said Smith, referring to Linn's legacy as inventor of the digital drum machine.

Though Smith is also responsible for some fine drum machines—most notably Sequential's DrumTraks and Studio 440—Tempest is his first to utilize analog synthesis to generate the sounds. "We've designed a very flexible new synth voice for Tempest," said Smith. Linn added, "The design of Tempest reflects a rethinking of what a drum machine needs to be in the current era. It's not so much a drum machine as a new musical performance instrument for the creation, manipulation, and arrangement of beat-oriented music, with an intuitive and efficient use of human gestures."

Tempest's 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads are arranged in an 8 x 2 array to facilitate both real-time and step entry of beats. Two pressure- and position-sensitive Note FX slide controllers provide a unique new method of performance and control.

"We're very excited about Tempest," said Smith. "It's an instrument with a lot of personality and it's great fun to play. It has been a long time since there has been anything new in the drum machine world."

• Affordable, fully programmable poly synth with a 100% analog signal path
• Classic, real analog sound – including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filter
• Four-part multitimbral capability with four separate outputs
• Combo Mode for huge unison patches, stacked sequences, and 'modular-style' poly sounds
• Expandable: poly chain with other Tetras, Prophet '08, and Mopho for expanded polyphony
• Just 7.9' x 5' (20.07 cm x 12.7 cm)
• Free editor for Mac OS and Windows

• Monstrous four oscillator voice architecture: two analog and two digital
• True stereo signal path with separate Curtis analog low-pass filters in each channel
• Dedicated onboard effects (feedback, delay, distortion, high-pass filter, etc.)
• Highly accessible sound control for easy, intuitive operation: 58 knobs and 33 switches
• 16 x 4 step sequencer really brings the Evolver to life with evolving “pseudo-polyphonic” sounds – you won’t believe it's mono!
• Stereo audio input for audio processing of external stereo or mono signals, enabling the synth to act as a unique stereo effects processor
• Everything (sequencer, LFOs, and delay) syncs perfectly to MIDI
• Easy-to-navigate matrix-style interface for quick editing and real-time control of 8 parameters simultaneously
• Multiple Evolvers can be daisy-chained for increased polyphony

• The only affordable, full-featured polysynth with a 100% analog signal path.
• Classic, real analog sound—including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filters—married to a modern feature set.
• Compact size, huge sound.
• Tons of knobs for direct, real-time editing and performance.

• The only affordable, full-featured polysynth with a 100% analog signal path.
• Classic, real analog sound—including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filters—married to a modern feature set.
• Small footprint, huge sound.
• Tons of knobs for direct, real-time editing and performance.
• Used as an expander, increases polyphony of another Prophet '08 to 16 voices.

• Affordable, fully programmable mono synth with a 100% analog signal path
• Classic, real analog sound—including legendary Curtis analog low-pass filter
• Process external audio through the filter and envelopes
• Just 7.5" x 5" (19.05 cm x 12.7 cm)
• Free editor for Mac OS and Windows

• Monstrous four oscillator voice architecture.
• True stereo signal path with separate Curtis analog low-pass filters in each channel.
• Dedicated onboard effects (feedback, delay, distortion, high-pass filter, etc.).
• 16 x 4 step sequencer really brings the Evolver to life with evolving “pseudo-polyphonic” sounds – you won’t believe it's mono!
• Stereo audio input for audio processing of external stereo or mono signals, enabling the synth to act as a unique stereo effects processor.
• Everything (sequencer, LFOs, and delay) syncs perfectly to MIDI.
• Easy-to-navigate matrix-style interface for quick editing and real-time control of 8 parameters simultaneously.
• Multiple Evolvers can be daisy-chained for more polyphony.

• Each voice is a complete Evolver with four oscillators per voice, two analog and two digital
• True stereo signal path with separate Curtis analog low-pass filters in each channel for each voice. Each voice has its own independent effects (feedback, delay, distortion, high-pass filter, etc.)
• Highly accessible sound control for easy, intuitive operation: 78 knobs and 58 switches
• Clocked, pulsing blue LEDs and hardwood end-panels
• Each voice has an independent 16 x 4 step sequencer. Everything (sequencer, LFOs, and delay) syncs perfectly to MIDI.
• In Program mode, all four voices play the same sound. In Combo mode, voices can be allocated however desired: stack all 4 for a huge unison sound, split or layer the keyboard in any configuration, and/or play one or all sequences at the same time. Each voice can respond to a different MIDI channel
• Each voice has its own stereo output in addition to the mix and headphones outputs
• Stereo audio input that can be routed to any or all of the voices, enabling parallel audio processing of external stereo or mono signals. The output of one voice can be routed to the input of another for interesting double-processing effects