blisters on my fingers Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Well in that case Al, EZ drummer 2 comes with meticulously recorded performances by real drummers that are used to provide the midi input to immaculately recorded real drums recorded in real studios. Check out the videos. You could choose a style that suits your song, choose an intro then verses choruses etc. change the complete kit, tweak it with studio effects, add tambourines, shakers even COWBELL or just leave it as it is, save it and quickly get on with the songwriting then return to tweakiness later ! You can learn a lot about mixing a kit from the er... mixer You don't even need a DAW it will download with a standalone version full of drummy goodness You will definitely understand drums more deeply... I most certainly did. Would a drum machine do any of this ? Download the demo and spend a few days with it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 7 hours ago, itsmedunc said: Roland R8 and baby brother R5 are still great machines. I don't have either anymore but wish I had. I'm sure I came across the R8 manual in the loft a bit ago and I still have some sound cards knocking about. I'll have a scout for them if you want them? Gratis of course? 😀 Wow! That would be awesome. Many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 (edited) Once any of us understands the interface be that on a bit of hardware or software it will be less of a barrier and while having knobs etc to tweak might seem more intuitive it's not always obvious if there are multi function on the same buttons etc. There's a learning curve with any new kit is gonna be a few hours at least beyond the most basic three knob pedal but given an hour or two messing about tweaking/pushing buttons/trying some thing out and basic trial and error anything which isn't glaringly obvious can quickly be found via a you tube tutorial or a manual. It's like the Alesis SR drum machine - if you've reached the limitation of what it can do or just want an more authentic sound then maybe it is time to upgrade but if you feel like there is still some learning to be done on that unit it feels quite intuitive once you get your head around the quantize and the basic recording function - it's basically the same step to record each sound be that the kick or snare etc but obviously one would need to understand the basic's of how that hardware is set up to work and some rhythm knowledge/terminology too! I'm by no means a master of the software stuff I use but I've used it enough to figure things out on my own or in conjunction with you tube/manual. EZ Drummer is super easy (hence the name right!) and if you want actual, recorded drums (as well as individual samples) plus the ability to make your own beats it's as a good a starting point as any. It opens as a stand alone program and it can also be used in a DAW i.e. you can mess about on you pc without a DAW. I was looking at it when I first got it thinking how do I get the drum samples into my DAW? It was a simple 'Drag and Drop' but it never occurred to me to simply pull the drum loop across D'oh! Some might say it was pretty 'intuitive' - it's so bloody obvious now as to be farcical but there you go! I suppose the debate over drum machines may vary from user to user and what's it's needed for - basic demo's or for live use with a band - but be prepared to put in some time learning the unit. Just because something requires a few solid hours of use (I'd say a good 10-12 hours taken in 2 hour blocks can feel like time well spent on a lot of this stuff) doesn't make it clunky or un-intuitive and in fact most of this type of gear really reveals their potential when the user has taken the time to get to understand what it can really do. As an aside Logic Pro for Dummies has been ordered off Amazon as I know there is so much more available to me in that program which I'm not really making use of! Edited April 17, 2019 by krispn Spellings 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 The quality of manuals makes a massive difference to stuff too. The official R-8 manual is notoriously badly translated, so much so that a 3rd party wrote a whole new manual for it. From what I remember of the SR-16 manual it's not much better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 Yeah there are some shocking examples out there but with you tube there's a really great community to pick u the basics and get going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 17, 2019 Share Posted April 17, 2019 On 15/04/2019 at 20:24, Al Krow said: Mick - don't disagree with any of your positive comments. The SR16 and 18 are really good bits of kit and also not exorbitantly priced. But I think I'm correct from what your saying, that you're pretty much using its presets rather than writing your own progs? If so, yes it's gonna be just fine for your needs or indeed something like a BeatBuddy by Sigular Sound would also hit the mark (and be much more compact). My query for this thread is 'cos I'm looking to move on from presets and the Alesis SR16/18 interface is not the easiest for programming your own drum lines in my experience. You're absolutely right...I do only use the presets. However shortly after buying the SR16 I found a video on YT showing how to programme new beats..the person who recorded the video made it look not too complicated . As a self confessed Technophobe I didn't actually try. Probably need an 8 year old to show me how simple it can be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 (edited) On 17/04/2019 at 02:11, blisters on my fingers said: Well in that case Al, EZ drummer 2... Download the demo and spend a few days with it Great advice and I tried to take you up on it, but very frustratingly find myself getting stuck at... I guess this is where I need Mick's 8 year old to come to the rescue! 😂 Failing that I'll see if the Toontrack helpdesk can sort me out... Edited April 19, 2019 by Al Krow Mick's roving 8 year old never showed up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blisters on my fingers Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 Have you downloaded the Toontrack Product Manager ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, blisters on my fingers said: Have you downloaded the Toontrack Product Manager ? Cheers - I had, but doesn't seem to let you use to manage products till you've bought them? Anyway Toontrack, bless 'em, got back to me this afternoon and said: Hi Al, Thanks for your email! This usually happens when running the installer from within a zipped download. Please see this link for instructions on how to solve an error 1311: http://www.toontrack.com/faq/im-getting-error-1311-when-installing-on-pc/ Best Regards, Toontrack Music www.toontrack.com Make sure to download and install the all new Toontrack product manager found here: http://www.toontrack.com/product-manager/ That's actually got me sorted and I'm 'in' Just need to see if I can get the interface screen to be a bit larger - it's a little bit tiny in relation to my desktop screen! Any tips on that? Edited April 19, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 (edited) Wow - I can't believe the customer service of these guys, responding to emails so quickly! Anyway they've got me sorted by going back to my screen display basics and I've got something much more useful, although I'll need to manually adjust screen display each time I come in and out of EZ 2, but that's fine. Ok now for my next trick, getting to grips with this over the next 10 days! Edited April 19, 2019 by Al Krow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blisters on my fingers Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 Glad it is up and running. Looks like you have a sizable monitor, I'm using a standard size laptop and your second screenshot is in proportion to what I get on my machine. This caused me a bit of headscratching at first --- why won't it expand to fill the entire screen ? When you use it with a DAW however this makes perfect sense, as krispn states above. You can drag and drop patterns into the DAW to establish the song structure, whilst using EZ 2 as a VST instrument. Also while I'm blethering away, feel I may have overstated the midi controller angle a bit, AFAIK you cannot tweak sounds in a TB303 acid house or Rebirth way but there is still a lot of functionality available. Bet your neighbours are having the time of their lives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 If you’re interested in the iOS app route, check the Sound Test Room on YouTube. It’s quite annoying with the guy’s hands flapping around, but he shows off the kit quite well. Plus I love his Scouse accent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted April 19, 2019 Author Share Posted April 19, 2019 @blisters on my fingers Thanks - neighbours are fine, I'm lucky to have a 'bass-ment' for making noise and my desktop computer (upstairs) is accompanied by a decent set of headphones! 1 hour ago, blisters on my fingers said: ...your second screenshot is in proportion to what I get on my machine. This caused me a bit of headscratching at first --- why won't it expand to fill the entire screen ? Glad I'm not going entirely mad today! Seems my 'glitches' and queries are fairly standard ones - and my stuttering start above may hopefully prove useful to others thinking of downloading EZ2, who haven't yet done so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceinmyveins Posted April 29, 2019 Share Posted April 29, 2019 Depending on the music... iMaschine 2 comes with a great selection of sounds (IAP which is 1$ for the whole collection if I'm not mistaken) and UVI BeatHawk - also really good drum sounds over there. Also, good old DM1 has really good samples of vintage drum machines - I even copied their samples to my desktop computer to my sample libraries and use quite frequently (love Linn sounds). If you are into house, techno or trance music I think nothing replaces Waldorf Attack. Though factory sounds are pretty weird (I found them unusable) the drum synth is incredible - spend some time learning it and you can get amazing electronic drum sounds. As for the sets, I advice to read this article... Roland gear looks really attractive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyt Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 I am using the Beat Buddy. It is one of those really great ideas that works really well with a band. Great out the box, but it just keeps getting better the more I learn about it. We use real drummers live 90% of the time, but Beat Buddy all the time for rehearsing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted May 5, 2019 Author Share Posted May 5, 2019 On 03/05/2019 at 23:49, garyt said: I am using the Beat Buddy. It is one of those really great ideas that works really well with a band. Great out the box, but it just keeps getting better the more I learn about it. We use real drummers live 90% of the time, but Beat Buddy all the time for rehearsing. How is the interface for creating and editing your own drum lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyt Posted May 5, 2019 Share Posted May 5, 2019 27 minutes ago, Al Krow said: How is the interface for creating and editing your own drum lines? I think it's good, although reckon I'm only scratching the surface. Once you open the guts of a drum track, it's probably the same as any other drum machine software, and you can pull it apart as much as you like (change time sig, change no. of bars in a sequence, add in various drums/cymbals and change the impact, etc.). It sounds best if you use the pre-recorded patterns as these are recordings of real drummers, so it has a really good feel. Plus you can control it as a pedal which is a nice touch. It works well as a bass player, because you control the drum fills. I usually stop playing any time I cue a drum fill, as I control the stop/start. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) @garyt I very nearly got myself a Beat Buddy from the FS a while back, maybe I should have done! I guess I was thinking it wouldn't be any real difference to the Alesis SR18 I have, but the key point (if I have understood you correctly) is that you can edit the drum sequences easily, to create your own drum lines, via your PC and then upload them onto a pedal for use with a band. If that's correct, then that sounds like it's providing the best of both worlds! Edited May 6, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyt Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 11 hours ago, Al Krow said: @garyt I very nearly got myself a Beat Buddy from the FS a while back, maybe I should have done! I guess I was thinking it wouldn't be any real difference to the Alesis SR18 I have, but the key point (if I have understood you correctly) is that you can edit the drum sequences easily, to create your own drum lines, via your PC and then upload them onto a pedal for use with a band. If that's correct, then that sounds like it's providing the best of both worlds! Yes, you can edit the drum sequences as much as you want. I have edited quite a few drum patterns, but probably only scratched the surface of its capabilities . I couldn't recommend it highly enough, even if just as a practice tool, and I'm sure other BB users will say the same. The stop / start function on the additional footswitch is a real nice bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, garyt said: Yes, you can edit the drum sequences as much as you want. I have edited quite a few drum patterns, but probably only scratched the surface of its capabilities . I couldn't recommend it highly enough, even if just as a practice tool, and I'm sure other BB users will say the same. The stop / start function on the additional footswitch is a real nice bonus. Dang! Now regretting not picking up the one in the FS! Do you have the v1 or v2 of the BB and is there much difference between the two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyt Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 I have version 2 I think as it is the most current. I don't know anything about v1 so can't compare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Our drummer's son works in the producing side of music and uses lots of strange stuff to get the sounds he wants, which reminded me of an old drum machine I had years ago that I used as a metronome to practice with when I started out. I said it was still in the loft and if it works he can have it. I've just dug it out and it's an early 70s Eko Rhythm Maker, plugged it in and it still works fine. Did a quick Google and it turns out OMD used to use one, namely on 'International'. This isn't mine but its the same one. Probably not quite what this thread is about but, hey, it's a drum machine 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) This drum machine is one that is giving me a serious bout of GAS... Edited August 9, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 I didn’t realise people still used hardware drum machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 8 hours ago, ambient said: I didn’t realise people still used hardware drum machines. Haha. And some of us still play live music in bands with real instruments too and not a laptop in sight! 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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