BlahBlahCafe - Jean-Michel Jarre forum

Im looking to buy my first drum machine, so any advice would be gratefully received.

Im looking at either new or 2nd hand.

I am being drawn at the moment to the old Korg MR-1 and Roalnd MC series from a couple of years ago. I don't wnat anything naff sounding as I would prefere to keep the machine for a few years.

Hm, I'm in the same case, I have to find a drumbox, but on the other hand, I have cool samples I use with my computer...

I like the MC303 look, but I don't know at all the sound it can provide...

What's your budget ? Mine is 100€...

Im looking at £100 - £150

Im trying to find some samples from the Roland MC3003 myself, but I have read some good reviews of the Korg ER1

I wanted to buy mc303 but its really crappy stuff

mc505 is much much better

Yes, but the MC505 is also a bit expensive for me...
But it is perfect for Equinoxe5

Ive just read that you can't really do much with the samples on the MC303, one of the machines downsides (so Im reading)

I'd Recommend the ER-1 ,it based on the old Roland TR's interface (Dead easy to use),patterns on board are geared up for All genres,mostly Dance etc ,but you can easily do you own patterns without too much fuss,the sounds are pretty tweakable and you can make your own so you not tied down to stock sounds all the time,Obviously you've got your 808 and 909 emulations ,but its pretty easy to make it your own on the Drum synths parts The ER's are great fun,i dare anyone not to have fun with them,whatever genre your into...

You can pick up the Mk-1 ER'1 for under £100 and probably the same for the Mk2,I've got Both versions cos I love em!!!!they have slight differences in the two in that the Mk2 has Cross modulation which produces some mad drum sounds and they have a slightly different sound set ,with a few common patterns shared between the two

One of the great features of the ER-1 Is that you can also route Audio through its inputs and intergrate it in with your drum patterns,which is good for feeding Pads thru it's inputs and creating rhythmic chords along with the Drums,(commonly used in Trance gernes)great for vocal parts too

I've never been a fan of Drum machines as such,I used to own an old TR909 many moons ago(Regret selling it now),but apart from that I've only ever used a Boss DR660(Basic bread and butter stock sounds with CR78/808/909 samples throw in)I'm not a huge fan of drum boxes as they tend to have weird ways of constructing songs,but the electribes have took the Roland TR intuitive way of working and made it fun again,also with a great Light show to boot

Also don't forget the ES-1 Too,which if your more after using your own samples for drums then this would be ideally suited again,its not thought as a drum machine as such in that it does exactly as the ER's do,but works in the exact same way as one...

What I like about the ER's is that you can interact with them Live too,for realtime tweaking and its so easy to create variations on the patterns live too thanks to the 16 step buttons,which allow you too alter the instruments pattern in realtime,you can also Solo and Mute any of the parts so you can create a song live if you so wish by bringing in and out the drums sounds

I have no experience of the MC's,but would give the ER-1 a shout anyday,especially for the prices they go secondhand even if you dont think it would be useful for your music if your not into dance ,You can bet your life you'll end up using it,I don't do Dance or any of the subgenres that the ER-1 patterns banks are full of but there useful for any music if you know how to tweak it..Plus with such an easy interface you could easily initialize the patterns and create your own to suit


Here's a vid of the ER-1 (Mk2)being used,discard the Music if your not doing this sort of Genre but you can see how it works and how it can be used


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_w3QDN4d14

Thanks Equinoxe, another superb write up

Im swaying more to the ER-1. From what you say, it sounds not only an ideal machine, but a machine I could enjoy using.

Forgot to ask, when you say ER-1, is this the MKI or MKII

The MK1 and MK2 are identical...

The only difference in the Mk2

New casing/Livery
Cross Modulation instead of Ring Mod
some different Patterns



Mk1







Mk2



You could pick either up for under £100,Ive seen some Mk1's go for £70,bargain!!



Well this is how easy they are to use....

I've looked in the manual Once.....and that was to find out what CC Numbers were utilised by the Knobs/Controls....never ever bothered with them apart from that..

Equinoxe wrote:The MK1 and MK2 are identical...

The only difference in the Mk2

New casing/Livery
Cross Modulation instead of Ring Mod
some different Patterns

Mk2 has both.

But Nico, like I said you: I would recommend you a Tr707. Look if you can get one for €100. I have both 707 and ER1 mk2. And I like the combination of both.

I'll try to find a cheap TR707, I have the time, no hurry, I can wait

I had the opportunity to get a TR-707 for the price of €133. That's not expensive on these sides.
Im also looking for a drum machine. I wanted to buy an ER-1 due to the TR-?0? system, but what I also need are the 808 and 909 sounds. Those can be done with the EMX-1, but it is too expensive for the functions I need. It has many functions I don't need.

Synthesist wrote:I had the opportunity to get a TR-707 for the price of €133. That's not expensive on these sides.
Im also looking for a drum machine. I wanted to buy an ER-1 due to the TR-?0? system, but what I also need are the 808 and 909 sounds. Those can be done with the EMX-1, but it is too expensive for the functions I need. It has many functions I don't need.

I'll tell you one thing: you don't get 707/808/909 kicks/snares out of an ER1
BTW, €133 is pretty much for a 707. I bought mine for 120 with memorycard.

Jarp2600 wrote:

Equinoxe wrote:The MK1 and MK2 are identical...

The only difference in the Mk2

New casing/Livery
Cross Modulation instead of Ring Mod
some different Patterns

Mk2 has both.
.

It does indeed....

I was talking about the first 2 percussion sounds....on the MK2 it has Cross instead of Ring mod

I should have made it a little more detailed,sorry if I've confused anyone