Good free or cheap drum/accompaniment software

[Anton_Mac]

Hi everyone. I've been playing the keyboard for about 6 months now, learning on "simply piano". I'm getting better, I can play ode to joy and am getting better at the fur Elise (amongst many other in-app songs), plus have completed some chords and blues sections. I'm not totally useless haha. I'm hoping to try to move towards more band related music, and I think a good starting point would be to get a drum synthesizer type thing to give me a bit of backing so I can try to put a little melody together. Is there anything on the PC that is good for this? Has anyone got any general pointers on how to move towards this sort of thing?

Thanks

Anton

 

[Biggles]

Arturia Spark and Isotope are two software solutions that spring to mind.

Hardware there are products like Beatstep from Arturia or Korg Volca which is a bit more versatile as it does synths in addition to beats, problem is cost.

If you have an iPad then there are plenty of Apps.

 

[happyrat1]

If you are aiming for techno drums then I'd suggest the Behringer RD-8

If you want a more balanced mix of contemporary drums and bass then I'd suggest the Roland DR 880.

Or the Alesis SR-18

Gary

 

[Biggles]

Anton.

Remind us what keyboard you currently have?

Also what budget do you have in mind?

 

[Anton_Mac]

Hey gents. I ended up with a yamaha YPT340. Midi is working flawlessly, I'm progressing well on SP, we got there in the end

I do have an iPad actually, as I wanted one for SP. As always, money is a big factor. 14 week old daughter and I'm pretty sure the headgasket has just gone in my BMW while I was out, so really i need to spend 0 on this haha.

Thanks for your help

 

[happyrat1]

What kind of rhythms are you looking for? Mainly techno or will you be looking for a mix of latin, jazz, country and rock?

Actually one of the best bangs for the buck these days are the UNO Drums by IK Multimedia.

I tried one out but it didn't work properly with Linux so I sent it back.

If you're running Windows or Mac though it will work just fine for you.

Price used to be $100 cheaper but Trump's trade policies have turned the American dollar into compost.

Amazon.com: IK Multimedia UNO Drum Portable Analog/PCM Drum Machine (IP-UNO-DRUM-IN): Musical Instruments

Buy IK Multimedia UNO Drum Portable Analog/PCM Drum Machine (IP-UNO-DRUM-IN): Drum Machines - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Cheapest option might be the Alesis SR-16

Alesis SR-16 24-Bit Stereo Drum Machine with Dynamic Articulation

Buy Alesis SR-16 24-Bit Stereo Drum Machine with Dynamic Articulation featuring Realistic and Natural Sounding, 233 High-Quality Sounds, 12 Velocity-Sensitive Pads, 16-Voice Polyphony, Sequencer Resolution: 96 ppq, Full MIDI Implementation, 50 Preset Kits and 50 User Kits, Two Footswitch Inputs...

www.bhphotovideo.com

Otherwise you are pretty much stuck with working with software options.

BTW. Some of the machines I listed have been around for a VERY long time. You would be wise to search your local used market to find some better deals.

Gary

 

[Anton_Mac]

Hi. Thanks for the pointers. Not too sure what I want to play really. I like a bit of jazz. My friend that plays the sax and trumpet said we should try to play stuff like this. It is quite funky, I'll give him that haha

 

[Biggles]

For a low cost solution the main option is as follows

If your keyboard has a USB Host socket (squarish type) you could buy a genuine Apple Camera Adaptor and connect your iPad to the keyboard.

Drum Apps are only a few $ so for $50 you will have a system that works.

Do checkout the Apps before you buy the camera adaptor.

 

[Anton_Mac]

I have got a midi cable that works already actually, I'll definitely look into iPad apps first. Thanks

 

[b3maniac]

Here's a thought for you and it's 100% free. There are a large number of drum beats and tempos posted on Youtube. Option 1 - Search Youtube to find those beat which appeal to you, and just play along with the Youtube video. Option 2 - Download "Audacity", a free multi-track audio editor and recorder. You can then record a Youtube drum track and save it on your computer. It's all free. YMMV Don