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pjh6467
New member
Hi, Looking for a drum machine to use with the MR8. I have a $300-$400.00 budget. Any replies to help get me started are appreciated. Thanks Pj
jfrog
uber-nerd
A few months back I was looking for a drum machine. The Boss DR-770 ($350) was recommended to me by a few people in this & other forums. I actually ended up buying a Boss DR-3 ($200) because of it's functionality. You kind of have to play around with it at your local music store to see what I mean. It's also highly programmable. A feature that I wasn't looking for and thought I wouldn't use is that it also acts as a bass guitar. It turns out I use that feature a lot also.
The downsides:
1. While it has a lot of predefiend patches - 100 - and each of the 100 has like 6 variations, it doesn't have as many "bread and butter" drum beats - the kind of beats that are used in 100's of songs - as I would like. I've ended up programming the drum beats I've used.
2. Also, there is no way to back up the data in the unit. This hasn't been a problem yet, but a back up of my user-defined beats would be nice for if the unit ever dies.
3. Thirdly, while it is a very cabable unit with tons of features, the menu structure is awkward.
Aside from these shortcomings, it does a lot for not much $$.
Hope this helps.
The downsides:
1. While it has a lot of predefiend patches - 100 - and each of the 100 has like 6 variations, it doesn't have as many "bread and butter" drum beats - the kind of beats that are used in 100's of songs - as I would like. I've ended up programming the drum beats I've used.
2. Also, there is no way to back up the data in the unit. This hasn't been a problem yet, but a back up of my user-defined beats would be nice for if the unit ever dies.
3. Thirdly, while it is a very cabable unit with tons of features, the menu structure is awkward.
Aside from these shortcomings, it does a lot for not much $$.
Hope this helps.
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smattermonnat
New member
HEY,1ST POST!
I purchased an Alesis SR16 from musiciansfriend for use w/ my MR8 and I'm quite satisfied. (It suits my needs anyway) Even better, it was less than $200.00.
May be worth checking out.
I purchased an Alesis SR16 from musiciansfriend for use w/ my MR8 and I'm quite satisfied. (It suits my needs anyway) Even better, it was less than $200.00.
May be worth checking out.
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pjh6467
New member
Thanks for the replies. I now have a place to get started
Fougerousse
New member
drum machine
I chose the Zoom RT323 and I am very happy with it. It sounds extremely realistic and has a lot of variety.
I chose the Zoom RT323 and I am very happy with it. It sounds extremely realistic and has a lot of variety.
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Doc G
New member
DR770 totally rocks! Lots of choices with it. Downside cost.
The Alesis sounds great and has choices upside costs less.
I like the 770 the best but the sr-16 would not be ruled out by me.
The Alesis sounds great and has choices upside costs less.
I like the 770 the best but the sr-16 would not be ruled out by me.
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yorgo
New member
dr-770. The thing is fantastic!!!!!!!!!
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branded
New member
Re: drum machine
I agree. The rt 123 would be a good choice also it's almost
the same as the 323 but dosn't have some things that the 323
has but it sounds just as good and is a lttle cheaper.
Fougerousse said:
I agree. The rt 123 would be a good choice also it's almost
the same as the 323 but dosn't have some things that the 323
has but it sounds just as good and is a lttle cheaper.
D
dave in toledo
New member
drum machine
have you tried a set of drums, some mics and playing the drums?
sorry i couldnt resist the joke
but seriously, as much as some of these units cost, you would think a used set of ludwigs (300 around here) would be a thought, while drum machines are nice they just dont sound like a real drummer just my feelings
my buddy uses the Zoom RT323 and it sounds pretty good, i think he likes it because he said it was very easy to use
click click click and a one and a two (insert snare and highhat sound here) hahaah
have you tried a set of drums, some mics and playing the drums?
sorry i couldnt resist the joke
but seriously, as much as some of these units cost, you would think a used set of ludwigs (300 around here) would be a thought, while drum machines are nice they just dont sound like a real drummer just my feelings
my buddy uses the Zoom RT323 and it sounds pretty good, i think he likes it because he said it was very easy to use
click click click and a one and a two (insert snare and highhat sound here) hahaah
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frankieatc
New member
I am still messing with the Boss DR-660. Made a song with it, and sounds quite convincing. Lost the book that came with it- it is in the room SOMEWHERE LOL....
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frankieatc
New member
I am still messing with the Boss DR-660. Made a song with it, and sounds quite convincing. Lost the book that came with it- it is in the room SOMEWHERE LOL....
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clifchamb
New member
I use an older Boss DR-5, it has bass, synth, piano etc stuff as well. The drums are ok but it is nice to have other instruments that I can program. EBAY ~150.00 or less
clif
clif
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a12stringer
New member
The great thing about a drum machine as opposed to a used set of Ludwig/Gretsch/Slingerland/Tama/whatever is that the machine takes up less space when one's home recording studio also has to serve as one's den/office/guest bedroom.
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clifchamb
New member
a12stringer said:
......and a drum machine won't hit you up for money or leave town and dissappear suddenly because of some problem with the law....
...a drum machine will not play while you are trying to write a part or have a conversation with some one else...
..and most of all, a Drum machine will play what you want it to play...
clif
jfrog
uber-nerd
..and most of all, a Drum machine will play what you want it to play...
clif
a drum machine (or anything that's programmable, for that matter) won't necessarily play what you WANT it to play, but it will always play what you TELL it to play!
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dave in toledo
New member
drums
ispent the last few months learning how to play drums, for all the reasons cliff mentioned ...hahah except he drank alot too..
i thought it would be easier to learn the drums then to program one of those infernal machines....(geezer talk) hahah
ispent the last few months learning how to play drums, for all the reasons cliff mentioned ...hahah except he drank alot too..
i thought it would be easier to learn the drums then to program one of those infernal machines....(geezer talk) hahah
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a12stringer
New member
Anybody ever try making their own set of drums out of other objects? I remember an episode of "Home Improvement" where Tim and Al had "The Original Garage Band" on their "Tool Time" show. The drummer had made his kit out of a fifty-gallon plastic waste container for the bass drum, the snare was a 1-gallon plastic gas container, the tom was a 2-gallon container and the floor tom was a 5-gallon plastic bucket. The cymbal was a metal waste basket lid.
The only "conventional" hardware was the kick pedal.
The only "conventional" hardware was the kick pedal.
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dave in toledo
New member
drdums
i love that episode, its one of my favorites, they sounded good too, but yu have to love the lady who played the saw....
i love that episode, its one of my favorites, they sounded good too, but yu have to love the lady who played the saw....
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pjh6467
New member
Thanks for the replies. I purchased the SR 16 and though it has a variety of kits and stuff, the quality wasn't much better than the drums in my keyboard. And performs the same functions. I have access to a real drummer. So I'm thinking my money might be well spent on a nice vocal mic for recording. Though I've yet to try the 770...
Reggaesoldier
New member
dr-670
I've been using the Boss dr-670, and love it. Not to be confused with the the 660 witch I am reading lots about, I hav'nt seen anyone mention the 670 yet so here goes! Not only can you program up to 200 drum beats of your own, you've also got another 200 pre-programmed beats that you can alter and make your own if you want to too. A total of 400! You also have the ability to build your own drum kits, or assign the pads to the sound you want, and the bass feature is GREAT! It has 16 different bass sounds i.e slap, fretless, stand-up bass etc. So you can lay bass lines over the drums and take care of all that shit with one machine eliminating the need for a drumkit and bass and the amp, cables, mics, and so-on. If you're like me I'm a one man band, so having that sort of fuctionality helps me quite a bit! Maybe it could you too!
I've been using the Boss dr-670, and love it. Not to be confused with the the 660 witch I am reading lots about, I hav'nt seen anyone mention the 670 yet so here goes! Not only can you program up to 200 drum beats of your own, you've also got another 200 pre-programmed beats that you can alter and make your own if you want to too. A total of 400! You also have the ability to build your own drum kits, or assign the pads to the sound you want, and the bass feature is GREAT! It has 16 different bass sounds i.e slap, fretless, stand-up bass etc. So you can lay bass lines over the drums and take care of all that shit with one machine eliminating the need for a drumkit and bass and the amp, cables, mics, and so-on. If you're like me I'm a one man band, so having that sort of fuctionality helps me quite a bit! Maybe it could you too!