Neuzeit Instruments Drop

Drop is a Snapshot-based MIDI control center, the 'brain' of any live setup.

With Drop, it's possible to map your MIDI equipment across devices and easily store different controller positions as snapshots. During performance, you can jump back to these snapshots at any time (JUMP mode) and trigger them. All of this can be quantized and with variable fade time, allowing you to use a snapshot for slowly building tension and automatically have multiple controllers move simultaneously.

A particularly useful feature, is firing snapshots in DROP mode at exactly the right moment, precisely at the end of a pattern of, for example, 8 bars. For this purpose, Drop features an integrated master clock that counts any number between 1 and 32 bars (= cycle). In DROP mode, you can schedule a snapshot to trigger at the end of a cycle, build tension and go crazy on effects until then, and lean back as the snapshot automatically turns the controllers at exactly the right moment, bringing your live set back to solid ground.

Saving and recalling snapshots is quick and simple even during live situations, allowing you to work spontaneously with new snapshots on-the-fly during your performance. The LED buttons always provide clear visual feedback about what's happening.
If you want to plan further ahead, you can prepare sequences of DROP snapshots according to your song arrangement in the studio. Then use CHAIN mode to automatically trigger them sequentially on stage. Multiple chains and banks of snapshots are available, allowing you to configure your live set according to a song-by-song structure.

Features:

• Connect all your live performance gear to one master controller
• 20 banks with 20 snapshots to store the state of all controls on-the-fly
• 2 x MIDI USB-C port, automatic device or host detection
• 4 x MIDI In and 4 x MIDI Out via TRS, type A and B support
• 2 x CV-In and 2 x CV-Out for clocks and control signals
• Macro mappings, up to 8 MIDI targets and individual curves per control
• Merge incoming MIDI (e.g. from a sequencer) with Drop‘s MIDI out
• MIDI clock in/out with individual millisec delays to perfectly sync all gear
• 32 encoders (no detents, with push), 8 mutes, 8 faders, 2 layers A/B
• CCs, Notes, 14-bit CCs, program+bank change, Aftertouch, Pitchbend
• Ableton clip launcher (script available) and note keyboard mode
• Fast and intuitive mapping on the device itself - no external software
• Powered through USB-C or external power supply (included)
• Solid metal chassis, metal shaft encoders, built to last  

Scope of delivery:

• Drop Controller
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• USB-C to USB-A female adapter
• MIDI TRS male to DIN female adapter
• Two MIDI TRS cables with 3.5 mm jacks, black-gold fabric sheathing and a length of 125 cm.
• External power supply: 12V, 1.5A, incl. adapter for EU, US, UK and AU/CN.

Note: The controller can also be powered via USB-C exclusively. However, using the power supply leaves two USB-C ports free. This allows to supply other USB-devices with power.

The Brain of Your Live Rig

The Neuzeit Instruments Drop is a high-performance MIDI control center built for the stage. It moves beyond simple control by allowing you to capture the state of your entire studio—every knob, fader, and button—as a "snapshot". During a performance, you can recall these states instantly or use the unique Drop Mode to schedule transitions. Using its internal master clock, Drop can fire a snapshot precisely at the end of a musical cycle (1–32 bars), letting you focus on the build-up while the hardware handles the transition.

With a rugged metal chassis and 32 high-quality push-encoders, Drop is designed to centralize your workflow. It acts as a bridge for all your gear, featuring extensive connectivity for USB, TRS MIDI, and even CV-based modular systems. Whether you are performing a DAWless set or managing a complex Ableton session, Drop provides the stability and tactile feedback needed to execute professional electronic performances with confidence.

Drop Snapshots

The Drop acts as the central brain for your entire live rig. It allows you to store the state of all your connected MIDI gear into Snapshots (20 banks of 20 snapshots each).

Store & Recall: You can map up to 32 encoders and 8 faders to different MIDI targets across all your synths and drum machines. Once you have a perfect "state" (e.g., specific filter cutoffs, effect levels, and synth parameters), you save it as a Snapshot.

JUMP Mode: Instantly trigger a snapshot to snap all connected gear to those exact positions immediately.

DROP Mode (The Big Feature): This is for building tension. You can "go crazy" on your effects and filters to build a riser, then schedule a snapshot to trigger precisely at the end of a cycle (e.g., 8 or 16 bars). The Drop counts down and automatically "drops" all your settings back to solid ground exactly on the beat.

Quantized Transitions: Snapshots can have variable fade times and can be quantized, allowing multiple controllers to move simultaneously and smoothly over a set period, creating automated, complex transitions across multiple devices with one press.

CHAIN Mode: You can even sequence these snapshots into a "Chain" that follows your song arrangement, triggering them sequentially as your set progresses.

View Drop User Guide PDF