Again I just wanted to touch on the issue of drum machines here on the Zone. I know quite a few of us have them,but I'd like to say that out of everyone I've tried that I strongly suggest that members here have a look at the BOSS DR-3.

I've talked to other members in the past who wanted to use drum machines, but were a little hesitant because they were nervous about the machine interface and how to operate it. I'll tell you what..... The BOSS DR-3 in my opinion is the IDEAL drum machine for arranger keyboard owners, and those wanting something is easy to operate.

I would go as far as to say that those who have arranger keyboards would find this machine a BREEZE to operate. I say this because the drum patterns are set up EXACTLY like an arranger keyboard. Arranger keyboards have dedicated fill, intros, endings, and variations. That's the nice the about arrangers is how easy it is to operate the drum styles.

Well the BOSS DR-3 works the same way. You control the patterns in the same manner as you would using a drum track on an arranger keyboard. Each pattern has an intro, 3 fills, 3 variations, and an ending. However, it's actually more like 6 variations. I say this because their is button labeled (variation) If you press this button for example while variation (A) is playing, it spices up the current variation. So each of the (3) main variations each have one other, so really it makes for 6 varitaions rather than (3)--Hope I didn't confuse anyone there. Also the machine has bass sounds too.

So I'll say it again--if you're looking for a good drum machine that has a set up geared towards (arranger keyboards) check out the BOSS DR-3.

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-29-2005).]

Squeak,
Can you creat your own drum style on the BOSS DR-3? If so, where do you save them.

You can create up to 100 user styles on the Boss DR-3. The only downside I'd have to say from the start is that there is no media card storage. However you also have to take into account what you get for the price.. The sounds are really good in my opinion. I think several of the kits sound like the (V) Drums that Roland is so popular for. Here's a basic list.

Styles: 100 preset (with bass)
100 User (with user bass)

Songs: Up to 100 user songs

Max Poly: 12 voices (which is good
considering it's just a drum and
bass machine)

Kits: 50 preset kits and 50 user kits

Pads: Velocity sensitive, and several kits
include mutlilayered samples on a
single pad (meaning you can do "ghost
notes".

Recording: Real and Step

Connectors: L/R output, midi in, (2)
footswitch, ect.

These are just a few of the basic specs. There's also some effects as well. There are several effects to change the sounds of the kits (themselves), and there's also separate (ambience) effects to adjust the (global) sound. Again the only downside is lack of smart media card, but for the price you get a lot.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-29-2005).]

Ive been thinking bout askin how these work so I am glad you brought this up squeak!

hmm how do u play the bass in? I mean with an arranger u hit the chord and it can play the bass and it moves with the chord changes in the song...is it the same system??? is there a place to play the chord in on the drum box?? do u midi in a keyboard?? or do I have it all wrong hehe??

I guess I dont understand how these work...

Any help appreciated!

Timo1,
Recording the bass is fairly straight forward. There are several options for recording the bass too. You can use the vecocity sensitive pads (same ones used to trigger drum sounds) to play and record the bass. Or if you're a keyboard player you can hook up any midi keyboard to the drum machine and play or record the bass lines from it. You can also play the internal drum kits with the midi keyboard and record using it as well.

Recording the bass from the pads isnt' hard either. You press the (Bank) button and it toggles between percussion and bass sounds. The bass notes on the pads run in order and they're labeled too. The machine however isn't triggered like an arranger. Each variation will have the bass line you record, and can be triggered by the pads along with the drum pattern you recorded with it as well. Hope this makes sense.

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-30-2005).]

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 05-30-2005).]

yes thanks for the explanation squeak it did make sense!

Interesting it sounds like its a note by note bass rather than a chord based system... I was thinking it might be kinda of a loop based system.. like for a blue's song in the key of c u would play c eb e g on the bass then it would loop that pattern in every key.. if u hit a f it would be f ab a c like our keyboards.. 'but it sounds like u would need to just play in the whole song all the notes in the bass instead...


Thanks for the info Squeak!


and it does make sense...


Thanks squeak for the info!

Your're sort of on the right track there Timo1. Here's an example. Say you record the first variation and it's (4 measures long). You record the drums, and then the bass. We'll just say you recorded the bass line in the key of C. Now when you're finished that variation will continue to loop for you in the key of C. Now let's say you record the 2nd variation and do a bass line for it as well and record it in the key of E. When you press the fill in when switching from variation one to variation two, you'll get the chord change.

Now this if you do it all manually. Here's the cool part. There's a HUGE shortcut with the Boss DR-3. Lets say that your bass line is going to be the same through all (3) variations, but the key signature just changes. All you have to do is record the first bass line under variation one (either manually or using step record). Then when you're done you can copy and paste that same bass line to the other variations without having to re-record it. Then you can press the (KEY SHIFT) button and select the key you want. It's just like manually transposing on a keyboard. It really speeds up the time.

Squeak

How many drum sounds does it have? I currently use the Roland TD-6v but I like the look of the Boss because it is so small. As a travelling musician, size is an important factor for me.

I would not use it for drum patterns, but to trigger drum sounds off my Tyros.

Thank you, Chony.

It has 120 drum sounds. They're pretty darn good too I've listened to the Demos for the PSR-3000 at Yammies site, and I have to say that the Boss DR-3 has the PSR-3000 beat in the drum department. The acoustic kits on the DR-3 just seem so real, and with the effects they're even better. (not knocking the PSR-3000 either--personally I'd love to have that keyboard). It's just that I was disappointed to see Yammie carry over the dated kits once again to the PSR-3000.

Squeak

Squeak

I had one but returned it. I wanted to use it the same as an aranger drum section, but I couldn't get it to work for me. Say you have a 4 bar pattern. if you press fill> in the middle it will wait till the 4th bar is over before changing to next pattern. 1 bar patterns were fine but I needed more variation and immediate next bar pattern changes. Maybe I'm missing something. anyways the drum sounds were good.