JoMoX (JoMoX Elektronische Musikinstrumente GmbH) is a German company manufacturing electric musical instruments, founded in 1997 and based in Berlin, headed by Jürgen Michaelis, CEO and product developer. The brand specializes in the production of analog synthesizers. It all started with XBase 09, the first instrument of JoMoX, which continues to be the most popular device in the company's line.
The first unit XBase 09 - emulator TR-909 - was released in December 1996. In 2005, the instrument was discontinued, replenishing a list of products that were discontinued: SunSyn, an 8-voice polyphonic multi-timbral analog synthesizer (the first serious analog synth of the brand), XBASE 999, an analogue drum synthesizer and a drum machine with downloadable percussion samples and assignable analog stereo multimode filter and LFOs, AiRBase99, 1U drum module based on XBase 09 with additional functions and JaZBase03, which was an alternative to AiRBase99.
XBase 09 didn’t allow the update of the operating system, requiring the replacement of Eprom chips, which, of course, wasn’t free. XBase 09 offered a familiar real analog kick drum - organic, lively, warm and punchy, - combining the best features of vintage sound and a modern, intuitive interface for studio work and live performances. By purchasing XBase 09, you get a real analog bass drum voice (it has 8 dedicated parameters), as well as the famous kick varying from sharp and frisky to pure 808-like boom, with low sub bass (25Hz) and deeper decay adjustment features; snare drum (you could apply the detune function to two oscillators receiving a convincing cowbell); hi hat/percussion section is also represented by more parameters than the voices of instruments in vintage devices. The built-in sequencer allows you to do easily both: record the sequence live and program every step - each function was available in real time. Each step could have its own settings, which were saved in a pattern. All 23 parameter settings worked in parallel, without causing obvious delay. It also featured a unique micro-groove/shuffle function and accent control for each step, which, when combined, allowed you to build a dense, dynamic groove.
XBase 09 also featured 2 LFOs on board - each with 4 waveforms + shape, rate, depth and 6 destination options settings. Besides 3 built-in drum tracks, each pattern had 3 additional monophonic tracks.
XBase 09 was a surprisingly powerful machine back then, and, despite the fact that its architecture was based on the cult Roland device, it could compete with the original unit in the price/functionality ratio.
In July-August 2017 a new device will be released by JoMoX - Alpha Base, which threatens to become the brand’s flagship drum machine. Again - completely analog sound: 11 instruments, sequencer, Midi/USB/SD-Card, samples.
The hardware can remind you of XBASE 09, 999 and 888, however Alpha Base offers a revised structure and an absolutely unique design in the new housing. The device embraced all the 20-year experience gained by JoMoX while working on its drum machines. The central figure remains the same - kick drum, whose sonic credibility is ensured by LFO, pitch envelope, metallic noise and gate time. The device included MBrane as the second full-fledged voice, developed using Mod.Brane11 technology. Each analog sample channel passes through its own metallic noise, which can be used as a signal source, or be a sample ingredient. 4 channels pass through a multimode resonant filter supporting self-oscillation. Alpha Base included a mini FM synth as a humble digital part. The system also provided you with 2 digital effects - delay and reverb. To edit the parameters, you can use 16 encoders, organized in a 4x4 matrix. Each track of the sequencer allows up to 64 steps. Using the chain function, you can easily put adjacent rhythm patterns together in order to create simple structures. Alpha Base can interact with an outside world via Midi In/Out/Thru and USB.
Today, the company produces T-Rackonizer filter matrix, ModBase 09 - 19" Eurorack kick drum module, Moonwind - analog stereo filter tracker, M. Brane11 - analog percussion synthesizer, T-Resonator II - multifaceted quality box filter, Resonator Neuronium - RNS (Resonant Neuron Synthesis), an experimental synthesizer created by Jürgen Michaelis.