Creating sounds with drum machine

[cursive1005]

I am currently deciding whether or not to buy a drum machine because based on what I've read and looked at there aren't many options as far as creating sounds or the sounds that I would like to create. So my question is quite simply: could I run a drum machine through various effects pedals to achieve a raw, deep sound that I am looking for. I need something that loops or I can program because I, also, play a synth and sometimes loop that as well.

[EdisonRex]

Why not?

All a drum machine really is, is either a synthesizer which creates percussive envelopes, or a sampler with percussion sounds in it. Why not use effects, or sample your own sounds, or make up your own synthesized sounds?

Depending on the drum machine, many parameters can be modified as well. But it's fairly normal to use effects. Some stomp boxes may be noisier than others, but that's sometimes a good thing too.

[cursive1005]

Thanks for the reply. I wanted to start making some basic hip hop beats, but, then, I started with my brother working on some music. Now I just want to create something that sounds good within the type of music we are doing.

[Mongo1]

There are so many cases in recording history where somebody did something that you're not supposed to do, and made millions off it.

Example - Jon Lord from Deep Purple played his Hammond Organ through a Marshall Amplifier with the distortion turned way up - Smoke on the Water

Ray Davies from the Kinks reportedly slashed his speaker cones with a razor to get 'distortion'. Worked really well.

Some engineer (I can't recall his name) duplicated some tracks he was working on, played the original and the copy on different tape machines, and pressed his finger down on the flange of the tape reel to slow it down. The result was "Flanging".

Jimmy Page - played his guitar with a violin bow - sounded pretty nifty!

Try anything and everything. If it doesn't work, well, at least you tried it.

Gary

[paugui]

There are lots of drum-machines that allow for lots of synthesis, like the Yamaha RY30.

Still, to run it with effect pedals seems a good idea, but maybe you should consider some rack units too, like on this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oll8wSn0QIY

I can tell you I've run some sequences I made on my Nord Modular G2X using my Korg A1 and the result was much nicer

[cursive1005]

Thank you for all of the information, I will definitely check those out as soon as possible.