Advice: Drum Synth

rapscallion

Looking for recommendations/advice/tips etc. on what I believe to be drum synths. I've been watching a lot of videos of people performing on their own and using either a synth trigger or drum machine to add some rythmn, but have no model details.

Is it possible to use something like a Kaoss pad into a loop pedal? I don't particularly want to have to use a laptop to expand the units capabilities live (obviously a computer is needed to programme at home)

Any ideas? 

octatonic

What are you trying to do, precisely?

rapscallion

Add drums to live performances without having a kit lugged around

erky32

Over the years I've used Alesis SR16, Korg mini rhythm thing, DigiTech Trio, and latterly Beat Buddy first with small band, then more solo/duet elec-acoustic work. Theyve got progressively better, and as @octatonic says it's what you want or need. For me, my latest venture is the Finhol Auto Stomp, and first impressions are it's brilliant! ....it's part of you! ...the sounds are sampled like Trio & BB, but no complicated software interfaces for customising to gigs etc like BB, .....you just play it like a stomp box, and the colours and patterns ooze out of it, either manual or auto. Thomann are the sole EU distributor.

octatonic

rapscallion said:

Add drums to live performances without having a kit lugged around

What about a laptop/iPad/iPhone type thing playing MP3s that you play along to?
That way you can use whatever sounds you want (there are loads of drum plugins), even record acoustic drums.

Drum machines are fine but they are usually much less capable than a laptop-based sequencer/DAW.

meltedbuzzbox

yes you can use a kaossilator for a drum machine
yes it will sound bad, you will have to use the same beat throughout and it will be a pain to stop in time with the song.
(we used to use my one as a backup drummer) 

Something like a TR-8 will work a lot better but I think the suggestion to create something on a laptop then play along to it via mp3 player/cd/whatever is probably the best way to go

Strangefan

I use a roland spd live and its an unbelievable bit of kit,  very real sounding g and hugely responsive 

steamabacus

If you have the software/computer at home to create the drum tracks, one of the easiest ways to play them live is with a looper pedal. You would need one that is capable of connecting to a computer (eg I have a Digitech JamMan Solo XT that would do this job) so that you could assign the drum tracks to different loops.

Modern loopers have plenty of storage time and multiple patch locations. I often use my looper loaded with drum loops and I eq the drums with a kind of 'reverse 12" speaker' eq curve so that they sound better through a guitar amp/speaker.

A friend of mine was going out with a laptop playing Ableton for his backing tracks but replaced that setup with a JamMan looper (loaded with wavs of all the backing tracks) plugged into the PA - worked a treat and was much simpler to set up, and less prone to 'gremlins' than the laptop setup.

GavRichList

Alesis Sample Pad Pro.