• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Drum Machine Pedal

wintremute

wintremute

mediocrity at its finest
Oct 16, 2014
6,942
29,552
Vegas
www.youtube.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
#1
I couldn't find any previous threads talking about this, so my apologies if this has already been covered (and if it has, please point me to those threads).

I'm looking for a pedal that is a drum machine. I've seen a few that are also a looper. Does anyone have any experience with these pedals, and if so, can you tell me the pros and cons?

What I am looking for is a pedal that can play different drum beats (at different styles and tempos) to help me come up with things to jam with. I would also like to be able to directly control the BPM as a specific number (as opposed to tapping in a tempo).

The pedals I've seen so far are:
Singular Sound: Beat Buddy
Singular Sound:Beat Buddy mini 2
MOOER: Groove Loop
MOOER: Groove Loop x2
FLAMMA: FC01
FLAMMA: FS01
FLAMMA: FS21
Digitech: SDrum
Donner: Circle​
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlexanderB
#2
I'm a BeatBuddy (full size) power user, AMA. It will do what you want and more. Other than price and maybe size I can't think of any cons relative to the other options on your list to the extent that I'm familiar with their features.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wintremute
#4
Doesn't sound like you need it to come in a pedal form for live performance. If you don't dislike playing near a computer, I very, very strongly recommend something like EZ Drummer3 for a huge quality of life improvement. You can get things done in seconds as opposed to hours of frustration with a pedal. Anytime I tried to design a board with a Beat Buddy and get creative with it, that pedal ended up getting thrown out the window, one time almost literally.

If you must go with a pedal, DON'T do the SDRUM.
 
  • Like
Reactions: el murdoque
#5
Wretched Banana said:
Doesn't sound like you need it to come in a pedal form for live performance. If you don't dislike playing near a computer, I very, very strongly recommend something like EZ Drummer3 for a huge quality of life improvement. You can get things done in seconds as opposed to hours of frustration with a pedal. Anytime I tried to design a board with a Beat Buddy and get creative with it, that pedal ended up getting thrown out the window, one time almost literally.

If you must go with a pedal, DON'T do the SDRUM.
Click to expand...

I'll look into that. Thanks!
 
#7
Adamixoye said:
I'm a BeatBuddy (full size) power user, AMA. It will do what you want and more. Other than price and maybe size I can't think of any cons relative to the other options on your list to the extent that I'm familiar with their features.
Click to expand...
The BB looks promising. Do you know if/when they will release the Autopilot feature that will allow for playing of entire songs without user interaction?
 
#8
Bighouse said:
The BB looks promising. Do you know if/when they will release the Autopilot feature that will allow for playing of entire songs without user interaction?
Click to expand...
There are two completely different answers to this.

The first is that I do not know, the official version of this feature seems to be in development hell.

The second is that I've been using the secret autopilot feature for years, it was a hidden test feature in an older firmware. You also needed an older version of the BeatBuddy Manager software that enabled it. I'm now stuck on these outdated firmware and software versions since this is an integral part of my workflow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wintremute and Bighouse
#9
Wretched Banana said:
Doesn't sound like you need it to come in a pedal form for live performance. If you don't dislike playing near a computer, I very, very strongly recommend something like EZ Drummer3 for a huge quality of life improvement. You can get things done in seconds as opposed to hours of frustration with a pedal. Anytime I tried to design a board with a Beat Buddy and get creative with it, that pedal ended up getting thrown out the window, one time almost literally.

If you must go with a pedal, DON'T do the SDRUM.
Click to expand...
I’m not clear why the beat buddy gave you frustration- can you maybe elaborate? Was it the software? Was it the way the pedal functions?
 
#10
Adamixoye said:
There are two completely different answers to this.

The first is that I do not know, the official version of this feature seems to be in development hell.

The second is that I've been using the secret autopilot feature for years, it was a hidden test feature in an older firmware. You also needed an older version of the BeatBuddy Manager software that enabled it. I'm now stuck on these outdated firmware and software versions since this is an integral part of my workflow.
Click to expand...
Can the firmware be downgraded? The autopilot feature is something I definitely want, but will be purchasing a new unit which will likely come with the latest firmware.
Out of curiosity, can you share which version numbers you have for both the software and the firmware, and how you enable the test feature? Or maybe a link to it if it’s a webpage?
 
#11
Bighouse said:
Can the firmware be downgraded? The autopilot feature is something I definitely want, but will be purchasing a new unit which will likely come with the latest firmware.
Out of curiosity, can you share which version numbers you have for both the software and the firmware, and how you enable the test feature? Or maybe a link to it if it’s a webpage?
Click to expand...
I don't know them off the top of my head, I would have to look. I want to say the firmware is 3.8ish and the software is 1.59 (it was an alternate experimental version called "BeatBuddy Manager Lean"). I definitely have the firmware file (because the BeatBuddy has the firmware it is currently using on the SD card). I *think* I have the dmg file for the software on the Mac, I don't have any idea if the Windows software would be out there somewhere.

The was no documentation. Part of this information was publicly announced. Part of what I know came from my standing as a beta tester. And part of it was just trial and error. I'm the only person I know who is using the BeatBuddy in this way, sometimes I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bighouse
#13
Bighouse said:
I can get a pretty great price on a Beat Buddy, but I’m hesitant to do so. My fear is the product isn’t being supported by Singular Sound and that Autopilot, and better software features/updates, will never see the light of day.
Click to expand...
So I would say, again as someone who has been a pretty big power user and even involved in the development as a beta tester, Singular Sound still is definitely supporting the product. They have continued to release firmware updates. I have heard talk of second gen hardware. They've expanded their product line.

They had to do a bit of a tear down and restart on the management software, so the overall development is nonlinear. Whether we'll ever see the "official" autopilot and not just the temp version that was hidden in the earlier firmware like I'm using, I don't know. So it's not a dead or abandoned product for sure, but its future development arc may not necessarily be what you are hoping for.
 
#14
Bighouse said:
I’m not clear why the beat buddy gave you frustration- can you maybe elaborate? Was it the software? Was it the way the pedal functions?
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with Beat Buddy if you want/need to operate within the inherent limitations of the pedal format. For example, if you need to take it to stage with you and don't have a stage laptop setup, end of discussion, Beat Buddy is as good as it gets for that.

All I'm saying is, if you don't need it to be a pedal, and if you do have a computer as part of your music workflow, something like EZ Drummer is both immeasurably more powerful, and easier to use because screen+keyboard+mouse. Comes with huge library, add your midis with a few clicks if you must, create a full song in a minute from scratch. No tap dancing necessary for song parts, edits take seconds. Plugs into your DAW seamlessly for practice and recording. Integrates with EZ Keys seamlessly too, which if you haven't tried, is a glorious piece of software for bassists. Both software frequently go on sale for dirt cheap in comparison to pedals.

When I want to practice solo improvisation or a walk line with unusual chord progressions, takes all of 30 seconds to set that up with EZ Drummer + EZ Keys and hit play. With Beat Buddy the drums take, let's say a lot longer, obviously no keyboard accompaniment possible, and there's a 50/50 chance that the session culminates in a pour of frustration bourbon rather than bass playing.

Not shilling for Toontrack :) I'm pointing this out because folks that I talk to almost never need a drum pedal (ditto for loop pedals) but they are not always aware of the better alternatives available on their computers.
 
#15
@Wretched Banana - I hear what you are saying and I have no doubt EZ Drummer is a great tool. I don't have a laptop, being more of a desktop kind of guy. What I'm really looking for is a way of getting songs to play along with and just the drums for them. I really don't want to have to build the songs myself. And it seems there's a pretty robust, active community of Beat Buddy users who share files they've created for the device for songs- and even premium song packs that can be purchased from SS.
Is there any kind of user forum where users share entire projects/songs for EZ Drummer? I see lots of loops and sounds that can be obtained, but I'm really hoping for properly crafted drums for entire songs simply to play along with for covering existing material.
 
#16
Bighouse said:
@Wretched Banana - I hear what you are saying and I have no doubt EZ Drummer is a great tool. I don't have a laptop, being more of a desktop kind of guy. What I'm really looking for is a way of getting songs to play along with and just the drums for them. I really don't want to have to build the songs myself. And it seems there's a pretty robust, active community of Beat Buddy users who share files they've created for the device for songs- and even premium song packs that can be purchased from SS.
Is there any kind of user forum where users share entire projects/songs for EZ Drummer? I see lots of loops and sounds that can be obtained, but I'm really hoping for properly crafted drums for entire songs simply to play along with for covering existing material.
Click to expand...

I am not aware of a community specifically for EZ Drummer, but you can add any midi, so most full song material out there should work, I guess. I don't use it like that.

I was going to say try the free trial, but apparently they removed it with the release of EZ Drummer 3. Bummer.

Edit: Actually, if you are not interested in building quick practice material or full fledged songwriting, perhaps a simple free drum machine plugin is sufficient for you.
 
#17
Wretched Banana said:
I am not aware of a community specifically for EZ Drummer, but you can add any midi, so most full song material out there should work, I guess. I don't use it like that.

I was going to say try the free trial, but apparently they removed it with the release of EZ Drummer 3. Bummer.

Edit: Actually, if you are not interested in building quick practice material or full fledged songwriting, perhaps a simple free drum machine plugin is sufficient for you.
Click to expand...

What I would like to have would be an app for my iPad, which I have with me whenever I jam or practice, that I could have drum tracks on that I could somehow patch into an amplifier. I could then do without any kind of pedal requirement.

Maybe I'm making it too complicated, and it doesn't need to be a pedal at all. It's not a signal that I need in my signal chain and it may only clutter things up with noise.
 
Last edited:
#19
I use a couple hardware drum machines and software but most of the time for quick takes I use a Nu-X JTC pedal. It’s cheap but has a couple dozen beats and enough control flexibility that it makes a good writing tool. I loop bass, 3-4 guitars on it and it saves easily. If you’re using for live performance it’s ok-ish but for quick “notepad” use while you’re practicing or writing I’d buy it again.
 
#20
I'm not looking to use the pedal as a performance instrument- more as a practice instrument. In fact, I now have to learn a bit about midi and creating "One Press Songs" to store on the SD card that will play from intro to end without having to press the pedal at all. There are times when I and the guitar player can get together to jam, but the drummer isn't available. So, it just gives us more practicing options. We don't gig, just a few old farts getting together to have some fun.

(A big benefit in using it, is it will allow us to really drop the volume on all our instruments when playing and, possibly, play without any ear plugs. Would be nice to hear what we sound like together a normal music-listening volumes.)
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back