Drum sampling options?

February 7, 2012 2:31 PM

I'm a drummer in an indie-rock band with a 5-piece kit who is looking to expand my setup to include a drum sampling pad. I want something that has unique percussion sounds (not just cheesy electronic beats), built-in effects, plenty of storage space to upload my own samples, and the ability to record and loop live drumbeats. Any advice?

We have folk/chamber influences to our sound, but now we're getting into more psychedelic territory with some longer, hypnotic jams and tribal drumming, and I'm looking to expand on my current drum gear to be able to accommodate those changes and expand on my live setup, which at this point is just a standard acoustic 5-piece drum kit.

I just bought a MicroKorg synthesizer (http://www.korg.com/microkorg) and I'm just starting to tinker with it. I'm also considering buying the Roland SPD-SX (http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=1177) which is the newest drum sampler from Roland.

Here is what I want to get out of whatever drum sampler product(s) I buy:

- I want it to be a drum pad that I can hit with a drumstick (so it's not enough just to have something like the Roland SP-404)

- Has really unique drum sounds that I can sample. Not just cheesy electronic beats, but real, authentic percussion sounds that are sort of eclectic. Here is an example: http://www.ableton.com/library/skiddaw-stones/

- Has plenty of built-in effects (filter, reverb, delay, etc)

- Has the ability to loop live samples, i.e. record a drumbeat live and play it back live immediately - maybe triggered through a footswitch like the Boss FS-6

- Has plenty of audio storage space (at least 1 GB) so I can upload my own audio samples to it and trigger them live

- Can be connected to drum triggers.

If possible I want to avoid using a laptop on stage, i.e. some kind of setup like using Ableton Live and connecting it to the Alesis Control Pad - but then again if a laptop is the best thing, I'm open.

Thanks for any advice you have to offer!

posted by jonnyalvarez to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

I don't know of any single device that does all of this, but what about getting a drum pad and connecting it to a groovebox or an MPC?
posted by modernserf at 3:03 PM on February 7, 2012

Native Instruments Maschine
posted by kuanes at 3:49 PM on February 7, 2012

El Guincho apparently uses a Roland SPD-S. I don't think it meets all your criteria, but you could probably get by using the SPD-S as a MIDI controller for a more robust sampler.
posted by sixacross at 5:17 PM on February 7, 2012

That Korg Wave drum is pretty impressive
posted by mattoxic at 6:38 PM on February 7, 2012

Best answer: roland's SPD-SX is pretty much exactly what you're after. it's got a reasonable amount (2 gigs) of user-usable internal memory for loading up your own samples and loops, and usb +software to import and export anything you keep on your computer without bringing it along with you. i have 4 older model SPD's, they're built like tanks, and come with loads of good quality samples on board, including good, non-cheesy electronc sounds and a HUGE library of very useable percussion sounds from everywhere in the world.
posted by messiahwannabe at 1:29 AM on February 8, 2012