When it comes to music production, you can use many different tools to get the sound you’re looking for. One such tool is a drum machine. Drum machines can be a great way to add some extra character to your beats and give them some extra punch. However, choosing the right drum machine can be tricky. To help you out, here are five tips on how to choose the right drum machine for your needs.
Memory
The first tip on this list for someone looking to buy a drum machine would be to consider the amount of memory you’ll need. What role does memory play in a drum machine? Well, if you are playing live, for example, you will most likely be doing other things with your hands, and as such, you will need a drum machine that can store many different patterns. A quality music PR campaign can also help with standing out.
Of course, this is much less important if you use the drum machine in a studio or create songs at home. This is because you will use software to record the patterns and simply use the machine as an instrument. Just ensure that you buy a MIDI-enabled drum machine for applications like Ableton Live or FL Studio.
Digital or Analog?
Another significant consideration you will need to make is whether or not you want the drum machine to be digital or analog. What’s the main difference between the two types of machines? Well, that would be how realistic everything sounds; in other words, how close the sound is to real-world sounds.
This is due to how the various sounds are made. With digital drum machines, the sounds are created and modified with a computer. In contrast, the sounds produced by analog drum machines are created when electricity runs through the capacitors, transistors, resistors, etc.
A digital drum machine is recommended since these sounds are more accurate; the machine doesn’t require as much maintenance and takes up less space. However, of course, it depends entirely on the type of music you want to make.
Using Your Samples
One of the biggest tips when buying a drum machine is deciding whether you will use your samples. What does this mean? Some drum machines don’t allow you to upload anything to the machine, so you will be stuck using the machine’s samples.
Some drum machines, however, allow you to upload whatever samples you want and as many as you want. It’s recommended to buy a drum machine that will enable you to upload samples; since then, you can make the drum machine sound however you want. This allows you to build your style, be more creative with your music, and change up your sounds on the fly.
How Big Do You Need it?
When buying a drum machine for your needs, you will definitely need to consider how big you need it to be. Of course, this doesn’t make much difference if you will be playing in your room unless you have a small room.
If you will play live, getting a bigger drum machine might be better, simply because looking for small buttons and knobs in limited lighting is not a fun experience. Meanwhile, a smaller machine will do fine if you plan to play at home.
Do You Have Other Devices?
Finally, the last tip for choosing a drum set for your needs is determining whether or not you will be using it with your current devices or if you will be buying more devices to use it with. A MIDI cable will be fine if you are just using it with your computer.
However, if you are planning on using it with other devices, you might need to get a MIDI to SYNC converter. That said, you should try to find a drum machine that allows for easy integration with other devices.
