Modor Music’s DR-2 OS013: Basslines and Beyond for the Digital Drum Machine

The Modor DR-2, already a digital percussionist’s playground, receives a notable expansion with firmware OS013. This update is more than a handful of minor tweaks—it marks the arrival of dedicated bassline synthesis models, a first for the DR-2. Modor Music, never shy about pushing their hardware into new territory, now invites users to blend rhythm and melody within a single box.

While the DR-2 was originally conceived as a pure drum machine, the steady march of firmware upgrades has nudged it into hybrid territory. With OS013, the DR-2’s sound engine and sequencer gain new tricks, broadening its role in both live and studio setups. The video wastes no time in highlighting these fresh capabilities, setting the stage for a deep dive into what’s new.

One of the more practical additions is the ability to enable or disable sequencer tracks via MIDI CC or MIDI notes. This opens up flexible remote control, whether you’re running the DR-2 from a DAW or a hardware sequencer.

For those who speak fluent binary, CC 95 lets you toggle tracks with a single value—handy if you’re into bitwise operations. For the rest of us, Modor has added a more approachable option: using MIDI notes in the C0–B0 octave to switch tracks on or off. This dual approach caters to both the code-savvy and the musically minded, making the DR-2 more adaptable in complex MIDI rigs.

OS013 introduces a global accent level, allowing users to set the intensity of global accents independently from individual instrument accents. This means you can fine-tune the punch of your grooves, balancing the overall dynamic shape without fussing over each track. The DR-2’s approach to accent programming—holding the accent button for step accents or tapping it for global—remains, but now with more nuanced control.

Another welcome tweak is the ability to set longer bar lengths, breaking past the old 16-step ceiling. Whether you’re crafting odd meters like 5/4 or 7/4, or stretching out to 64-step marathon patterns, the DR-2 now accommodates more adventurous rhythmic structures. The workflow involves using the page buttons to access additional steps, and you can still reserve pages for variations or fill-ins. This flexibility is a boon for anyone building intricate patterns or polyrhythmic sequences.

Parameter locking for pitch, first introduced in earlier firmware, now gets a melodic upgrade. Pitch locks are relative to the root note, so transposing an entire bassline is as simple as turning the pitch knob or sending a MIDI controller value. This makes it easy to experiment with key changes or dynamic modulations on the fly.

The addition of portamento further enhances melodic fluidity, allowing for smooth slides between notes—a staple of classic bassline programming. These improvements make the DR-2’s sequencer more than just a rhythm tool; it’s now a playground for melodic experimentation, blurring the lines between drum machine and groovebox.