I have a Boss DR-550mkII Drum Machine that I just got from eBay (it arrived 2 days ago) and it is much nicer than the "pre-programed" one I already had. However it will take some time to learn how to use.
My question is where can I get some drum pattern ideas (tab?) that I can program into it? Possible even popular songs that I can use as backing tracks. The manual is good at showing how to use the machine itself but since I am not a drummer I don't know much about designing various patterns.
Thanks
Google search for drum tabs + song name / artist.
Listen to your favorite tunes and see if you can zone out on the drummer and 'become' a drummer - at least mentally. Ask yourself about what he's doing and when he's doing it - but also why. He'll hit the crash or splash...when? Every four bars? Every ohter four bars? That kind of thing. It's really fascinating, at least for me, because I'm not a drummer, but when I started programming parts, I had to think like I was one.
Plus other things like 'would a real drummer be able to play that?' Subtle things like the hi-hat going steady through the whole song even though there's snare hits and crashes and rolls; do-able with two hands? I try to think like that when I do a drum track or work up phrases to link together. I also try to keep it simple, like (hopefully) a real drummer might. Not to flashy, not too many tomtom rolls...just go for a simple groove with little 'signals' every 4 or 8 or little tidbits leading into Section B, and then back to A again. Stuff that, actually makes it easy for me to lay backing tracks over later on; a flam instead of a straight snare hit to break up long, repetitious basslines or patterns so I don't lose my place - just like a real drummer would put in.
Take a listen to "Surfing On Saturn" on this page: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=144804
I mean, okay it's in an odd meter and it's more of a 'soundtrack' for surfing footage than a tune, but I like the 'drummer' because he puts all these little signals in :)
