Anyone using a drum machine for recording?

[Grun]

Anyone using an Alesis SR-16 or other drum machine for recording jams? I have a guitar player buddy who likes to jam and compose on the fly. If something good happens we will spend a bit more time going back and adding bass, drums etc. I would like to keep a tighter beat during the 'composition' phase and don't want to use a click. But I would like to maintain the 'tightness' a drum track provides. Makes subsequent production so much easier, and frankly the tracks need it.
The software solutions don't seem to offer enough spontaneity. I thin the drum machine is the answer. Anyone else do anything like what I described? Maybe to lay down scratch tracks or for composing inspiration? What are your methods/experience for integrating a drum machine into your set up?

[Denyle_Guitars]

I had a SR-16. It was a decent practice/sketch tool but I didn't care for programming it. I once got a nice drum track by syncing the SR-16 to a Adrenalinn and mixing the 4 subsequent drum tracks. Most times, I'd run it through some oddball cheap fx box because, let's face it, the SR-16 will never sound like real drums played by a real drummer. I didn't see much point in trying to get close.

[Carlier]

I have one too and did at one point last year figure out how to let it communicate with Cubase. This made it a lot easier to record and change the tempo.

[BeowulfKingsley]

Another idea is using drum loops in a program like Acid. Lots of times I'll find a loop I like (I've got a good collection, mostly from Beta Monkey and Drums On Demand) and after I've got a groove or idea, I'll paint a few minutes of drums out and record a scratch track directly into Acid. If I like what I got, I can fill out the drum track with other patterns, fills etc., and then I shoot the whole mess into Cubase to do the other tracks. These days I think the new versions of Acid have good enough capabilities for multitracking that you could do the whole thing right there. It's actually easier and more intuitive than programming drums for me, worth thinking about anyway.

[Carlier]

Originally Posted by Denyle_Guitars

let's face it, the SR-16 will never sound like real drums played by a real drummer. I didn't see much point in trying to get close.

You can use the SR 16 to create your pattern and then have the pattern played by a vst synth in Cubase.

[TheRockDoc]

I use an HR16 and HR-16B together- creates 32 pads together and then played back through .wav sounds. Cuts my learning curve by about a million, and I get more real authentic sounds as opposed to the machine sounds...

[rob2001]

I use one for composing. I can't add much more than whats been said, programming is tedious. I write rythym guitar riffs, find a suitable beat in the library and record the two. I'll usually throw in a bass track too. The songs change alot after the band interprets it but the basic idea and feel of the song is heard. I tried doing some programming and doing a complete song with changes and tempo shifts but it was way too much work.

[Grun]

Originally Posted by Carlier

You can use the SR 16 to create your pattern and then have the pattern played by a vst synth in Cubase.

I was thinking along those lines. Thats why I want to maintain 'synch'. So I can to back and edit the drums later.
I just want to hit a button, go and be able to come back and make some sense of the pieces later.

[Slyib]

I did a cool track with a Roland Boss drum machine that had a synth bass line feature. I should post it some day.

[Tonefish]

Drum Loops.....if you're using a computer.

[GaryNattrass]

I have a roland td20 kit and several drum machines inc an alesis, a roland 220 and an old korg ddd1.

But recently I have mostly been jamming along with an old bentley rythmn ace that used to belong to steeleye span.

Its a hammond organ type cheesy beat box and has lots of tr808 type sounding latino presets. It will also do that phil collins in the air tonight type stuff.

[geetarboy]

I've got a cheap Zoom 123 that I jam along with and lay some riffs down with. it does drums and bass and doesn't sound too bad.

[amplifiedtorock]

Originally Posted by Grun

Anyone using an Alesis SR-16 or other drum machine for recording jams? I have a guitar player buddy who likes to jam and compose on the fly. If something good happens we will spend a bit more time going back and adding bass, drums etc. I would like to keep a tighter beat during the 'composition' phase and don't want to use a click. But I would like to maintain the 'tightness' a drum track provides. Makes subsequent production so much easier, and frankly the tracks need it.
The software solutions don't seem to offer enough spontaneity. I thin the drum machine is the answer. Anyone else do anything like what I described? Maybe to lay down scratch tracks or for composing inspiration? What are your methods/experience for integrating a drum machine into your set up?

The SR-16 is the best drum machine for jamming with. The footswitches are mandatory IMO. No other drum machine I am aware of has a tap tempo/fill/variation switch and a start/stop footswitch. This is where the spontaneity comes in. You can stop for a break, change tempo and come back in slower, etc...and have fills come in at the end of measures, etc. Super fun and it actually sounds pretty good.

Tedious to program but awesome to jam with.

[countandduke]

I think one of the Boss drum machines also has a fill switch too. LOVE that fill button.

Chris

[disaster]

I have a little Zoom one (has very good sounds, if you're willing to tweak it) and I use Reason (esp. with the Drums ReFill). I don't use loops, generally.
I can't imagine not having a drum machine as a compositional tool.