Hello Fellow Steelers,
I would like to invest in some kind of Drum machine or Computer Software as background while playing Hawaiian music. Can anyone tell me if they have used the following programs:
Band In A Box or Cake Walk software?
Yamaha Ry9 Rhythm
Boss JS-5 JamStation
Thankyou,
Oscar Usman La Maddalena, Italy
Drum Machines vs Computer software
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
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Oscar Usman
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 15 Feb 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Gerald Ross
- Posts: 3205
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Contact:
I use Band In A Box (BIAB) version 11 for practicing and sometimes for generating a bass or drum line for recording.
BIAB is very easy to use. The screen is set up like a spreadsheet. Each "cell" represents one measure. You can type up to four chords per measure. You then can choose a style for the chords you typed in. Anything from Big Band to Bluegrass to Hip Hop. BIAB then generates an accompaniment based on your chosen style and chords. You can set the song so that it loops forever for practicing or for a certain number of iterations. In terms of styles, BIAB really shines on it's Jazz styles, everything from small combo swing to Be Bop to Count Basie type Big Band.
I use version 11 (PC) because it contains a number of pretty accurate guitar styles, most notably a Freddy Green and an Eddie Lang style backup. For Hawaiian style backup I use the Freddy Green styles. While not a 100% Hawaiian sounding backup, it is a pretty good aproximation of the 1930's - 40's rhythm guitar that you hear on all the old records.
If you don't have a decent sound card in your PC I would suggest getting the Roland Software Synthesier that can be purchased along with BIAB. Very convincing instrument sounds.
The downside of BIAB is that the arrangements tend to sound a bit STIFF. The beats and tempo are mathematically perfect and metronomically 100% correct. People don't play like this. When you play with a "live" musician there is a give and take to the beat. The rhythm has a bit of leeway while still maintaining musicality. People push or drag the beat... it makes the music interesting. BIAB does not do this.
All in all BIAB is worth the money and a great practicing tool. I use it a lot at home. Go the PG Music website and listen to some of their samples. PG Music developed BIAB.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 01 June 2002 at 07:54 AM.]</p></FONT>
BIAB is very easy to use. The screen is set up like a spreadsheet. Each "cell" represents one measure. You can type up to four chords per measure. You then can choose a style for the chords you typed in. Anything from Big Band to Bluegrass to Hip Hop. BIAB then generates an accompaniment based on your chosen style and chords. You can set the song so that it loops forever for practicing or for a certain number of iterations. In terms of styles, BIAB really shines on it's Jazz styles, everything from small combo swing to Be Bop to Count Basie type Big Band.
I use version 11 (PC) because it contains a number of pretty accurate guitar styles, most notably a Freddy Green and an Eddie Lang style backup. For Hawaiian style backup I use the Freddy Green styles. While not a 100% Hawaiian sounding backup, it is a pretty good aproximation of the 1930's - 40's rhythm guitar that you hear on all the old records.
If you don't have a decent sound card in your PC I would suggest getting the Roland Software Synthesier that can be purchased along with BIAB. Very convincing instrument sounds.
The downside of BIAB is that the arrangements tend to sound a bit STIFF. The beats and tempo are mathematically perfect and metronomically 100% correct. People don't play like this. When you play with a "live" musician there is a give and take to the beat. The rhythm has a bit of leeway while still maintaining musicality. People push or drag the beat... it makes the music interesting. BIAB does not do this.
All in all BIAB is worth the money and a great practicing tool. I use it a lot at home. Go the PG Music website and listen to some of their samples. PG Music developed BIAB.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 01 June 2002 at 07:54 AM.]</p></FONT>
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Bob Hoffnar
- Posts: 9244
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Austin, Tx
- Contact:
I have used most of those items and for ease and versatility the BIAB is a great practice tool. If you want something for gigging they all sound so cheesy that it borders on ridiculous. If you have a gig use it as an excuse to get some cute woman to wear a grass skirt, play the bongos and do the bird calls. You will get more gigs and have more fun that way !
Bob<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 01 June 2002 at 08:07 AM.]</p></FONT>
Bob<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 01 June 2002 at 08:07 AM.]</p></FONT>
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Oscar Usman
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 15 Feb 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Tom Jordan
- Posts: 502
- Joined: 1 Feb 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Wichita, KS
Oscar,
When I play solo, I use a Boss DR-5 for a "sound module and an MC-50 for play back/storage because:
1. I already own them, most important...
2. The Dr-5 has excellent Bass, Drums and Acoustic Guitar sounds
3. The MC-50 has a function that will play your sets in order when you want them.
BIAB is a good program but can sound cheezy if you don't edit the cheese out of it after it self-generates a song. The guy that makes it is a genious if you ask me but he is from a jazz back bround and the drums and keyboard parts reflect that....also, if you have a cheezy sound card you'll sound like a circus or video game.
With the DR-5, I record the song 1 track at a time (Bass, drums, guitar) and keep my parts simple but effective. The DR-5 plugs directly into the board and sounds great. It is more work than BIAB but my "band plays exactly the parts I want when and where I want...cheeze free.
One of these days if I find myself playing solo enough to justify it, I'll get a Roland MC-80...the caddy of work stations with a great roland sound...
Oh yea, the DR-5 has a "keyboard" on it for input. I don't use the onboard sequencer since my MC-50 does this. For small gigs,5 or 6 songs or less, the DR-5 is a good stand alone unit. Boss claims that it will store 20 songs but the most i can get is 5 or 6 because the "patterns" use the same memory.
Hope I'm helpful,
Tom Jordan
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Sierra Royalty S12 5/5 Universal Tuning, Session 400 LTD, ProFex II
When I play solo, I use a Boss DR-5 for a "sound module and an MC-50 for play back/storage because:
1. I already own them, most important...
2. The Dr-5 has excellent Bass, Drums and Acoustic Guitar sounds
3. The MC-50 has a function that will play your sets in order when you want them.
BIAB is a good program but can sound cheezy if you don't edit the cheese out of it after it self-generates a song. The guy that makes it is a genious if you ask me but he is from a jazz back bround and the drums and keyboard parts reflect that....also, if you have a cheezy sound card you'll sound like a circus or video game.
With the DR-5, I record the song 1 track at a time (Bass, drums, guitar) and keep my parts simple but effective. The DR-5 plugs directly into the board and sounds great. It is more work than BIAB but my "band plays exactly the parts I want when and where I want...cheeze free.
One of these days if I find myself playing solo enough to justify it, I'll get a Roland MC-80...the caddy of work stations with a great roland sound...
Oh yea, the DR-5 has a "keyboard" on it for input. I don't use the onboard sequencer since my MC-50 does this. For small gigs,5 or 6 songs or less, the DR-5 is a good stand alone unit. Boss claims that it will store 20 songs but the most i can get is 5 or 6 because the "patterns" use the same memory.
Hope I'm helpful,
Tom Jordan
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Sierra Royalty S12 5/5 Universal Tuning, Session 400 LTD, ProFex II
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Todd Weger
- Posts: 1136
- Joined: 24 Jul 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
- Contact:
Oscar -- well, here's what I do:
I have several solo gigs calling for a lot of Hawaiian stuff, and I am currently putting the final touches of a large set for playing solo Hawaiian and other standards (50's, old country, waltzes, foxtrots, polkas, etc..), and am arranging the drum parts on a BOSS DR-770. Getting them to sound natural is the hardest part. That, and not going over-board with fills, etc.
Then, after that, I put that on one track of my 4-track. I add simple bass, rhythm guitar (usually nylon string or a Tele for the country stuff) and/or ukulele (when it's a Hawaiian tune) rhythm tracks and presto! -- instant backup band! I then burn those mixes to CD (and have tapes on hand as backup).
The downside of doing it this way is you can't change a song's tempo at a gig when the mood strikes. That, and it's ALWAYS gotta be in whatever key you recorded it in. But, I take along my DR-770 so that if someone wanted to sing one of the tunes on my list, but needed to do it in another key, I just use the DR-770's rhythm track, and play the rhythm with alternating bass part on the acoustic nylon string guitar.
I can't do any steel solos this way, and there's no "walking" bass line, but it works great, and best of all, the audience and singer are both happy!
When I finally get it all together, I'll email you a short mp3 clip to let you hear how it all works and sounds. Labor intensive? Yeah, but hopefully, I've been able to avoid too much cheeze factor with this method!
TJW
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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (Amaj9, E13, C6) or 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6) through an old Super Reverb or Deluxe; Melobar SLS lapsteel (open D); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G)
I have several solo gigs calling for a lot of Hawaiian stuff, and I am currently putting the final touches of a large set for playing solo Hawaiian and other standards (50's, old country, waltzes, foxtrots, polkas, etc..), and am arranging the drum parts on a BOSS DR-770. Getting them to sound natural is the hardest part. That, and not going over-board with fills, etc.
Then, after that, I put that on one track of my 4-track. I add simple bass, rhythm guitar (usually nylon string or a Tele for the country stuff) and/or ukulele (when it's a Hawaiian tune) rhythm tracks and presto! -- instant backup band! I then burn those mixes to CD (and have tapes on hand as backup).
The downside of doing it this way is you can't change a song's tempo at a gig when the mood strikes. That, and it's ALWAYS gotta be in whatever key you recorded it in. But, I take along my DR-770 so that if someone wanted to sing one of the tunes on my list, but needed to do it in another key, I just use the DR-770's rhythm track, and play the rhythm with alternating bass part on the acoustic nylon string guitar.
I can't do any steel solos this way, and there's no "walking" bass line, but it works great, and best of all, the audience and singer are both happy!
When I finally get it all together, I'll email you a short mp3 clip to let you hear how it all works and sounds. Labor intensive? Yeah, but hopefully, I've been able to avoid too much cheeze factor with this method!
TJW
------------------
Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (Amaj9, E13, C6) or 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6) through an old Super Reverb or Deluxe; Melobar SLS lapsteel (open D); Chandler RH-4 Koa semi-hollow lapsteel (open G)
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Oscar Usman
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 15 Feb 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Houston, TX, USA
Gentlemen,
More generous replies from people who've been around! I am truly greatful for all your personal expeirences. With all that information that was passed on; I guess now I have to figure out how much time I will have to devote myself to learning how to run one of these little guys!
Mahalo,
Oscar
More generous replies from people who've been around! I am truly greatful for all your personal expeirences. With all that information that was passed on; I guess now I have to figure out how much time I will have to devote myself to learning how to run one of these little guys!
Mahalo,
Oscar