So, I've got a little Korg Volca Beats and its really cool but a little bit limited.
If I flog some other synth gear I'm not using I could afford a slightly bigger/better drum machine. I need to do some thinking about exactly what features are important to me but there's something very appealing about the Arturia Drumbrute and the Roland TR-8: they both look like all the features are very accessible and easy to use, and the TR-8 obviously has *that* sound. As an outside option there's something like the Korg Electribe sampler which could obviously do drum sounds but not sure its really got the simplicity of a dedicated drum machine.
Any thoughts on these, or similar priced alternatives?
I'm aware there are lots of software options out there but those just don't float my boat. I like hardware solutions.
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Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Football is rubbish.
Are you mostly programming beats in Step Time or tapping them in in real time? Do you rely on a pattern grid display to keep tabs on what you are creating?
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The thing i love about my volca beats is that it's very much WYSIWIG: the controls are all up front, there's no menu diving, buttons pretty much all have a single function.
The thing I don't love so much about it is that the sequencer is pretty limited - in number of steps but also there's no song mode or chaining of patterns.
I also have a volca sample and it doesn't get much use - there's almost too many options in terms of sounds. I spend more time choosing samples and manipulating them than I do making beats.
Between a bout of insomnia last night and a train journey this morning I've watched and read a lot about both the Drumbrute and the TR-8. The Drumbrute's sequencer, polyrhythms, and WYSIWIG sound editing are all leading me fairly strongly to one of those: it basically seems like my volca (which I like) but with the things i don't like much improved.
That said, the TR-8 does sound fabulous, and the inbuilt delay and reverb is a nice touch. I know that I can reprocess the beats from the Drumbrute but built in is simply less hassle. I just don't know whether I'd feel limited by being restricted to the 808/909 sounds which I can always get from a software or sampler solution anyway.
The sample is going to go to help pay for the new gear. I'll make a decision on the beats when I can try things out together. Can you use the sequencer on the drumbrute to control other things whilst also sequencing on the drumbrute at the same time?
I got it for the hands on workflow after years of programming samples with a midi keyboard and it has been good, you can kind of do a performance with it. Looppop on youtube did a pretty comprehensive review.
At the price, and if you like the sounds, I don't think it can be beat.
Kick and toms are nice.
Snare and hats are amongst the worst I’ve heard.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Football is rubbish.
So my finger slipped and I bought one. Oops!
I bought a Drumbrute. Loved the sequencer, but the sounds didn't do it for me. I didn't think they were bad, but they just weren't the sound in my head. So I sold it again (in record time too).
I decided instead to try a Novation Circuit. I realised that combining the Circuit with my Volca beats would be very powerful and would also let me add pads and stuff to loops which is something I was missing. The good news is that the Novation is here and ticks nearly every box, the bad news is that it seems to be faulty so I have to return it I'll probably buy another one because I do really like it.
Balls.
You can indeed midi in/out quite easily to use another synth to program the sequencer and make the sounds on one of the two synth channels. Just remember that external synth is now “live” so you can’t use it any further for programming the other channel. Also use the internal Circiut mixer to mute its synth output otherwise you get both sounds at the same time which may or may not be what you want. Also a lot of the Circuits own sounds are a bit weird.
Overall, quite a cool little beatbox thing.
If Digitakt is too much money then what about Elektron's Model: Samples?
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Football is rubbish.
Circuit is a solid purchase though.
I've got Peak and the BS II incoming myself actually.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Football is rubbish.
Cool.
I've been having a bit of a gear re-think recently. The Circuit is obviously incoming and I intend to pair it with my Volca keys. My Volca Beats may stay or may go, I want to try pairing it with the Circuit (I really like the kick on it for starters).
Almost certainly for the chopping block is my Monologue, though. Its a cool bit of kit but something about it never clicked with me. Can't put my finger on it---I love how other make it sound but there's something about the workflow that doesn't work for me.
Edit: the Peak looks glorious by the way. Please share your thoughts!