New Wave Drums – 1979 Analog Drum Machine (One-Shot Pack)

Travel back to the early 1980s new wave era with New Wave Drums, a one-shot sample pack featuring 369 analog drum and percussion samples crafted on a 1979 Pearl Syncussion drum synth (clone). This kit is a treasure trove of vintage drum machine sounds – the very tones used by new wave and synth-pop legends like New Order, O.M.D., The Human League, and Soft Cell. Now you can infuse that same iconic character into your tracks, whether you’re aiming for retro authenticity or fresh inspiration with an 80s twist.

• Authentic 80s Drum Synth Tones: All sounds were created using an analog clone of the Pearl Syncussion SY-1 (circa 1979), a drum synthesizer famous for its use in 80s new wave. We captured its raw, warm analog hits – from deep bass drums to zappy synth toms – giving you an instant new wave toolkit.

• Huge Variety – 369 One-Shots: This pack is absolutely loaded. You get classic analog kick drums (808-like thumps), snappy white-noise snares, hi-hats with that crisp synth edge, melodic toms and bells that can double as synth notes, plus plenty of quirky FX percussion. We even designed binaural stereo hits (two slightly different tones for left/right) for an extra luxurious stereo effect that wasn’t even possible back in 1979!

• Iconic and Modern Inspirations: The sounds in New Wave Drums aren’t just historically accurate – they’re flat out timeless. Aside from 80s heroes, modern artists like M83 and Aphex Twin have tapped into the Syncussion’s sound on recent albums. By using this pack, you’re harnessing a drum palette that spans decades of influence, from post-punk to synthwave.

• Analog Grit, No Expensive Gear Needed: Original Pearl Syncussion units (and even clones) can be pricey or hard to find. With this pack, you get the majority of its sonic range for just $25 – a fraction of the cost of hardware. Every sample carries the organically imperfect analog character – subtle variations, rich harmonics – that ITB synths often lack. No static, lifeless samples here.

• Ready-to-Use Format: All 369 samples are WAV, 24-bit quality. They’re neatly categorized (kicks, snares, hats, toms, etc.) and ready to drag into any DAW or sampler. Build your own kits, or use our Ableton-friendly naming to quickly map them. As always, these sounds are 100% royalty-free for your music.

What You Get – Sound Categories

New Wave Drums is organized into instrument categories with a ton of variation in each:

• Kicks – 81 samples: Earth-shaking analog kick drums ranging from tight, punchy thumps to subby 808-style booms. These provide a solid low-end foundation with that unmistakable analog decay.

• 808s – 50 samples: Extended bass tones and kick-bombs inspired by the TR-808, synthesized on the Syncussion for a unique flavor. Great for drops or layering under kicks for extra sub.

• Hi-Hats – 48 samples: Crisp hats and cymbal-esque ticks – both closed and open variants – generated via filtered noise. Essential for driving the rhythm in synth-pop and electro tracks.

• Toms – 48 samples: Signature Syncussion toms with tunable pitch – perfect for those classic descending tom fills (think Phil Collins or Prince vibes). Also usable as melodic percussive elements.

• Snares – 40 samples: Snappy, snare drum hits full of white noise crack and analog body. Ranging from clap-like bites to full snare thwacks – layer them to taste.

• Misc Percussion – 34 samples: Extra hits including handclaps, clicks, zaps, and other percussive oddities. These add unique character and fill in rhythmic gaps.

• Stereo Melodic Hits – 15 samples: Special binaural hits we created by programming two similar tones on the Syncussion and recording them panned left/right. These are rich, detuned synth percussion sounds that create a wide image (great for ear candy).

• Synth Bells – 14 samples: Ethereal bell and chime sounds from the Syncussion, which double as one-shot synth notes. Fantastic for atmospheric hooks or layering with the toms.

• Mono Melodic – 14 samples: Single-channel melodic percussion hits (like the above bells, but recorded in mono) for a classic centered sound.

• Bass Synths – 13 samples: Thick analog bass stabs and hits made on the Syncussion. Use them as one-shot basslines or heavy accents in your track.

• Bongos – 11 samples: Yes, analog electronic bongos! Great for adding an 80s electro or worldbeat feel in a synth context.

• Claves – 6 samples: Sharp, cutting clave hits – ideal for that “Funky Town” style click or layering with snare for attack.

That’s a massive palette of sounds – essentially, an entire drum machine and more. Because there are so many variations, you can program repetitive patterns that never sound robotic or stale (simply alternate samples for subtle differences each hit). We even included a few velocity variations on key drums so you can accent beats naturally.

Hit the Ground Running: Not sure where to start? Load up our free teaser kit (mentioned in the Liminal teaser pack) which includes a small selection of New Wave Drum hits. Or, fire up the demo track to hear how these samples gel in a mix – you’ll notice the vintage authenticity immediately.

Channel the New Wave

Whether you’re aiming to recreate the post-punk energy of Joy Division (pair these drums with our Disorderly Drums kit for that!) or the synth-pop polish of Depeche Mode, New Wave Drums has you covered. Producers of synthwave, retrowave, electro, industrial, indie dance and even modern pop will find endless uses for these analog hits.

No virtual plugin can truly emulate the quirkiness of real analog circuits – but New Wave Drums puts those circuits’ sounds directly into your hands. Just add your creativity.

Add New Wave Drums to your collection now and start building the next new wave – or give your modern productions a dose of classic analog soul. At only $25, it’s an affordable way to own a piece of that legendary 1979 drum sound. Don’t miss out – the 80s are calling!