drum machine with bass drum only

BenSirAmos · November 2021

Having tried a few allegedly 'simple' drum machines, I now realise that all I need for live performances is a bass drum (or stomp box) playing four to a bar or in 12/8 time, that I can set the tempo with and switch on and off with a footswitch. I don't need snare, hi-hat or fills.

Can anyone tell me what is the simplest way to do this.

The 'simple' machines I've tried all want to provide pre-set full drum parts and the programmable machines seem very complicated to use live when I only want a bass drum beat.

What can I use? I don't even know what I'm looking for.

Whistler · November 2021

You mentioned that this is for live performance and you mentioned stomp box. The Ortega Horse Kick Pro is among the best of its kind. If you have more space you could use a cajon with a kick pedal attachment, although you will get a cajon sound not a bass drum sound so it does depend on what sound you want.

BenSirAmos · November 2021

Whistler said:

You mentioned that this is for live performance and you mentioned stomp box. The Ortega Horse Kick Pro is among the best of its kind. If you have more space you could use a cajon with a kick pedal attachment, although you will get a cajon sound not a bass drum sound so it does depend on what sound you want.

Thanks. For one or two numbers, this would be ideal but not for a whole set. I've tried a looper but I perform standing up so it is too tricky to set the looper while stomping. I think I really need a drum machine so it is one press for starting and another for the ending.

blobb · November 2021

Strummable drums has pads for bass & snare. I can't remember if you can set it so only the bass/snare trigger at the given tempo (3/4 or 4/4) but if it did, that would be what you are looking for?

mrkb · November 2021

blobb said:

Strummable drums has pads for bass & snare. I can't remember if you can set it so only the bass/snare trigger at the given tempo (3/4 or 4/4) but if it did, that would be what you are looking for?

Do you mean Digitech SDRUM? Yes you can turn off the hi hat pattern and only have a kick pattern, but it throws the odd snare hit in as a fill even on the simplest pattern setting. And only 3/4 and 4/4 patterns.

BenSirAmos · November 2021

Thanks guys. I'll look into that and see if it can do what I need

guitarcookie1 · November 2021

mrkb said:

blobb said:

Strummable drums has pads for bass & snare. I can't remember if you can set it so only the bass/snare trigger at the given tempo (3/4 or 4/4) but if it did, that would be what you are looking for?

Do you mean Digitech SDRUM? Yes you can turn off the hi hat pattern and only have a kick pattern, but it throws the odd snare hit in as a fill even on the simplest pattern setting. And only 3/4 and 4/4 patterns.

I can’t seem to get my sdrum to do kick only, would be useful if it could.

mrkb · November 2021

guitarcookie1 said:

mrkb said:

blobb said:

Strummable drums has pads for bass & snare. I can't remember if you can set it so only the bass/snare trigger at the given tempo (3/4 or 4/4) but if it did, that would be what you are looking for?

Do you mean Digitech SDRUM? Yes you can turn off the hi hat pattern and only have a kick pattern, but it throws the odd snare hit in as a fill even on the simplest pattern setting. And only 3/4 and 4/4 patterns.

I can’t seem to get my sdrum to do kick only, would be useful if it could.

Turn the Hats/Ride knob to select the position between the 1 and 12 pattern leds (ie no leds are lit)

BenSirAmos · November 2021

This is sounding promising. I'm just looking through the manual - but I might have to buy it to try it out properly.

erky32 · March 2022

I'm interested to read your plight... I've just posted a similar request in "Live" section. I use a Roland SPD-ONE KICK - it works really well, and sounds as good as any, but I wish I could find the same with an auto take over looper - get the beat goiing then let the electronics carry on. Doesnt seem to exist!

BenSirAmos · March 2022

I've not found anything that does what I need it to yet. I've resorted to using a real live conga player. I'll keep an eye on your thread and if I do find anything, I'll let you know.

Cryptid · March 2022

BenSirAmos said:

I've resorted to using a real live conga player.

Is this a Roland device?

BenSirAmos · March 2022

It would be less trouble if it was

ICBM · April 2022

This will probably not be a lot of help unless you need the rest of it as well, but the Boss ME-50B bass multi-fx has a kick drum effect with foot tempo setting. It’s quite large compared to a single stomp box though. (But smaller than a conga player.)

BenSirAmos · April 2022

That's massively more than I need - but it does seem to do exactly what I want - so I shall investigate further.

I mean, I can fit a conga player in the boot of the car, but the congas take up the whole back seat.

koneguitarist · April 2022

SR16 can do everything you want, simple to use and tap tempo, so you can do it all standing up without touching machines just two unlatched pedals.

BenSirAmos · April 2022

koneguitarist said:

SR16 can do everything you want, simple to use and tap tempo, so you can do it all standing up without touching machines just two unlatched pedals.

I had one of these when I was in a band and I sold it because I didn't need it.

I might explore getting another but I didn't really like the sound that much - but it is a cheaper option.

prowla · April 2022

Why not just plug in the bass drum?

JezWynd · April 2022

GarageBand or DM1. Requires a laptop or iPad but easy to operate once set up.

BenSirAmos · April 2022

JezWynd said:

GarageBand or DM1. Requires a laptop or iPad but easy to operate once set up.

No, no. Simpler, simpler. There must be something simpler - and smaller, I don't want to be setting up a laptop. I'd like something plug and play with one decent sound and a knob that makes it faster or slower.

Shark_Eyes · May 2022

You could look into the volca kick (probably a bit overkill) or the volca beats.
Both have memory so you can save patterns, have start stop buttons and tempo knobs.

Patterns are easy to make too, you can either press play and record at the same time and tap it in live. Or press record and just tap where you want the beat.

You can set the number of active steps so you can set your time signature that way.

There's millions of videos on these so you should be able to figure out if it's for you.

PolarityMan · May 2022

A laptop with reaper is seriously a very easy solution for this.

mrkb · May 2022

PolarityMan said:

A laptop with reaper is seriously a very easy solution for this.

One of the many smart phone based drum machine apps even easier. You could even use a Bluetooth adaptor at the mixer end to avoid any on stage cabling.

BenSirAmos · May 2022

Really, learning new software and taking a laptop to gigs is not the kind of 'simple' I had in mind.

I've yet to find a smart phone app that can generate a decent sound simply. I'm sure it's possible but not simple enough for me. The 'mixer end' doesn't exist - it's just me and an amp sitting next to me. Me fiddling with my phone between numbers isn't going to present the kind of performance I want.

The roland one kick seems closest at the moment - but even that is overkill and more expensive than I was hoping for and I'm still not sure I like the sound.

I think I'll just find a decent restraint and stick with a live drummer for now.

erky32 · May 2022

BenSirAmos said:

The roland one kick seems closest at the moment - but even that is overkill and more expensive than I was hoping for and I'm still not sure I like the sound.

Its a bit pricey I agree, but I've found it unique. Thats afteryears & £s of trying SDRUM, TRIO, KORG, Beatbuddys, BOSS looper drums,etc etc ....I always go back to the Roland OneKick, it works - but you've gotta keep that foot going throughout! - it would have been nice if, at that price level, they could have included a simple looper & storage!

Snags · May 2022

You've probably considered this and it might not be suitable, but what about those little blocks you tap with your foot that then send a 'kicks to the PA?

Obviously it means you have to tap out your rhythm live whilst playing/singing, which may not be ideal, but they're quite effective.

e.g. https://www.logjam.net/product/logjam-travelog-2/

BenSirAmos · May 2022

Snags said:

You've probably considered this and it might not be suitable, but what about those little blocks you tap with your foot that then send a 'kicks to the PA?

Obviously it means you have to tap out your rhythm live whilst playing/singing, which may not be ideal, but they're quite effective.

e.g. https://www.logjam.net/product/logjam-travelog-2/

If this was to work for me, I need to find a way of reducing the 'travel' - like putting something under my heel, too. Otherwise I just can't keep it up for a song, especially standing - balancing on the other foot for a whole song isn't ideal. Live, I play standing up so it means I can't use other pedals - and I make short but regular use of a vocal harmoniser. So this isn't really going to work.

And I don't have a pa - just an amp. While it's good (AER) , I've come to realise that it is very sensitive to the sounds I put through it - which is really limiting my choices in terms of getting a useable drum sound. I'm stuck with the conga player for now.

Snags · May 2022

The foot thingies don't have travel, they're solid and turn the percussive sound of your foot hitting the block into a kind of kick sound. I may not have linked to the best example because I don't know what they're actually called, but have a friend who uses one.

However, if you don't have a free foot to tap in time throughout the song, they're NBG anyway

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drum machine with bass drum only

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