Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Do Any Of You Use Old Drum Machines Because They Don't Sound Like Real Drums?

rolandjuno6 · 28th December 2009

I do. I reckon if I am going to use a drum machine I might as well use a drum machine that sounds like a drum machine rather than real drums. Most of what I record I record by myself on my own recording equipment. I play guitar, lap steel, bass, organ, electric sitar, and synthesizers. But I don't play drums. Early on I didn't use drums. Instead I played percussive patterns on my guitar to take up the space of drums. I found that acoustic archtops work well for that.

I have an Alesis SR16 that I don't use very much because it sounds too much like a drum machine trying to sound like real drums. But it does trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. Sometimes I use an overdrive or fuzz box with the SR16 to make it sound nastier. Mostly though I just use it to trigger my Juno-6.

Over the past few months I have been collecting older drum machines when I can find them and they don't cost a whole lot. The first one I got was a Casiotone 501, an early wood panel Casio keyboard with a particularly old school sounding drum machine. I like that one a lot. The keyboard isn't bad either.

Another favorite is the Electro Harmonix DRM-15 Digital Rhythm Matrix which not only doesn't sound like real drums but sounds rather robotic. Unfortunately it does not trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. I also dig the Space Drum on it.

The Super Drums on my Casiotone MT-205 are pretty cool too. Surprisingly the drums on the MT-205 trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6.

Lately I have been messing around with my newly acquired Korg PSS-50 Super Section which also does bass lines and chords. It is pretty cheesy. But I dig it. Unfortunately it does not trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. But it has a lot of interesting sounds.

My Roland MC-303 Groovebox is pretty craptastic. I usually set it to 808 or 909 drums and use the tap tempo to get it in time with things I have recorded. Sometimes it works in a very musical way and sometimes it doesn't. It has a few sound effects that I use sometimes.

Any day now I should be receiving a Korg DDD-1 in the mail.

28th December 2009	#1
rolandjuno6 Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 101 Thread Starter	Do Any Of You Use Old Drum Machines That Don't Sound Like Real Drums? I do. I reckon if I am going to use a drum machine I might as well use a drum machine that sounds like a drum machine rather than real drums. Most of what I record I record by myself on my own recording equipment. I play guitar, lap steel, bass, organ, electric sitar, and synthesizers. But I don't play drums. Early on I didn't use drums. Instead I played percussive patterns on my guitar to take up the space of drums. I found that acoustic archtops work well for that. I have an Alesis SR16 that I don't use very much because it sounds too much like a drum machine trying to sound like real drums. But it does trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. Sometimes I use an overdrive or fuzz box with the SR16 to make it sound nastier. Mostly though I just use it to trigger my Juno-6. Over the past few months I have been collecting older drum machines when I can find them and they don't cost a whole lot. The first one I got was a Casiotone 501, an early wood panel Casio keyboard with a particularly old school sounding drum machine. I like that one a lot. The keyboard isn't bad either. Another favorite is the Electro Harmonix DRM-15 Digital Rhythm Matrix which not only doesn't sound like real drums but sounds rather robotic. Unfortunately it does not trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. I also dig the Space Drum on it. The Super Drums on my Casiotone MT-205 are pretty cool too. Surprisingly the drums on the MT-205 trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. Lately I have been messing around with my newly acquired Korg PSS-50 Super Section which also does bass lines and chords. It is pretty cheesy. But I dig it. Unfortunately it does not trigger the arpeggiator on my Juno-6. But it has a lot of interesting sounds. My Roland MC-303 Groovebox is pretty craptastic. I usually set it to 808 or 909 drums and use the tap tempo to get it in time with things I have recorded. Sometimes it works in a very musical way and sometimes it doesn't. It has a few sound effects that I use sometimes. Any day now I should be receiving a Korg DDD-1 in the mail.