Due to come out in early March. It’s supposed to have the sound of the old TR-808......processed to make it sound less digital and more analog.

Roland TR-8 Rhythm Performer (Sweetwater)

Roland site




I’ve been thinking for a while now about MIDI connecting my PA3x to an external drum module…..even my old Yamaha drum machine. You really don’t feel inspired to play without heavy drum sounds.

So….I’m wondering if this will do the job. I think anything has to sound better than those limp sounds I have in there now!

Mark

It would be a lot easier to load more drum kits. There are quite a lot a available

I posted this weeks ago.

I agree with you, I like strong drums and bass behind me. Get a Roland BK7M or totally change to a BK9. Great drums and very editable down to each particular instrument in a set.

Bill you can do all that on Korg as well, plus their are tons of onboard drums if you dig into it.

The original 808 "THOUGHT" it sounded like real drums ... HA! It was, however the start of every hip-hop and R&B sounding kit on the market today. Why would anyone want those old analog sounds in a new box when they have been able to duplicate them for 30 years already? The 808 sounds are low rez and easy to replicate on modern gear.

Or just get an Audya 4 .... maybe and add to your existing gear?

Don....I forgot that you probably know more than anyone about the PA3x.

So....how would you optimize the drum sounds to thicken them up?

Are you saying if you go through the "drum kits" some sound better than others?

Use samples?

MIDI it to a Ketron module?

There is no way?

When I was picking up my music case, someone was playing a Kronos. Those drums sounded better than the PA3x and I remembered that KORG told me that the sound engine in the Kronos is different and much better than the PA3x.

As you know, my two biggest hindrances with that machine that keep me away from it are the sometimes absolutely ridiculous styles and the thin sounding drums.

Mark

Yes, Dave, I hear you. But I'm sure Roland must have something up their sleeve with this new product. They're certainly not going to introduce a $500 drum machine with a 500 year old sound. Unless.....this is also geared towards the techie geeks that want something even easier to make junk music with.

I sometimes think music is going to eventually be made by just one single unit where your current pop icon vocalist just presses a button when he's ready to release another (mindless) song and the machine spits it out. Kind of like a "password" software program where, after you set it up, it coughs up a different combination of "passwords" with each go! Or like Band in a Box....you give it a set of chords and it gives you back a melody while you mow the lawn.

In fact, the more I think about it, the more plausible it sounds in this age where people just take what's handed to them and don't question the quality or the integrity of what they're getting. Kind of like our latest gift to mankind...double-digit inflation! Just put it on someone's plate and they'll eat it no matter how toxic!

I shudder to think that's where music production and entertainment will eventually end up!

Mark

Bill....I took a BK7 (?) drum machine home for 24 hours when they first came out and went through every style and sound on there. I didn't like it and returned it to the store.

BUT.....if I'm correct, I think I did it a disservice by doing it with headphones. I'm sure had I thrown it on my sound system I might have been more impressed.

The BK9......can't find one anywhere to listen to so that's completely off the table.

I think Don mentioned he liked the sound of the BK 9 too.

Too many non-accessible keyboards......too many purchasing mistakes.....too many decisions to make.....too many wasted hours trying to find and audition keyboards.....too many brain cells dying off in the process!

I was not going to post this as it was intended to show to a few friends only, it being a test run really but what the heck...
After experimenting with (too) many keyboards over the last 12 months I finally settled down with a (very) old KETRON X1 to sit next to my trusted Korg PA800. I only had it properly going two days ago after working out all the ins and outs both of the Ketron and combining the two via MIDI. In my favourite way that is playing all accompaniment on the lower keyboard. Due to a school reunion the day prior there is no singing this time and what you hear is basically the old Ketron X1 with the exception of the musette sounds in the lead.
Talking about decent Bass and Drums
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=6Sicxe6k0T0


regards,
John

John, you gave us the link for editing the video (we need your username and password too ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sicxe6k0T0

Korg's got a new entry but it is more about patterns and making your own everything, yet it has midi connectivity. You'd have to check into the details to see if it would work for you. What i don't like is the newer the machine, the few "traditional" beats a lot of us look for. Perhaps this unit can simply enhance the sounds from your arranger...

Korg Volca Beats

Rappers will love this little gem.

Sorry about the wrong link, here is the correct one:
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=6Sicxe6k0T0

regards,
John