When people think of vintage drum machines, they usually think of the Roland TR-808, LinnDrum, or CR-78. But some of the most interesting drum sounds come from machines that almost nobody has heard of.
One of my favorites is the JAX 230, an obscure vintage rhythm machine associated with MGMT's self-titled album, MGMT (2013).
If you've ever listened to songs like "Your Life Is a Lie," "Introspection," or "Plenty of Girls in the Sea" and wondered how MGMT created their strange, psychedelic drum sounds, this is a machine worth knowing about.
I recently got my hands on a JAX 230 and decided to record its sounds, preserve its original rhythms, and turn it into a sample library for Tuesday Samples.
Here's what makes this forgotten drum machine so interesting.
What Is the JAX 230 Drum Machine?
The JAX 230 is an obscure vintage electronic rhythm machine built around preset drum patterns and a distinctive collection of percussion sounds.
Unlike modern drum machines that let you program every hit individually, the JAX 230 comes from an era when rhythm machines were designed to accompany musicians with ready-made beats.
You select a rhythm, press start, and the machine plays.
But the interesting part isn't necessarily what it can do. It's how it sounds.
The percussion has a wonderfully strange vintage character. Some sounds are surprisingly punchy, while others are thin, quirky, or unlike anything you'd expect from a modern drum machine.
It's the kind of instrument that might seem limited on paper but becomes incredibly inspiring when you start experimenting with it.
And that's exactly why I love collecting obscure drum machines.
The JAX 230 Was Also Sold as the Selmer MR-101 and Keynote AutoRhythm
One particularly interesting thing about the JAX 230 is that it wasn't exclusively sold under the JAX name.
The same basic rhythm machine design also appeared under other brands, including:
- JAX 230 Auto Rhythm
- Selmer MR-101 Auto Rhythm
- Keynote AutoRhythm
These are alternative branded versions of the same vintage rhythm machine.
This kind of rebranding was relatively common during the early days of electronic musical instruments. Manufacturers and distributors often sold similar or identical products under different names for different markets.
Ace Tone, another important name in early electronic rhythm machines, also had instruments distributed under alternative brands such as Hammond and Multivox. However, the JAX 230 shouldn't automatically be confused with an Ace Tone model.
For collectors, these alternative names are worth knowing.
If you're trying to find a JAX 230 for sale, searching for a Selmer MR-101 or Keynote AutoRhythm might uncover another example of the same machine.
Vintage instrument modification specialist Tubbutec even documents the three versions together in its Selmer/JAX/Keynote Auto Rhythm MIDI modification guide.
It's a great example of how some of the most interesting vintage electronic instruments can be hiding under multiple names.
What Drum Machine Did MGMT Use on Their Self-Titled Album?
MGMT's third studio album, MGMT, was released in 2013 and marked a move toward even more experimental, psychedelic production.
Compared with the band's earlier records, the self-titled album is full of unconventional synthesizers, unusual electronic percussion, hypnotic rhythms, and sounds that feel both futuristic and decades old.
The JAX 230 is one of the obscure rhythm machines associated with the album's sonic palette.
Some of my favorite examples of that experimental approach include:
"Your Life Is a Lie"
One of the album's most immediately memorable songs, "Your Life Is a Lie" uses a simple, repetitive rhythmic foundation alongside distorted, psychedelic instrumentation.
It's a great example of how an unusual drum sound can help give a song its own personality without needing an elaborate beat.
"Introspection"
"Introspection" combines vintage psychedelic influences with MGMT's experimental production style.
The rhythmic textures fit naturally alongside the swirling synthesizers and unconventional arrangement.
"Plenty of Girls in the Sea"
This song has a playful, retro quality that makes it particularly interesting for anyone exploring vintage rhythm machines.
Its combination of psychedelic pop and unusual electronic textures is exactly the kind of music that inspired me to start collecting obscure drum machines.
"I Love You Too, Death"
One of the album's most atmospheric tracks, "I Love You Too, Death" demonstrates how percussion can become part of a larger sonic landscape.
Rather than simply providing a conventional backbeat, rhythmic sounds can contribute to the texture and atmosphere of a song.
"An Orphan of Fortune"
The album's sprawling closing track is another great example of MGMT embracing unusual electronic sounds and experimental arrangements.
It's the kind of production that makes you want to start digging through old synthesizers and drum machines to figure out where all those sounds came from.
These songs are excellent references for the album's overall percussion aesthetic. They aren't intended as a verified, track-by-track list of JAX 230 recording credits.
Why the JAX 230 Is Perfect for Psychedelic and Indie Music
One of the reasons I love the JAX 230 is that it doesn't sound like a modern drum machine.
It has a strange, slightly nostalgic personality that works particularly well with psychedelic rock, dream pop, indie, and lo-fi electronic music.
Modern drum samples are often designed to be as punchy, polished, and mix-ready as possible.
And while there's definitely a place for that, sometimes I want drums that sound a little weird.
I want a snare that doesn't quite sound like a normal snare.
I want electronic percussion that feels like it came from an old piece of forgotten equipment.
And I want rhythms that inspire me to write something I wouldn't normally come up with.
That's what makes obscure vintage drum machines so exciting.
When everyone has access to the same 808s, 909s, and modern sample libraries, using something unusual can give your music a completely different identity.
Turning My JAX 230 Into Psychedelic Dream Drums
After getting my own JAX 230, I wanted to make its sounds accessible to producers who might never have the opportunity to own one.
But I didn't want to just record a single kick, snare, and hi-hat and call it a sample pack.
I wanted to capture the personality of the machine while making it genuinely useful inside a modern DAW.
That's how Psychedelic Dream Drums came together.
Eight Recordings of Every Drum Sound
One of the things I focus on with Tuesday Samples is multisampling.
When you trigger the exact same drum sample repeatedly, your ear can start recognizing the repetition.
Even if the rhythm is interesting, hearing the exact same recording over and over can make a drum pattern feel static.
So instead of recording each JAX 230 sound just once, I recorded eight individual takes of every drum sound.
These recordings can be used with round-robin playback, where a sampler cycles through multiple recordings of the same instrument.
That means your snare, kick, or percussion sounds don't necessarily have to trigger the exact same WAV file every time.
It's a small detail that can make a big difference, especially for repetitive, hypnotic psychedelic drum patterns.
Three Different Versions of the JAX 230 Sounds
I also wanted to give producers different ways to use the machine, so I created three Ableton Live Drum Racks.
Clean — The Original JAX 230 Sound
The Clean rack preserves the original character of the machine without the additional Retroverb or amplifier processing.
This is the best option if you want to hear the raw drum sounds or process them yourself.
Retroverb — Vintage Psychedelic Character
For the second rack, I processed the sounds using Retroverb.
This gives the percussion a more atmospheric, vintage-inspired character that works beautifully with psychedelic pop, dream pop, and lo-fi production.
Retroverb + Amp — Gritty, Colored Percussion
The third rack combines Retroverb with amplifier processing.
This version adds additional coloration and character, giving you another option for hazy, distorted, or vintage-inspired arrangements.
All three versions make it easy to experiment with the same drum machine in different musical contexts.
60 Original JAX 230 Rhythm Loops
One of my favorite things about vintage rhythm machines is their original preset patterns.
The people who designed these instruments often programmed rhythms that modern producers would probably never think to create.
Rather than ignoring that part of the JAX 230, I decided to record its original rhythms.
The pack includes 20 original rhythm patterns recorded in three variations, giving you 60 loops in total:
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20 Clean rhythm loops
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20 Amp rhythm loops
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20 Retroverb rhythm loops
These are recordings of the JAX 230's original rhythms, not newly programmed recreations.
You can drop them into your DAW, chop them up, layer them with acoustic drums, or use them as inspiration for completely new beats.
Sometimes an old preset rhythm is exactly what you need to get a song started.
Custom Psychedelic Drum Loops
Alongside the original rhythm-machine patterns, I also created custom drum loops using the JAX 230 sounds.
These were made with the kinds of music I personally enjoy producing in mind: psychedelic rock, dream pop, indie, and lo-fi electronic music.
I wanted to show how a strange old rhythm machine could fit into contemporary productions rather than treating it like a museum piece.
You can use these loops as starting points for songs, chop them into new arrangements, or simply listen to how the JAX 230 sounds in a more modern context.
Using Vintage Analog Drum Machine Samples in Modern DAWs
One of the biggest advantages of sampling vintage drum machines is that you get their unique sounds without being limited by the original hardware.
The JAX 230 was built around a particular workflow and a collection of preset rhythms.
But once its percussion sounds are recorded as WAV files, you can use them however you want.
You can pitch them down, reverse them, distort them, layer them with acoustic drums, or build entirely new rhythms.
That's what makes vintage drum machine sample packs so useful.
You get the personality of the original instrument with the flexibility of modern music-production software.
And although producers often search for analog drum machine samples, it's worth distinguishing vintage electronic rhythm machines from instruments whose sound-generation circuits have been independently confirmed as fully analog.
Can You Use JAX 230 Samples in Ableton, Logic Pro, or FL Studio?
Yes.
Psychedelic Dream Drums includes WAV samples that can be loaded into compatible samplers in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, and other DAWs.
Ableton Live users also get three ready-to-use Drum Racks featuring the Clean, Retroverb, and Retroverb + Amp versions.
And if your sampler supports round-robin playback, you can take advantage of the eight individual recordings of each drum sound.
Where to Download JAX 230 and MGMT-Inspired Drum Samples
If you're looking for MGMT drum samples, obscure vintage rhythm machines, or drum sounds that don't sound like everything else in your library, I created Psychedelic Dream Drums for exactly that kind of production.
The collection includes:
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Eight recordings of each JAX 230 drum sound
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Three Ableton Live Drum Racks
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60 original JAX 230 rhythm loops
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Custom psychedelic and indie drum loops
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WAV samples for use in compatible DAWs
My goal was to preserve the personality of this strange old drum machine and make it useful for modern producers.
If you love the experimental sounds of MGMT's self-titled album, or you're just looking for something different from the usual drum machine samples, I think you'll have a lot of fun with it.
Explore Psychedelic Dream Drums by Tuesday Samples
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum machine did MGMT use?
MGMT's music incorporates a wide range of electronic and acoustic percussion. The obscure JAX 230 rhythm machine is associated with the sound of their 2013 self-titled album and is an interesting instrument for producers exploring MGMT-inspired drum sounds.
Is the JAX 230 the same as the Selmer MR-101?
Yes. The JAX 230 Auto Rhythm, Selmer MR-101 Auto Rhythm, and Keynote AutoRhythm are documented as differently branded versions of the same rhythm machine.
Is the JAX 230 an Ace Tone drum machine?
The JAX 230 is part of the broader history of vintage electronic rhythm machines, but its documented alternative names are Selmer MR-101 and Keynote AutoRhythm. Ace Tone produced other rhythm machines that were also sold under different brand names.
What MGMT songs are good references for vintage drum machine sounds?
"Your Life Is a Lie," "Introspection," "Plenty of Girls in the Sea," "I Love You Too, Death," and "An Orphan of Fortune" are useful references for exploring the unusual percussion and psychedelic production of MGMT's 2013 self-titled album.
What are analog drum machine samples?
Analog drum machine samples are recordings of percussion generated by analog drum synthesis circuits. Vintage electronic rhythm machines may use different sound-generation technologies, so not every vintage drum-machine sample is necessarily fully analog.
What are round-robin drum samples?
Round-robin drum samples use multiple recordings of the same instrument, alternating between them during playback. This helps reduce the repetitive effect of hearing an identical sample on every hit.
Where can I download JAX 230 drum samples?
Tuesday Samples' Psychedelic Dream Drums is a library recorded from a JAX 230. It includes individual drum sounds, multisampled variations, original rhythm loops, custom loops, and Ableton Drum Racks.
Can I use the samples in Logic Pro or FL Studio?
Yes. The WAV samples can be loaded into compatible samplers in Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton Live, and other DAWs. The included Drum Racks are specifically designed for Ableton Live.