Drum Machine In Church...

[XtromatriX]

We don't have a drummer at my Church, we have a set of drums but the pastor doesn't like the acoustics of the building and feels as though drums sound way to loud. I sugested that Plexiglass thing (don't know what it's called) and that is an option. My question is does anyone here have any experience with programming a drum machine for songs in a Church service, and is it akward and tricky to sinc up with the choir? I know how to program my drum machine for recording or practicing with my bass, but I think that programming it for live music would be quite tricky. Anybody ever done this befor and what's the best one to use? I have a Roland R-8 and it's pretty good but is there a drum machine better suited for a live Church service?

[uriahsmusic]

why dont you just play the drum machine live and not program it? the rolands have pads..


roland also makes pads that you can play....SPD 6 HAS 6 PADS AND SOUNDS GREAT...COSTS ABOUT $200.00   THEN THERE IS THE SPD 20 WHICH COSTS ABOUT $700.00 AND HAS 8 PADS AND SOUNDS INCREADABLE.......THESE HAVE SOUNDS AND YOU CAN PLAY THEM WITH STICKS OR YOUR HANDS...THEY HAVE FOOTSWITCHED FOR HIHGHATS AND FOOT PEDAL!


ALSO THE ACOUSTIC DRUMS CAN BE TONED DOWN WITH PADDING.

[B3Wannabe]

I think this should've been asked in the Drum room, so I'm moving it there. You should get more replies there.

[TightestGroove]

WELL AT MY CHURCH, WE ONLY USE THE MPC FOR THE CHOIR. WHEN MY BAND HAS PRACTISES THE NIGHT BEFORE, WE PROGRAM THE MPC FOR THE SPECIFIC SONGS AND PRACTISE TO IT. THE MPC ISN'T REALLY APPRECIATED AT MY CHURCH FOR SOME REASON, ONLY THE BASS PLAYER AND I LIKE IT.

 8O TIGHTEST GROOVE 8O

[XtromatriX]

Ok so far there is nobody to play the drums. There is an acoustic set in the storage room and I figure if they were set up in the Church, someone who knows how to play them will eventually surface. The other day there was a concert there at the Church and there was a drummer, and the snare drum was quite loud and thats the pastor's main reason for not using drums. I figure that there is SOME type of remedy for this problem.

Uriahsmusic: you mentioned the Roland pads, do they come with their own sounds or do they require another MIDI device to be heard? I've seen them but always thought that they were trigering sounds from anouther divice.

TightestGroove: Is it tricky to program for a song? For example would it throw everyone off track if you hit the start button at a fraction of  a second to early or to late?

Thanks B3Wannabe for moving my post here, I'd most likely get better info from a drummer.

[TightestGroove]

NOT AT ALL! SINCE WE ONLY USE THE MPC FOR THE CHOIR SONGS, WE PROGRAM THE TRACK THE NIGHT BEFORE. MY BASS PLAYER IS THE ONE THAT DOES IT, HE PLAYS THE SONG AND PROGRAMS THE TRACK RIGHT THERE. DURING SERVICE, SINCE THE TRACK IS ALL READY PROGRAMED AND READY TO GO, I JUST PRESS PLAY AND GIVE THE REST OF THE MUSICIANS A COUNTDOWN WHILE THE TRACK IS GOING.

 8O TIGHTEST GROOVE 8O

[CATRON]

HERES A SUGGESTION. IF YOUR MONEY IS RIGHT; GET A LAPTOP AND PROGRAM THE DRUMS ON FRUITY LOOPS OR SOME OTHER LOOPING SEQUENCER. THIS WAY YOU CAN GO WITH ALOT OF OPTIONS LIKE HAVING DIFFERENT FEELS AND GROOVES IN THE SAME SONG, AND ALSO IT WOULD PROBABLY BE EASIER TO LOCATE THE DIFFERENT SONGS.

PROGRAMMING DRUMS ISN'T AS HARD AS YOU THINK ON A LAPTOP. ONCE YOU START IT'S SIMPLE AND EASY TO USE.


HOLLA AT ME TO SEE IF THIS HELPS.

[drewbrad]

I and 2 other people at my church are the drummers. We have the exact same problem with our kit which is why we are buying a drum cage as they call it and putting it around the drums so that we can control the sound better. We are also micing the kit with high grade shure mics. Dont know if this helps but when you get a drummer, a drum machine would be useful to have to add certain loops to a service provided your worship team is playing to a click track otherwise it will sound bad.

[SabianKnight]

Wow. A 2005 topic resurfacing... really?