Sorry, I saw Paris, TX...so I assumed it was a town in Texas. See my previous comment to why DSI may have chosen to implement the sequencer without "no quantization".
i don't think too many newbs have heard or can afford tempest.. it's a hefty investment, assuming it's users wouldn't even know about quantizing is a little demeaning now cmon
ROFL... I couldn't the number of times I've read threads about people complaining about something simply because they don't know how to use it. There are people with "money" that are just starting to get into music. So what do they do? They go out and purchase the "coolest" thing available. There are also people that don't have a lot of money but save up to buy things they want. So, yes, newbies sometimes have the money but lack the skill of reading manuals.
it is a town in texas…it's also a cult movie from 1984.. fwiw i'm from the other paris, maybe you've heard of it we've got this thing called eiffel tower regarding DSI, i doubt they had newbs in mind when designing tempest...
Im cool with my tempest, i knew what i was getting into. There are some things like no quantized recording that they need to implement in order to take it to the level that it should be. also I trust Miles Davis' views on drums. he had nice taste in drummers.
Never listen to opinions regarding gear. For every 50 nobodies on Gearslutz that say a piece of gear doesn't sound good enough to cut it, I know at least one somebody who is cutting it in NYC with that piece of gear.
Just wanna say I love this blog. I especially enjoyed the umbrella @ the Mets game and also the Cyclones' "Williamsburg Night" hahaha
You wouldn't believe how many PMs I've gotten from members here who love the site. I wish I could claim credit but unfortunately it's not mine - I'm just a huge supporter. As a native New Yorker who's watched NYC, and primarily Brooklyn become the pathetic punchline it now is, I need somewhere to vent!
Xanax, if they have such superior rhythmic skills, than why would they ever need to make multiple passes. You are contradicting yourself. You can roll your eyes all you want. I am just trying to teach you something about drum machines and rhythm. But I guess you know everything, so again, have fun programming tight beats without quantization. I'll continue to use quantization.
Man, I cannot believe you're basically arguing that music should be done with quantization as standard.
We perhaps have divergent views on both what is and what creates groovy music, and to me your rationalizations don't really amount to anything rational about music.
Rather, I think, OMG, is this how people think about rhytm?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BM0
Xanax, I get everything you are saying, but think of it this way, someone that understands the machine they are using well enough to program it without quantization should understand that programming it with quantization is really no different when it comes to the goal of achieving a well timed beat. ...
No, it's not the same.
A good drummer is typically a tight drummer, but feel still plays a crucial role, not pulse alone.
__________________
“This is the most beautyful place on Earth. There are many such places.” Edward Abbey Desert Solitaire
A good drummer is typically a tight drummer, but feel still plays a crucial role, not pulse alone.
Sorry for making you have to put your hand over your face in shame, or for giving you a migraine, or whatever I did...
In my personal experience, playing drums is not the same as tapping on a drum machine. I've played drums and used drum machines for over twenty years. Your fingers do not have the same muscle response as swinging your arm or using a kick drum. You reference a good tight drummer, but that has nothing to do with tapping a pad on a drum machine. Geez people, I am just giving you a personal analysis from someone that is an experienced drummer and drum machine programmer. If you don't get what I am saying then you don't seem to really understand drumming. Fortunately the people that make drum machines do understand drumming.
i've said all i had to say on the subject but as far as finger drumming this guy has better timing then a TR808 lol:
He is pretty good at tapping out live beats. So what does that have to do with a sequencer and "no quantization" being available on the Tempest? You don't even need a sequencer to play a drum machine like that. Tempest can do that fine. Like I said, multi-track the audio directly as you play your beats.
..i think if you're at his level you can benefit from no quantize in your drum arrangements but i don't wanna restart this whole debate with you..let's just agree to disagree and move on.. there are other subjects of concern regarding tempest..
i've said all i had to say on the subject but as far as finger drumming this guy has better timing then a TR808 lol:
I don't know what people see in this guy. If you take out all the background stuff there's actually not all that much in the "beat"...the hats and cymbals are all over the place...plus he's got some loop stuff going on on some of those sounds.
I mean even an average drummer could do that on a Roland V-drums no bother...and then some.
Funky drummer is a real drum kit no?Drum machines are secondary.......like a typewriter is to a pencil.Its cool to use a machine to write but you are more free with a pencil.
I bet You never heard Computer Blue or When Doves Cry. Yeah I prefer a live drummer. But like all songs, and all gear, likewise... They ALL have their special purpose.
I think my post was missed a few pages ago but as a work around for having non quantized recording you can always record a loop in one time signature (eg 3/4, 5/4 or an odd time) but actually be playing in 4/4. This will still make the groove sound nice and loose.
A lot of great pop from the 80s used drum machines to keep the time and used live players for everything else to add the groove and push against the machine. Some of those great early Madonna hits like Borderline and Lucky Star come to mind.
The Way it Is by Bruce Hornsby is a drum machine with musicians for everything else live. Worked great for a folksy-pop tune.
I think my post was missed a few pages ago but as a work around for having non quantized recording you can always record a loop in one time signature (eg 3/4, 5/4 or an odd time) but actually be playing in 4/4. This will still make the groove sound nice and loose.
I actually did catch that bit, and another bit about moving hits a tick +/- 4 in the sequencer menu. Such a glorious instrument, Tempest! I am convinced this will be mi next purchase. It will be a welcome versatility, as I am currently exploiting a Moog Slim Phatty (among other things) for heavy beat making.
I never said finger drumming demand more skill than playing a kit. They are completely different. The only thing in common is keeping time, which any good drummer should be able to do, regardless of how they are playing. Any drummer should be able to tap beats with fingers or play beats on a kit. It is just part of having the drumming skill. Tapping on little pads just require a different type of concentration since the pads are so small, but all it takes is practice with the machine. Playing a drum kit requires good arm and leg coordination, which comes over time with practice. I would bet that guy in the video can play acoustic drums.
People can be amazed by something they have never seen before. If you want to be amazed by drumming, watch a video of Neil Peart (Rush) playing live. Don't get me wrong, the guy in the video has talent, but I am more impressed by drummers that I mentioned in a previous post. Maybe that is just because I grew up playing a drum set.
honestly all this talk about acoustic drums bores me to death (no offense), i like edm, synths & drum machines.....besides this thread has gotten waaay off topic.. soon were gonna hear about banjos and tambourines
Just for Xanax , here is a quick video I whipped up of me playing a techno beat live on my Tempest. Quality is not great (iPhone). I am just showing that any drummer should be able to tap out beats on a machine in decent timing. I am not comparing myself in any way to the guy in the previous videos. He's definitely got talent.
um..thanx..i guess..but that was kind of painful to watch/listen tbh.. btw no one here ever doubted a drummer can keep time while tapping beats, quite the contrary (and yes araab's been on drums since age 3) anywho finger drumming is kinda like turntablism or shred guitar, it's cool but it gets annoying reeal quick (expressivity>technique imo) shall we get back to tempest?
That was the Tempest. You really don't make much sense. Painful to watch, but you seem to idolize someone that does the same thing. I was being a bit sarcastic when I said that I made that just for you btw. It was obvious that you doubted my knowledge and experience with drums and machines, and I just wanted to put you in your place. No hard feelings. Just having some fun.
As someone mentioned, drum aren't really too pleasant to listen to when played alone. Drums have no melody. You may as well listen to a clock tick.
My only point with the entire discussion is that if you want to play a Tempest like a real drummer, then play the thing like a drummer and don't use the sequencer. If you want to sequence with swing and variation, try using 1/32 triplets and different time signatures on your patterns. Maybe DSI will add the ability to record with quantization off or add 1/64 triplets, but I don't think it is worth leaving that as the deciding factor to getting one. Just my opinion.
New Reply 
regarding DSI, i doubt they had newbs in mind when designing tempest...
No, it's not the same. 
, here is a quick video I whipped up of me playing a techno beat live on my Tempest. Quality is not great (iPhone). I am just showing that any drummer should be able to tap out beats on a machine in decent timing. I am not comparing myself in any way to the guy in the previous videos. He's definitely got talent.
