samplers or drum machine

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heismn32

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I have an Alesis SR-16. I'm doing hip hop music. The Alesis works okay, but I'm not getting the sound and beats I really want. Should I look for a better drum machine or try getting sample beats? Which way is better and easier?
 
All the girls love me 'cause I got LEGITIMATE hardware, baby...

Personal choice, both options work fine, but I prefer the hardware route.

Check for machines by a company called ZOOM.
RhythmTrak RT-123
or
RhythmTrak RT-323

or, if you wanna get into sampling drum sounds and so forth to accentuate your SR-16, check this out...
Zoom Sampletrak ST-224

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/englishie_index.html


Also, check out the Boss Dr. Groove DR-202
http://www.bossus.com/index.asp?pg=1&tmp=53

I'm sure there are others that peoples around here can recommend or encourage you to stay away from.

I can't really call it & say 1 method of working is easier or better than others, i'll leave that to the Master Debators, I can only tell you that as much software as I use for shit, I still prefer the hardware any day of the week.

When you say how much you got to spend (and if you're computer is able to handle soft-drum-synths), maybe you'll get some more budget-appropriate suggestions.

1. Are you willing/able to buy used (like from Ebay)?

2. What are the specs on your PC?

3. What other equipment or software do you have/are you planning to buy?

4. Have you checked the equipment-for-sale forum here?

All those things (and probably others) can make a difference (to some degree) in the information people offer up.

:( What the fuck do I know, though? I'm just a damn DJ...:(

Good luck.

Diendolo
 
Soft samplers or hardware samplers...it's all up to you. Are you more of a hands on person? I use hardware samplers, but use my computer for wave editing or recording. I had a software sampler, and they're powerful. I use hardware, just my preference. A lot of people will argue over hardware samplers and soft samplers. Soft samplers are more convienant because swapping and organization is quick (depending on your ram and motherboard). Hardware samplers are dedicated machines, but offer a more hands on approach and portability. I owned a Alesis Sr-16 and found it to be a great beginners, intuitive drum machine. I grasped the knowledge of making a beat, and then I moved on. I wish I still had mine. Makes a good scratch pad. You just turn it on and bang out a beat that's in your head. With a sampler, you have to load up your sounds. What kind of samplers are you looking for? What are you wanting out of it?
 
Oh yeah, whatever you do, keep your SR-16 forever...


Diendolo
 
Thanks for your responses. I like my sr-16, but i find it hard making hip hop beats. It has a lot of different drum sounds. But not a lot for hip hop. I was thinking about getting the Zoom RhythmTrak RT-323. Would this be a better option, or is the SR-16 better since i already have it?
 
Also what is the best hardware for producing rap beats around $300? Thanks
 
Heismn32,

if you've got 300 beans and you want hardware to sequence beats, then I'd definately suggest you get someting like the Zoom Sampletrak. This way you can sample whatever sounds & loops (incl. drums offa your favorite wax/CDs) u may want to use & sequence them. Keep your SR so that the sounds that you find useable you can let the Alesis play instead of the sampletrack (hats, snares, percussion). You'll be glad you kept it cuz it'll increase your voiceing capabilities. You may also wanna check into the Korg stuff like this:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=EM1

or this:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=EMX-1

Those 2 DON'T have samplers, but you can still get a lot of mileage out of either, I think.

Check these, too:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=ES1

or this:

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=ESX-1

Those ESX-1 costs about double what you're looking to spend, but with it, you can really get loose. Built-in samplers, audio input for processing external sounds (like your SR-16), very useable built-sounds, etc. Worth the extra 300 or so by a long shot, if you ask me.

If 6 and change is simply way out of your budget, I'd lean towards the ES-1 or the Sampletrak. The ES-1 runs about 400 (maybe a little less), and the Sampletrak about


The Emu - PX-7 is pretty cool, too, though it doesn't have a sampler. Again, that's about double your 300, though.

The Emu - XL-7 is worth checking into, too, and it's about 450 beans if I'm not mistaken.]


In your price range or thereabouts, I'd lean towards the ES-1, personally...

<phew>

Check a music store. Buy a sampler/sequencer. Make beats.

Good luck,

diendolo
 
Consider your sampler a digital "tape recorder" capable of capturing sounds (drum hits, moaning women, crackly old record loops, etc) to be used within the construction of your tracks.

Let's say you hear a snare drum sound you've "just got to use" on your favorite David Soul or Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs record. To use it, run your CD or turntable input (via a mixer if you use one) into your sampler. Cue the sound, hit "record" on your sampler. Voila, that snare sound is now yours to bend, twist, distort, replay at your leisure. The biggest diff betwen a sampler & a drum machine in your case would be that the sampler allows you to recapture outside sound sources to use, whereas a drum machine will only allow you to use the internal sounds in that unit. The drum machine WILL NOT allow you to record (sample)and insert your favorite old record sped up to 78 and looped (like so much bullshit people are swearing is all that these days). If you wanna sample a phrase & use it in the hook of your beats, a drum machine CAN't make that happen, a sampler can.

This means more flexibility because you aren't limited to the sounds in the machine, see. You are able to nab sounds from wherever you choose. You can use your sampler as a drum machine, you just gotta find sounds that you dig & then, well, sample 'em.

I'm a drum machine whore & have more than I probably need (but not as many as I want), but none of them can replace my sampler. I was trying to suggest ways to maximize your programming potential on your budget.

There are surely others who can better explain this, and a boatload of info & definitions online. I can't really give you any links and shit, but again, there are others who thrive passing on info like that. Keep researching on your own (search, search, search), and then after you aquire some new-to-you info, keep asking questions.

I'd expect your next questions to be more along the lines of "which one," as opposed to "why & what for" next rip. Otherwise, I'd have to question your commitment & ambition to learn, make, and do...

<what this means is you can get good help here if you keep helping yourself>

Keep Bangin'...


Diendolo
 
Thanks for your help. I think I may try a sampler, see how it works. I found a Zoom Sampletrak for $150, so I think i may get it. So my next step would be to find samples of sounds I like, so i can use them?
 
DOLO is mos def putting you on the right scent HEISMAN. And $150 on a SAMPLETRAK sounds like a good deal... You could sample a few sounds from your SR16 to start with or take the extra few bucks you got and cop a card reader and a couple sample disks or something. But on the real it's millions of sample for free on the internet so finding samples aint hard (good samples is...). It's a cat named SPEN on a board that's dropping gems for free. He posted a 500 hiphop kick pack or cats but my connect is too shady.... But yuh you could use all that and more instead of being stuck with cheesy interenal samples.

Peep this link with some revies ofthe SAMPLETRACK

http://www.sonicstate.com/synth_reviews/zoom_st-224.cfm

Peace.........................
 
Heismn32...

heismn32 said:
Thanks for your help. I think I may try a sampler, see how it works. I found a Zoom Sampletrak for $150, so I think i may get it. So my next step would be to find samples of sounds I like, so i can use them?
Click to expand...

Yup.

You may wanna buy yourself a few Smart Media cards at the same time to save your sampletrak work, too...

And, like Lazi said, 150 bones is a good-assed deal. Get it before whoever it is changes his/her mind or the pawn shop wises up...


Diendolo
 
heismn32 said:
I have an Alesis SR-16. I'm doing hip hop music. The Alesis works okay, but I'm not getting the sound and beats I really want. Should I look for a better drum machine or try getting sample beats? Which way is better and easier?
Click to expand...
hey how much u letting reason go for?
 
get a mpc its a sampler and beat machine....all the top hip hop producers use them...drums are very CRUNCHY!!!
 
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