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The KORG Beat Boy

#2
MalcolmAmos said:
Just got mine. Plan on improving my locking in with the drum track patterns. Going to take it to practice and let our drummer tell me which of the patterns he uses. The recording function looks like it has great possibilities.

What are some of the features you guy/gals find useful?
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What an excellent move!

Now, you'll get my point about that "More than 80% of all "LITE" music band could improve drastically by replacing the drummer with the properly articulated drum machine".
 
#5
alfoders said:
I was looking at maybe buying one of these. I didn't like the fact that it only uses batteries...no AC! As much as I practice, I would be replacing batteries weekly.

I found a used Alexis SR-16 on Craigslist for $60 and I love it!
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A very good point about the "only uses batteries... no AC".

About Alexis SR-16.
It's a very cool thing, just
"This drum machine went into product in the early 1990s, and
nothing has changed since its initial release. There are 50 preset patterns and 233 different drum sounds. Running out of memory can be an issue with the SR16 because there are only 50 user presets...
And this:
"Make sure you are extremely happy with the preset sounds before you purchase this beat machine. Don’t plan on being able to tweak the sounds with effects and EQs to your likeness because the only effect onboard this drum machine is reverb. What you hear initially is what you get."
Link Removed
 
#6
Interesting review of the SR-16. It's an oldie, no doubt about that. it has an old MIDI interface connector on it (the one that looks like a computer PS2 connector). I have no idea how that is supposed to work. I bought it as a replacement for a boring metronome for practice use only. The SR-16 serves my needs well for now.
 
#7
Thanks for the input. Ask my drummer to take it home and let me know which of the 99 tracks he uses. His answer; "Of those 99 its going to be a little of this one and a little of that one".

As always I'm looking for THE one answer, I can count on, and it always ends up being that feel thing - a little of this and a little of that, but, you know that is why it's called art.

I guess it's practice until I can recognize a pattern... and then fall into that pattern.
 
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#9
alfoders said:
I was looking at maybe buying one of these. I didn't like the fact that it only uses batteries...no AC! As much as I practice, I would be replacing batteries weekly.

I found a used Alexis SR-16 on Craigslist for $60 and I love it!
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This looks like a great little device. One of the answers to a question on Amazon said that you can power it via computer using its USB interface. Its the comment from Mark Alexander on this page:

Amazon - Korg Beatboy

I do wonder if you could use a USB adapter that plugs into a power socket. I have one for an old Kodak digicam. One end is USB and the other plugs into a power adapter so I can recharge the camera.
 
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#13
Have you just considered hooking up with your drummer and jamming with him? Then he could specifically show you how he approaches certain songs. From the sound of it, you two might not be spending enough time together. My current drummer plays so many polyrhythms, there's no way I could catalog them. I just had to get used to him and just make sure my time is solid while he does his thing. He's probably one of the best drummers I've ever heard, but it can be a challenge.
 
#15
Spin Doctor said:
Have you just considered hooking up with your drummer and jamming with him? Then he could specifically show you how he approaches certain songs. From the sound of it, you two might not be spending enough time together. My current drummer plays so many polyrhythms, there's no way I could catalog them. I just had to get used to him and just make sure my time is solid while he does his thing. He's probably one of the best drummers I've ever heard, but it can be a challenge.
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You hit it on the head. I make sure I'm with his bpm, and his polyrhythms are sound, but, he can not tell me what specific one he will use. Each song dictates the rhythm it wants - today.

We do work well together and it is a feel thing.
 
#16
MalcolmAmos,

After your nice "BeatBoy" presentation, I've just ordered one.

About that recorded file.

"The recorded sound can be loaded as
a WAV file via USB into your computer and
edited on your DAW software.
Conversely, audio tracks* that you've created on your computer can be loaded into Beat Boy and used as backing tracks.

* PCM audio format: support is only included for WAV f files (44.1 kHz/16-bit monaural or stereo). The drum machine will not function while a stereo WAV file is being played back.
 
#19
I've received my "BeatBoy".
Here are my first impressions.
It's a small and light device. It fits in my shirt pocket.
Sound quality is mediocre but satisfactory.
It's possible to use minimum (20 - 30) drum presets - rock, pop, disco, shuffle, blues, dance, funk, reggae, etc..., plus nine "Odd meter" patterns for practicing (with some tempo adjustments).

It also has some various Metronome patterns that one could also variate by adjusting tempo.
I've tried to plug my bass but it was too distorted. I'll try again.
I think the Beat boy could only play data recorded by the Beat Boy.
I use my MP3 player to record my noodling; therefore, I'm not very interested in that 20-minute recording possibility with the Beat Boy.

To sum up.
It's a handy toy while I'm sitting outside with my dog (without the laptop's drum machine) and playing the unplugged bass. To play the bass with the Beat Boy is better than to play the bass without it.
 
#20
If you use the "headphones out' to connect it to a pair of self-powered monitors etc, it sounds pretty good going by the vids on Youtube.

Very handy little rig if you don't want to spend a ton of time going through the computer and want some "on the fly" drum tracks....

The one thing I don't like about it is the 'battery operation only' .

If I bought one, I guess I could take it to my local electronic repair shop and see if they can come up with an adaptor rewire job so it will take external dc power.

USB power is useless to me.

A lot of these drum machines seem to be geared towards club and hip-hop etc.......and a little short on good ol' drum sounds.......this one seems to be good for kit sounds. .

I don't like the Korg Volca Beats at all......
 

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