Drum machine recommendations?

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 19 May 2021 9:02 am

I've been researching drum machines and can't find anything very 'new'... Does anyone here use the Alesis SR-16? I like the bass sounds it's got.

I play mostly gospel if that makes a difference. And I don't want to spend a lot of money but really want good realistic drums with a good bass in there too. I'd sort of like to have my cake and eat it too?

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 19 May 2021 9:27 am

I am still using an Alesis HR-16.
I got good at programming it back in the 90's.
To fatten up the Kick Drum I assign multiple Kick drums to various Pads, then Copy the primary Kick pattern to the other Pads. So your hear a combo of various Kick drums as one Kick.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 May 2021 10:33 am

I still have an SR-16. Its been my "go to" drum machine in my home studio. Only knock it doesn't have a built in 3/4 timing drum program. I have a 3/4 program that a friend at a music store installed for me or I'd be using an SR-18 instead.

I had an SR-18 that does have 3/4 programs. If you want bass, the SR-18 has that, there is no bass in the SR-16.

Go for the SR-18.

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 19 May 2021 12:43 pm

Thanks for your posts. They're encouraging. I didn't know about the 3/4 timing not being included.

I'm learning about these machines little by little and just discovered a Boss DR 670 on an obscure shelf... I don't remember using it much years ago and would have to relearn it.

I think I'll buy the Alesis SR-18 and not look back. Someone encourage me to do that or show me one for about the same price that's better?

Thanks again!

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 19 May 2021 1:46 pm

I ditched my SR-18 and kept the SR-16. The SR-18 discarded many of the most used beats for country music. As far as 3/4 waltz beats go, they are very easy to program and save into the SR-16. The SR-16 has proved itself over the years and many prefer it over the SR-18. I found the bass beats on the SR-18 to be useless, so I just shut them off. The SR-18 back light could be beneficial. For simple ease of use, the SR-16 wins. I can't justify the $110 dollar price difference. There are many like myself who have gone back from the SR-18 to the SR-16. Your mileage may vary.

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 19 May 2021 2:13 pm

Morton, what you said is important to know so thanks much for that. I'm sure both models are good machines, but the points you made are pretty crucial to know if that's not an overstatement. I've read a lot of good things about the SR-16 and now will rethink things.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 19 May 2021 2:23 pm

Several years ago, I had an SR-16. No shuffle beat and way too complicated for me. Have you watched the demo videos of the SR-18 on YouTube? I suggest you do this before you buy one to see what you're getting into. I watched them this morning and I was lost from their opening statement. I'm just not into anything that is going to take a lot of time to understand and program. I sold it bought a Zoom MRT 3, I think it was called. It was real simple to use but I only used it as a fancy metronome, but it is a drum machine. Mike Headrick, that puts out the best rhythm tracks, bought it from me to use in his studio.

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 19 May 2021 2:50 pm

Thanks, George. This won't be a hasty purchase for me, although I wish it could be. And you give me more necessary info.

And no shuffle beat? Seriously? Then why have any beats at all! The person who decided the shuffle wasn't important needs to be fired.

Garry Simpson · Post by **Garry Simpson** » 19 May 2021 4:27 pm

I use the BeatBuddy which works for me. You can check it out on youtube. Not saying it's better than the SR-16 (which I have owned) it's just an option to check out.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 19 May 2021 7:18 pm

The Beat Buddy is interesting. I watched the Sweetwater demo. Am I missing something. Wouldn't you need three feet to operate it since both your feet are already tied up playing steel?

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 19 May 2021 8:19 pm

George Kimery wrote:The Beat Buddy is interesting. I watched the Sweetwater demo. Am I missing something. Wouldn't you need three feet to operate it since both your feet are already tied up playing steel?

I thought the same thing. I do not have 3 feet. ha!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 20 May 2021 2:22 am

You mentioned bass, which the SR-18 has and the SR-16 does not and the reason I suggested the SR-18. In addition the SR-18 has 3/4 (waltz) built in. I had both and did not find the SR-18 any more complicated to use than the SR-16.

Both are aimed at other music genre's, not really country or gospel. Downsizing, I kept the SR-16 over the 18 only because I had the 3/4 user program. If I didn't have the 3/4 program I would have kept the SR-18.

However, on the SR-16, program 31A is my go to for a majority of traditional country. I can make it work for ballads or even shuffles (and even western swing).

I tried one of the "stomp box" drum machines and found it useless for traditional country.

Charlie Hansen · Post by **Charlie Hansen** » 20 May 2021 5:10 am

I had a Roland R70. Best drum machine ever made. Had it for years and sold it because I use EZdrummer now. If you're using software here's a free one https://www.powerdrumkit.com/.

Morton Kellas · Post by **Morton Kellas** » 20 May 2021 5:30 am

I use the SR-16 with a Duo and play country, pop, blues, old rock, and about everything else and I do 150 to 200 different songs with it. I have the beat list written out for each song and it only takes a few seconds and we are right into the next song. I have owned other brands but the Alesis is very dependable and works great for me. If I thought something else would work better for me, I would buy it, but I am happy with what the SR-16 is capable of doing for my use. What it won't do is give you the variety of beats on the fly or the expression that a real drummer will. Good luck with the many suggestions.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 May 2021 6:16 am

I was going to use a drum machine but then I bought BIAB and went with that instead.

Erv

J Hill · Post by **J Hill** » 20 May 2021 10:34 am

This is just a test. I just sent a PM to someone and it's not showing up. So I'm doing a test post here to see if this one appears. Thanks for understanding.

Yep.... it showed up. Wonder what's wrong with the PM system. Could be my IPad Pro, which has about a billion bugs... very frustrating.

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 20 May 2021 10:58 am

I found it very difficult to program. I never used it much.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 May 2021 2:14 am

Tom Keller wrote:I found it very difficult to program. I never used it much.

The exact opposite with the SR-16 or 18. The reason I bought it was because it already had drum patterns. No programming required. Other drum machines all required programming drum patterns.

Garry Simpson · Post by **Garry Simpson** » 21 May 2021 4:30 am

George Kimery wrote:The Beat Buddy is interesting. I watched the Sweetwater demo. Am I missing something. Wouldn't you need three feet to operate it since both your feet are already tied up playing steel?

Yeah three feet would help, but like most stomp boxes I operate it with my hand. Hit the button on the BeatBuddy pedal, it gives a count and starts. I use the attached pedal mainly for six string. That pedal lets me start a song with a tag.

Edward Dixon · Post by **Edward Dixon** » 21 May 2021 5:54 am

J Hill wrote:I've been researching drum machines and can't find anything very 'new'... Does anyone here use the Alesis SR-16? I like the bass sounds it's got.

I've been using the SR16 for at least 15 years and never programmed a single beat. It does what I need it tp do most of the time. As far as I know the SR16 has no bass sounds, the SR18 does. I had one of those also but sold it not long after I got it. The drums had a more "live" sound but the bass section was unusable for my music without a lot of time consuming programming.

Right now, besides the SR16 I am using a Korg KR55 Pro https://www.amazon.com/Korg-KR-55-Pro/d ... nts&sr=1-1

What I like about this machine is ...

1. it will run on batteries I can use it with my battery powered Roland Street Cube and take my music anywhere.

2. It has an XLR Mic input and two 1/4" instrument inputs. When plugged into the Cube aux input (1/8" trs) I have 3 more instrument channels plus drums.

3. It has an SD memory card and records. This allows me to record backing tracks on my DAW and add Bass, organ or any sound I care to record. Transfer the recording to the SD card and Jam to my hearts content without foot switches. Or I can use backing tracks from other sources. I can also use the SR16 rhythms, either on the backing tracks or by plugging it into the aux port(1/8" TRS) on the backside of the Korg (iow ... running the Sr16 thru the KR55)

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 21 May 2021 7:13 am

Edward, this is a very interesting machine, but like all the others, no shuffle beat, right?

Edward Dixon · Post by **Edward Dixon** » 21 May 2021 7:26 am

George Kimery wrote:Edward, this is a very interesting machine, but like all the others, no shuffle beat, right?

It has 2 options for shuffle beats preset #4 is labeled 8 Beat4 shuffle and preset #18 is 16 Beat2 shuffle. I don't use either of those (that I can remember) so can't say if they are useable or not.

I think there is a YouTube video that demos the presets. I'll look for it.....

edit:
demo of all beats ... all @ 140 bpm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt_Mh-XimPk

Korg promo ... reminded me there is also a built in tuner and you can also use the aux-in on the back for media players or other audio source. And preset #12 is a 3/4 country beat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXCHb3sB_NQ

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 21 May 2021 7:32 am

I am curious, what is your ultimate goal for the use of the drum machine?
Something to practice with at home?
Home recording?
Live performance?

I mainly used mine when I was doing a midi based-solo gig, playing along with song sequences.
But that was mostly back in the early 90's.

These days I am able to find free background tracks online for pretty much any song I want to play along with.
I have also bought some awsome background tracks (with everything but Steel on them) from folks here in the Steel community.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 May 2021 9:22 am

I did a lot of recordings for clients in my home studio. In every case I used a drum machine (mostly SR-16). Two recording (album) projects were for drummers (who sing). They were both perfectly satisfied with the product.

I also did about 15 CD's of original songs for retired Nashville songwriter and major label producer Jimmy Peppers (he produced Mel Street's last album). Peppers was a drummer in Ferlin Husky's road band in the mid 60's (with steel guitar player Terry Bethel). We did a lot of experimentation with drum programs in the SR-16 and SR-18 but in every case he was satisfied with the built in factory programs.

Tom Beck · Post by **Tom Beck** » 25 May 2021 10:36 am

My favorite was my Roland 636. When it bit the dust I got an SR-16. Programing the user patterns take more steps but it's not so bad. The patterns are 16 beats per bar. For waltz, shorten it to 6 beats, Bass drum on beat one, and snare or rim shot on 3-5 beats. You ca put a closed hi-hat or something on 2-4-6 if you like. Then name it and save it. The drums sound more realistic on the SR-16 but the Roland was easier to program (for me at least) and was my favorite for that reason.

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