Vague Drum Machine Advice

simba · Post by **simba** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:29 pm

Hello all, I wonder if you folks could help me out with a little advice.

I've got no experience with drum machines but I'm looking to get one, one that's gonna give me a certain kind of sound. I'll describe it as best I can...

Basically, the sound I'd like to get is one that sounds unashamedly like it's a drum machine and is never gonna be convincing in replicating a real drum sound. Like the one used on "Hard To Explain" by The Strokes, or "What Would Wolves Do" by Les Savy Fav, or The Kills on erm, every song by The Kills. Hate to use this word, but retro and maybe even cheap-sounding.

I'm open to any ideas whether it be vintage equipment or new, but I'm not particularly flush and wouldn't be able to spend much more than a couple of hundred pounds.

Any info or nudges in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Post by **wiss** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:35 pm

Roland R5, R8, R70

peyote · Post by **peyote** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:35 pm

korg er-1

xibalba · Post by **xibalba** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:26 pm

wow i just read that it wasnt a drum machine (i always thought it was too) on that song

"Therefore, what we did that was different from the EP was to spend as many hours or days as was necessary to do a live take of a song where everybody played amazingly well. The result was that the takes were much more rock-solid and studied than on the EP. Some were comped and some were straight, and they even had two different types of songs on the record. They wanted the majority of songs to sound like The Strokes playing live, whereas they wanted a few others to sound like a weird, in-studio production with a drum machine, even though no drum machine was used -- it was the drummer playing all the parts. Those songs were done track-by-track and sculpted into non-standard rock sounds. The most notable is 'Hard To Explain', and another one is 'Soma'. I just spent a long time sculpting the drums and processing them so that they sounded like a machine. I was taking real sounds, opening up the plug-in box containing compressors, EQ and amps, and messing around until something real sounded like something fake."

xibalba · Post by **xibalba** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:31 pm

try the roland tr 707 with the mod for tone they go for 400 or 500 (200 for one without the mods)

Z · Post by Z » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:40 pm

I'm not familiar with those songs, but +1 on the Roland R series. I've had a R8M in my arsenal for over 15 years. Great sounds.

One of the tricks for "realistic" drums is programming. Mess with the accents or velocity to create a human feel.

EDIT: I just re-read the orignal post. Looking for "cheap" sounds, then you could use anything. A Roland TR-505, 626 or 707 (I'm a Roland fan) should do the trick.

Z

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:58 pm

A korg ESX-1 with a bunch of vintage drum machine samples from the web.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:07 pm

Z wrote: One of the tricks for "realistic" drums is programming. Mess with the accents or velocity to create a human feel.

EDIT: I just re-read the orignal post. Looking for "cheap" sounds, then you could use anything. A Roland TR-505, 626 or 707 (I'm a Roland fan) should do the trick.

Z

yeah, he seems to want non-real as posible!

I would second the roland 505 or 626 for cheap options, as well as the korg ddm-110, ddd-5, or the boss dr. 220, or even one of the early kawai machines... basically, you just need something from the mid-80s...

Post by **killedaway** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:18 pm

JSRockit wrote:A korg ESX-1 with a bunch of vintage drum machine samples from the web.

agreed. i think too many people take a quick glance and think, "oh, the ESX is just a sampler, that's not what i want". but the fact is, the ESX should be viewed as a drum machine that you can update and alter infinitely. of course, if you're looking for loose, high resolution timing, the ESX won't fit the bill, but what sounds more "drum machine" than firmly locking yourself into 4/4 16-step res. timing? nothing, that's what.

pricklyrobot · Post by **pricklyrobot** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:23 pm

This thing: http://www.zzounds.com/item--ZOMMRT3 is super cheap, easy to use, runs for a long time on 4 AA batteries, and definitely sounds like a drum machine (not any particular "classic" drum machine, but a drum machine).

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:58 am

killedaway wrote: of course, if you're looking for loose, high resolution timing, the ESX won't fit the bill, but what sounds more "drum machine" than firmly locking yourself into 4/4 16-step res. timing? nothing, that's what.

Double the BPMs and you got 2 bars of 32 steps as well.

Post by **killedaway** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:33 am

JSRockit wrote:
killedaway wrote: ...ESX...
Double the BPMs and you got 2 bars of 32 steps as well.

4 bars on the ESX when halved.

simba · Post by **simba** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:18 am

Thanks for the excellent advice guys. I think I'm gonna get hold of Roland TR-505 and see how it goes with that. If no good, I'll be back here!

Cheers.

Syn303 · Post by **Syn303** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:56 am

simba wrote:Thanks for the excellent advice guys. I think I'm gonna get hold of Roland TR-505 and see how it goes with that. If no good, I'll be back here!

Cheers.

Remember... there's no step-time on the TR-505, only real-time input

Post by **shaft9000** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:53 pm

killedaway wrote:
JSRockit wrote:A korg ESX-1 with a bunch of vintage drum machine samples from the web.
agreed. i think too many people take a quick glance and think, "oh, the ESX is just a sampler, that's not what i want". but the fact is, the ESX should be viewed as a drum machine that you can update and alter infinitely.

that's what i mostly use it for....load that sucker up with one-shots and go nuts