From: barothwe@floyd.cca.cr.rockwell.com
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers,rec.music.synth,rec.music.makers.percussion
Subject: Re: The Oberheim Drummer... anybody use one?
Date: 6 Jan 93 17:57:20 GMT
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ai@netcom.com (Dave Mintz) writes:

>Bruce,
>
>Sorry for my ignorance, but is Drummer a software-only
>package (for the Mac)?  Are there a limited # of patterns
>or is it smart/semi-smart (in that it can generate *many* different
>souding variations?
>
>Randomize/quantize functions?  Or what functions does it have
>to allow for variability?
>
>Thanks.
>
>- dave

Bruce Rothwell writes:


	The Oberheim Drummer is a standalone drum pattern sequencer.
	It's approx. 9"x7" in a "table-top" enclosure.

	Musician's friend sells the new for $169 (list is $199).
	I got mine of the net for $75 from James Grahame.
	(BTW... it was my first net transaction... and it went well) :-)

	From what I can tell, it uses roms, which enable all factory
	presets to be resettable.

	Basically, it has 100 patterns of which each has 100 variations,
	or "feels". So that makes 10,000 patterns to choose from.

	There are also 100 factory "presets" which are based on a
	particular pattern/feel and have a default tempo defined.
	All presets are user-definable, while 12 of them can be
	completely overwritten so you can create your own from scratch.
	But you can still recall the factory settings for them.
	When recording new patterns, you can quantize, but I don't
	think there is a "humanize" function. However, you don't
	have to sart from scratch. You can use an existing pattern
	that is close to what you want and modify it, thus retaining
	the "humanization" that are in the factory patterns.

	It has MIDI capability, including SYSEX, and can either act
	as the "master" or the "slave".

	It has an "Interact feature" that is quite useful for live
	performance that allows you to set each preset, individually,
	to interact with your playing (thru MIDI). It can be set to
	start when you start, or play with the same velocity as you,
	or the kick drum will follow notes below middle C to create
	a really tight bass/kick part, or insert fill/grace notes 
	whenever you stop playing or sustain notes. You can choose
	to use any combination of the the four choices.

	It also has four footswitch jacks so that you can activate 
	similar features, as I just described, on the fly.

	It has a song mode where you can chain any combination of
	presets together as separate parts, or sequences, and define
	when you want the fills to be.

	If your not worried about having to exactly copy a drum part 
	of a popular song, but rather want to use it for, say, original
	material, and want to use it with a drum module like the 
	Alesis D4 or the Emu Procussion (or any module that has good
	drum sounds), I believe it is a great way to go because
	when combined with realistic drum sounds, it sounds a feels,
	IMHO, like a real drummer!

Later,

Bruce

===============================================================================
  Bruce Rothwell                            \ /~~~~~~\     Opinions expressed
  barothwe@floyd.cca.cr.rockwell.com         X        )    are mine, but they
  Rockwell Int'l - CCA                      / \______/     might be shared by 
  Cedar Rapids, IA 	                                        multitudes !!
===============================================================================