BOSS DR-550 questions

ZZWave said:
Hey Torpid-x,
First a very BIG 2 thumbs up to your time and effort on the tutorial. Can't find any better help Anywhere!!!!!
Ques: What is the best drum machine for good sounding rock drums? All the older machines seem to favor the 808 -909 and the newer ones seem to be geared towards trance-hiphop-rap. I'm just looking for some decent rock-not metal, just solid. I'm currently using the ones on my Yamaha PSR550's auto-accompaniment section,but they are just not punchy enough.
Also, if I recorded the drums from the 550 to Cakewalk(midi sequence), would they playback on any of the newer Boss JS-5, DR670, DR770 machines or would I have to edit the sequence heavily? I just like to use the Yamaha to create mainly backing tracks when I compose. I am a guitar player, so all this midi editing stuff is too time consuming and alot of it over my head.
So...any ideas short of samples? TIA PEACE....
Click to expand...

The unanswerable question, you have to try all the available machine's to know what's best for 'your' rock kit. avoid alesis - though the company makes there machines sound (review) great, the sounds (sounds :D ) aren't. don't be fooled by the alesis presets, they're carefully made to fool you into thinking the machines sound good.

boss, even as old as the dr 550 here, moves away from the 808, 909 sounds. There's good punch on the kicks, good snap on snares (and the 808 crap snare's in the 550), and the toms sound good. Cymbols are pretty good, Even usable, for the price range.

A midi track in cake will play back any machine. the tweaking of the tracks all depends on how the pads are set up.

the short explanation. a cakewalk midi track is only a recording of note on, when a button is pressed, note off when it's released and which note is pressed (how hard etc...). it send that info to the drum machine (or whatever). the drum machine pads are assigned to a keyboard button, you might have it set up so C4 on the keyboard triggers your kick 1 on the drum machine. there are standard for midi drums, but I never used them that way.


You should be able to use any machine to create rock, as long as you can adjust the sounds the way you like them. overall, I'd stick with boss. bring the amp and/or headphones you're going to use for the machine with you. You might be able to use the machine you have, just try an EQ or cheap effects unit on it.

if you add effects, use sterio panning on the sounds to send some sounds to the effects, some strait through.
 
Lesson 6 - More On Song Assembly

Ok, where was I... oh yeah, this time I'll cover changing an existing song, setting initial tempo, and using multiple tempo's in a song.

Deleting and Inserting Patterns
Load up or create the simple song in lesson 4, in song edit mode (shift + sound pad 2 + small button for song number 1-8).

The song should be 3 measures of B11 then B12.
Using the +1 button, move to measure 2.

Hold shift and press small number button 2 (delete)
AND while still holding the shift button press ACC.

This deleted the second measure, the song is now B11, B11,B12.

While on measure 2, Hold shift and press small number button 1 (insert)
AND while still holding the shift button, use the small numbered buttons to type in 13. (you could also press the bank button to change to A13)
AND while still holding the shift button press ACC.

The song is now B11, B13, B11 and B12.

Using the +1 button, move to measure 5, extend the song so it also plays B11, B13, B11, B14.

Switch to song play mode (shift + sound pad 1) to hear the song.

Setting the initial tempo of a song
To set the tempo that a song plays at, without having to change it every time you play it, switch back to song edit mode (shift + Soundpad 2)

Hold the shift button and press the TEMPO button,
AND while still holding the shift button, use the +1 and -1 to adjust the tempo.

Multiple Tempo's
This feature is as impractical as using odd meter in paterns and eats your song memory right up. You can combine multiple songs (like a playlist) with different initial tempo's into a single song.

The songs have to be written in order, i.e. song 6 goes to song 7, 7 to 8, etc (8 to 1).
If you wanted the song to go from song 5 to song 6 and back to song 5, then end, song 5 would have to be copied as song 7. (5, 6, 7).

To do this, in song edit mode and on the song you want to continue, hold the shift button and press small number 5 button (CHAIN),
AND while still holding the shift button, use the +1 to turn the chain on. (-1 to turn it off). turning it on simply plays the next song.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's only one more small number button to cover, the 4 (COPY) button, it works for both songs and patterns.

I'll save that for Lesson 7 - The Copy Button.
 
Torpid-x,
Thanx for the tips on the drum machines and quick reply. Apologize for busting into your tutorial. Continue your master class on the Dr550 please. Interesting stuff. Gonna grab my headphones and head over to Mars and check a few Boss machines out. Never would have thought to bring em. Great idea! Peace...
 
No Problem ZZ, I must of deleted the line from my post, make sure you get the manual from the salesperson and dig in to the features before you decide which machine to buy. make a day of it. you'll have to live with your decision for a while.

the reason to bring your own equipment, they might have it playing through $5000 speakers and preamp, you get home and find out it sounds like Sh#t. your headphones should tell you the truth.



































Post more.... you'e been registered as long as me, I was gonna welcome you to the board. :) :) :D
 
Lesson 7 - The Copy Button

This one's pretty self explanitory based on previous lessons. it's mostly useful for copying preset patterns to editable patterns, or slight variations in pattern, and for using a tempo changing song.

Copying Patterns
Enter pattern edit mode (Shift + Sound Pad 6)
Enter the pattern number you want to copy another pattern TO.

Hold the shift and press small button 4 (COPY).
AND while still holding the shift button, enter the number of the pattern you want to copy FROM. (don't forget you can use the bank button)
AND while still holding the shift button, press ACC.



Copying Songs
Enter Song Edit mode (Shift + Sound Pad 2 + the song # you want to copy TO).

Hold the shift and press small button 4 (COPY).
AND while still holding the shift button, enter the number of the song you want to copy FROM.
AND while still holding the shift button, press ACC.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's it, I think I covered everything. If you wan't a list of the names of the sounds let me know. i.e. Kick 1 = Room kick.
 
Oh my god you rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been looking everywhere for a manual for this crazy thing and everything I've needed is here. I know this is an old thread but in case you look back here I say cheers to you
 
BOSS DR550MkII manual pdf available

I have a manual in pdf format for a Boss DR550MkII drum machine. If anyone wants it, send me an e-mail at zackhyde@gmail.com, and I will send it to you.

It's a 4MB file, about 132 pages.
 
Can't get the beat!

Just got my Boss DR550 (uses) off ebay and working my ay thru the lessons from this forum (thanx btw).
Lesson 3, Real Time Editing paragraph says 'press/hold shift key and level key'. When I do that and then press start I get a pattern, not the metronome.
Maybe the previous user 'reset' the level button.
Any ideas?
Should I erase all the patterns?
Thanks,
Al
 
Talk to this guy.

Talk to the guy at www.rMidi.com. He knows a whole lot about old drum machines. Told me every thing I needed to know about my 770

Takes a couple of days for him to get back to you though because he says this stuff is just a hobby for him.
 
Boss hides their manuals here
http://www.bossus.com/backstage/product_manuals/

Just scroll down till you get to the dr-550 or whichever product you are looking for.

This thread is great!
Though quite old, I just came by an original dr-550 with a psa adapter attached, (wanted the psa adapter :) )
Now trying to get the hang of getting the little dr-550 working.

So far I got the demo songs to play and they do sound good and quite realistic through my Peavey NitroBass amp. :p

This thread will be a really big help to me in getting it to work!
 
You can use any 50Hz 9VDC 150ma adapter.
I got one from Jaycar I think Powertech brand (240 volt) for my area.
Not that the brand will match the voltage in your area but you should be able to
get one that will.
I only just found this thread today, hope it helps someone.
 
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