What is the best drum machine under $500?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spin Doctor
  • Start date Start date
S

Spin Doctor

New member
What is the best drum machine for under $500?

I don't need anything with a wide variety of drum kits, just a good sound for Hard Rock.

I've used a DR 550, and DR 660 for years now.
 
It really REALLY depends on what you want.
I've used a Roland TR 505 since the 80's quite happily but I don't do Capital D dance music & I'm happy to spend the time programming it as needed as well as layering tracks in my recording software to get the tone & effects right.
Decide what you want, then what you can afford & then get what you can.
Cheers
rayC
 
i was thinking about purchasing a drum machine not too long ago. But i was actually very impressed with the drum samples in fruity loops. I think for the money that you want to spend, fruity loops will give you what you need plus a lot more. Then again, ive never really played around with drum machines, so i dont know. its just an option i think you should consider. I know you can purchase FL for about $130...or you could just get it off the internet to try it out and see if you like it.

hope thats helpful
 
You can't get a good hard rock sound out of the 550 or 660? :confused:

I am using a DR-670 which I assume is very similar to those two models, and there are a number of kits that are suitable for rock. It's available for a tic under $300.
 
I CAN get a decent hard rock sound from the 550 and 660.

But I was curious if there are newer ones that have stuff like 'human feel' as an option. Or a few other tricks that mine don't have.

I've heard about Fruity Loops, but not sure how they work. I'll check it out.
 
The DR-670 has velocity-sensitive pads, if that's what you're asking. And all the pads are programmable for overlap and decay. So you can do a shitload of customization to the kits.
 
Yes- these are very old- but...

I have a guy use a D4 with his triggers that works great.

My personal choice, though, is to use a HR16B MIDI'd into Protools so I can get the sounds from Sampletank and Reason. It is easy to use my old machine but getting new sounds. The ProTools software, I believe, is free- so you can use a $100 machine with actual real sounds...

just a thought... but maybe Zaphod can enlighten on a more workable way to do this
 
I can't help you, RockDoc - I have no experience with computer-based recording tools.

I run a DR-670 directly into my Tascam 2488. I'll spend a lot of time on the 670, stand-alone, getting the drum part right before recording it onto the 2488. All of my mixing and editing is done on the 2488 as well.
 
Have you considered a software based drum sampler like Drumkit From Hell Superior?
It's 300 bucks and as long as you have a MIDI capable host software for it you'll get the most realistic drums possible. I used to use hardware drum machines like the DR-670, the DR-770 and the Zoom RT-123 for a long time. I ditched them all when I went to a software set-up.
 
I have a couple drum machines and if one doesn't have the sound I want, I can usually find it in the other one. I have a Zoom Rhythmtrak 123 which is probably about $150 new, and I have an Alesis SR-16 which is also probably about $150 new. They are great. I find I use the Zoom for more rock stuff, and the Alesis for more of the dance and hip hop based stuff I do, but they both have a wide variety of kits that work well.

I also have Logic and use a MIDI controller with that that is called the Trigger Finger...it's made by....oh shoot, I just posted it in the hip hop forum....I can't remember who makes it, but it looks like an MPC with the pads and everything so I like to use that a lot too, just to have more control over my software based drums.

I'd say you can't really go wrong with one of the two that I have. They've served me well for almost 8 years.
 
metalhead28 said:
Have you considered a software based drum sampler like Drumkit From Hell Superior?
It's 300 bucks and as long as you have a MIDI capable host software for it you'll get the most realistic drums possible. I used to use hardware drum machines like the DR-670, the DR-770 and the Zoom RT-123 for a long time. I ditched them all when I went to a software set-up.
Click to expand...
I'll second this idea. By far the best option. I also used to use a DR-770. Software drum machines are much better.
 
Is Drumkit From Hell relatively simple to use?

I mean... switching from a drum machine to DKFH... will it be an easy transition.
 
metalhead28 said:
Have you considered a software based drum sampler like Drumkit From Hell Superior?
It's 300 bucks and as long as you have a MIDI capable host software for it you'll get the most realistic drums possible. I used to use hardware drum machines like the DR-670, the DR-770 and the Zoom RT-123 for a long time. I ditched them all when I went to a software set-up.
Click to expand...

Isn't that pretty resource intensive?

Just wondering what kind of DAW the guy has,he might want to check the softwares requirements before jumping into something like that.
 
I have a ZOOM MRT-3B it cost about $99.99 plus whatever the 9V DC walwart cost(about 10-20 bucks).

Its got a midi in and is easy to use and program (step or real time).

Its a decent value. Just a thought.

-Blaze
 
I'd suggest you also look at BFD drums, as well as NI Battery.
 
acidrock said:
Isn't that pretty resource intensive?

Just wondering what kind of DAW the guy has,he might want to check the softwares requirements before jumping into something like that.
Click to expand...

Well, with the latest version of the software you can get by with probably .5 or 1 gig of RAM. Actually when I use it it only eats up about 150 meg. However there are 35 Gig's of samples so you do need some hard drive space.

Switching from a hardware drum machine, I would say the biggest obstacle will be working with MIDI. If you're used to that it's not a big deal at all.
 
is there a mapping program on DKFH or BFD that comes with it?

Or do you have to buy a midi keyboard or a specific sequencer?

I have the Boss DR3 and looking to uprade to one of these two programs, both have insane sounds, (from the samples on their sites)

Just wondering if the learning curve is hard, and can you easily create full songs, I bascially have the drum patterns on the DR3 but just want to get better sounds, and mapp them into these progframs.

thanks
 
There's no charge for starting your own thread rather than reviving a month-old one and tagging onto it...

To answer your question, the midi information that your drum machine sends out is something you can capture in a midi file, then paste it into the track that has the DKFH or BFD plugin in it.

As far as creating further songs from scratch, you can use either a midi controller keyboard or MPC-style drum pad to place your drum sounds in the timeline.

And yes, both come with 'mapping programs'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top