Alesis SR-18

See the user manual (absolutely necessary)

UTILIZATION

This BAR is superb for a specific job.

If you want to play the pads: drop. They are useful for step input rhythm, but are not playable if you are a novice like me. Someone more comfortable with percussion can successfully make beautiful programming.

If you want to record entire songs: she does well, but not better than others.

HOWEVER: If you want to change from one rhythm at a rate A B via a fill in (and then back to A pace through another fill in) without releasing your hip - ie with a command to foot, it is, after "investigations", the only one to allow (even more expensive BAR do not allow - or perhaps using the MIDI)

This requires BAR FS-6 Boss: thanks to this pedal that allows BAR Use this handy when you want to improvise parts whose rhythm changes (but still with the same tempo in programming can however playing on the length of the notes and the differences and get a rate two times slower for Rhythm B for example).

If you do not need to use this, then maybe others BAR will be better, I know.

SOUNDS

The sounds are really not bad at all. Even gig it goes very well with the public.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 5 years and maybe more.

I've tried others that could match it, but none allowed passage through a pedal: A Drum, Fill in A, Pace B, fill in B;
and ability to pace A, A Girl, A return rate (same for B) if prior to chain fill in A and B Rhythm


The three reviews that precede mine are quite accurate (I have not read the others)

Drum machine with drum sounds sampled in high definition 16 bit 44000 hrtz.

UTILIZATION

very easy to understand and intuitive. Quick. Nothing bad because everything is very well thought out in terms of ergonomics.

SOUNDS

What wonders are sampled by multiple batteries in high definition and multiple percussion. Sounds goes beautifully in a mix. For rock and blues (which is the height for a bar) it really does. It really is a bar made for rock.

OVERALL OPINION

Alesis has made some very good products, I think the synth micron, and this bar is one of those excellent products which I must say I find it hard to pass me.
I made an entire album using the BAR.

Connectors:
- Main Output Stereo jack 6.35
- In Stereo output jack 6.35
- Headphone 6.35
- Midi IN and OUT (THROUGH)
- From a single instrument
- 2 tickets pedals: one for the start / stop and one for dclencher transitions (A / B / Fill) and dcompte (tap tempo)
- Transformer power supply (batteries also works)

Its banks:
- 100 percussion kits:
=> Acoustic Drums: Rock (16 kits), jazz (6), blues (4), funk (3), fusion (3), country (3), Latin (3), some as metal, bossa, samba, ambient, brushes
=> Electronic Kits: Techno (15), hip-hop (5), jungle (4), reggaeton (3), dance (2), industrial (2), a kit "808" and "TR909", yet some other trance, "gated", disco
=> 2 ethnic drum kits, 2 sets of beatbox
- 48 polyphonic bass sounds, including bass guitar in: finger, picking, fretless, slapping, harmonics, and synth basses: Minimoog, TB303 (form saw), Silverbox (a kind of square in TB303), Prophet, sine.
The machine has a total of 573 samples (24 bits), which on average by 80 CATEGORY instrument (kick, snare, hi-hat, tom, cymbals, FX, percussion)

Effects:
- A processor EQ / Compressor (14 duo EQ + Compressor non ditables)
- An effect rverb (22 presets, only the effect send amount is ditable)
The effects are applied to the entire kit (drums, percussions and bass)

External Edition: no

CHARACTERISTICS of squenceur:
- 30 300 bpm tempo
- Quantification of 1 / 4 (black) 1 / 48 (three quaver triplet), disable this function returns quantify 1 / 384 (Hex triplet eighth note)
- The argument Sets the length of the gate vnements (useful for bass)
- Swing function (62% max)
- Mtronome (adjustable tempo and volume)
- Total memory: 150000 Notes
=> Fashion Pattern
- Length pattern: 1 32 measures
- Each program includes four patterns: section A, section B, fill A-> B, fill B-> A
- 100 factory programs, 100 programs editable (user), or 400 patterns REALLY customizable
- Polyphony 32 voices
=> Fashion Song
- 100 user songs


UTILIZATION

This is the machine that best dbrouille: trs simple program, we Sets the length of the pattern and quantification, and REC + PLAY mtronome Start, the pattern rotates loop, there's more that play. Quantification acts ds looping, useful when recording in several layers.
At the game, the machine has 12 sensitive pads the VLOC (curve rponse is adjustable, you can also attach one of eight values). The set of 12 pads can be assigned three game modes via buttons on the panel directly situs: DRUM for the battery, PERC for percussion / FX, and BASS.
It also has a ROLL function, which simulates a strafing key (the speed is adjustable).
Ct practice, there are pads on the name of the sound DRUM assign default, and notes for the bass. Nothing better to not be lost when beginners.
With a little skill you can get a full pattern (drums, percussion and bass) without stopping the recording.
To work fine - or in case of error - the STEP mode allows the edition not - no, you can add or delete sounds in places DSIR (as against the key combination to clear could be more convenient) and adjust their VLOC.

Song mode is very simple, we choose a pattern, pattern following ... and so on. (Even if the function "delete" would really MRIT his touch it).
The edition of sounds in a drum set is also relatively simple mode DRUM or PERC each pad can accommodate all of the 573 samples of the machine. For each one can rgler level, pan, tuning (+ / -12), the decay, and the cut-off low-pass filter. On the low there is also a rglage attack and release. We can CRER groups monophonic sounds, useful for securing the hi-hats open / closed avoid a recovery toms.
The sounds of CONTRL is more than comfortable, even if I apprci a high-pass filter, the choice of starting point and the envelope ADR also available on percussive sounds.
The bass can be transposed over three octaves, if like me you love cope in unusual places, you apprcierez that you also used "as it is polyphonic synth. This feature also facilitates the use as MIDI Controller.

Has my instructions correctly translated in French, but I understand that a n'tait not the case for everyone, so mfiance! For the rest I found trs clear, it says MIDI and rhythmic notation for beginners, but between all of the same depth in the functionality of the device.


SOUNDS

For sound, all of what dpend research. The kits are relatively correct acoustic, blues, jazz and Latin at the top. For a rock does it well. As against this I feel is more rock pchu, it appears a more ct "gadget", Robotics. Try to get out of his double pedals provides a caricature of hyper mcanique and APRS me.
However, as he said tt t, rock and metal are not prcisment styles o you need a box pace, when I made it my rock is more "volumetric mtronome.
It dbrouille well in the electro, the TR909 kick style is crdible, the claps / snares percuttent properly. For hip-hop/dancehall I find the machine even better. In fact, all the sounds of the machine seem to be shuffled trs well, giving them one can easily stack them for a "big sound". Besides the change in pitch is trs naturally most sounds (if the machine would lose me the intrt).

Finally on the sound there is no real "bad sound". I do not use kits directly, such as kicks do not seem very full (such a lack of heaviness, another punch), but ds that delves a little exploration, it becomes trs stacking fun for them to gain power.
For bass sounds, there is a bit of everything. I find that the low type Electronic Mini-Moog, TB303, sine, trs sound good. Simulations "bass guitar" I was less convinced, a General Midi sounds pretty for some, it is better not to play too high.

The expression of the pads, I will not go, it is not gniale. In VLOC loud, impossible to express any subtlety in VLOC soft, impossible to knock the sound. In VLOC medium, combining the worst of both ... in fact, it may be the problem that occurs when trying rcurrent to rock: we would like at the same time the power and nuances, and even if we can APRS VLOC edit the shot, the act becomes too surgical, spontaneous enough. on the other hand in electro / hip-hop, my work methods are more "cold", I fixed the VLOC pads and then I change edit step, without a detrimental inspiration.

Finally the effects, dj compressor / EQ I disables trs often quite rude because next to the quality gnrale. And rverbs, I use small doses and only on acoustic drums, when I want to flatter a little space to play directly (ds I am home, I disables and j ' those using the TC M350)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year and a half, and mobile home components.
When I rock, it's more to cope with guitarist and singer, I use directly presets rock, sometimes I change one or two sounds, but the goal is to go essentially to have that feeling "live" without taking the head.
Overall I use it mostly for electro / trance and hip-hop, where I dig a lot more sound textures. The acoustic drums I use often trs complter large electronic sounds of the machine. In this context, the quality is good for DEFINITIONS made some passes are dj studio and emerged with a good sound trs.

The pros:
+ Sound quality of electronic (drums and bass)
+ Trs simple program, the IDE to complete song you can go faster trs
+ Implementation lgante sounds, which facilitates their combination
+ Warm enough for acoustic drums "calm"
RESOLUTION + 1 / 384 of measurement!
+ Malabilit the bass (3 octaves + envelope ADR), bass synth sound good all heights
+ Works Batteries

The -:
- VLOC it or not, some prs impossible to have both the punch and gently with the pads
- Batteries hard rock / metal sound robotic if trs cheeks too quickly
- The bass guitars sound quite "General Midi kit"
- The envelope of the drums does not attack and release, can not DCAL their starting point (the compensable thanks RESOLUTION prcise but laborious)
- Effects Intgr (almost) useless, the machine often sounds better without them, and they are not parameter. Exceptionally some rverb.
- Key combination "erase" the long agaante

I possdais the Zoom MRT-3, we sound level well above here, plus a bass, and a MIDI output which I used to dj of CONTRL VSTi in d placement. But really the management of VLOC best silent on MRT-3!

I bought 125 friends. I do not know if I would have taken new, knowing that I dj possde the Yamaha MO-6 with good percussion trs, 250 for simply squenceur a practical (and portable) , it may be too much.
However, for those who do not yet have good sound drums, the contents of the bote is really convincing, and styles of music "current" I find it fits well if we take the penalty CRER own kits.
For those who want CRER batteries hard rock / metal, unless a rpter is for a limited level of feeling seems to me, I prfre largely sound plugins like Superior Drummer for the same price, the same MO-6 helps.
Ah, if the batsmen who have a cellar running the streets ...

Connectors on the classic type of instrument. Nothing is missing.
Ditto for programming functions.

UTILIZATION

Very intuitive there's nothing off-putting kind menu. Everything was easily under the fingers.
Could not be more clear and well thought out given the number of functions it contains.

SOUNDS

It is easy to forget that this is a drum machine if you wanted, for example around the absence of a drummer.
There are also many samples of percussion very good and interesting.
There are some purely electronic set but not why I use it.

To simulate a real battery is not any better and all samples are very high quality.

OVERALL OPINION

Exactly what I wanted and I would do the same choice.
There are cheaper but with an unusable and I have not heard of more expensive equipment that is best. To me that BAR has become indispensable and bury older models. Given the quality of sample I do not think you can do better one day because in addition to an extremely realistic rendering the BAR has many types of batteries and made different sounds. This instrument is here to stay.