Hi all, m looking for best cheap drum machine. please give me some advice and sorry for my bad English

 

Roland TR-8 is a steal.

 

It's hard to argue against TR-8 but for less money you can get Novation Drumstation from eBay, but you have to buy an additional MIDI pad controller if you want to use it as a classic rhythm machine.

This made me realise that classic drum machines have been somewhat extinct. Native Instruments Maschine is pretty cool and you can do whole songs with it. Also, there's always some of AKAI MPCs, but they don't come cheap.

I pretty much gave up on the classic concept and just use AKAI MPD32 with Reaper and some VSTs now. :shrug:

 

Hey milo, check out the Yamaha RX-series. They go for between 50 (RX21/17) and 250 Euros (RX5). I own a RX5 and was a little disappointed at first since all the sounds are REALLY 80s-ish. Once you get used to the (admittedly somewhat tedious) editing though, everything is possible. Play this thing through a cheap guitar amp -> instant industrial techno. It also has like a million outputs, can do reverse samples and has step editing. I feel for the price they're a real steal, but you're gonna have to do some rtfm.

On the other hand, the Elektron Machinedrum (MkII UW!!) goes for about 900 Euros now, but if you're very lucky you can grab one for around 600 Eur. Not exactly cheap, but I think we can all agree that they're awesome.

EDIT: Didn't see the other posts. Maschine is of course the way to go if you don't have anything else. RX-5 and Machinedrum can be nice additions if you have the basics covered.

 

Last edited: Jul 18, 2016

I second Elektron Machinedrum, although it's not cheap. As for tr-8, i don't know. As i recall it is sample based plus some digital synth and processing? (maybe i'm wrong), better off with buying a midi controller, and do that itb.

 

Depends. what's your budget? What other hardware do you have? Are you interested in going the hardware route, or do you want it to control VSTs? What's your primary genre?

 

Last edited: Jul 18, 2016

THz al for your comment, right now i can afford only 100-200$. my purpose is want to learn and play around with it to inspire make music.... sorry my bad English.

 

I still own a Roland R-5 Human Rhythm Composer I bought in April 1990. I had trade that new R-5 for 550,00 $ and my old Roland TR-505. Great beatbox.
http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/roland_r5/
I am not using it anymore. Condition is like new and I even have the original packaging, manual and invoice. If anyone is interested in making an offer just PM me.

 

An old iPad 1 with NanoStudio or BeatMaker 2 or, even simpler, the DM1 or FunkBox virtual drum machines.
Much like an MPC but much better usability, timing is very tight, and BeatMaker and FunkBox have Midi Sync that works with external gear.
All of these allow for import of your own drum samples, and BeatMaker 2 can even handle velocity layers for very realistic drums.
I would say that below $100, this is the best bang for the buck.
PM me if you need details.

 

If you want to make tracks with more than just drums, then I'd go for a groove box like the Korg Electribe EM 1. They're on e-bay all in your budget. Cheap, fun, and no computer needed, so you can play on the couch with headphones and make songs.
http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/etm.php
A couple of vids of what the can do.

e-bay
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Musical-Instruments-Gear/619/i.html?_udlo=3,000&_udhi=7000&_mPrRngCbx=1&_from=R40&_nkw=electribe&_dcat=180014&rt=nc

 

Or, even better, the EMX-1 if you get a good bargain. Fantastic machine, for both drums and synth bass lines.
And it syncs well with an iPad over MIDI ;-)

 

Roland TR-626 or TR-505 combined with any Akai S-Series sampler and you get any drum machine you want. ANY.
Don't sleep.

 

@milomila89

cheapest route probably would be getting a used korg padkontrol, sometimes found for around $100 to $140
or get a used Maschine MK1 off ebay for about the same , and then using something like Poise to host samples,
or use Addictive Drums, or EZDrummer, but that is not a drum machine set up....

If you go this route, I don't recommend the akai controllers, the pads are not responsive enough, and you would have to
go through the hassle of doing a pad mod to get them to work anywhere near like they should ootb

the Alesis SR-15 ($150 ) is a budget piece of equipment that would also be a possibility if you want a self contained drum machine and it also has pads, so I suppose it can also be used as a controller for its own samples, or you could just use it as a controller for other drum apps in your daw.

 

I sadly sigh when I remember my Alesis SR-16. It had been my drummer of choice for a good few years in the 90s playing live gigs.

 

volca beats
http://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/volca_beats/



on Amazon $160

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jul 20, 2016

THz all for your value information, u guy are awesome and friendly

 

thz The Teknomage Korg Electribe EM 1 is look interesting and fun, any other device like Korg Electribe EM 1?

 

The Electribes are probably the best in terms of playable sequencers, as you can do most things on the fly. Other ones to look at are
ES mk 1

ES mk 11

These are samplers so there's plenty of scope there.

If you can find one in you budget EMX

This is a synth not a rompler, it has a synth engine, tube valves and sounds dirty
The vid is Mistabishi, and he knows how to play them.

The other choices take more programming, but are fun when you have learnt to programme them.
Roland MC 303

MC 307

I don't have personal experience with these, but the video users manual is on youtube. All 2 hours of it.
There's also an MC 505,808, and 909, but they go for more.

Yamaha RM1x

I have one of these. Quite complicated to learn, you can't record on the fly like the Electribes, but you can play them on the fly.
This is the brain of my setup. I compose on this, not a computer.

 

On that kind of budget, I'd say go for a Roland TR-505? They're about £70 ish on eBay.

 

Hi there, if you want a drum machine, go to the shop and test them all out. You can ask here, but alot people have a bunch of different opinions.

You see, you did not specify what you're looking for in a drum machine, I mean does it have to be old, does it need to be futuristic with bleeps and blops? For the bleeps and blops there is Sonic Potions LXR, which too me looks kinda cool you know.... especially if you're on a budget.

I see alot of people mentioning the old Korg electribe series, yet somehow they all seem to forget that you want a actual drum machine, not a sampler: Korg ES-1, or a groovebox: EM-1. No, my friend if you're looking for a a drum machine, you must pick up the Korg Er-1, because this one is marketed as the drum machine in the whole electribe range. The sounds are rather dated in my opinion, and it's a bit limiting, but throw a few effect pedals under its belly and you're all set.

You know, you did not heard this from me, but if you want real analog, take a look at the yocto v2 and make ur speakers drill like never before. Good luck on sourcing your favourite drum machine!!

Warm regards