Drum Machines

[piscaries]

one of the last things on my never-ending changing list of things to get is a new drum machine. i've gone through a few, and should have kept most, but i just have a habit of always changing my setup. now i have no drum machine as i earlier thought i could just replace it with my sampler, but i miss all that real time step-sequencing! while i don't have a ton of money to spend, i am willing to pay a bit but i'm trying to keep it under us$500. i'm really interested in the jomox xbase09, but i've never heard it or played with it live. it seems really geared towards techno, which is good because that's one of my main focuses, but i'm also into synth-pop kind of stuff like lali puna and some yo la tengo stuff so i need something that can be soft and subtle as well as hard and punchy. and for that kind of stuff i've been thinking about the korg electribe ea-1. yeah, i know it's kind of a shitty box, but i thought it was pretty versatile when i got to play with it. it's not the punchiest, but it gets the job done and i can always use my sampler to fill up the sound space it leaves empty. i'm not sure what other drum machines to look into, so any advice or commentary would be really appreciated because i just really don't know what to get.

[Triptonizer]

Ever thought about Elektron's Machinedrum (http://www.machinedrum.com/) ? Oops with $1100 it's well over your budget.... Never owned one, but it's one of the options I would consider (together with the xbase).

Electribes (why not er-1?) are okay I guess for electro-like sounds, but they can't do anything my Modular or Reaktor drum-ensembles can't. I wish I had a pattern-based hardware front end for those......
As to Lali Puna, I guess they use a lot of sampled clicks and noises, rather then analog drums?

[thetonewrecker]

my roommate is selling his mint machinedrum I think for $950.00 US. I'm tempted to buy it so I have two of them...

it IS the real deal.. deep and bleepy to pounding in your face. and midi note sequencing of external instruments too. damn!

[piscaries]

oopsh.. i meant er-1, not ea-1. the synth one is pretty bad imho. yeah, i'd love to pick up a machinedrum but its well outa my budget... but it would be so sweet to have my nord modular and a machinedrum side-by-side. i can get good drums out of my modular, but i really want something to compliment it. i'll even go as far as to get some rack module and control it with a roland r5 or something of that sort. anyone played with the waldorf attack or the jomox airbase? i've heard mixed reviews on both. the emu proteus also has some nice drum kits, but i don't need a whole other synth. i've just been sampling my friends drum machines and my own personal collection of casiotones (yay!) to keep my drum section momentarily in check. but that's getting old. must step-sequence...

[Triptonizer]

@ tonewrecker,

I saw in this other post you have been using the RM1x as a sequencer (I know it's a bit off topic here but--) how would you compare the machinedrum as a sequencer for external gear to the RM1x?

Thx

[actionjetzon]

@piscaries
I´ve got a Jomox Airbase and i´m really happy with it. The analog Basedrum is really punchy and can be bleepy if you want to control it with the two LFO´s ! Recommend !
The other sounds are really cool too!
But the handicap is that you´ve only one knob to change the controler values on the front. You have to paging through the menues...

The XBase is also really great if ya need a Step Sequencer. My mate MasCon use it, and he´s very happy with it! But the handicap is, that you havent so much sounds as in the Airbase. And the both HiHats, the Cymbal, Crash and the Clap have the same output and even the same tune, decay, attack etc controlers. Thats pretty shite.

But there is a new special edition of the Jomox Xbase, designed and formed with the halp of Dr. Walker (Air Liquid) and... i think it was TokTok...not sure.
There you´ve more sounds, more outs and more control possiblities! Also the design is really cool!
The one of TokTok is more into elctro/retro sounds...

check it out

JoMoX (http://www.jomox.de/)


...yeah, but if you would have the money, you should buy the machine drum!

cheers aj

[Sheridan]

why not get something cheap like the korg that has step sequencing and then use that to trigger other drum sounds off of your sampler? I have a roland 707 and took it to my friends house. he has some old rack drum synth and I would step sequence a pattern but trigger the sounds off of his drum module. it worked out quite well.

[piscaries]

i've actually been thinking more and more about that lately. i've been checking out the roland d5 drum machine, which is just the little brother of the r8. so right now that seems to be the best and cheapest starting point. i may only have to spend $60! i'd still like to get a machinedrum though..

[Triptonizer]

just back from a concert by Schneider TM -- they used 2 Electribes (and 2 SU700 samplers)..... I quite like the crispy drumsounds they get out of the er1; a friend of mine is selling his (he's going all software, sold his mpc, µQ and fs1r as well), I might go for it.....

[bionoid]

electribe -is good stuff
and i have a plan to buy http://www.machinedrum.com/

[gunjack]

yes. just buy the electribe sampler (ES-1). the cheapest piece of shit rhythm production sampler you will ever love.



a cool fucking machine! for $350 who could complain?!

[Triptonizer]

Today I had the change for the first time to try out the ER-1 extensively, and I must say I'm dissapointed; this box is really really limited and the sound is cheap; I know, it IS a cheap tool, but even so.... I don't intend to spend $300 (used) on something that will be fun to play with for 4 weeks or so; the good news: I have a dozen drumboxes in Reaktor that have a lot more possibilities and have a more convincing sound than the ER-1. I'll stick to those until I can afford a machinedrum I guess.....

Tonewrecker, if you're still following this thread, care to answer my question on the machinedrum sequencer?

Thx.

[databombers]

If i were u i would bother with the korg's for a stand alone drum machine... there good but personally i think they'r better for live stuff midi'd up with loads a other bits and bobs........ I still stand by my Novation Drumstation. u can't buy them new anymore (welll so i read a while back) but i picked up my mk1 for £100 2 years ago. Admittedly i got a wicked deal coz i bought it of a mate who just didnt use it, who knew i would.... but i rekon u can pick them up for less than £300.

Back to the korg's, i personally think the ESi is the best out the set (i also have one of these) although it's not a drum machine it is a sampler so you can record anything drum or otherwise that you want. I payed £500 for mine 2/3 years ago, i think you can now pick them up for about £350/400 with a smart media storage card.

[databombers]

i did actually mean 'i would'nt bother wid the korg's' - oh yeah and they only have 2 outputs

[piscaries]

yeah, the korgs only got two outputs.. but if you run the outs to the ins and use the headphone jack as the main output you can got some extra noises outta the little shit box. i think i've pretty much ruled the korgs out of the picture now. i think i'm actually going to search more for a good drum machine to interface with my sampler... i guess i'm just looking for a nice mutlitrack step sequencer (i wish i could find a notron) or a basic drum machine like the roland r8 or r5.

[thetonewrecker]

Originally posted by Triptonizer
@ tonewrecker,

I saw in this other post you have been using the RM1x as a sequencer (I know it's a bit off topic here but--) how would you compare the machinedrum as a sequencer for external gear to the RM1x?

Thx

I don't have my RM1x anymore, but they really are two very different beasts. the yamaha is one of the most "in depth" stand alone hardware sequencers you can get your hands on.

the machine drum will sequence external midi gear, but in a much more basic manner. Your kits contain 16 instruments. There are "midi instruments" which make no internal sound, but will trigger whatever note number you set them to on the desired channel. This works great if you are sequencing synths, and then set the step (pitches, gate time, etc) for each step that is sending a trigger. It allows for fast programming, but again you are limited. No bangin in notes off an external keyboard. you can do some neat stuff like set up extra notes to be triggered (causing chords) on a single step.

[actionjetzon]

What would you prefer for playing live Paul..., Yamaha RM1X or Akai MPC 2000 XL?
Sorry, i know i´m off topic :-p

[thetonewrecker]

hands down the Mpc2000xl

the sampler is built in...one less piece of gear to haul around. I also find it much easier to write sequences in the mpc screens. Being able to assign track mutes, or entire sequences to be triggered by hitting the pads is also key for playing live since I don't write any complete songs before the gig. It's all made up on the fly by triggering the stuff to give it some structure and tons of change ups.

The whole "job" business that the yamaha makes you jump around with is a nuisance, but it's still a super versatile sequencer. Just check out Justin Berkovi on that box if you want to see someone who can jam the Rm1x.

[actionjetzon]

Thanks Tonewrecker!

yeah, Justin really rocks that RM1X Box!:)

[syt]

Originally posted by Triptonizer
Ever thought about Elektron's Machinedrum (http://www.machinedrum.com/) ? Oops with $1100 it's well over your budget.... Never owned one, but it's one of the options I would consider (together with the xbase).

Electribes (why not er-1?) are okay I guess for electro-like sounds, but they can't do anything my Modular or Reaktor drum-ensembles can't. I wish I had a pattern-based hardware front end for those......
As to Lali Puna, I guess they use a lot of sampled clicks and noises, rather then analog drums?

yepyepyep!!! love that one but there are others outthere and people seam to like that new Rolandthing eventhough it looks crap!

[piscaries]

alright.. i made up my mind. i'm now awaiting the arrival of my new (but old school) yamaha rx5 drum machine. my dreams of the machinedrum will continue to be just dreams.

[syt]

I'm also a dreamer in that point I don't have one single drummachine only my computer is a drummer! and I like it that way.:D

[Triptonizer]

Originally posted by syt
Ionly my computer is a drummer! and I like it that way...hey syt, just curious, what progs do you use for making beats?

[syt]

kontakt, battery, absynth, reaktor LM4 mkII, QuadraSID, Modplugtracker and Ableton Live!!! well not to forget the little micromodular is also a good drummer but mainly the above mentioned! :)

[Triptonizer]

Originally posted by syt
kontakt, battery, absynth, reaktor! well not to forget the little micromodular is also a good drummer but mainly the above mentioned! :)
just like me ! lolz...
btw: I'll listen to your modular patch as soon as I'm home :)

[syt]

if you mean the one from my site! then don't expect too much it's just a little experimental synth thing there are more to come soon though still working on it! :)

[dertrippel]

If you are searching for a nice analogue drum with sequencer look at http://www.mfberlin.de/
for the new MFB-502.
It sounds like a little Tr808 and costs only 179,00 Euros!!
Look at it!!