Boss DR 880 dr rhythm

[leighelse]

Have you tried creating your own patterns in real time?

Yes, both with the track buttons on the BR1600 and with my MIDI keyboard. It's not a complete answer though, as I'm still constrained by the limited sounds available on the BR1600, and still can't sample in additional sounds.

Ever since it was announced at Winter NAMM 2014, I've wanted to get an Arturia BeatStep for creating drum patterns.

I was looking at these instore myself last Friday, and then considering the Arturia SparkLE online yesterday. They would go part-way to meeting my needs. But to get any extra voices I'd need to use them with Hydrogen or Reaper on my computer, and then MIDI the resulting track into either my keyboard (it has some nice kits) or a separate sound module. It's a lot more spaghetti and feels like I'm making the process more complex/harder rather than simpler/easier. Also, it would be much harder to work up rhythm tracks outside the studio (three of my four shortlisted options will run on batteries, all of them are self-contained).

I did a lot of research online yesterday, and joined several hardware-specific user groups so I could ask questions of people who actually use the units. In a day or two I should be able to make a decision.

[64Guitars]

Have you tried creating your own patterns in real time?

Yes, both with the track buttons on the BR1600 and with my MIDI keyboard. It's not a complete answer though, as I'm still constrained by the limited sounds available on the BR1600, and still can't sample in additional sounds.

I'm surprised that the BR-1600 doesn't have the Tone Load feature that's available in a few of the other BR series recorders (BR-900, BR-864, and BR-600). Tone Load lets you load in your own drum samples from WAV/AIFF files and use them in your patterns.

Ever since it was announced at Winter NAMM 2014, I've wanted to get an Arturia BeatStep for creating drum patterns.

I was looking at these instore myself last Friday, and then considering the Arturia SparkLE online yesterday.

Did you try the pads? Were they responsive, or did you have to hit them pretty hard to make them trigger a sound? I haven't had a chance to actually try them yet, so I'm curious to know what you thought of them.

They would go part-way to meeting my needs. But to get any extra voices I'd need to use them with Hydrogen or Reaper on my computer, and then MIDI the resulting track into either my keyboard (it has some nice kits) or a separate sound module. It's a lot more spaghetti and feels like I'm making the process more complex/harder rather than simpler/easier. Also, it would be much harder to work up rhythm tracks outside the studio (three of my four shortlisted options will run on batteries, all of them are self-contained).

You could always get a BR-900 and MIDI-sync it to your two BR-1600s. Then you'd have 40 tracks and a drum machine that you can load samples into.   I'm not being completely serious with that suggestion. Tone Load is limited to 13 seconds in total sample time for a whole drum kit. That's actually not as limiting as it sounds since drum samples are usually quite short. Still, you'd most likely be better off with a proper drum machine. And the BR-900 only has MIDI Out, so it would have to be the MIDI Master in your system.

Good luck with your quest, and let us know what you end up with.


By the way, another product that has always interested me is the Korg padKONTROL. It's only a controller - it doesn't have any built-in sounds. And it's 10 years old, though it doesn't seem to be discontinued. But it looks like a really great controller for drums.

http://www.korg.com/us/products/computergear/padkontrol/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZX2dUNBJ8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Q-W9WJboM

[leighelse]

Have you tried creating your own patterns in real time?

Yes, both with the track buttons on the BR1600 and with my MIDI keyboard. It's not a complete answer though, as I'm still constrained by the limited sounds available on the BR1600, and still can't sample in additional sounds.

I'm surprised that the BR-1600 doesn't have the Tone Load feature that's available in a few of the other BR series recorders (BR-900, BR-864, and BR-600). Tone Load lets you load in your own drum samples from WAV/AIFF files and use them in your patterns.

That would certainly go some way towards meeting my objectives. But I think, as you say, that I may be better off with a dedicated drum machine that will accept samples.

Ever since it was announced at Winter NAMM 2014, I've wanted to get an Arturia BeatStep for creating drum patterns.

I was looking at these instore myself last Friday, and then considering the Arturia SparkLE online yesterday.

Did you try the pads? Were they responsive, or did you have to hit them pretty hard to make them trigger a sound? I haven't had a chance to actually try them yet, so I'm curious to know what you thought of them.

No, I've not tried them. I have tried others and found them a mixed bag, especially if velocity sensitivity is important. Now ask me which models I've tried   ... I couldn't tell you.

By the way, another product that has always interested me is the Korg padKONTROL. It's only a controller - it doesn't have any built-in sounds. And it's 10 years old, though it doesn't seem to be discontinued. But it looks like a really great controller for drums.

It certainly does look the business ... and the bundled software is worth the asking price on its own.

I'll let you know what I end up doing.

[Hook]

Bruno uses beta monkey loops I think and loves them...and they sound pretty cool.
Do you have an ipad or phone? Garage band has excellent drums. I like the random generator but I believe you can create your own rythm like a piano roll.
I love my Roland Handsonic 10, which is what the drums were done with on the song of mine you asked about the drums. Can you play? They are very expensive new, I got mine used for under $300 and it's quite amazing. If only I was a better drummer. Even still, i prefer simple , real drumming over programmed.
Good luck and I am looking forward to hearing how you make out.
Your songwriting is quite unique, we'll developed & very enjoyable, and your studio set up is super cool. Glad you found our corner of the world here.
Rock on!

[leighelse]

It's strange how these things work out. I've ended up with the second best drum machine.

After completing my research I decided on the Boss DR880, and sourced a good one ex-Japan. But then I saw a passing reference in a review to the Roland SP606, which was not a model that had previously cropped up. It's no longer in production, and there aren't many units on the market, but it would be the perfect machine. It's a sophisticated sampling sequencer with a media card slot. In many ways it's similar to the DR880, but with the ability to sample and chop your own sounds. And the media card slot makes it easy to load third party libraries as well.

I should have the DR880 within a fortnight and I'm looking forward to it. Perhaps later I might trade up to the SP606.

[Speed Demon]

I've owned a DR 880 for quite a while now and I'm getting excellent results using it in my music.

A good choice if you decide to acquire one.

[bruno]

I love BetaMonkeyLoops - its a real drummer properly recorded, cut into little loops - and dead easy to add into the BR1600 - stringing together to make a track, takes very little time at all - and each disk is around $30 US - but they've always got promotions. It depends on how you write though - I write off the drum beat, so it may not work if you are after something very specific in your tunes. I generally don't enjoy drum machines, but then again, I've only used the one in the 1600 - and the samples are a little tame.

see http://www.betamonkeymusic.com/ they seem to be giving away free loops at the moment - so you can try them out???
B

[leighelse]

It depends on how you write though - I write off the drum beat, so it may not work if you are after something very specific in your tunes.

My problem is that I write in my head, which more often than not means that I end up with something I can initially neither play nor sing! Actually, over the years this has provoked me to improve my playing and vocal techniques. That and cheat unashamedly in the studio. The road block has always been realising the rhythm I have in my head. BetaMonkeyLoops sound great and the price is good, but I don't think they'll help in this particular case.

My DR880 has arrived and works well, but I've not had the energy to harness it yet as I've been fighting off a chest infection for the last fortnight. I don't often succumb to winter coughs and colds, but when I do it seems to be a major interruption to life as I know it.

In even more exciting news, I have tracked down and bought a Roland SP606. I'm very excited about this, and if that excitement turns out to be well-placed I will sell the DR880. The SP606 has most of the advantages of the DR880 (without quite the degree of feel variations and ghost hits), but is also a sampler. I've used a lot of sample-based rhythms in the past, and this feels more like my future. The SP606 will be here in about a fortnight.

[Speed Demon]

Keep both machines. One can never have too many toys.

I have ten rack spaces full of digital toys. And more that do not fit in a rack.

[kenny mac]

I love the iPad drums as well and sometimes beef them up with my electric Alesis kit.
Like hook you can get some cool rythyms out the drum generator,throw the dice and watch them loops create