Drum Machine
The drum machine in five languages — drum machine, boîte à rythmes, Drumcomputer, macchina ritmica
Related
Five languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 鼓机 |
| English | drum machine |
| Italian | drum machine (from English; also macchina ritmica) |
| German | Drumcomputer / Rhythmusmaschine |
| French | boîte à rythmes |
A drum machine plays percussion sounds from a programmed sequence, generating them by synthesis or sampling. English names the machine, French boîte à rythmes calls it a "rhythm box", and German Drumcomputer files it under computers. Each name catches one face: machine, box, program.
Watch out: a drum machine is not a drum kit, and not the same as electronic drums. A kit is struck by a player, electronic drums are a playable electronic kit, while a drum machine is closer to a sequencer that drums; early models were programmed with knobs and buttons, and software drum machines still use the step grid.
Read deeper → Drum Kit
Sources
- 各语种乐器名依通行音乐术语词典（参 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "Drum machine"）；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.