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Roger Linn
Roger Linn
Roger Linn
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Roger Curtis Linn is an American designer of electronic musical instruments and equipment.[1] He is the designer of the LM-1 (the first drum machine to use samples), and its successor, the LinnDrum, which were both used extensively in 1980s pop music. Later in the decade, he designed the MPC sampler, which had a major influence on the development of hip hop.[2] Linn is a member of the Dead Presidents Society, a group of innovators in the field of electronic music.[3]

Key Information

Linn Electronics

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LM-1
LinnDrum
Linn 9000
LinnSequencer
LinnDrum Midistudio

In 1979, Roger Linn and Alex Moffett[4] founded Linn Moffett Electronics, soon renamed Linn Electronics, to develop Linn's design for a drum machine that used samples. It would be called LM-1 for Linn/Moffett/1. Moffett left the company in 1982. Linn used his new drum machine and performed with Leon Russell on his album Life and Love in 1979.[5][6]

LM-1

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In 1980, Roger Linn released the LM-1 Drum Computer. It was one of the first programmable drum machines and the first to use samples of acoustic drums. Linn wanted a machine that would produce more realistic sounds and offer more than preset patterns.[7] The LM-1 became a staple of 1980s pop music and helped establish drum machines as credible tools.[8] It appeared on records by artists including the Human League, Gary Numan, Mecano, Icehouse, Michael Jackson, Queen, Tears For Fears and particularly Prince.[8][7]

LinnDrum

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In 1982, Linn released the cheaper and more stable LinnDrum, which was a commercial success.[9] It was cheaper and more widely produced than his first drum machine, the Linn LM-1,.[10][11] It was used by artists and producers including Trevor Horn,[12] Mark Knopfler, Naked Eyes, Stock Aitken Waterman,[13] Sandy Vee[14] and Justin Hayward.[15]

Linn 9000

[edit]

In 1984 Linn released the Linn 9000 as the successor to the LinnDrum. It was the first integrated digital drum machine and MIDI sequencer. The 9000 had innovative features, like dynamic sensitive rubber pads,[16] and would influence many future drum machine designs.[17] But chronic software bugs[18][19] led to a reputation for unreliability and contributed to the eventual demise of the company.[20][21] The 9000 can be heard on Michael Jackson's 1987 album, Bad, on the cuts such as "Bad" and "Liberian Girl".

LinnSequencer

[edit]

In 1985, Linn released the LinnSequencer, a rack mount 32 track hardware MIDI sequencer. It used the same flawed operating system used in the Linn 9000.[22] As a result, the machine earned a reputation for unreliability.[18][19]

LinnDrum Midistudio

[edit]

In January 1986, Linn debuted the LinnDrum Midistudio at the NAMM Winter Music & Sound Market as the successor to the Linn 9000. The Midistudio is essentially a rack mount version of the Linn 9000 with some improvements.[23] It used the same flawed operating system used in the Linn 9000.[24] It never went into production because Linn Electronics went out of business the following month.[25]

Similarities between the LinnDrum Midistudio and the Akai MPC series lead some to perceive a family resemblance.[26][27][28] Most notably, the Midistudio has sixteen dynamic sensitive rubber pads in the distinctive four by four pattern that would become the hallmark of the MPCs, starting with the MPC60.

Legacy

[edit]

Linn Electronics went out of business in February 1986. Forat Electronics purchased their remaining assets,[29] manufactured and sold the Forat F9000 and LinnSequencer until 1994 and provide service, sounds, customization and upgrades for the entire Linn Electronics line.

The LM-1, LinnDrum and Linn 9000 became synonymous with the music of the 1980s. The Linn 9000 and LinnDrum Midistudio pioneered the concept of the Music Production Center or MPC.

Akai MPC

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MPC60
MPC3000

After Linn Electronics, Linn collaborated with the Japanese company Akai to design the MPC60, an integrated sampler, drum machine and MIDI sequencer released in 1988.[30] According to Linn, "[The collaboration] was a good fit because Akai needed a creative designer with ideas and I didn't want to do sales, marketing, finance or manufacturing, all of which Akai was very good at."[31] The MPC60 was followed by the MPC60 MkII and the MPC3000.[32]

Linn aimed to design an affordable user-friendly instrument that did not require extensive musical knowledge or studio equipment to use.[30] It had a major influence on the development of hip hop and electronic music.[33][2] The 4x4 grid of pads was adopted by numerous manufacturers and became standard in DJ technology.[33]

Linn left Akai after the company went out of business and its assets were purchased by Numark. According to Linn, the new organization was led by "a very unscrupulous fellow ... he immediately stopped my royalty payments, refused to take my calls and had his lawyer send me threatening letters. I checked around and learned that he has a reputation of being a real bastard, so given that challenging him would have been long and expensive, I let it go."[34] Akai has continued to produce MPC models without Linn, such as the MPC2000;[31] Linn was critical, saying: "Akai seems to be making slight changes to my old 1986 designs for the original MPC, basically rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."[34]

Roger Linn Design

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In 2001 Roger Linn founded a new company, Roger Linn Design. The company's first product offering was the AdrenaLinn, with the LinnStrument music performance controller added later.

AdrenaLinn

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AdrenaLinn II (front)

The AdrenaLinn is a digital multi-effects unit with a drum machine and amp modeler all in one, designed by Roger Linn with some help from Dave Smith (credited with helping to conceive MIDI) and Tom Oberheim (designer of early analog synthesizers). Most notably, unlike other guitar pedals, the AdrenaLinn specializes in beat-synced effects, including modulation and delay but also a sequencer that provides looped patterns of filtered tones, all moving in sync to its internal drum machine or to midi. The drum section can also be affected by the filter section, allowing dance-style beats. Other unusual aspects of this pedal include note-triggered filter effects such as auto-wah, simulated talk box and guitar synthesizer sounds. The AdrenaLinn technology was also the basis of Roger Linn's partnership with M-Audio to create the Black Box guitar multi-effect and recording unit.[1]

The AdrenaLinn can be heard on the following records (among many others):

The AdrenaLinn was followed-up with the AdrenaLinn II and AdrenaLinn III.

Tempest (2011)

LinnDrum II

[edit]

Roger Linn and Dave Smith announced co-development of a drum machine product, originally to be called BoomChik, but changed to LinnDrum II in December 2007, a reference to one of Linn's early popular drum machines: the LinnDrum. The LinnDrum II was renamed the Tempest, and co-released by Roger Linn Designs and Dave Smith Instruments in 2011. Unlike Linn's previous digital drum machines, the Tempest was an analog drum machine.

LinnStrument booth at Winter NAMM 2015

LinnStrument

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In late 2014, after several years of development, Linn released the LinnStrument, a music performance controller with 3D note expression. The grid based MIDI controller, playable with one or two hands, is velocity sensitive, but also senses three dimensions per finger, polyphonically. It can employ MPE, thereby using a full MIDI channel per note. Two versions are available, the larger original LinnStrument as well as the smaller LinnStrument 128.[36]

Almost the entire surface of the controller is covered by its 8 by 25 (or 8 by 16 in the case of the LinnStrument 128) grid. The fingertip-sized fields are each able to measure and transmit velocity, aftertouch, x-position relative to the entire row (or any subset thereof), y-position within a field, as well as release velocity.[37] It is highly adaptable and can also function in more traditional MIDI configurations, accommodating sound generators that don't yet support MPE and allowing them to be played more expressively.

The LinnStrument has several additional features, such as an arpeggiator, a velocity-sensitive step sequencer as well as freely assignable virtual MIDI faders. It is USB-powered and can communicate via USB or 5-pin MIDI.

Music career

[edit]

Roger Linn has had a level of songwriting success, penning hits ("Promises", Eric Clapton 1979; "Quittin' Time", Lou Ann Barton 1986, Mary Chapin Carpenter 1991, Amy Bishop 2009), and having toured as a guitarist with the pianist/songwriter Leon Russell in the 1970s at age 21.[1]

In 2011 Roger was awarded a Grammy Award for Lifetime Technical Achievement, recognizing his many contributions to the music recording industry.[38][39]

References

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[edit]
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Roger Linn

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Roger Curtis Linn (born August 24, 1955) is an American engineer, musician, and designer of electronic musical instruments, renowned for pioneering sampled s and influencing modern music production through innovations like the LM-1 Drum Computer and the MPC series. Born in , Linn began his career as a and songwriter in the 1970s, co-writing hits such as "Promises" for in 1979 and working as a recording engineer with artists like . Frustrated by the limitations of existing s in his home studio, which relied on synthesized sounds rather than realistic percussion, Linn experimented with electronics to create more authentic drum reproduction. In 1979, he co-founded Linn Electronics, releasing the LM-1 Drum Computer in 1980, the world's first commercially available programmable using digital samples of real drums, priced at $4,995 and featuring 16 KB of memory for storing sequences. The LM-1's success, including its use on tracks like "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League, paved the way for the more affordable LinnDrum in 1982, which became a staple in 1980s pop and rock recordings and helped usher in the era of electronic dance music. Despite the Linn 9000's ambitious integration of sampling and MIDI sequencing in 1984, financial challenges led to the bankruptcy of Linn Electronics in 1986. Linn then collaborated with Akai Professional, designing the MPC60 in 1988—a groundbreaking MIDI production center that combined sampling, sequencing, and effects processing, establishing the MPC line as an industry standard for hip-hop and electronic music production. In the and , Linn contributed to products like the MPC3000 for and the AdrenaLinn guitar effects processor in 2002 through his new venture, Roger Linn Design. His later innovation, the LinnStrument (introduced in 2014), is an expressive polyphonic using a grid of sensors for nuanced performance control, reflecting his ongoing focus on rhythmic and guitar-oriented tools. For his contributions to , Linn received a Technical Grammy Award in 2011 from the of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Early life and music career

Early life

Roger Linn was born on August 24, 1955, in . The son of an opera singer and a music professor, he grew up in a household immersed in traditions. Linn's childhood unfolded during the , a decade marked by an optimistic embrace of technological progress and the explosive rise of . This era's advances in electronics captivated him, fostering an early fascination with the intersection of sound and technology, while the rock revolution—exemplified by bands like —shifted his musical horizons beyond classical roots. As a child, he took up but soon veered toward , inspired by the era's innovative sonic landscapes. By age 14, he was working at a Hollywood guitar shop, installing pickups and experimenting with effects pedals by fusing them together to create custom sounds, including a pedal he sold to the all-female rock band Fanny. These hands-on efforts taught him the basics of electronic circuits as he disassembled and modified gear to suit his preferences. In his late teens and early twenties, Linn deepened his self-taught knowledge by designing custom audio circuits for personal use. Around age 20, he acquired his first computer, learning to code and developing rudimentary and audio programs that honed his programming skills. This experimentation culminated in , at age 22, when he built a prototype programmable and sequencer using a commercial COMPAL-80 computer as its core, augmented with custom wiring, communication chips, and connections to a for generating beats and controlling analog synthesizers via voltage and gate signals. Programmed in and 8080 , the device allowed visual grid-based drum programming and monophonic synth sequencing, marking a pivotal step in his shift toward professional engineering and invention.

Music career

In the mid-1970s, Roger Linn established himself as a professional guitarist, joining Leon Russell's band at age 21 and touring extensively across the . This role immersed him in the vibrant scene, where he contributed to live performances and studio sessions alongside prominent musicians. As a songwriter, Linn co-wrote the track "Promises" with Richard Feldman, which recorded for his 1978 album , achieving significant commercial success as Clapton's third top-10 hit on the Hot 100. Later, he collaborated with on "Quittin' Time," a song featured on Mary Chapin Carpenter's 1989 debut album State of the Heart, marking one of her early hits in country music. Linn's personal life intertwined with his professional pursuits; he married Ingrid Linn, an electrical engineer specializing in audio communications, whose expertise later complemented his work in music technology. By the late , while continuing his touring and songwriting commitments, Linn began shifting focus toward instrument innovation, driven by frustrations with the limitations of existing tools during performances with Russell. This period balanced his active music career with early explorations in electronic design, building on his youthful experiments with guitar modifications.

Linn Electronics

Founding and LM-1

In 1977, inspired by his background as a session and songwriter facing limitations in existing rhythm tools, Roger Linn developed a prototype programmable using a modified rhythm module and custom software on a Compal 80 computer. This innovation laid the groundwork for commercial development, leading Linn to co-found Linn Electronics in 1979 with engineer and investor Alex Moffett, initially under the name Linn Moffett Electronics before renaming to reflect Linn's leadership. The company was established specifically to produce Linn's drum machine design, marking the entry of digital sampling into affordable rhythm production for musicians. The LM-1 Drum Computer, released in 1980, was the first fully programmable to employ digital samples of real acoustic , revolutionizing electronic generation by replacing synthesized tones with authentic percussive sounds recorded from a live kit performed by session drummer . Key features included 12 drum voices—such as , snare, , , congas, , , , and —each tunable for pitch and equipped with individual outputs for mixing. It featured a 16-step sequencer allowing up to 12 patterns and full song chaining, with real-time programming via overdub mode, dynamic accents, flams, and a swing function for humanized timing. Technical innovations centered on 8-bit digital samples stored in ROM chips at 28 kHz, processed through analog filters for warmth, enabling precise, repeatable rhythms without the inconsistencies of live drumming. Priced at approximately $5,000, the LM-1 targeted professional studios and affluent artists, but initial production faced significant challenges due to its handmade assembly in small batches, resulting in only about 500 units manufactured. Despite these limitations, it gained rapid adoption among high-profile musicians; for instance, Michael Jackson used the LM-1 on tracks from his 1982 album Thriller, such as "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Human Nature," helping define the era's pop sound. Early users praised its realistic tones and programming flexibility, which addressed Linn's own frustrations with prior analog machines during his music career.

LinnDrum and expansions

The , released in 1982 as the successor to the LM-1 , expanded on its predecessor's design with 15 sampled acoustic drum sounds, including newly added crash and ride cymbals, longer sample lengths enabled by increased memory, and an enhanced real-time sequencer supporting up to 12 tracks and song mode for multi-pattern arrangements. Priced at $2,995—significantly lower than the LM-1's cost—this accessibility contributed to robust commercial success, with approximately 5,000 units sold during its production run through 1985. The quickly became a staple in pop and rock production, powering rhythm tracks on landmark recordings such as Michael Jackson's "" from the Thriller album, Prince's 1999, and various projects, where its crisp, realistic sampled tones defined the era's polished drum sound. Its five live trigger inputs and individual outputs further facilitated studio integration, allowing producers to blend electronic programming with acoustic elements for a hybrid feel that influenced countless hits. Expansions for the included optional memory upgrades to accommodate extended samples and interchangeable sound chips, which provided libraries of additional drum sounds recorded by session drummers, enabling users to customize beyond the factory presets. In , third-party retrofit from companies like JL Cooper introduced compatibility, synchronizing the with the newly standardized protocol and broadening its role in multi-instrument setups. By democratizing high-fidelity sampled at a reduced , the accelerated the music industry's transition from analog synthesis to digital sampling in mainstream production, embedding its signature acoustic-like grooves into the fabric of recordings and setting a benchmark for future drum machines.

Later products and closure

Following the commercial success of earlier products like the , Linn Electronics pursued more ambitious designs in the mid-1980s, aiming to integrate advanced sampling and sequencing capabilities into hybrid instruments. The , released in 1984, represented a significant leap as the first to combine digital sampling with a 32-track sequencer, allowing users to record and edit data alongside drum patterns on velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads. It featured 18 built-in 8-bit drum sounds sampled at rates from 11 kHz to 37 kHz, programmable decay times, multiple individual outputs, and storage via , with an optional audio input card for user sampling promised in updates. However, the device suffered from chronic software bugs in its Intel 8088-based operating system, including frequent lock-ups, data loss, and instability that required extensive debugging, compounded by its high retail price of approximately $5,000, which limited adoption. In 1985, Linn Electronics extracted the sequencer component from the and released it as a standalone product, the LinnSequencer, a 2U rackmount unit supporting 32 tracks for recording and playback. Sharing the same flawed operating system as the , it inherited similar reliability issues, such as crashes and editing glitches, despite offering features like swing quantization and echo for . Priced at around $1,250, it targeted users seeking dedicated hardware sequencing but was hampered by the persistent software problems that undermined the company's reputation. The final product attempt came in 1986 with the Midistudio, an unreleased prototype that envisioned a rack-mounted evolution of the , incorporating a 4x4 pad controller, enhanced integration, and full sampling/sequencing in a modular studio setup. Showcased at the Winter in January 1986 with a projected price of $5,990, it never entered production due to the escalating challenges at Linn Electronics. These later innovations, while conceptually groundbreaking, proved too complex for the small company's resources, leading to its closure in February 1986 amid financial strain from unresolved software bugs, high development and production costs, manufacturing delays, and intensifying competition from more affordable and reliable alternatives like the TR-909. Roger Linn sold the company's assets to Forat Electronics, which later addressed many of the technical flaws in a revised F9000 model, but Linn himself temporarily exited the industry due to the ordeal.

Akai MPC

Development and design

Following the closure of Linn Electronics in 1986, Roger Linn entered into a partnership with Akai Professional in 1987 to develop innovative music production tools, culminating in the creation of the MPC-60, released in 1988. This collaboration aimed to produce an all-in-one device integrating sampling, drum machine functionality, and MIDI sequencing to enable intuitive beat creation, drawing on Linn's prior experience with programmable drum machines. The MPC-60 featured 16 velocity-sensitive rubber pads designed for expressive finger-drumming, a 16-track MIDI sequencer capable of handling up to 99 songs with 99 sequences each, and a 12-bit sampler operating at 40 kHz, providing up to 13 seconds of total mono sampling time (expandable to 26 seconds total mono with optional memory; stereo playback achieved by pairing mono samples). Priced at approximately $5,000, the unit emphasized a hands-on workflow that prioritized musical feel over complex programming, incorporating Linn's signature groove quantization algorithms—refined from the LinnDrum—to add natural swing to sequences. Linn played a central role in the MPC-60's hardware layout, insisting on the pad-based interface to mimic acoustic drumming while ensuring the device's portability and integration within studio environments. His design philosophy focused on simplicity and tactile control, allowing users to record, edit, and layer sounds in real-time without relying heavily on external computers, which was revolutionary for mid-1980s production tools. The partnership evolved with the MPC3000, released in 1994, which Linn co-designed to address limitations in sampling quality and processing power. The MPC3000 was the final MPC model co-designed by Linn, as discontinued the partnership after its release. Upgrading to 16-bit/44.1 kHz sampling with 32 voices of and 2 MB of RAM standard (expandable to 32 MB), it extended sampling time to over 2.5 minutes mono and introduced built-in effects like reverb and delay, enhancing creative flexibility while retaining the core pad and sequencing interface. Linn consulted on refining the quantization features for more nuanced timing variations, building directly on his legacy to support evolving production needs. By 1997, the MPC2000 marked a shift toward greater portability with its rack-mountable design, though Linn's involvement was limited to conceptual oversight rather than direct design. It featured 16-bit sampling at 44.1 kHz with 2 MB RAM (expandable to 32 MB), integrated Q-Link faders for parameter control, and improved effects processing, making it more accessible for live and mobile use while preserving the intuitive workflow Linn had established. This evolution reflected Linn's emphasis on balancing technical advancements with user-friendly hardware ergonomics throughout the early MPC series.

Features and cultural impact

The MPC's core features revolutionized beat-making with its intuitive interface, centered around 16 - and pressure-sensitive that allowed producers to trigger and layer samples with dynamic expression, mimicking the feel of playing acoustic . These supported real-time performance techniques, such as the note repeat function for rapid hi-hat rolls, where pressure variations controlled timing and for organic grooves. Complementing this, the eight Q-Link knobs provided assignable real-time control over parameters like filter cutoff, volume, or pitch, enabling seamless sound manipulation during playback without menu diving. At the heart of its rhythmic prowess were Linn's proprietary swing and groove timing algorithms, which delayed even-numbered 16th notes relative to straight quantization—typically adjustable from 50% (straight) to 66% (triplet feel) or higher for shuffled variations—creating a humanized "push and pull" that felt more musical than rigid grid snapping. These elements drew from Linn's earlier sequencer designs, adapting timing innovations into a portable production tool. In hip-hop, the MPC became synonymous with the genre's golden age, empowering producers to chop samples into granular slices and align beats with unprecedented precision, fostering a hands-on workflow that blended DJ aesthetics with studio sequencing. Icons like exploited the swing function and pad pressure for off-kilter rhythms on albums such as Donuts (2006), while relied on multiple MPC units for the crisp, layered percussion defining The Chronic (1992) and later tracks. similarly harnessed its sampling capabilities for soulful loops on cuts like "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (1992), crediting the machine's tactile response for his signature sound. This adoption democratized high-level production, turning bedroom setups into professional environments and influencing subgenres from to West Coast . Beyond hip-hop, the MPC shifted music production toward portable, all-in-one workflows, allowing artists to compose, sample, and away from bulky studio gear and into live performances or mobile sessions—a departure from tape-based . Over 100,000 units sold across the series underscore its enduring appeal, with models like the MPC3000 becoming staples in electronic, pop, and R&B by figures such as and . Despite its innovations, the MPC faced criticisms for hardware constraints that paled against emerging digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools. Early models, such as the MPC60, suffered from limited sample RAM (750 KB standard, providing ~13 seconds total mono sampling time, expandable to 1.5 MB for ~26 seconds) and 12-bit sampling resolution, resulting in lo-fi artifacts and reduced fidelity compared to the 24-bit, unlimited-memory capabilities of software by the 2000s. These limitations forced creative compromises, like pitching up vinyl to fit more samples, but also cultivated the MPC's gritty, characterful sound that many producers intentionally sought.

Roger Linn Design

AdrenaLinn and early revival

After a 15-year hiatus from hardware design following the 1986 closure of Linn Electronics, Roger Linn founded Roger Linn Design in 2001 to pursue new innovations in music technology, collaborating with figures like Dave Smith and . The company's inaugural product, the AdrenaLinn, launched in December 2001 as a programmable multi-effects processor designed primarily for guitar and bass players. It incorporated amp modeling with simulations of classic guitar and bass amplifiers, such as Fender and Marshall styles, alongside beat-synced delay effects, reverb (in later versions), and the proprietary LinnDrive distortion for unique tonal shaping. Additional capabilities included rhythmic filter sequencing and modulation, enabling dynamic, tempo-locked patterns that enhanced creative expression during performance. Building on his post-MPC work, Linn emphasized software-hardware integration in the AdrenaLinn, with connectivity for synchronization and, in subsequent updates, USB support for enhancements via a dedicated editor application. This approach allowed users to customize presets and effects in real time, reflecting Linn's motivation to blend digital processing with intuitive hardware control for musicians. Produced in limited quantities and distributed directly to consumers through the company's , the AdrenaLinn targeted the practical needs of guitarists seeking versatile, sequencer-driven effects without the complexity of full studio setups. Early efforts under Roger Linn Design thus marked a revival, prioritizing small-scale manufacturing and user-focused innovation over .

Tempest

The Tempest is an analog developed as a collaboration between Roger Linn and Dave Smith of Dave Smith Instruments, announced at the in January 2011 and released later that year. This project marked the first product bearing both the Dave Smith Instruments and Roger Linn Design logos, blending Smith's expertise in analog synthesis with Linn's pioneering work in interfaces. The instrument reintroduced analog drum synthesis in a modern context, following Linn's earlier hybrid explorations like the AdrenaLinn effects processor. Key features of the Tempest include six analog voices, each equipped with two analog oscillators, two digital oscillators, a multimode filter, multiple envelopes, and LFOs, allowing for a wide range of percussive and melodic sounds beyond traditional drums. It incorporates 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads arranged in a 2x8 layout for intuitive real-time playing and step sequencing, along with built-in effects such as analog compression, , beat-synced delay, and a stutter function. The hybrid analog/digital design supports and USB connectivity, with a performance-oriented operating system enabling on-the-fly beat arrangement and sound manipulation, all housed in a compact unit priced at $1,999 upon launch. Roger Linn's primary contributions centered on the and sequencing capabilities, drawing inspiration from the MPC series he co-designed at . He devised the pad layout to facilitate tactile, real-time performance, positioning the pads ergonomically between fingers for seamless step-time entry and live playback, while incorporating pressure sensitivity and note repeat functions to enhance groove and expressiveness. The event-oriented sequencer, which records up to four parameters per note (such as pitch, filter, decay, and pan), emphasized virtuosic control, allowing users to compose and edit beats dynamically without interrupting playback—hallmarks of Linn's focus on intuitive, hands-on music creation. Production of the Tempest was handled by Sequential and remained limited, with the instrument discontinued in 2020 after a decade-long run. It garnered praise for its organic, versatile analog sound engine, which could function as both a and a six-voice polyphonic , appealing to electronic musicians seeking warm, hands-on tones. However, it faced critiques for software constraints, including limited memory for beats (only 16 per project) and processing power that restricted further enhancements like additional effects or expanded sequencing, leading Sequential to end development in 2017.

LinnStrument

The LinnStrument is a 3D released in 2014 by Roger Linn Design, featuring over 200 touch-sensitive pads that detect position, pressure, and velocity to enable polyphonic expression via the Polyphonic Expression (MPE) protocol. This design allows performers to control pitch, , and simultaneously across multiple notes, mimicking the expressiveness of acoustic instruments like guitars or in a digital format. The controller's layout consists of a rectangular grid of square pads—either 128 (16x8) or 200 (25x8) in total—arranged in an isomorphic pattern tuned in perfect fourths, providing an intuitive interface for note playing similar to stringed instruments. Each pad senses X (left-right) and Y (front-back) position for per-note pitch bend and modulation, along with Z-axis pressure for dynamics, while supporting customizable scales that illuminate relevant notes in up to 10 colors for visual guidance. The 200-pad model spans five octaves in a compact 22.4 by 8.22-inch surface, weighing about 5 pounds, while the 128-pad version offers four octaves in a lighter 3.75-pound build. Tailored for guitarists and electronic performers, the LinnStrument facilitates guitar-like techniques such as string bends and slides, with built-in strap pins and footswitch compatibility for stage use. It integrates seamlessly with software environments like , allowing real-time control of virtual instruments and effects through USB or traditional outputs. At its 2014 launch, the LinnStrument shipped with initial in the 1.x series, which evolved through community-driven updates emphasizing open-source code hosted on to enable user tweaks and customizations. This approach drew from Linn's prior work on , adapting its velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads for broader expressive control.

Recent developments

In recent years, Roger Linn Design has maintained active support for the LinnStrument through regular updates and open-source contributions on , where the repository enables community modifications and custom builds for the expressive . The released an updated Windows updater in early 2025 to ensure compatibility beyond April, reflecting ongoing maintenance for users worldwide. LinnStrument owners receive monthly newsletters from Roger Linn Design, with the latest edition on November 1, 2025, providing updates on software, community events, and tips for integration with other instruments. To aid new users, Roger Linn released a "Getting Started on LinnStrument" video tutorial on in September 2024, demonstrating setup and basic expressive playing techniques. In January 2025, Roger Linn issued a public statement responding to Behringer's release of the LMDrum, a hardware clone of his original , expressing mixed feelings about the product while emphasizing the importance of ethical design practices and seeking permission for such recreations. He noted the clone's technical disassembly but criticized the lack of consultation, highlighting his preference for collaborative innovation over unauthorized copies. In September 2025, a documentary titled "Roger Linn: The King of Drum Machines" was released, chronicling his life and innovations in music technology. As of November 2025, Roger Linn remains engaged with the music technology community through appearances like NAMM 2025 and ongoing consultations on instrument design, though no major new hardware products have been announced for Roger Linn Design. The company announced an increase in LinnStrument pricing effective January 1, 2026, due to inflation and U.S. tariffs, underscoring its commitment to sustaining production without shifting to new developments.

Legacy

Innovations in music technology

Roger Linn's pioneering work in sampled drum technology fundamentally transformed electronic rhythm production in the . With the introduction of the LM-1 in 1979, Linn created the first programmable to employ digital samples of real acoustic , moving away from synthesized approximations and enabling more realistic percussion sounds in , and . This innovation allowed producers like Prince to integrate lifelike drum patterns into tracks such as "," shaping the era's electronic soundscapes and influencing remixing practices among club DJs worldwide. The subsequent , released in 1982, expanded on this by offering expanded memory and tuning capabilities, becoming a staple in recordings by artists including and , and solidifying sampled as a cornerstone of mainstream music production. In the realm of groove and sequencing, Linn's design of the Akai MPC series revolutionized hip-hop production through innovative timing and interface features. The MPC's swing quantization, first conceptualized in Linn's earlier machines and refined in models like the MPC60 (1988), introduced adjustable delays to even-numbered 16th notes, creating a humanized "groove" that mimicked the feel of live drumming without rigid grid alignment—settings around 58-62% became iconic for their funky looseness at tempos like 90 BPM. Paired with velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, this enabled intuitive beat-making and sampling, empowering producers from the 1990s golden age—such as J Dilla and DJ Premier—to craft intricate, off-beat rhythms that defined the genre's swing and propelled its evolution into modern trap and electronic styles. Linn advanced expressive control in electronic instruments with the LinnStrument, a Polyphonic Expression (MPE)-compatible controller introduced in 2014, which enabled nuanced polyphonic performance through multi-dimensional touch sensing. Unlike traditional keyboards limited to on/off triggers, the LinnStrument detects finger (Z-axis for aftertouch), horizontal position (X-axis for pitch bend up to 96 semitones), and vertical movement (Y-axis for modulation like CC74), allowing independent control per note across up to 50 simultaneous voices in an isomorphic grid layout. This facilitated fluid, gestural playing akin to acoustic instruments, significantly impacting ambient and by enabling artists to shape evolving textures in real-time, such as polyphonic swells and slides in electronic pads or flute emulations. Overall, Linn's innovations bridged the analog-to-digital transition in music technology by integrating human-centric interfaces with emerging digital sampling and standards, co-developed with figures like Dave Smith. His designs inspired widespread emulations, from software plugins replicating LM-1 and MPC grooves in DAWs to official emulations like the LMDrum plugin and recent hardware recreations such as the LmDrum released in December 2024, ensuring their techniques remain integral to contemporary production workflows across genres.

Awards and recognition

Roger Linn has received numerous accolades for his pioneering contributions to electronic music instruments. In 2005, he was inducted into the TECnology Hall of Fame for the , recognized as the first programmable featuring realistic sampled drum sounds. In 2011, the of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded him the Technical Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement, honoring his inventions' transformative role in production, particularly through drum machines like the LM-1 and . The following year, in 2014, the Akai MPC60, which Linn designed, was inducted into the same TECnology Hall of Fame for revolutionizing sampling and sequencing in music technology. Linn's career impact was further acknowledged by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) through an interview conducted in 2005, which documented his innovations and influence on electronic percussion and production tools. His work has been celebrated in authoritative texts on , such as detailed accounts of sampled machines' evolution in industry histories. As of 2025, Linn continues to receive community recognition, including appearances and demonstrations at events like the .

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