Drum machines

[Bikenbass]

Hi Folks
I have an Alesis SR-16 drum machine. How does it compare for ease of use against the Boss DR-3 or the Zoom MRT3/b?
Mark
Sorry if this is on the wrong section.

Edited November 24, 2009 by MSL

[Sean]

I had an SR-16 and it was the industry standard for years. Most drum machines are very similar in the way they work and interface with the user. The thing that tells me that Alesis got it right with the SR-16 is that the SR-18 I now have interfaces with the user in exactly the same way.

For practising songs and doing exercises I use the drum loops on my Korg Pandora 5, though.

[PaulWarning]

trouble is with drum machines you can't blame the drummer when you go out of time

[WHUFC BASS]

Drum loops are 100 times better imo and they don't come much better than the Beta Monkey drum loops. I use them all the time for practicing and composing. They are recorded by a live drummer on a real kit so sound just like a proper drummer.

[Dood]

On my laptop I use Reaper (DAW) and create drum loops and tracks using Toontrack's Superior 2. Tere's nothing like having a great realistic drum sound to groove with. Maybe a bit fussy for simplicity - but it doesn't take long to set up a jam.

[Pete Academy]

We had a demo of Line 6 gear last Saturday. The Looper pedal is amazing. Real drummers, not just sampled sounds. Well worth checking out.

[Rockbassix]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='663708' date='Nov 24 2009, 01:36 PM']trouble is with drum machines you can't blame the drummer when you go out of time[/quote]


Yep but at least the drum machine has a volume control.

[Geek99]

I have the SR16 - the controls are a bit wierd, with an overreliance on the PLAY button for everything.
Also although you can create multiple drum kits, you cant assign them to patterns or songs so they dont change with the song played, you have to change the kit manually.

Samples are good though.

[Moos3h]

The sounds in the SR-16 are getting on a bit, but it'll do most of what you need.

There's bucketloads of drum samples etc on the net though, you could probably make yourself some nice practise patterns - or even download them as is for use as backing tracks?

[BIG.J]

Just bought a used Roland DR880, Looks & Sounds the Biz!!! If i can find how to work the dam thing, Lol!

Can't mess with it till Christmas but looks a great piece of kit, Plug my Bass into it and it uses pre-stored effects from the likes of the Boss GT6B.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Lostheplot' post='664257' date='Nov 24 2009, 07:59 PM']Yep but at least the drum machine has a volume control. [/quote]
And you only have to punch the information into it once.....

Edited November 24, 2009 by Mykesbass

[nick]

[quote name='MSL' post='663695' date='Nov 24 2009, 01:26 PM']Hi Folks
I have an Alesis SR-16 drum machine. How does it compare for ease of use against the Boss DR-3 or the Zoom MRT3/b?
Mark
Sorry if this is on the wrong section.[/quote]

I use a Zoom MRT-3B, prior to that a Zoom 234 along with an Alesis HR-16 (which I wish I still had). I've dabbled with a SR-16, but not used it extensively.
Found all of them are pretty easy & intuitive to use TBH. However prefer the sounds on the Zooms to the SR-16, but the HR-16 is still my favourite.

[AndyTravis]

my missus got me a dr880 a few birthdays ago, a great bit of gear.
I also use some of the synth bass samples on it when experimenting with double tracking.

Pretty easy when you get the hang of it.