Practice with a drum-machine or fancy metronome?

Visirale · #1 02-28-2007, 06:42 PM

I want to get something to give me different styles of drumming to practice with. Should I get a drum machine or a Dr. Beat 90. The Dr. Beat 90 has around 40 different styles of drumming to practice with. It's also a very functional metronome.

I know a drum machine has a lot more styles to practice with, but I think it may be overkill. I'm definitely not looking to create my own beats. I just want a basic swing and a few different styles of latin to practice with. I'm not going to be producing drum tracks or anything.

I have a 10-20 percent discount at musicians friend and a 20 percent discount at my store... so I could get the Dr. Beat 90 for $130 (instead of $160). We have that in stock so that's easiest for me. Unless someone can strongly convince me to get a drum machine, I'm leaning in that direction.

Thanks,

-Ted

nun lover · #2 02-28-2007, 07:20 PM

i have a cd of drum loops that i play on my computer, never used a metronome before. i'm not saying that's better, but that's what i do.

MichaelScott · #3 02-28-2007, 07:31 PM

If you can afford to wait- look for an old Yamaha QY-20 Sequencer on ebay. My teacher turned me on to them and it was probably the best $80 musical investment I ever made.

They have a ton of beats/chords that you can make the thing play. You can also compose a song with the beats/chords and program in chord changes. When ever I am going to work on a new walking Jazz line for a standard I just program it into the sequencer and play over it. It's like having my own band anytime I want it.

Yamaha makes some newer model sequencers but you can not mute the bass- so try to find the QY-20.

There also might be other computer programs or other sequencers that do the same thing.

Visirale · #4 02-28-2007, 07:50 PM

I have a bid in on a Boss DR-670 drum machine. The chords sound nice, but rhythms are more important to me. This has 200 patterns.

Argh Ebay auctions are stressful

.

Visirale · #5 02-28-2007, 08:06 PM

Won the auction. I have a pretty new Boss DR-670 on the way. Should be fun!

DayoftheGreek · #6 02-28-2007, 08:11 PM

You guys happen to know any decent free drum beat program?

It doesn't have to be amazing, as long as it has a good amount of beats included with it.

arcellus · #7 02-28-2007, 11:36 PM

This isn't a drum sequencer, but I've been using Dr. Betotte for a long time now. It's a very tweakable software metronome (and the only one I've ever found with a volume control -trust me, this is important) and the new version has a basic sequencer built in. Highly recommended.

RobinBetton · #8 02-28-2007, 11:40 PM

i just bought dr. betotte after using the demo and it's GREAT! nothing beats playing everyday with a sick drummer though. There's no replacement for a drummer that knows their polyrythms and metric modulations and can throw that **** at you and MAKE you react.

Visirale · #9 03-01-2007, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinBetton

i just bought dr. betotte after using the demo and it's GREAT! nothing beats playing everyday with a sick drummer though. There's no replacement for a drummer that knows their polyrythms and metric modulations and can throw that **** at you and MAKE you react.

Where can I buy one of these real live sick drummers?

Gintaras · #10 03-01-2007, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DayoftheGreek

You guys happen to know any decent free drum beat program?

It doesn't have to be amazing, as long as it has a good amount of beats included with it.

this is great and allows you to develop your own loops. They also have a users forum and posts their loops.

http://www.threechords.com/hammerhead/

Rols · #11 03-02-2007, 12:00 AM

Not sure if this is the type of program you're looking for, but it's a free and open source drum machine. If you look at the downloads section, there's a Windows version there.

http://www.hydrogen-music.org/

DavePlaysBass · #12 03-02-2007, 01:59 AM

I have a BOSS BR-864 8 track recorder that has drum beats. I am pretty disappointed with the beats. To me they tried to get fancy rather than just laying down simple meat and potato beats that are good to practice with. I would like to find something cheap to practice with.

Dave

cowsgomoo · #13 03-02-2007, 02:51 AM

I would tend to recommend a drum machine for most people, because you can use most of them to give you a simple click like a metronome if you need, but you also have many more things you can do with it

practicing with a bass & snare drum keeping the pulse is a slightly different experience to a metronome click... my take on it is that if you're learning how to insert notes correctly around bass & snare drum samples, you're also getting practice in making your notes work and 'sit' with drum sounds and drum lines, in terms of dynamics & timbre, note choice, note lengths etc... it's no substitute for a good real drummer but it can be more useful than a simple metronome click

ALiP BoB · #14 03-13-2007, 12:17 AM

I don't get Metronomes and Drum Machines.
All I know is that Drum Machines help you "lock in" and give you a good tempo.

PocketGroove82 · #15 03-13-2007, 01:11 AM

DR-880 is a great DM for practicing, but it's not good if you're into the other applications of DMs.