want to improve my drum game. what i do for my drums is play them live over my samples. mostly get the same results. want to try different drumming patterns and techniques but cant do it with my fingers live.

http://www.onemotion.com/flash/drum-machine/ i want something like that so i can build up my drum beats and not have to do it all at once. but obviously something more advanced with options to control the BPM to match the sample. i want hardware and something under $200..

sorry if i sound like a fool or not explaining correctly...kinda new to all this

You're in luck- Korg have a bunch of 16 step drum machines. Try the Volca Beats, they look perfect. Check this: http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/06/22/korg-volca-beats-overview/#more-50589.

They're brand new with street prices as low as US$150 (but that's the first I've seen). Use midi-in or the audio-in to sync with your other gear. Only really old drum machines from the 70s will lack sync functions.

Alternatively check out 2nd hand Electribes. The ER-1 is probably the best bet for what you've said (it's all drums). The EM-1 has drums & 2 synth parts, the S (mk1 or mk2) is a sampler & the ESX-1 is a sampler & has basic wavetable synthesis. All run midi out so you can sync low numbered SPs to them (202, 303, 404). Or if you have a Nintendo DS, get the DS10/DS10+/M01 synth- it comes with a nice 4 voice drum synth.

the korg electribe s (es-1) looks alright outta all the ones you showed me cus you can import your own drum samples in there.. the volca i wouldnt get because their all presets...

was also looking at the Sampletrak ST224, not sure if it will do what i want for drums though. doing my research now

Just get good at tapping out drum patterns with the same tempo as your samples. Start basic and build it up if nessesary. Too slow? Fast? Keep trying. It will improve your finger drumming as well as your internal metronome. Or you could always build a drum track up in the sequencer, match tempos and bounce back to sp. save your money

AGREE WITH DONGOLDMAN, I found step sequencer fuck the GROOVE: FINGER DRUMING = <3 / MORE FUNNY

at least try it like this: resample just the hihat part over your sample, then resample that pad and add a snare part, then resample that and add the kick part!

individual overdubs give you a funky groove, just practice!!!

Or you could get a sp-505.

-has 4 tracks (which helps with complicated drum patterns)
-has microscope edit (so you can manually move notes around, push the hi hat later or to program drums)
-under $200 (usually $99-$150)
-has chop feature which is great on drum breaks to chop quickly!

Bleugh... Knew this thread would get full of boring 'step sequencers suck just use the SP better' replies. Using a step sequenced sampler's is as good as any other sampler, it just comes down to your imagination & ability to make a song. Personally I find putting together rhythms much faster in my ESX than SP (of course that'll vary person to person). Why enter one sound per play through when you can program all hits at once? It's not finger drumming, but it's not to be underestimated. Plus if there's a slightly out of time drum you can fix it immediately- not the next playthrough. If you want to make your drums sound loose & unquantized there's tricks to make that happen (record silence before the drum sound plays, automate the start point of the sample in the motion sequencer). It also helps to understand how to use swing & accents effectively.

Earwax, you're probably right about the ES being best for your needs. 2nd hand the ES & 505 go for about the same amount too.

Even though this tutorial's for the ESX, you can do the same thing on the ES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGctUPri1ew
This method shows how to save multiple drums into a single sample slot then play any drum from that slot like it's the only sound available. It's like turning 100 sample slots into 1000.

I miss 16 step sequencing when I was banging on fruity loops! Started getting back into but just use ableton.

There are a few ipad apps that can do the job.

It's whether you want to sample your own drum samples into a groovebox to sequence or just use a drum machines internal sounds.

There are a ton of old drum machines that you'll be able to pick up for well cheap, like the alesis sr16 or any of the boss dr rythms. Sounds are a little dated but still cool.

If you want to put your own sounds in I can vouch for the electribes. The es1 will be pretty cheap now a days and is well easy to program. Lighted pads and such. Think it's 6 sound polyphony so should do the job. Got some cool fx to to mess about real time with and you can automate fx changes! Pretty sweet.

@OP Your drum game improves upon experimentation of different methods and workflows. Improve your game by broadening your scope of production techniques.

you just have to have rhythm man....just close your eyes when you do your drums...maybe that will help

no it won't, you play live on there. drums sound great on that if you do it right though and it has nice quantize/swing.

yeahh imma just do what dongoldman was saying. no need to get more equiment