Live Beatmaking equipment recommendation?

**Threeleggedyoyo** · 01-08-2012, 04:15 PM

I'm not a DJ per se, but more of a rock looper. But I really like the sounds of breakbeats and DJ kinds of drums.

I'm trying to find a piece of equipment but am not sure if it exists. Basically I want a drum machine that gives me more options. I've been using an SR-16 in my looping setup and while it works as advertised it just feels kind of flat and boring.

The best thing I've found so far are the BPM drum patterns on my Kaoss Pad 2 (the 3 doesn't have this feature!). Basically it has 4 patterns depending on where you touch on one axis and the other does things like cutoff frequency. It feels a lot more "alive" to me.

Trouble is, there are only 4 such programs on the machine. As I understand the Kaossilator Pro has about 20 such programs, which is an improvement, but still only a fraction of what the machine is really for (the thing has 200 programs and they're mostly synths).

So I'm looking for a drum machine of sorts that's really MEANT for this kind of application and doesn't just have it thrown in on the side. Ideas?

Thanks.

**Glen** · 01-08-2012, 04:41 PM

have you tried any of the mpc'? This one is just coming out and it looks pretty cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkF-evh5msA

**synthet1c** · 01-08-2012, 04:42 PM

it sounds like a QuNeo would suit you controlling ableton live. in ableton you could either use breakbeat loops you can get in producer packs, or you could tap them out yourself. I suggest the QuNeo because every drum pad is actually velocity sensitive pad, aswell as an xy controller like the korg kaoss, the QuNeo is still awaiting production however.

[youtube]8Jn1FVxOroM[/youtube]

You could also look into native instruments maschine, which a lot of people have a lot of good things to say about

**Threeleggedyoyo** · 01-08-2012, 04:48 PM

That does look pretty cool, but it's a bit beyond what I need. I just need something simple that generates interesting beats that I can capture on my looper before I move on to guitars and such.

The function I'm describing on the KP2 can be found starting at about 30 seconds of this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygnmtC54PyM

Basically I just want more of that. But there's only like 4 patches of it.

Alternatively a drum pad like the mpc could work assuming it has a quantizer... hmm... still looks pricier and more involved than what I need though.

**Threeleggedyoyo** · 01-08-2012, 04:51 PM

(previous post is about the mpc.. hadn't seen the other post yet... looking into that now, thanks)

**synthet1c** · 01-08-2012, 05:00 PM

just get a netbook running a DAW, a midi pad controller, you could get a nano pad which has an xy pad, although led feedback is always better imo. get a producer pack of rock, jazz and funk drum loops, get a simple controller to trigger the loops, loops are all quantised in ableton

**Threeleggedyoyo** · 01-08-2012, 05:07 PM

Lots of references to Ableton. I'm actually working through a Boss RC-50 with live instruments. Not sure how/if that changes your recommendations.

As far as what you are suggesting with the DAW and all that... uh please slow down and explain. I'm afraid I've come off as a bit less of a noob than I am.

**synthet1c** · 01-08-2012, 05:14 PM

DAW just means "Digital Audio Workstation" it just means music production software, that consists of virtual synthesizors, effects, samplers, and sequencers. Just standard things for music production. all you want to do however is use the sampler aspect of the program. Download the ableton trial to get hands on with it, it will allow you to play loops syncronsed and quantised to a master tempo, there are a million and one different producer packs available, although I have never got any in rock, jazz or funk to recommend, google is your friend there.