Favourite Drum Machines/Drum Sounds

[mutilatedlip]

Along the same lines as the favourite synth sound thread - what are your fave drum machines and sounds?

I've got to go with the TR808 kick. Timeless, and rib-shaking. I absolute love it. There's something so crisp about the machine.

I've never laid my hands on an original!

Second and close in my book, mainly for kitsch reasons, I love the old Roland CR-78. Those sounds are immense!

[TrevCircleStudios]

Call me old fashioned... (You know what's coming...) I prefer drums for drumsounds! (Though of course the latest software from toontrack is supposed to be excellent - thank you dv grovel etc)

;-)

[Khazul]

I go through phases of liking and getting tired of various drum machine sounds. Currently Im in a like 909 for kicks/hh and 808 for toms phase. If I actually had a 909 - I would probably just end up using it for HH and running it through a digital bit reducer.

I know you can just sampling them, but there is nothing like have a physical drum synth to make subtle tweaks to decay etc on HH patterns until it grooves right.

The drum machine of choice for the past few years has however been an Electron MachineDrum UW fed through a dbx 1066 compressor and an SPL Mk2-T vitalizer. If I need cleaner/more natural but still pattern sequenced drums, then I'll sequence my Roland TD12 drum module from the MD.

BTW - many analog synths are quite capable of really nasty kicks

[mutilatedlip]

Originally Posted by TrevCircleStudios

Call me old fashioned... (You know what's coming...) I prefer drums for drumsounds! (Though of course the latest software from toontrack is supposed to be excellent - thank you dv grovel etc)

;-)

I'm with you on that one, Trev. If you want to sound like a real instrument, why not use it.

That's why our band have always had a proper drummer, and no machine.

However, he often plays along to techno drums, depending on the song and what it entails.

I love the old analogue drum machines for the sounds in their own right, much as I melt everytime I hear Moog bass, but not for what it's emulating, but as an instrument in its own right.

For pure drum sounds, nothing ever sounds like a real drummer, and there's nothing quite like that feeling at a live gig when you're soundchecking and the boom of the kick drum comes through the PA as the engineer slowly fades it up after positioning the mic.

[Zikisboy]

The Boss DR-5 was my 1st drum machine (many moons ago) and to be honest, first step into the world of having a band without other musicians, which then led to using DAW's, and of course learning the art of producing. So without it, I might not be in the position I am now.

The Boss DR-5 was orgainised in a way that was friendly for guitarists, as it was organised into buttons as if it was a fretboard. I was (and still am not) overly fluent with a keyboard and this really brought me into the avenue of all percussion sounds and piano, synth, bass sounds etc.

So as a result I learnt to play in time to a backline, how to arrange songs, and how sounds of instruments I couldn't normally play could enter into my music in a GUI I was at home with.

To be fair it probably triggered my interest in learning to play several instruments. Got a lot to thank that little baby for thinking about.

Wonder why I sold it last year on eBay now I read this!

[e-vinyl]

Originally Posted by mutilatedlip

I've got to go with the TR808 kick. Timeless, and rib-shaking. I absolute love it. There's something so crisp about the machine.

Yep the TR808 kick is timeless and a classic, although if i had a choice of having real drums i would go with that

[Marc B]

for drums I've just bought a tr909 (which died the day after I got it home - not good) and a Vermona DRM1 --

have a listen to this basic loop that I recorded and fiddled with, 14 mins of pure analogue goodness

drm1 demo.wma right click and save on download page.

recorded straight into cubase with no effects or EQ.

[KaresB]

My favorite (though never been able to actually afford one) remains the Linn LM1. Awesome instrument that really inspires music.

I'm using a DR-880 which i found to be great but nothing too exciting.

[I_Am_Bic_Pentameter]

Drum machines:

Top tip: Buy off EBay
Reason: People think they need a drum machine. Lots of people then do not use it. They then sell drum machine virtually unused and as they can't be stomped on or abused, they are in perfect condition. Total waste to buy new.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by I_Am_Bic_Pentameter

Drum machines:

Top tip: Buy off EBay
Reason: People think they need a drum machine. Lots of people then do not use it. They then sell drum machine virtually unused and as they can't be stomped on or abused, they are in perfect condition. Total waste to buy new.

thats what i did, bought it on ebay and shortly put it back on there

[JAYDMF]

Still go with the MPC 1000, not purely just a drum machine but it gets my vote cuz thats how i choose to use it

[Monarch]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Still go with the MPC 1000, not purely just a drum machine but it gets my vote cuz thats how i choose to use it

A friend of mine uses an MPC. Never used one myself but the demo he gave me really did impress me. I think he has the MPC 500.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by Monarch

A friend of mine uses an MPC. Never used one myself but the demo he gave me really did impress me. I think he has the MPC 500.

i couldn't get on with mine, thats what i put back on ebay a mpc2500 i just found it so much easier to use cubase at the time

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by sureno

i couldn't get on with mine, thats what i put back on ebay a mpc2500 i just found it so much easier to use cubase at the time

Yeah at first i found mine weird and i dont use it all the time i prefer to use battery and lay things over the top with the mpc, hefty kicks and snares and as said earlier for getting groovy hats etc.

Q for sureno, how do you program beats ? do you tend to do it all in one program ie everything through one part or in layers, ive found the MPC works much better if you layer things rather than trigger from one or two programs. Bit late now i know but im just interested. The 2500 is more of a standalone workstation much like the 1000,4000 and 5000 where as the 500 is a much more sensible choice for just a drum machine.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Yeah at first i found mine weird and i dont use it all the time i prefer to use battery and lay things over the top with the mpc, hefty kicks and snares and as said earlier for getting groovy hats etc.

Q for sureno, how do you program beats ? do you tend to do it all in one program ie everything through one part or in layers, ive found the MPC works much better if you layer things rather than trigger from one or two programs. Bit late now i know but im just interested. The 2500 is more of a standalone workstation much like the 1000,4000 and 5000 where as the 500 is a much more sensible choice for just a drum machine.

Il be honest i used it for quick cutting of vinyl samples, if i heard riffs, drums etc of old soul vinyls i would steal them, my drums where mainly done itb