Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Is a drum machine really necessary to learn bass?
- Thread starter Cycleops
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Free online
drumbit | online drum machine
Demos & Trials - XLN Audio
Runs in standalone mode. Looks like the trial runs for 10 days, but you get programs with natural feel, and you can adjust time an dynamics, and well as the whole Kit Best to wait for a sale at JRR Shop or similar, for half price.
Many of the DAWs also have free drum kits and step sequencers. Cakewalk by Bandlab is free, it has SI drums installed.
Saying that, I ordered a hardware sampler and step sequencer and if Thoman get my TC K210 in stock today as they've said, They should both be in Vienam in time for my 46th.
Going Ol' Skool
drumbit | online drum machine
Demos & Trials - XLN Audio
Runs in standalone mode. Looks like the trial runs for 10 days, but you get programs with natural feel, and you can adjust time an dynamics, and well as the whole Kit Best to wait for a sale at JRR Shop or similar, for half price.
Many of the DAWs also have free drum kits and step sequencers. Cakewalk by Bandlab is free, it has SI drums installed.
Saying that, I ordered a hardware sampler and step sequencer and if Thoman get my TC K210 in stock today as they've said, They should both be in Vienam in time for my 46th.
Going Ol' Skool
Last edited:
A lot of us seemed to learn just fine before drum machines were even a thing.
I love my Beat Buddy by Singular Sound. Drum machine in a pedal form.
Great sounding, tons of grooves and kits, easy tempo adjustments. Features like going to half tempo with a click on the foot controller.
Even a sobriety setting, so you can deal with real drummer slop. But it won’t need a ride, sleep in your couch, borrow money, or hit on your wife (like a real drummer).
You don’t need a drum machine, but playing against a groove is more fun.
A phone app will work if your budget is slim.
Great sounding, tons of grooves and kits, easy tempo adjustments. Features like going to half tempo with a click on the foot controller.
Even a sobriety setting, so you can deal with real drummer slop. But it won’t need a ride, sleep in your couch, borrow money, or hit on your wife (like a real drummer).
You don’t need a drum machine, but playing against a groove is more fun.
A phone app will work if your budget is slim.
Most people have a good sense of time. When learning new material and trying to play it up to speed most of us will tend to rush, at that point it's good to have a metronome to focus on the time aspect of the piece. This happens because in the beginning you're solely focused on the line and not the time.
Once you've developed your skill you will find you don't need the metronome as much as you find that you don't have to focus on the line intently but rather the overall performance. Sometimes I take fast lines and slow them down just to see if I can execute them at a slow tempo, it's harder than it sounds sometimes.
Once you've developed your skill you will find you don't need the metronome as much as you find that you don't have to focus on the line intently but rather the overall performance. Sometimes I take fast lines and slow them down just to see if I can execute them at a slow tempo, it's harder than it sounds sometimes.
for some kinds of practice I prefer a metronome, but sometimes I prefer a drum machine or drum loop. I actually find that playing along to just the metronome helps with counting subdivisions and accent patterns. fwiw I prefer an old-school pendulum metronome - the sound of the knock is so much more pleasant and musical than the sound of any digital metronome or app I have ever used.
Having a rhythm to play to helps some people. I like it. However, there are lots of rhythms and beats on YouTube, as well as drum machines online and phone apps. Not really necessary to buy a drum machine unless you think you'll want it in the future. They can be fun, of course.
