Good 808 drum machine alternatives?

AK · Post by AK » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:03 pm

Looking into getting a convincing 808 drum machine alternative, don't have the cash for a real one - then there's finding one with Midi and in good nick etc etc, so I have been checking other options.

I demo'd, Audiorealism drum machine and Nepheton but has anyone got any knowledge of the Novation Drum Station?

I am not sure I like the software versions, some of the sounds don't cut it for me, Snare, rimshot, hats, kick transient - although the congas, clave and toms seem ok.

So what about the Novation, is that any good. Or indeed anything else I don't know about?

djedga · Post by **djedga** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:35 pm

software wise Drumatic is ood (and free) or Live's drum racks if you're using Live

Atheory · Post by **Atheory** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:20 pm

djedga wrote:software wise Drumatic is ood (and free) or Live's drum racks if you're using Live

i think nepeton or the novation would be a better bet than drumatic. its nice that its free but im not sure the sound would be what the original poster is looking for

AK · Post by AK » Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:43 pm

Yeah nothing like the drumattic thing, this is specifically to get an 808 sound like early Electro / Techno.

I have 808 kit samples and stuff but I'd really like some more flexibility. All of the 808 kick samples I have at my disposal aren't what I am after. There must be some sort of setting on a real 808 kick where you can get a real short 'clicky' kick, it's evident on a lot of old Electro records like, Hashim - Al Naafysh ( The Soul ) Paul Hardcastles '19', and numerous others.

Different Snare too, nothing like Nepheton or ADM gets me that sound or even near. It might be a processing technique I don't know but I kinda doubt that as it appears on a lot of things.

Wondered what the range of the tweakability is like on something like the Novation Drum Station?.

dynastic · Post by **dynastic** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:59 pm

Drumazon is a nice one aswell

. Notice that you have to turn the internal sequencer off in order to use it in your pianoroll.

And since a while i've been using the FL plugin Drumsynth

, has some nice sounds but you cant really tweak anything...

MdM · Post by **MdM** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 2:26 pm

Try Nepheton from D16 group

Stomper · Post by **Stomper** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:58 pm

Do you have Kontakt's samples?
for hardware, you wont find anything that sounds like 808. maybe one that has some of its characters, but not the same.
the only way to come close is samples or software, which both been mentioned and i think both are sample based.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:59 pm

i used to have a drumstation. wouldnt recommend it.
what about analogue solutions concussor ? it's pretty close, but not that cheap. if say you just wanted a kick, and a few other modules it might not be so expensive though.