drum machine

noun

1. a device that simulates percussion sounds in various combinations and rhythms, and can alter digitally stored drum sounds or make digital recordings of drum sounds.

drum machine

noun

1. a synthesizer specially programmed to reproduce the sound of drums and other percussion instruments in variable rhythms and combinations selected by the musician; the resulting beat is produced continually until stopped or changed

Example Sentences

Hip-hop was a product of necessity, meaning they took the music program out of schools and in my generation, you had to get a drum machine or a turntable.

From Los Angeles Times

Since Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA started chopping up samples and making hip-hop beats on a drum machine nearly 40 years ago, he’s been pulling inspiration from a variety of musical genres and mediums, ranging from 1970s soul and orchestral tracks to kung-fu films.

From Los Angeles Times

She raised her arms to form the first letter of the “YMCA” dance — a staple on wedding reception dance floors since the 1980s — but it appeared Trump had no idea what she was doing, and he continued to sway to the beat of his own drum machine.

From Los Angeles Times

The drum machine beat was further popularized by Shabba Ranks’ 1990 “Dem Bow,” a staple in the reggae dancehall scene.

From Los Angeles Times

“It would be so simple for him to sit back and bask in the spectacle of his own greatness. Instead, he challenges the forms established, reinvents, and still beats it sicker than anyone on a drum machine.”

From New York Times