DD55, Drum Machine, or sample controller?

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undrgrnd studio

undrgrnd studio

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OK I need to play drums in my apartment AND I need to sometimes track drums individually because I'm simply not good enough to play a full on complicated reggae beat or something similar. I can play straight blues, rock, or folky music on drums. But when it comes to difficult time signatures, or abrupt changes it really shows that I'm a guitar player and not a drummer. So occasionally I will play only bass and snare. Then I go back an add hi hat and cymbals. Then I go back and do fills. Yeah I know this is a horrible way to get a good drum feel or sound, but I have no choice.

I was thinking my best route would be to use some sort of finger triggered device so that I can sit at my recording PC and use a drum machine of some sort to repeatedly try to get the drums in perfect time to prerecorded full song tracks.

It's way easier for me to play guitar to a click track and then go back and do percussion later, because I'm not good enough to play a song alone all the way through on drums while remembering where all the changes are unless I'm actually playing along with someone..

The Yamaha DD55 is a sort of toy like triggered drum pad set. Although it's pretty cheap in construction, it does have the ability to actually use sticks and foot pedals for more realistic sounding beats. But I'm concerned about pad sensitivity and cheap samples.

A drum machine is another option, but the thing with a drum machine is that they are designed to program drums and I need something that I can play analogue with. Something I can play along with while recording. Can a drum machine be used in this way effectively?

Last choice is one of those controller pads that I always see. The problem here is I don't know anything about using a controller, and I assume I would then also have to buy some sort of software pack that the controller pad synchs to. Then I would have to make sure the software and hardware work with Adobe Audition which is what I use to track and mix with.

Does anybody have any insight into my situation? What did you do? I've been getting complaints from neighbors about using my acoustic drum set, and really it's hard to record yourself doing drums, having to run back and forth from the PC to the drum set.
 
Screw it

I bought a scratch and dent Alesis SR16 from Musicians friend. I think I can just select a drum sound and play it live with my fingers. That's all I need.
 
I have a dd55 and while it may look like a toy, it performs great. We used it at jamfest this year until the real drums showed up and it sounded great and the drummer that was using it was impressed as well. You can also use it as a controller for external sounds.....I think its worth the money.
 
I have a DD-50 (the older model) I use when I'm writing. If you don't need super-sensitive tracking, it does a decent job. The sounds are crap, but it works well triggering VSTi's.

However, if you're a cheapskate like me, and decide to go with a used DD-50 from ebay, be advised that the foot pedals are NOT touch sensitive like the pads. Major bummer.
 
does the same go for the dd55? i mean the pedals not being tough sensitive? my brother called me a couple of days ago and said that a guy back home wanted to sell a dd55 for $60. it sounded like a good deal so i sent him the money. i won't get to check it out for a while. is this thing worth a crap or should i be looking to resell it? i'd be using it with a vsti.

i hate fake drums but i'm hating no drums more.
 
The DD-55's a great machine for someone who has limited space and money, and who is comfortable playing drums with sticks and pedals. I've used the 55 for the past year with satisfactory results. Yeah, it looks toyish and the pedals are cheap, but many (not all) of the stereo samples are well recorded and pre-balanced in the stereo field so that little editing is needed after tracking. Nice for someone like me (a guitarist) who wants to add drums with minimal hassle but who wants to physically play them. Midi's an option there, too, if you need it. All in all, I can recommend the 55 to anyone with similar needs and limits--but keep your expectations in check. It's definitely no match for an expensive sampler or especially an actual drum kit, acoustic or electric. It's a low-cost fix that can work for some.

FYI, the just-released, re-deisgned DD-65 model is better in most ways than the 55. I picked one up when it hit the streets this summer. It looks better, but more importantly, it adds a pad, two more user memories, and some better sounding sample choices (particularly cymbals)--all for the same street price as the older 55. A fine value for $240, power supply and shipping included.

If you're interested, you can hear the 55 on my tune "Run Fox Run" here: www.mp3.com/JLH

I'm close to finishing a new, heavier, more drum-oriented tune that features the newer 65 and will have it online within a month. Feel free to drop me a PM if you'd like to hear it then.

Good luck,
J.
 
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