IK UNO Drum

The UNO Drum is IK Multimedia’s compact hybrid drum machine, made for beatmakers, live performers and producers who want real analogue drum sounds in a box small enough to carry anywhere. It combines analogue drum circuits with PCM samples, a 64-step sequencer and hands-on performance effects, all in a 400 g unit that runs on AA batteries.

Like the UNO Synth, the UNO Drum was developed by IK Multimedia with Italian boutique synth maker Soundmachines. It’s designed to work on its own or as the rhythm partner to an UNO Synth.

Analogue and PCM Drum Sounds

The UNO Drum gives you 12 drum channels on 12 touch pads. The core kit voices are analogue: two kick models, a snare, a clap and closed and open hi-hats. One kick is a classic boomy analogue kick, while the other uses FM and pitch sweep for punchier or more electronic tones. The snare has tone shaping and a low-pass filter. The remaining channels play PCM samples for toms, rims, cowbells, rides, crashes and other percussion, with 54 samples on board.

Every sound has hands-on tweaks such as level, tuning and decay, and you can store your sounds in 100 kit memories. The engine plays up to 11 voices at once, so layered patterns don’t cut each other off.

64-Step Sequencer and 100 Patterns

Program beats in real time or step by step. Patterns can run from 1 to 64 steps, and you can record up to eight parameters per step, so the snare decay, kick tuning or hat level can change from hit to hit. The sequencer supports 16th and 32nd notes plus 3/4 and 6/8 time, with swing to loosen up the groove. There are 100 pattern memories, and a song mode chains patterns into longer arrangements.

Performance Effects

The UNO Drum is built to be played live, not just programmed:

• Analogue compressor and drive: master effects that add punch, glue and grit to the whole kit.
• Stutter: 10 stutter types for glitchy repeats and builds.
• Roll: four roll types and four fills for quick snare rolls and transitions.
• Random: generates variations when you need fresh ideas.

Built for Portability

At 25.6 x 15 x 5 cm and 400 g, the UNO Drum fits in a backpack. It runs on four AA batteries (included) or micro USB power, so you can make beats on the couch, on a train or at a jam without looking for a power point.

Connectivity and Editor

The UNO Drum has a 3.5 mm audio output, a 3.5 mm audio input, MIDI in and out on 2.5 mm mini jacks (DIN adaptors included) and micro USB for MIDI and power. The audio input lets you merge another device into its output, which is how an UNO Synth and UNO Drum combine into one compact groove setup. The free UNO Drum Editor for Mac, Windows and iPad lets you edit kits and patterns, back up your work and control the UNO Drum from your computer. Record it into your DAW through one of our audio interfaces.

UNO Drum vs Alternatives

• UNO Drum: analogue and PCM sounds together, 100 kit memories and 100 pattern memories, battery powered and very light.
• Arturia DrumBrute Impact: similarly portable, with deeper analogue synthesis and sequencing, but no sampled sounds and no kit memories.

If you want a mix of analogue punch and sampled percussion in the smallest box, the UNO Drum covers both. Browse all our drum machines and pads to compare.

Who Is the UNO Drum For?

• Beginners who want a first hardware drum machine that’s quick to learn
• UNO Synth owners who want a matching rhythm section
• Live performers and jammers who need a portable, battery-powered beat box
• Producers after 808-style analogue kicks and lo-fi sampled percussion for hip-hop, synthwave and electronic music

It’s not the right choice if you want to load your own samples, or need fully velocity-sensitive pads for finger drumming. A sampler or pad controller suits that better.

Tips for Getting the Best From It

• Power it from batteries or a USB power bank when recording. Powering it from a computer’s USB port can add ground noise.
• Go easy on the drive when recording quietly, as it raises the noise floor along with the grit.
• Use the Roll function for fast hi-hat and snare rolls instead of tapping them in, as the touch pads can miss very fast repeated hits.
• Chain an UNO Synth into the audio input to get both instruments out of one output, and sync them over MIDI.

Key Features

• Hybrid analogue/PCM drum engine
• Analogue kick (x2), snare, clap and hi-hats
• 54 PCM samples for toms, cymbals and percussion
• 11-voice polyphony
• 12 touch pads with two velocity levels
• 100 kits and 100 patterns
• 64-step sequencer, up to 8 parameters per step
• Swing, song mode and 16th, 32nd, 3/4 and 6/8 divisions
• Analogue master compressor and drive
• Stutter (10 types), roll (4 types) and 4 fills
• Audio input for chaining another device
• MIDI in/out and USB MIDI
• Runs on 4 AA batteries or USB power
• Free UNO Drum Editor for Mac, Windows and iPad

UNO Drum FAQ

Is the UNO Drum fully analogue?

No. It’s a hybrid. The kicks, snare, clap and hi-hats are analogue, while toms, cymbals and other percussion come from PCM samples.

Can I load my own samples into the UNO Drum?

No. The PCM samples are fixed, but you can tune and shape them and save your own kits.

Does the UNO Drum run on batteries?

Yes. It runs on four AA batteries (alkaline or NiMH), which are included in the box. It can also be powered over micro USB or by the optional UNO Synth Power Bank.

Does it work with the UNO Synth?

Yes. The two are designed as partners. Plug the UNO Synth into the UNO Drum’s audio input to combine them, and sync them over MIDI.

Can it sync with my DAW or other gear?

Yes. It has MIDI in and out (via the included DIN adaptors) and USB MIDI. You can sync it to a DAW or other hardware, or play its sounds from a MIDI controller.

Are the pads velocity-sensitive?

Partly. The touch pads have two velocity levels, not full velocity sensitivity. For fully expressive finger drumming, play it from a velocity-sensitive MIDI pad controller.