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Looking for suggestions on a drum machine

Suture

Suture

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 22, 2007
1,002
212
Looking to get back into recording. Always preferred using drum machines in the past as opposed to using virtual or click/pasting. I had an Alesis SR-16 until it was "borrowed" from a "friend" and never returned. The SR-18 looks like a decent upgrade, but before I make the purchase, was wondering if anyone else here had any input. I'm not opposed to spending a little more, but don't want one that's difficult to use either.

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I should probably add that my music is primarily industrial rock and soundtrack-like. But I have dabbled in electronic and other genres.
 
Suture

Suture

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 22, 2007
1,002
212
Something with pads, doesn't have to have a sampler, as I know that will jack up the price. Really something simple like the old SR-16 I used to have. I should probably just get my butt down to Guitar Center and see what's out there. Been a long time since I looked at any equipment really.
 
S

supercooled

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2007
737
1
Sorry to ask such a novice question, but hasn't software drum machine software like FL Studios and Ableton come long enough ways to replace virtually any 'machine' can accomplish?

I'm looking into learning music composition and I noticed one of my favourite digital musician, Nick Bertke aka Pogo uses some kind of pad but from what I know, he primarily uses FLS and Ableton to make the sounds and pieces them together.

Any comments?
 
genshi

genshi

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2007
668
81
Land of Enchantment by way of Los Angeles
Suture said:
Looking to get back into recording. Always preferred using drum machines in the past as opposed to using virtual or click/pasting. I had an Alesis SR-16 until it was "borrowed" from a "friend" and never returned. The SR-18 looks like a decent upgrade, but before I make the purchase, was wondering if anyone else here had any input. I'm not opposed to spending a little more, but don't want one that's difficult to use either.

----------

I should probably add that my music is primarily industrial rock and soundtrack-like. But I have dabbled in electronic and other genres.
Click to expand...

supercooled said:
Sorry to ask such a novice question, but hasn't software drum machine software like FL Studios and Ableton come long enough ways to replace virtually any 'machine' can accomplish?

I'm looking into learning music composition and I noticed one of my favourite digital musician, Nick Bertke aka Pogo uses some kind of pad but from what I know, he primarily uses FLS and Ableton to make the sounds and pieces them together.

Any comments?
Click to expand...

Yes, software drum machines have come along enough to equal or out do many drum machines, with the exception of Analog machines; there is still a certain quality to a real analog machine that just can't be beat (and a lot of people will argue against that, but they just don't get it; the difference between playing analog voltages versus digital bits.) Me personally, I'm looking into getting either the Elektron Analog RYTM or the DSI Tempest for my studio...

With that being said though, if you have an iPad, and it looks as if you do, one of the best drum machines I've used in a long time is the DM1 app for iPad. It has faithful recreations of just about every single drum machine that has ever been invented, plus the built-in rhythm machines found in organs, plus a whole bunch more. It has virtual drum pads, a mixer, an effects section, is easy to use and sounds great!

I would recommend that over anything else... unless you have a serious studio and want the most versatile high quality analog drum machine for sound design and have the cash for it, then it's the RYTM or Tempest.
 
Suture

Suture

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 22, 2007
1,002
212
genshi said:
Yes, software drum machines have come along enough to equal or out do many drum machines, with the exception of Analog machines; there is still a certain quality to a real analog machine that just can't be beat (and a lot of people will argue against that, but they just don't get it; the difference between playing analog voltages versus digital bits.) Me personally, I'm looking into getting either the Elektron Analog RYTM or the DSI Tempest for my studio...

With that being said though, if you have an iPad, and it looks as if you do, one of the best drum machines I've used in a long time is the DM1 app for iPad. It has faithful recreations of just about every single drum machine that has ever been invented, plus the built-in rhythm machines found in organs, plus a whole bunch more. It has virtual drum pads, a mixer, an effects section, is easy to use and sounds great!

I would recommend that over anything else... unless you have a serious studio and want the most versatile high quality analog drum machine for sound design and have the cash for it, then it's the RYTM or Tempest.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the recommendation of DM-1. I'm going to check that out.

Yes, I've used a lot of software-based drum machines in the past, albeit on the PC platform when I was primarily using FL Studio, Pre-Sonar Cakewalk, etc. They got pretty good, but I always preferred using physical pads, not to mention I always thought the audio was better from dedicated hardware. I guess I could just get a pad controller, too. Maybe it's just the stuff I used, don't know. But I'll check that out, thanks.
 
R

rimntwitne

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2014
2
0
Nick Bertke aka Pogo uses some kind of pad but from what I know, he primarily uses FLS and Ableton to make the sounds and pieces them together.
bzj
 
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