Members Stratman Tigers Posted June 19, 2008 Members Share Posted June 19, 2008 I got a budget of 300 here. I'd like a simple drum machine that I can get new, or an used one ebay. Our band is lacking a drummer at the moment, and we figured we could use a drum machine to rehearse with in the meantime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nibbles Posted June 19, 2008 Members Share Posted June 19, 2008 Alesis SR 18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted June 19, 2008 Moderators Share Posted June 19, 2008 It's been a long time since I've used a drum machine. I always loved the original Alesis HR16. The HR... the first beige one. As they came out with other machines they tended to lose the tactile interface. The Yamahas always felt removed to me. Same with the Rolands and the Drumulators and the Oberheims. More like programming and less like playing. The HR was really easy to get connected to. The sounds were straight ahead and less fashionable, which means of course, they still sound good today. I'd eBay an HR16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mtraugott Posted June 20, 2008 Members Share Posted June 20, 2008 Akai XR20 Beat Production Station Alesis SR18 Alesis SR16 For under $300 you don't have very many options Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Neonfacelift Posted June 20, 2008 Members Share Posted June 20, 2008 Akai XR20 Beat Production StationAlesis SR18Alesis SR16For under $300 you don't have very many options Any of those would work fine for rehearsal purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zooey Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 For rehearsal, you can use nearly anything. You're not going to want to slave over programming the damn thing. A vintage Roland R-8 for about $50-$100 has more features than any current drum machine (including 8 individual outputs!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 We used to use this creaky old Oberheim DMX drum machine that was made in the early '80s for rehearsal. You could continually alter the drum machine as it was playing, and it was good for our purposes. Nice big buttons for hitting while playing another instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nice keetee Posted June 25, 2008 Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 For rehearsal, you can use nearly anything. You're not going to want to slave over programming the damn thing.A vintage Roland R-8 for about $50-$100 has more features than any current drum machine (including 8 individual outputs!). I agree. If one wishes to play a click or more, most any machine can fill in for a live timekeeper. In short, if you can find a second hand drum machine for $ you want to spend it might work fine for you. Go to a local gear store and play with a few...Some synths can groove if they have an arp too etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nice keetee Posted June 25, 2008 Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 ...heck for about $300 you could probably find a synth that has a sequencer and or built in drum machine with patterns already there etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nice keetee Posted June 25, 2008 Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 ...some stand alone recorders from a few years ago and you could record too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lucky #9 Posted June 25, 2008 Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 I picked up a little Zoom MRT-3 a few years back, basically to just throw up some beats to play along to. It's got pretty decent sounds and a lot of options for such a small unit. It has a stereo out if you want to pump it through two amps as well. Pretty easy to program. It has a MIDI-in so you can play sequences into it as well. I paid about $100 new for it when I bought it. I picked up a new one last year for my nephew on ebay for about $60. I liked the little thumper enough to pick up a Zoom RT-323 RhythmTrak last year on ebay. They were over $300 new when they first came out and I think I picked mine up for about $120 or so in great shape. It has a lot more options, based on the manual, but I actuallly haven't got around to using it as time is very short these days. It has a line in, stereo out, MIDI-In-Out and does a bass line as well. Also, has a SmartMedia card slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nice keetee Posted June 25, 2008 Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 Technology is a double edged sword cliche. What is old becomes new again? Roland tr707 and zoom st 234? mash it etc control a synth playing drum sounds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stratman Tigers Posted June 25, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2008 Are the Alesis SR18 or SR16 easy to program? As someone said, I'm not gonna slave over the machine and spend hours fiddling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr Songwriter Posted July 26, 2008 Members Share Posted July 26, 2008 I usally find that a couple of mnutes spent browsing the manual for something I am thinking of buying will tell me a lot about the ease-of-use and features: http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/SR16_Manual-9d796d56d2c465f19b598d39a29c8d8c.pdf I've also had a DR-3 Doctor Rhythm and it looks to be a better, more rubust product than the Alesis (albeit more expensive) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cearleywine Posted July 26, 2008 Members Share Posted July 26, 2008 search "Craigs little buddy" and find a DR-880. It's the best on the market right now and you could easily get a used one for $300. They go for $500 new. They even have inputs for bass/guitar with very many input effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Are the Alesis SR18 or SR16 easy to program? As someone said, I'm not gonna slave over the machine and spend hours fiddling. Relatively easy, and they have quite a few preset rhythm patterns in them to get you started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jvod Posted July 29, 2008 Members Share Posted July 29, 2008 search "Craigs little buddy" and find a DR-880. It's the best on the market right now and you could easily get a used one for $300. They go for $500 new. They even have inputs for bass/guitar with very many input effects. I just score a Boss DR-880 on eBay for $230! Can't wait for it! I used to have a SR-16. It is fairly easy to use, can get indepth if wanted, & sounded good. I had to sell it for $$$ a few years back. From my research on the DR-880, it will suit my needs better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted July 29, 2008 Members Share Posted July 29, 2008 Iwas about to buy a sr18 but i was disappointed by the fact that it only supports 8 velocity levels in its pads. You can play all 128 levels from a sequencer though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grissom Posted July 29, 2008 Members Share Posted July 29, 2008 I have to agree with the DR-880. I've had mine for about a year now and even used it on a couple of solo gigs and everyone in the crowd couldn't tell the difference, except that there wasn't a drummer on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jvod Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 I have to agree with the DR-880. I've had mine for about a year now and even used it on a couple of solo gigs and everyone in the crowd couldn't tell the difference, except that there wasn't a drummer on stage. That is what I want to hear! I'm still waiting on mine to travel to daddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 My drum machine : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boosh Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 My drum machine : I heard his Analog Output didn't work anymore,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jvod Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 I heard his Analog Output didn't work anymore,... I'm not even gonna ask if he has an Analog Input....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kaux Posted July 30, 2008 Members Share Posted July 30, 2008 Does anyone know if the dr 880 transmit the 128 velocity levels from its pads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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