Hi all,
If one were to want to try to use a drum machine live (you only have to punch the rhythm into a machine once etc etc etc) what would be a decent but cost effective option?
I'd like to use it for preloaded phrases, either as full songs (midi files?) or as phrases for verse, chorus, solo etc, as it may be a good alternative to just using backing tracks stored on a looper. But being able to tap in a rhythm live to loop it over and over until stopped would also be a good feature.
I use a vst on my PC which has a model called Acetone which I quite like, but a quick google suggests these are old and rare and spendy. I tend to prefer electro sounding drums, in particular the bass and snare, but wouldn't be averse to something that could do sounds that were nearer realistic drums.
Or would i just be better loading midis to my Yamaha MX49 keyboard?
Many thanks all
Comments
Real time selection of Patterns and Songs is the preserve of DJs and electro dance music artistes. i.e. Performers whose hands are not occupied with string musical instruments.
The Acetone rhythm machine series are, indeed, collector's items. Simple push button accompaniment devices intended for organists. Preset "style" patterns rather than any programming in the modern sense. I suspect that the plug-in instrument has isolated the individual percussive sounds to enable proper pattern writing, compound time signatures and tempo changes.
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Being able to punch something in would be nice, though I understand your reservations with it, I suppose it's something that would be more useful down the line. What I thought that would be useful for would be for doing a basic 2 bar drum phrase to loop over and over just to keep the beat, for the more flexible jam type songs. A bit like somebody banging a tambourine for example. I guess that would have to just be preloaded as well with a few basic versatile rhythms to suit a few songs that may need it.
I don't mind learning it in principle on a VST but I couldn't use that on stage due to the lack of a laptop that would keep up reliably. But my keyboard thing can store and play midi files which may be a good way to go. In fact I found out this weekend it can even play audio files as a backing track as well. I just need to check how to play over the top of the midi files but that is what it's meant for I think. I really should set the time aside to work out that keyboard as it seems to have a lot of Cubase interaction that worked rather well when I was doing my recording recently.
Not sure the e-drums on it are up to much but will have a look just in case.
Maybe a cheap ipad may be a decent shout!
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That would be over budget unfortunately as I'd have to buy both, also when I used it before I don't remember there being electro type sounds or is that an expansion you can get?
Thanks all
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There's the SR18 now - never used one but it looks like a useful update.
They're not fully featured by any means but they're a lot of fun.
They are ok and great for circuit bending but operationally they can be a bit limiting compared to a modern sequencer.
I'd probably suggest either getting a decent drum machine with a modern spec (Elektron, Tempest, MPC) but still use a sequencer on a laptop to control it.
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Thanks Sporky I'll dig out some manuals and hopefully youtube demos which should help.
Mr UnclePsychosis, I did have a Volca Beats before but couldn't quite get to grips with it (donated it to the tFB raffle in fact), but I also didn't have a useful midi playing keyboard then so didn't use the midi input which would be useful. Not looked at the sample one yet but imagine that could also work using the actual drum sounds from my recordings as samples for each part.
Mr horse thanks I'll add the Boss to the research list.
Mr Octatonic I don't mind limited as my intelligence is similarly limited, so will look at these and maybe the recent Roland mini reissue things. I think there's a Behringer clone of one of the Roland drum machines on the way too but suspect that'll be out of the price range.
Annnd Mr Goldtop, hmm that is quite a long list of sounds isn't it, I've only really used the Wurlitzer/Rhodes, 1967 organ and one of the acoustic pianos as have not had time to get to grips with all the other stuff it does. I did use it for recording bass parts and e-piano on some recording I did recently but feel like I've hardly scratched the surface. I've no idea what the Motif is but to be fair the piano sounds are good so will try out the drums as well as that would work perfectly I reckon. Host midi files with other instruments in too (organs & bass mainly) but also the ability to "play" the drums and loop them a bit could also work. Hmmm...
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Being able to punch a rhythm into a machine requires an Akai MPC type machine. Unfortunately, MPCs don't allow you to loop the punched-in rhythms, so you'll need to incorporate some sort of looper. If you want multiple drum rhythms for chorus and verse, you'll need a multitrack looper.
Laptops are great for this because you could easily punch in rhythms and get it to loop in Ableton. You can use the clip launcher to launch the different drum parts that you enter. Check out this video below at 0:38.
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Feature is the operative word. You may actually need to make the business of creating the loop a theatrical "event" in its own right.
Adrian Belew's live solo spot would involve talking to the audience whilst he created a sound on sound loop over which to improvise. (KT Tunstall does something similar.) The problem is that you need to get your spontaneous loop together pretty swiftly. Otherwise, your audience will drift away. Some will not return. Their abiding memory of your live appearance will be the bit when you started fannying about with the drum machine.
Remember I'm a white stripes fan so drumming to me is best when minimal...
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I love the contrast between the "rock 'n' roll is very simple" comment and the fact that one of the videos cued up by YouTube to play next was Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson), explaining his 2018 tour drum kit. How simple is that music?
I shall look at the other suggestions here for future use but I think the mx49 will do me
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