The Simmons CLapTrap, 80s Perfect Clap Machine

Simmons Digital Claptrap

Authentic and repeatable ensemble handclaps, never sound the same twice

The first Claptrap was analog and it was a Musicaid device, built approximately 1979/80, likely assembled by Dave Simmons himself, followed by the analog Simmons Claptrap (technically the same as the Musicaid but with a humanizer function and a slightly different case) and completed in 1984 by the digital version: the Simmons Digital Claptrap, one of Simmons most important bread and butter products.

Wolfgang's blog - Simmonsmuseum

The Clap Trap has been designed to produce authentic and repeatable ensemble handclaps at your command - it can produce other sounds such as percussive crashes and bursts of noise to give a long decay to snare drums.

The instrument assembles its characteristic sound by controllably blending a digital recording of people clapping, stored in memory, with a general background crash of white noise. The recording is approximately 1.5 seconds long, however both the clap and noise components of the sound have individual controls governing pitch and decay time. A switchable "humanizer" allows a different part of the digital recording to be outputted each time the unit is triggered, giving a random, human feel.

Digital Clap Trap flyer 1984

The digital part is played using the variable sample rate technology, a variable clock is actually used to change the pitch. This vintage technology produces additional harmonic content and contribute to the sound character we all love.

The analog part is a pitched noise, produced by filtering the noise source.

This is a one on one recreation of the mighty Simmons Digital ClapTrap from the 80s in plug-in form. Thanks to reverse engineering my hardware unit, the digital source is bit accurate, the random technique (HUMANIZER) is perfectly replicated and the virtual analog parts are modeled as closed as possible, in addition I did some modifications like true stereo capabilities, extended ranges, fine tuning and CV/MIDI response options.

True Stereo is done by running internaly two ClapTrap units at the same time with offsets to EPROM Clocks and Filter CVs, the offset amount is controlled by the WIDTH knob.

For the first time available as a standalone plug-in this version 2.0 now also adds the full analog circuit version aka: when claps were generated by a crazy mixture of oscillator modulations, modulated comparators generated envelopes and other nasty things. The plug-in gives you full control over the clap generation circuit so you can tweak it to taste for a more or less "tonal" clap ensemble or change how the "human factor" is applied...
You can run both analog or/and digital circuits in many ways: single mode, dual mode and even multi out.

Version 1.0 of ClapTrap wasn't available standalone before v2.0, it originally came as a free bonus with any VSDSX 2.0 plugin purchase and could only work alongside VSDSX 2.

The ClapTrap plug-In version 2 is it's own thing and can also work alongside v1.

note to v1 owners:
With v2.0 now being released you should have received a free v1.3.0 "platform" update for version 1.0.
It gives v1 Universal 2.0 (Native Silicon/intel) Mac VST3 & AU and an updated PC VST3 format.
Of course you can buy v2 if you want, V2 is it's own thing, can run alongside v1 and contains tons of new features and many additions you can find in the changelog bellow. In case you missed the info to get version 1.3.0 here's a direct link

AJ.

v1.3 still needs a VSDSX 2.0 license to run.

Simmons Claptrap version 1.0 VST plugin


All manufacturer and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with ALYJAMESLAB. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose tones and sounds were studied during ALYJAMESLAB sound development. All names of instrument and inventors have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement of ClapTrap by any company or instrument inventor

Sound Demos keep coming up...

Product Demos by Aly james

  • Circuit MODELS: Digital MK3 or the freshly emulated Analog MK1/2 model.
  • Multi Outputs routing capability.
  • Single or Dual operation.
  • Settings and preset browser pages.
  • Modelled SVF Noise Filter topology.
  • Option to switch from original hardware noise SVF filter to a custom "fixed gain" peak filter.
  • Digital Clap Tone EPROM swapping.
  • Analog Clap Ensemble circuit bending: Pulses shape, Humanizer mod amount, reversed key-tracking...
  • Trigger "thump" and Filter noise bleed emulation.
  • Option to delay incoming trigger (max 100ms) on one unit.
  • True stereo capability by running 2 modelled Claptrap internally or 4 in DUAL mode.
  • Option to enable global circuit saturation (also reduces dynamic range).
  • Most parameters respond to automation.
  • Improved VST3 MIDI support. (for example it can: receive MIDI 2.0, Enable Ableton Live's "External Instrument rack" inputs detection etc)

  • : Windows 10 and higher
    PC: 64bit VST3 compatible host.
    Not supported but has been proved to work on Windows 7
  • : Mac OS 10.14 and higher (64bit)
    Mac: 64bit VST3 or Audio-Unit compatible host.
    Universal 2 binary: works natively on both Silicon and Intel based Mac.
    Not supported but has been proved to work down to Mac OS 10.10


  • Protools: Avid Protools only supports its proprieratary format AAX at the moment but you can still easily load an AU or VST plugin with the help of a VST/AU host plugin, some popular solutions are DDMF Metaplugin or BlueCat's Patchworks, others might be available that I am not aware of yet.

Coming Soon! CLAPTRAP version 2.0 Manual

Get amazing details about the Simmons Claptrap and master Claptrap 2!

CLAPTRAP 2 MANUAL.

CLAPTRAP 2 Plug-In User Manual


Change Log

You can check your current version with a right click on the GUI.

06/16/24 - v2.0.1
  • Fix - Rare MIDI timing issue on Mac AU (audio-unit).
  • Fix - few GUI display glitches.
10/14/23 - v2.0.0
  • Introducing - Mac VST3 and Native Silicon (M1/M2), builds are "Universal 2" meaning VST3 and AU work on both Intel x86-64-and ARM64 Apple Silicon Mac natively.
  • Introducing - Mac signed Installers.
  • Introducing - Circuit MODE: Digital MK3 or the freshly emulated Analog MK1/2 model.
  • Introducing - GUI Trigger button.
  • Introducing - Improved GUI, new design, crisper look at different DPI (HD graphics, Vector knobs).
  • Introducing - Multi Outputs routing capability.
  • Introducing - Single or Dual operation.
  • Added - Settings and preset browser pages.
  • Added - Improved Noise Filter topology.
  • Added - Option to switch from original hardware noise SVF filter to a custom "fixed gain" peak filter.
  • Added - Digital Clap Tone EPROM swapping.
  • Added - Analog Clap Ensemble circuit bending: Pulses shape, Humanizer mod amount, reversed key-tracking...
  • Added - Trigger "thump" and Filter noise bleed emulation.
  • Added - Option to delay incoming trigger (max 100ms) on one unit.
  • Added - True stereo capability on the analog ensemble pulses.
  • Added - Option to enable global circuit saturation (also reduces dynamic range).
  • Fix - Rare Mac OS graphic glitches.
  • Fix - Improved CPU usage by "sleeping" analog emulated circuits when not in use.
  • Fix - Most parameters should now respond to automation.
  • Fix - Improved VST3 MIDI support. (for example it can: receive MIDI 2.0, Enable Ableton Live's "External Instrument rack" inputs detection etc)
10/14/23 - v1.3.0 (platform update for discontinued "VSDSX bonus" version 1)
  • Introducing - Mac VST3 and Native Silicon (M1/M2), builds are "Universal 2" meaning VST3 and AU work on both Intel x86-64-and ARM64 Apple Silicon Mac natively.
  • Introducing - Mac signed Installers.
  • Fix - Improved CPU usage by "sleeping" analog emulated circuits when not in use.
  • Fix - Improved VST3 MIDI support. (for example it can: receive MIDI 2.0, Enable Ableton Live's "External Instrument rack" inputs detection etc)
01/25/21 - v1.0.2
  • Fixed wrong status on MIDI Map after a Map Reset.
  • Better support for Direct-X graphics (fix crashes on older systems).
  • New keyboard control mode (claptrap).
  • Fix control voltages limit in key control mode(claptrap).
  • Catalina / Big Sur fix (Mac)
  • Auval fix (Mac)
  • Automation and preset system fix (Mac)
  • Now signed and notarized by Apple (Mac)
04/19/19 - v1.0
  • Initial release.
  • CLAP voice closely based on the iconic Simmons Digital ClapTrap from 1982 with additional controls, modulation capabilities and stereo widening capability.
  • Two emulated voices running with EPROM clock and filter offsets.
  • Get It !

    ClapTrap v2 for PC & Mac

    CLAPTRAP 2 comes with both PC & Mac Installers