I've decided to get a drum machine for 2020. VST is probably the way for me to go. I know there are cheaper hardware options like Arturia and IK Uno, but I am most interested in having all the classic sounds available, like my own museum with the 808, Linn, etc. to play around with. If the machine has modern sounds and rhythm patterns that's great too.

Any obvious recommendations? Does NI Battery do all this?

Maschine is kind of expensive, but I've been eyeing it for a while because it's kind of like the best elements of hardware with the best bits of software. I don't think it'll have every sound under the sun by default, but those aren't hard to shop for. Lots of great sample banks out there.

What's your budget?

Yes, Battery 4 does. The big advantage with it is workflow. Once you have your midi percussion part. You can quickly try out and substitute tons of samples quickly.

Hopefully $100-300. I want to have basic classic sounds covered, but it's just for fun. I use synths mainly for sound track style compositions. I want to challenge myself and learn more about the old drum machines though.

In terms of having fun I bet the IK Uno or Volca would be good. My aim right now though is to get the original classic tones.

Battery 4 doesn't have an internal sequencer to trigger its sounds though.

If you like the sounds of the Roland classics and also enjoy programming patterns the old school way*, then try these D16 drum machines (VST):

https://d16.pl/instruments

* You can also trigger the sounds by MIDI btw.

do you have Ableton?

if so Revolution for Live is excellent

Also Samples from Mars is having a sale...all the classics in there.

If it was a "proper" drum program XLN Addictive drums 2 with the Reel Machines pack is excellent (and on sale)

TR8S is currently on sale at Guitar Center for $550. I read what you typed, but I would give it a good, long look.

Yeah thats the direction I went. Great deal.

I also second the Samples from Mars. I plan to load all the SFM Linn, Drumtracks Kicks, Toms and Snares into my TR8s. The SFM is awesome since they have all the pitches from the machines. So you can tune your kick by choosing the sample instead of detuning an existing one. Love that.

http://www.soniccouture.com/en/produ...ctro-acoustic/

Since you said drums only, I’ll share my setup.

Samples from mars (excellent samples, excellent end of year sale) $29 https://samplesfrommars.com/products/all-the-drums

Poise vst (cheap and basic mpc styled sample vst, but great for layering drums, mute groups, basic fx, etc $49 https://www.onesmallclue.com/plugin/poise/

Korg padkontrol $https://www.korg.com/us/products/com...ar/padkontrol/1-200 used

If you look for a Maschine MK1, you can find them quite cheap and often they come with v2 software. It comes with a wide range of samples and also has synthesis modules for rolling your own sounds. I don’t think the synthesis modules sound particularly like vintage x0x boxes, but they’re good. You would probably want to augment things with a plugin, which Maschine will host, or buy some sample packs from people like Goldbaby, who do a great job.

I don’t think there’s really a single plugin that does it all. If you really care about vintage Roland sounds with the ability to alter the sound like the originals, I think the Roland plugins are by far the best... but the only way to get at them is to subscribe to their Cloud service. I don’t like that business model, but I do it because I really do like the plugins a lot and they do seem to come out with new content at a fairly decent pace. One thing I hate is that you have to authorize them once a week by entering a password. I think plugins like µtonic still sound amazing and are a great alternative to classic drum sounds. Drumaxx is interesting and gets some use here, and I’ll even go to Breaktweaker because I like the synth/sample combo engine. I’d like a one-stop-shopping plugin too, I just don’t know of one that really seems that compelling. Maybe XILS’s Stix? The interface put me off, but their stuff is always solid in the sound dept.

The obvious choice is wave alchemy revolution. The revolution for live is great too if ur an Ableton user.

It is literally basically all of the most classic drum machines in one VST. Sounds way better and is way more versatile than my TR-8 was, so I hawked that and have never looked back.

I also have battery 3, 4, live with lots of packs, samples from mars, drumvolution, and as far as classic drum machine sounds are concerned this is the best, most turn key product out there.

Spark 2 with either a secondhand CDM or maybe new SparkLe controller, I still like mine, be warned its Analog Emulations are naff but you can create sample kits, but for the rest(digital classics from DMX to 707 etc) its a great bit of kit/software.

Along with Aly James Lab stuff that is...

Got my hands on the TR8s today and the WA is great but it doesn’t sound way better than the TR8s. Especially since the TR8s sequencer has a bounce to it that I prefer over using Ableton groove templates.

There is no obvious choice here. That’s also just not accurate. It’s what you prefer. To me, the T8Rs is the way to make drums, but I have been producing ITB for almost 20 years and can really pick out what I don’t like about a DAW drum sequencer versus a hardware one.

the obvious choice is Maschine (used, with 2.0 software, original or MK2 - no Mikro). start there.

Akai MPC 2 is on sale for $99, might be an option, might be way oversized

The Mikro mk2 wouldn't be such a bad choice. I have one myself at the moment. It feels more like an old drum machine to me than the bigger Maschine. It doesn't come with the full Maschine library though, so I guess that might be the reason for not recommending the Mikro. But you can buy the library, Battery and Expansions from NI (all on sale till Dec 9th), drum VSTi's from other developers, and packs from sample stores. .

Different strokes for different folks, all fair. Revolution is an obvious choice to me because the 808 and 909 sound better, somehow even the 707 sounds better, how that’s even possible. PLUS u get Linn, drumtraks, DMx, etc. all multi samples to tape, sp1200, akai, etc. the reverb is light years better, the envelopes, tuning, general tweak ability is far greater. Compression actually does what it’s supposed to...

Hardware is way more fun than software, but push makes revolution a joy to use on the computer, and you know, he said he was looking for a VST and not a hardware unit, and one is $150 and the other is $550. But aside from that...

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Is Maschine very different from Battery? It looks like Battery is $99 right now and a used Maschine with additional software looks a bit more. I'm looking for the easiest way to mix/match vintage sounds and hopefully modern too. I'm not a rhythm composer so it would be nice to have easy MIDI patterns too.

EDIT - I also see a lot of cool sample packs but they are rarely mapped for Logic EXS, is there a reason for that?

I told him to get Samples from Mars for $39 on sale and then he could load them into a TR8s if he wants to try that direction.

I dont share the same impressions on the sounds. Plus I route all my sounds into my own verbs and compression, so thats a non issue. As for turnkey, it did not seem the case in this thread eh? Wave Alchemy Revolution Live 10

I just checked my Samples from Mars stuff and they are mapped for EXS.

Honestly I don't use the maps, I just drag the samples in and go, but you do have the Logic mapping with them if you go in that direction.

All the classic sounds? Then you should have a look into the Beatbox Anthology plug-in: https://www.uvi.net/drums-percussion...hology-ii.html

Maschine is a lot different than Battery, even beyond the hardware controller integration. Too much to describe. You should just look at tutorials.

If you want Battery 4, then PM me.

The drum kits in Maschine come with patterns, not just sounds.

you've used the full Maschine controller? the Mikro isn't much better than a generic MIDI pad controller, though it does the job as well as most old drum machines. the tight integration of the full Maschine controller could literally change the way that the OP uses software. this can't be understated, and i'm not sure how anyone couldn't immediately see a hundred reasons for why the Mikro is just a tease in comparison.

Battery vs Maschine? i don't even know where to begin (though Battery has a few features that Maschine lacks), no comparison for what Maschine gives you.

WA 'Revolution' is ok, but it's rather limited and i don't think the OP needs the "authenticity" that it brings. i also think the digital/tape/SP variations are a bit of a gimmick, i'd rather do that myself. for something like that i'd probably recommend UVI 'Beat Box Anthology', as mentioned above. that's pretty much got all the drum machines, some of them sampled as deeply as the WA stuff (individual pitches per sound on the digital machines that offered it).

TR-8S vs Maschine? seriously? let's try to help the OP. love the TR-8S, but Maschine offers so much more for someone already using software.

Maschine user since its release in 2009. I use the Maschine mk2 and Jam in my home studio. The Mikro mk2 I have for being able to make music when I'm downstairs in the living room.

This was my first piece of gear.



And my second piece of gear.



Do you see the resemblance with the Mikro mk2?

Sure the Mikro mk2 is limited compared to its bigger brother, but you can still do a lot with it. It also has the Step mode for that x0x pattern programming. You just have to dig a little deeper into the menus, but operating those old drum machines wasn't much different. This all adds to the experience imo.

ha, same here (mine was a 550 MkII). i had absolutely no idea what i was doing, just knew that i needed a drum machine. turned out they were a bit more expensive than i thought ($200-300? for some reason i was expecting to pay about $50-100 or so), i really wanted the 660 which was relatively new at the time.

would i recommend it over a "bigger" DR-550 that had detailed screens and knobs? not at all.

i don't get it. knowing how much more the full Maschine gives you, i don't know why you'd recommend that they "settle" for the Mikro. sure, it does a lot as it is and the old machines mostly weren't any better, but why would you "deny" them all the advantages of the full Maschine (even a cheap MK1) for pretty much the same price?

a serious lack of functionality "adds to the experience"? the experience of how limited most classic drum machines were, as if the OP would be better off "doing it the hard way"? how does that help anyone?

I don't recommend it over the full Maschine, but I wouldn't dismiss it either. One thing to keep in mind is that the knobs of the full Maschine can have issues such as jumping parameters. The one knob of the Mikro is solid (though it doesn't turn as smooth as the ones from te full Maschine).

I might just start with sample banks and see if that satisfies my desire to have a vintage library. Maschine and other suggestions look great though. Any IK Uno fans? I might get a cheap drum machine for fun and if I ever use drum sounds for music then go to the sample bank.

If you just want to learn vintage drum machines and like the Linn, look at this:

http://www.alyjameslab.com/alyjameslabvlinn.html

Its great. You will learn a lot about drum machines this way. You can automate the parameters, and it also comes with presets to simulate how 80's artists tweaked their Linns.

I'm not really sure what you want to do but I still say the best deal is Samples from Mars if his entire drum collection is still on sale. He may do it again for Christmas if you missed it, but thats the easiest way to have every drum in every format (EXS included) pitched, saturated..etc. Easiest way to learn the drum combos you like.