Drum Machine: An electronic device that can record and play back rhythm patterns. With advances in sampling technology, the sounds that drum machines make can be quite convincing, and with the improvements in microprocessors, a programmer can include more nuance and "feel" in the patterns.

As a result, a well-programmed drum machine can sometimes create quite human rhythm patterns. Interestingly, many use drum machines to sound intentionally unnatural and machine-like. In ambient, techno and other dance music, the most sought-after drum sounds come from older, less natural-sounding machines, like the Roland 808, and the grooves are often far too fast or dense for a human drummer to perform.