Drum machine?

[Jammin Jim]

Hi All, just wondering what drum machine you use? I am looking for something capable yet easy to program. I am going to use it to practice tunes with my jam buddies.

You could also let me know about ones you dont like. lol

THanks

[woodman]

You're talkin' hardware drum machines — not software, right?

[String Tree]

Pretty easy to use, sounds ok, inexpensive.

[woodman]

I've got an old Boss DR-770 that's served me well. Gets only spot use these days, but it's pretty good for what it is.

[Warren Pederson]

Alesis SR16.

[Glen 1981]

Not trying to hijack at all but if anybody has experience with software drum machines which ones do you use and how do you like them?

[peteycaster]

A lot of people on here seem to use EZ Drummer. Works well, sounds good, is easy to use (hence the name!) and can often be picked up at bargain prices.

[woodman]

Originally Posted by peteycaster

A lot of people on here seem to use EZ Drummer. Works well, sounds good, is easy to use (hence the name!) and can often be picked up at bargain prices.

+1  — EZD helped me ease into the digital realm drum-wise without a lot of trauma. The stock patterns and fills will get you through, but if you really work at it, you can make them sound downright musical. MIDI editing is so easy even a caveman can do it.

Hardware machines are great if you just want to set a pattern and jam to it. But if you want to actually write parts that don't sound mechanical, software drums will save you a lot of time and frustration.

[Cheesehead]

I just got EZ drummer - I think on Woodman's recommendation - and love it!

[dburns]

I use Native Instruments Maschine...it's a hardware controller with it's own software.

It's pretty prominent in the electronic music and hip hop world and more suited for those genres, but it really can be used for anything. I think it's a great tool.

[bossking7]

GC has a Boss DR-550 for $30. The only reason I didnt get it was because I didnt like the sound of the.snare or toms. They all sounded VERY digital. I now use a free recording software with customizable beats called Mixcraft.

[1955]

Boss dr 220a & rp50 - have used various Dr Rhythms, dr. Groove, misc keyboards, etc,

Gonna look into ezdrummer.

[Jammin Jim]

Yes I was looking at hardware drum machines. I have heard good things about the Alesis machines. It doesn't have to totally mimic a drummer. All I need is a machine I can bring to a jam with drum tracks loaded as drummers are hard to find locally.
Thanks for the recommendations so far........keep 'em coming.

[InstituteOfNoise]

I primarily use Reason Drum Kits and ReWire into ProTools. I use Groove Monkee templates as a basis, but them as a real drum session in ProTools once I get them where I want. Groove Monkee are actually played grooves which marry to the drum program of your choice. By doing so they move farther away from sounding like good drums from any software drum program and start to sound like a real kit.

On my page here, http://soundcloud.com/instituteofnoise tracks 1/3/4/6 are fairly recent for a show coming up June 7th on A&E called Cajun Justice. These tracks were all done in around 8 hours each. They are on my old setup in January. No tracks I can post yet from my new PT10 HD setup, which does sound significantly better.

[ThinlineSwamp]

Beatcraft

[DLR Guitars]

Another Vote for the SR-16. I looked at a software version too, but preferred to have something that I could pack up and take with me if needed. Sounds great for what I do.

[cormorant]

Originally Posted by String Tree

Pretty easy to use, sounds ok, inexpensive.

I agree, they have been making it for years and it sounds pretty good. No usb tho, don't know whether that bothers you.

[fatboymjt]

.........ALESIS SR18..........

[eMGee]

Had an Alesis HR-16; sold it; years later bought a used one for $50, and it's waiting to be circuit bent at the moment.

Pretty easy to use.

[Octave Doctor]

I've got an old Roland TR-505--the sounds are cheesy, but the beauty of it that it's really easy to program, just run the MIDI out to the computer and BFD.

Oh, and it was $2.00 at a yard sale.