Tempest has officially been retired.

[LoboLives]

"After nearly 9 years, Sequential’s 6-voice analog drum synth, Tempest, is retiring. Co-developed by Dave Smith and noted instrument designer Roger Linn, Tempest has been embraced by musicians from a wide range of genres for both live performance and studio recording.
Dave Smith had this to say: “Our users have put Tempest to a lot of really creative uses over the years. but a time comes when every good instrument deserves its place in the great electronic retirement community in the sky. On the bright side, we’re as busy as ever designing new products, and we’ll be telling you about some of these in the next couple of months. So stay tuned!”
To get one of the remaining Tempests while stock lasts, check with your authorized dealer or contact us at sequential.com/ask-sequential for referrals."

I seriously cannot wait for what Dave or Roger have planned next.

[AdamXAudio]

I do wonder if they have another drum machine coming and that's why they mentioned new products at the end of their statement. It's probably just Dave reiterating their progress and commitment to new synths. Either way 9 years is a great run for the Tempest and I'm very glad to own one!

[LoboLives]

I do wonder if they have another drum machine coming and that's why they mentioned new products at the end of their statement. It's probably just Dave reiterating their progress and commitment to new synths. Either way 9 years is a great run for the Tempest and I'm very glad to own one!

Personally I don't see another drum machine from Sequential but I'm with you on the fact that I'm glad I own a Tempest. I think even if a successor were to come out, I'd still keep the original Tempest and run them together

[Stoss]

RIP... except for mine... it will see no rest. 

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

No rest for mine either...
Just hooked up the Prophet knobs and ready to blow things up She’s such a beauty now!

[Jonas]

Several times a month, I get messages on Facebook, Reddit, & YouTube asking me "how to" questions from folks who are interested in buying the unit.  (Many of those who write me seem to be on the fence between the Tempest and an Elektron RYTM.)  I was surprised to hear this news that they are retiring it.  I just don't see it in my mind that Sequential will release a new rhythm instrument as their next release, but I'm excited to know what they are up to now.  It would be rad if Roger Linn made another drum machine!  I really haven't used my Tempest in the way that he intended for it, as a performance instrument.  But I love it and I use it every week and I'm always finding new ways to use it in songs or discovering new ways to hook it up with the individual outs.  Either way, I'm very glad I have a Tempest and I often think of buying another since my never have enough room for recalling all of my earlier projects, without having to to a sysex session in MidiOx. 

Here's a photo of mine sitting on Dave's desk at the Sequential office:

[John the Savage]

It would be rad if Roger Linn made another drum machine!

 See attached...

[AdamXAudio]

It would be rad if Roger Linn made another drum machine!

 See attached...

Nice! Are there any public details on the Linn Drum 2? I assume it's all top-secret still, but maybe he's made some statements I missed out on.

[LoboLives]

It would be rad if Roger Linn made another drum machine!

 See attached...

It's horrible

I love it

What is it?

[John the Savage]

That's the current prototype of the LinnDrum II.

Same MPE-capable, multidimensional touch surface as the LinnStrument, only with larger drum pads, etc.  It will be sample-based, with sample manipulation, and the ability to sample or load your own sounds.  That's all I can say. 

Cheers!

[John the Savage]

Sorry, that sounded cheeky.  To be clear, I don't have one.

Those are Roger's words, and that's all he's been willing to divulge thus far. 

Cheers!

[Stoss]

See attached...

Very, very, very, very curious. And super excited!!!

[muleskinner]

I still don't think there's a 6 voice fully multi-timbral analog poly that competes with the Tempest is there? I've certainly seen nothing I'd want to replace mine with. In fact it's probably going to get more use than ever as I begin integrating it properly with my (small) euro setup.

[whyfarer]

I still don't think there's a 6 voice fully multi-timbral analog poly that competes with the Tempest is there? I've certainly seen nothing I'd want to replace mine with. In fact it's probably going to get more use than ever as I begin integrating it properly with my (small) euro setup.

Not to derail this thread too much, but could you share more on how you're integrating the tempest with a euro setup? Color me interested...

[John the Savage]

I still don't think there's a 6 voice fully multi-timbral analog poly that competes with the Tempest is there?

I agree.  Pound for dollar, it's a near-perfect poly.

However, to this day, there remains no dotted-8th time division for the LFO, and I will never forgive Chris for not fixing that.  Seriously, it's only the most ubiquitous syncopation in all of popular music.  I literally informed him of that oversight, day one, and he said "Oops!  Ya, I'll fix that...", and never did.  And that, my friends, in so many words, is why the Tempest's OS ended up such a mess.  Even in the final push to fix the OS, this was never revisited.  As a musician, never mind that we're talking about the basic functionality of a dedicated RHYTHM machine, this is absurd and inconceivable.

Plus, any synth in my rig, poly or otherwise, has to have the option of a legato mode; which, of course, was also documented, promised, and never delivered.  I literally bought the Tempest based on that one spec.  I mean, who thinks synth drums and basslines, and doesn't bank on having a legato functionality?

That's a rhetorical question.  You're not obligated to answer.   

Cheers!

[muleskinner]

I still don't think there's a 6 voice fully multi-timbral analog poly that competes with the Tempest is there? I've certainly seen nothing I'd want to replace mine with. In fact it's probably going to get more use than ever as I begin integrating it properly with my (small) euro setup.

Not to derail this thread too much, but could you share more on how you're integrating the tempest with a euro setup? Color me interested...

Well, I haven't done it yet - future plans!

But, what I intend to do is find a module that converts gate signals to MIDI and use that (I know these exist but haven't researched thoroughly). If I can't find one of those that suits my purposes I'll be doing it via the computer (I know, I know) using something like the Expert Sleepers ES-9 and Reaktor or Voltage Modular. Probably Voltage Modular as I've been experimenting with that and it's pretty easy to code your own modules in Java so I know I could write something that will do exactly what I want.

[Stoss]

I still don't think there's a 6 voice fully multi-timbral analog poly that competes with the Tempest is there? I've certainly seen nothing I'd want to replace mine with. In fact it's probably going to get more use than ever as I begin integrating it properly with my (small) euro setup.

Not to derail this thread too much, but could you share more on how you're integrating the tempest with a euro setup? Color me interested...

Well, I haven't done it yet - future plans!

But, what I intend to do is find a module that converts gate signals to MIDI and use that (I know these exist but haven't researched thoroughly). If I can't find one of those that suits my purposes I'll be doing it via the computer (I know, I know) using something like the Expert Sleepers ES-9 and Reaktor or Voltage Modular. Probably Voltage Modular as I've been experimenting with that and it's pretty easy to code your own modules in Java so I know I could write something that will do exactly what I want.

I’m not into modular, but I had spent some time thinking about how to best trigger some LepLoop and Simmons drum modules via MIDI. I stumbled across a company called Ladik which makes a ton of useful modules. For your use, maybe the M-217 or M-218 would do the trick.

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=7

[Leviathant]

Plus, any synth in my rig, poly or otherwise, has to have the option of a legato mode; which, of course, was also documented, promised, and never delivered.  I literally bought the Tempest based on that one spec.  I mean, who thinks synth drums and basslines, and doesn't bank on having a legato functionality?

Legato! That's the never-added feature from the original manual that I was trying to remember on another forum. I don't typically use my Tempest for anything but percussion, so it was easy for me to forget.

For a while, mine was free-running LFOs, and I was fortunate enough to eventually get those. Essential for synthesized handclaps, snares, & hihats if you don't want machinegun drum rolls.

I don't have any expectations of a Tempest successor coming out of Sequential, and if Linn's new machine is sample based, that ain't it either. I'm sure that in about three years, I'm going to regret not having bought a second Tempest on the cheap. I don't think their prices will go into the Roland Vintage stratosphere, but if you look at what it costs to get a Poly Evolver Keyboard today, that's the future for the Tempest. If you can land one used for close to a grand now and you've been sitting on the fence, now is the time to make that jump.

[Howling Terror]

When it came out there wasn't anything like it. The news that an analog drum machine by Smith and Linn had me hooked from the get-go.
Took some serious tightening of the belt to afford one.
Then followed the 'update years' with endless firmware fixes, but it was plain to see that the multi OS was creaking despite Chris doing his level best to massage the Tempest and its users.
DSI, in hindsight could've/should've done things differently including that 'possible sample import' line on the sales page.
The quality and choice of samples left a lot to be desired and not to mention the etc, so on and so forth.

Yet here I am with 'Tempy' on my desk, still rewarding me, still the first bit of kit I take with me when going on holiday or taking to jam sessions. Occasionally appears on my releases and everything still physically works and if something doesn't, then I've seen evidence that the company will fix it.

Got its own sound, its own vibe. A special instrument.

[muleskinner]

I’m not into modular, but I had spent some time thinking about how to best trigger some LepLoop and Simmons drum modules via MIDI. I stumbled across a company called Ladik which makes a ton of useful modules. For your use, maybe the M-217 or M-218 would do the trick.

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=7

You've been reading my mail 😁

Thanks - those are exactly the modules I was thinking about. I'm tempted (at some point) to get one of each but I think I'll start with the M-218, less triggers but the 'strength' of the trigger gets converted to MIDI velocity. Modules seem to be well thought of over on Muffwiggler.