Gig74
1 post
Oct 20, 2010
2:02 PM
|
Hi folks, I'm new to the forum and new to the harp as I've only been playing for 6 months.
After spending a bit of time using books I'm lucky enough to have found a teacher. At lessons he often puts on the drum machine and play's bass guitar to enable me to work on my improv. This is excellent fun and I get a great sense of acheivement when I manage to pull of something in keeping with the backing.
At home when I practice I use backing cd's my teacher has made for me as well as just going solo.
My questions are do any of you guys use a drum machine for practice and if so what type, and are they easy to set up for novice?
I appreciate your thoughts
Last Edited by on Oct 20, 2010 2:03 PM
|
barbequebob
1372 posts
Oct 20, 2010
2:05 PM
|
You can do just as well with a metronome. When I started, drum machines didn't exist as a product that was available on the consumer market (talking early 70's, and the first appearance of drum machines in recordings didn't start until the disco era).
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
Gig74
2 posts
Oct 20, 2010
2:32 PM
|
Thanks Bob. I'm sure my cousin used to have one when he played piano, I'll try and borrow it and give it a go. Anything to help me tap my foot to the beat.
|
MrVerylongusername
1305 posts
Oct 20, 2010
3:12 PM
|
I could be wrong, but I think most of the electronic drum sounds on mid to late 70s disco records - claps and synth toms especially - are just triggered sounds, not a drum machine per se.
I think to qualify as a true drum machine, it would have to have a sequencer built in and commercially that kind of kit first appeared even later - 1980(ish) with the Linndrum.
There are probably earlier examples on record; I reckon the electronica pioneers like Can, Neu! and Kraftwerk (so called "Krautrock") are the most likely suspects. They would have had the technical know how to cobble a DIY drum machine together from all that analogue synth gear - the rest of the industry had to wait for the microchip.
Anyway drum machines are fun and disco does not suck!
(IMHO)
;-)
Last Edited by on Oct 20, 2010 3:12 PM
|
gene
580 posts
Oct 20, 2010
3:37 PM
|
Rhythm Rascal
|
tookatooka
1813 posts
Oct 20, 2010
3:44 PM
|
@Gig74. Click my signature at the bottom of this post and then click on Links for Harp Players. You can get jam and backing tracks for free. That may help you.
----------
|
gene
582 posts
Oct 20, 2010
8:47 PM
|
Tooka,
From your website: "You may also want to try the free Harptabs Site but it has grown very large and can be a bit difficult finding what you want." (That's Harptabs.com, with nearly 12,000 user submitted tabs at the time of this posting.)
Tabs can be searched this way with the "Search Tabs" link on the left of the page or this way with the "Tabs by Letter" link.
Last Edited by on Oct 20, 2010 8:51 PM
|
Gig74
3 posts
Oct 21, 2010
1:19 AM
|
@ gene, excellent, I'll get that downloaded and have a play around.
@ tookatooka what a great resource and what a cool challenge.
Thanks for the input guys I'll get practicing :o)
|
gene
583 posts
Oct 21, 2010
6:09 PM
|
Before you go and spend money for the full version, you might check out Harmony Assistant and the midi data base (or whatever) CD that they sell (Better quality midi). It's kinda complicated, but you can make drum tracks, bass, just about anything.
|
Shredder
194 posts
Oct 22, 2010
9:50 AM
|
I have tryed 3 diffrent drum machines, never been happy with any one of them. Alessis, Boss, Kawi.
There is just no good subsitution for a real drummer.
Go with the metrodome its less expencive as BBQ Bob suggested.
Mike
|
Jim Rumbaugh
326 posts
Oct 22, 2010
9:54 AM
|
If you can practice in front of your computer, please try jamstudio.com
You can choose different drums, and even program your 12 bar blues with bass or guitar. I have used it with the harmonica club a few times. I consider it a LOT of fun.
----------
intermediate level (+) player per the Adam Gussow Scale, Started playing 2001
|
Gig74
6 posts
Oct 23, 2010
3:53 PM
|
I'd like to say thank you for all your input, i've download and checked out all the pc options that you've been good enough to mention so now I'll just have to have some fun playing around and see what works best for me, I'd better not play around too much though, got some note bending to work on. Cheers.
|
Terry Allan Hall
2 posts
Oct 23, 2010
6:16 PM
|
Use to gig with a bassist and drum-machine...not as good as a real drummer, but it meant splitting the pay and tips 2 ways rather than 3 ($100+ per man as opposed to $66+)...
Sometimes one has to be practical, ya know.
At that point in my musical life, I believe I was using a Siel MPD-40, which a pretty good one for that time. Nowdays, I own a Alesis SR-16, which sounds better, but I don't gig with it, just use it in my home studio.
----------
Never convicted of murder or selling used horseshoes...
|
