Source
r/synthesizers•
modmkaz

Guitarist looking for drum machine/sampler for solo live performance

I am looking for the best sampler to perform with. My main goal is I want to be able to easily switch between patterns/parts of songs. Ideally I would be able to do it with a footswitch but from what I’ve been reading this seems a little far fetched. I don’t want a machine that I’m going to have to take my hands off my guitar and fiddle with my sampler every time I want to switch parts it needs to be simple . I want to be able to easily add and control efx on my loops I really like sp-404 style efx but not sure if a sp-404 would work for the setup im trying to accomplish.

Posted Jul 25, 2019, 12:11 PM UTC

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MrTonyMan•

^^^ This.

Awesome bit of kit for jamming, songs, and practice.
You can fire pause\fills\pattern changes\outro etc directly from the pedal.

As well as the standard rhythms that come with the device the user forum has 1000s of full songs (some with Keyb, Bass) and there are some user made drumkits that include bass or keyb sounds.

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calloustrebleElektron/Modular•

Elektron Digitakt is what I am currently using for my live + guitar set, but I also use it for much more than that so it may be overkill for your application. You can set-up a MIDI foot controller to tell it to do program changes which then would change patterns. Any drum machine that takes MIDI input and MIDI program change should be able to be set-up in such a way.

The real snag you're going to hit is having a drum machine that has a robust EFX engine to go with it. Not many affordable ones do (somebody correct me if I am wrong). DrumBrute Impact doesn't, Alesis SR-16 doesn't, etc. etc. The only ones I can think of in the sub-$1k range are the Digitakt and the Electribe 2S.

The SP-404 is a phrase sampler with a not-so-drum-machine sequencing interface. It's more designed for sample manipulation and playback such as used by hip hop artists or experimental musicians - it's not really designed for sequencing drum patterns in a step-sequencer way.

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ulcerated_uncle•

I second the Digitakt. I use it in a similar way, it doesn't have a dedicated song mode, but you can use a midi cable to go from it's midi out to it's midi in and sequence program changes to chain patterns. It sounds complicated but once it's in front of you it makes total sense. And like previously stated, you can do start/stop functionality with a decent midi foot controller.

The main risk is that once you sink your teeth in, it's the only instrument you'll ever mess with.

On the more reasonable end of the spectrum, while they aren't exactly considered samplers, something like the Korg KR-55 (still needs a footswitch but still less expensive than a quality sampler), Singular Sound BeatBuddy, or DigiTech SDRUM are pretty much propose built for what you're talking about. I don't know how feature rich they are or if they have decent built in effects, but they're literally designed to be mechanical drummers for people who are playing guitar or piano solo. At face value these devices may seem limited, especially if you're song structures are complex, but any device where you can get down and dirty with rhythms and sound design are gonna be boxes designed to do so much more than you need, and if you get one of those there's a legitimate chance it's just gonna take your music in a completely different direction (which could be good, bad, or incredible).

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Inga_Arvad•

I like my 404 but you don't want the 404 for this purpose.

For just the drum machine aspect of it, the SR 16/18 is totally perfect for what you want. How bad do you need samples?

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modmkazOP•

Not bad was just planning on loading audio loops exported off of logic to the 404 just want it to be able to do bass and keys also

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ollieloops•

Hey, I think there are several options that could work for you. I think the most important thing to consider is workflow and how you intend to interact with the device while you're performing.

The SP404 could work, if you load your entire backing track into a single pad and just trigger the pad when you play that song. But it sounds like you want to make changes to the backing track while you perform, so there are better options.

If you plan to change parts of your backing track on the fly, then you will likely want a device with a robust sequencer which you can adjust on the fly.

The Synthstrom Deluge is a great device. You can load entire stems of songs into its sequencer. You can program changes and progressions from song part to song part. And you can make changes on the fly. It has some built in effects and a robust synth engine built in. Also, in the next month or so, Synthstrom is planning to release a firmware release that adds looping functionality into the unit. This is huge for people such as yourself who play on performing with the device. In short, it's very powerful and flexible, depending on your workflow.

I would also consider having a dedicated sequencer and an additional outboard effects unit, like a Korg Kaoss Pad. This way, each device is good at what it does independently, and you're not looking for an all around device to do it all.

I hope that helps!

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[deleted]•

Are you sure you dont want an RC-505? Sounds perfect for your situation.

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