Thanks. What I meant by laying out the bar in front of me is basically giving me sixteen spaces on which to base a rhythm like in the sequencer I mentioned. I want to be able to start with the guts of a drum beat, say the bass drum and main snare hits, using a sequencer, then record the hi-hats, etc, in real-time. The SR-16 can create the exact output that I want in terms of mixing quantized and non-quantized drum hits to make realistic sounding drums, but it is missing the sequencer interface that makes it much easier to set up the bulk of the rhythm. I'm not too familiar with MIDI, but is this something that would be pretty easy to do with MIDI pads and Pro Tools? What would be a recommendation for a MIDI controller that could do this?
I should probably apologize for this long post - I'm assuming that since you were using a drum machine emulator online, that you are interested in utilizing a computer to help with your drum tracks, perhaps in conjunction with a drum machine. If not, you can disregard most of my post.
First and foremost, you need a piano roll, which is a visual representation of a "keyboard" scroller for the 16 "channels" (now more) of MIDI data. Any typical modern software sequencer has a piano roll - you can use a controller or a mouse to assign MIDI "notes" to the piano roll, using a controller (even a mouse can work). And most DAW programs (Pro Tools, etc...) include a sequencer that integrates with a piano roll. The DAW then can use the MIDI data in the sequencer to play software instruments (that utilize samples) and synths. Drums can be virtual instruments, too. I use Reaper, which includes a piano roll and sequencer, and a virtual drum program (plug in) by Addictive Drums (a limited free version no longer available, I believe). I don't use a controller because I really don't need one. I just use a mouse to point/click, drag/drop, etc...
If I understand you correctly, this is how I would do it. I would set up a basic rhythm track in pro-tools, by assigning MIDI notes to the scroll for however long you want the song to me time/measure wise - kick, snare, hi-hat, ride and/or crash (MIDI is non-destructive, so you can always take away or add later. A MIDI track is not a sound file). Set up the live drums to record to audio tracks in the DAW, hit record, and play. The DAW will run the sequencer, which plays the MIDI drums tracks (remember, MIDI is not a sound file), and records you playing along with it. Easy peasy.
You do not need your SR16, or any other separate drum machine to do this.
MIDI was invented long before DLE (digital linear editing) was available. It was, in essence, previously how computers were used in music production before DLE. Computers were not used to record and edit, but to "play" music. MIDI is the data computers used to play music. MIDI is not sound. It is note off and on commands. Brilliant in its invention. But kinda primitive in its implementation. MIDI is actually straight forward, but it is non-intuitive for modern computing as it pre-dates the graphical user interface (GUI) and DLE modes of production.
DAWs are now "in-the-box" virtual production environments. Playing, assigning, sequencing, recording, mixing, and editing can all occur within the DAW. No separate instruments are even needed, apart from any non-virtual instruments you may want to record. Depending on computing power and software limitations, you can theoretically do it all simultaneously.
MIDI is just on and off commands for each channel of data (16 in general MIDI). A MIDI controller does not play music. You just use it to assign MIDI data. It's the sequencer that plays music by send data and "playing" a MIDI-capable instrument. Some controllers can be used in real time, but I've never done it.
The SR16 is a midi-capable machine. It has a built-in sequencer, and a limited amount of samples in the form of drum sounds. Since it's MIDI-capable, you can use it to SYNC with other MIDI instruments, to control, or be controlled. For example, theoretically you can save a pattern on SR16, hook it up to a computer via MIDI connection, and it can "play" drum sound samples stored on the computer. Conversely, you can use a sequencer on the computer to play the drum sounds stored on the SR16. A MIDI keyboard with onboard synth sounds works the same way. Most modern MIDI keyboard controllers are not synthesizers, however. They can control and/or play software synths in the DAW, but make no sound on their own.
But again, since DAWs include sequencers and virtual instruments, you do not need it to do what you want to do.
As computers and DAWs became more powerful, the need for separate, dedicated drum machines has dwindled. There are only few left on the market. And they are, IMO, not light years better than the SR16, because they are neither computers nor DAWs, if that makes sense.
