I need a new drum machine

[riggy]

Hi there

I'm looking to buy a new drum machine. I’m a guitarist not a drummer or particularly clever with drum machines so you may have to bear with me on this because I’m not good at explaining myself. I am currently using an Alesis SR-16 but it is very temperamental and often has to be reset. Can anyone tell me if the SR-18 is just an updated version of the SR-16? I understand that the SR-18 includes 3/4 waltz beats that the SR-16 was missing and this is most important to me.

I also notice that like the SR-16, the SR-18 only uses a midi interface. I’ve only ever used the preset styles and never tried editing or creating my own styles. I understand that with a drum machine like the DR-880, there is a USB port (which is easier than fiddling with midi) for creating and editing styles on your PC. This is something I could persuade myself to try.

Like the SR-16, another necessary feature is the ability to start and stop the drum machine with my latching footswitch. For anyone who is not familiar with the SR-16 there is a jack for a second footswitch (count A/B/Fill), which I think is a really good idea. Unfortunately while the fill is a good feature, when the fill has finished, the drum machine then ‘toggles’ the A beat and the B beat (which are noticeably different) and this can ruin my flow. As a result I was interested to read that there are “four assignable footswitch and expression-pedal inputs” included with the DR-880. Can anyone explain what this means? Is it possible these inputs would allow me to include a fill and then carry on with the same A/B beat that I was using without toggling?

I hope you can understand all of that.

Thanks for your time

Riggy

[Metaltyme]

Get with the times man...use EZ drummer. And, learn how to create MIDI. Drum-machines are becoming so passe...cause they are so restraining.

Do what you want though...and sorry, can't help you with your drum-machine query.

Good luck at any rate,