“Do we need another 909 kick drum? No we don’t”: Why Will Clarke opts for this obscure Russian drum machine when crafting beatsWhen it comes to choosing your beat-making hardware, is it best to pick something tried and tested like the Roland TR-808 or 909, or opt for something a little more obscure in pursuit of new drum sounds?
British DJ, producer and podcast host Will Clarke thinks it’s wiser to choose the latter, as he explains in the first episode of MusicTech’s My Forever Studio Season 7.

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Speaking to MusicTech’s Chris Barker and Will Betts, Clarke notes how he opts for a little-known Russian drum machine – the AVP ADS-7 – when it comes to crafting certain elements for his beats.
Clarke first became aware of the ADS-7 – an analogue drum machine with an onboard sequencer, MIDI, CV and individual outputs – after seeing a clip online around 2018, when he was beginning to dip his toes into techno music.
“I was like, ‘I really want to change drums. I really want to have a specific sound of what my techno side sounds like.’ And I said, ‘What can help me get that?’” He reached out to AVP via DM, who said each ADS-7 is made by hand to order.
“So I ordered the MkI and it just rocked up from Russia on my doorstep,” he says. “It’s very easy to use. It’s a very unique sound – it’s very noisy.
“Everyone can get a 303, everyone can get a 909. Do we need another 909 kick drum? No we don’t. I still use it to this day.
In terms of what he regularly uses the ADS-7 on, Clarke replies: “Hats, all of my hats, all of my shakers. It’s just really noisy. I like twisting shit. I’m not a super nerdy synth guy [who knows] everything about synths, but I know what I need to know to get the job done.
Even the most seasoned synth nuts will attest to the intimidating nature of the ADS-7’s interface. As Clarke so eloquently puts it, “It looks Russian as fuck.”
“It’s not a clean sound,” he concludes, “but I’m not looking for a clean sound. I’m looking for something gritty. I’m looking for something to get textures that you wouldn’t get from a sample.”

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The My Forever Studio podcast – created in partnership with Audient – sees artists, producers, and engineers create their dream fantasy Forever Studio. However, hosts Chris Barker and Will Betts impose some strict rules. Our guests are permitted a limited number of items in their creative space, so they must choose carefully. There will be nostalgia. There will be anecdotes. There may be gags. But there will be no bundles!
You can subscribe to My Forever Studio on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and check out all episodes so far via MusicTech.
The post “Do we need another 909 kick drum? No we don’t”: Why Will Clarke opts for this obscure Russian drum machine when crafting beats appeared first on MusicTech.