The LinnDrum, also known as the Linn LM-2, is a drum machine produced by Linn Electronics as a successor to the Linn LM-1. It was released in 1982 with a price tag of $2,995 and approximately 5,000 units were sold between 1982 and 1985. The Linn 9000 later replaced the LinnDrum.

The LinnDrum gained popularity due to its high-quality samples, flexibility, and affordability. It outsold both its predecessor, the LM-1, and its successor, the Linn 9000, combined. Roger Linn reused the name for the LinnDrum Midistudio and Roger Linn Designs’ LinnDrum II. Many famous songs from the 1980s, such as a-Ha’s “Take on Me” and Tears for Fears’ “Shout,” featured the LinnDrum.

After Linn Electronics closed in 1986, Forat Electronics acquired its remaining assets and provided services, sounds, and modifications for the LinnDrum. Although the LinnDrum was not originally equipped with MIDI capabilities, Retrofit Kits were offered by JL Cooper and Forat Electronics.

Features
The LinnDrum offers fifteen digitally sampled drum sounds with a sample rate of 28 kHz to 35 kHz. These include bass drum, snare, side-stick snare, hi-hat, crash cymbal, ride cymbal, three tom-toms, cabasa, tambourine, high and low congas, cowbell, and hand claps. Similar to the LM-1, it features a sequencer for programming rhythm patterns, a built-in mixer, and individual outputs for each sound.

Compared to the LM-1, the LinnDrum introduced several improvements. It added crash and ride cymbal samples, five external trigger inputs, and the ability to replace built-in sounds with new sounds on EPROM chips. Additionally, the LinnDrum was $2,000 cheaper than the LM-1.

One limitation of the LinnDrum is that only the snare, tom, and conga samples can be tuned, whereas the LM-1 allows for individual tuning of each sound.

LM-2
The LinnDrum is often mistakenly referred to as the LM-2, which was the name of its predecessor, the Linn LM-1. The LM-1 stood for Linn/Moffett/1, but Alex Moffett, an early investor in the Linn drum machine development, had left the company by the time the LinnDrum was released.

Drum Samples
According to some sources, the LinnDrum sounds were sampled from real drums played specifically for the machine by Art Wood, a renowned Los Angeles drummer who was a close friend of Roger Linn. Art Wood had also played with Linn as well as artists like Peter Frampton, Gary Wright, Cher, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, and James Brown. However, there is some mystery surrounding the actual drummer who played the sounds for the LinnDrum, as different sources credit different individuals.

Influence
While there are no official virtual instrument versions of the LinnDrum, several manufacturers have either emulated its interface or included samples of it in their products. Examples include Steinberg’s LM-4 drum machine plug-in, Arturia’s Spark, which features samples of both the LM-1 and LinnDrum, as well as its successor, the Linn 9000, and Native Instruments’ Battery drum machine “Lend Drum” patch, which was sampled from an actual LinnDrum.

Overall, the LinnDrum has left a lasting impact on the music industry and continues to be recognized for its contribution to the development of drum machines.