The BR-1600 has a built in drum machine that is programmed in the same manner as most drum machines. There are two ways of creating drum patterns... REAL TIME (Recording a performance) and STEP TIME(Programming a Grid). You will be tapping the track buttons, which trigger drum sounds used in making your pattern. Once you have created and stored patterns, you will use RHYTHM ARRANGE to program in what order you want the patterns to playback.
1- Press the TRACK TYPE SELECT button which is next to Track 15/16 fader.
2- Press F4, and under the title that says TRACK 15/16, it should display DRUMS. If not, press the F4 button until it reads DRUMS highlighted just under TRACK 15/16.
3- Press the ARRANGEMENT/PATTTERN button so that it is not lit. This places you in Pattern mode.
4- Press the EDIT button above the Tracks 15/16(DRUM) track fader.
5- Cursor to the P or U listed under the DRUMS section and dial to Select U-001, or any USER preset out of 999 possible. This is how you select an EMPTY pattern to create your patten and then store it as a USER pattern for use in an arrangement.
6- You can assign the:
BEAT= Time Signature
Measure= Number of measures you want for this pattern
Swing= allows you to adjusting the groove of your pattern.
The options for creating patterns in REALTIME & STEP TIME are listed below.
REAL TIME: Selecting this allows you to tap in a pattern how you want it to playback, and allows you to continue overdubbing to add drum sounds to create a full drum pattern. When your performance is recorded, you have an option of using QUANTIZE which helps correct timing issues involved with human error if you so desire.
1- Press F1(REAL TIME) and you will begin to hear the metronome. You can adjust the KIT (Drumkit sounds), QTZ (QUANTIZE), BPM, and Metronome volume level by cursoring and turning the time/value dial.
To rehearse/practice the pattern you want to create and audition the drum sounds, press F2 (Rehearsal ON/OFF). When Rehearsal is ON you can practice until you are ready to record a pass of a drum performance.
2- Press PLAY to begin recording your drum pad performance. There will be a 1 measure count-in before you are able to start recording your performance.
The pattern will repeat over and over until you press STOP, which will allow you to add in all the drum parts/sounds you want to place in this performance.
3- You can ERASE a mistake by simply pressing F3 (ERASE ON/OFF). When switched to ERASE ON, you just hold down the button associated with the drum sound you wish to erase throughout the performance and you will hear that it is being erased.
4- Press stop when you have finished creating your pattern.
5- Press F4(Write/Copy/Delete) to STORE you pattern for use in an ARRANGEMENT.
6- The screen will display a (To: U00X), and you specify which of the 999 user location numbers that you wish to store the pattern you just created.
7- Press F4 (GO) for the pattern to be stored in the specified USER location.
STEP TIME: Creating a drum pattern in STEP TIME uses a grid type method of assigning drum sounds to form a groove using musical timing and structure.
1- Press F2 (STEP) to enter into the grid. You will see a listing of the various drum sounds on the far left of the screen. K1=Kick 1, S1=Snare1, CB=Cow Bell, OH=Open Hi-Hat etc See page 155 of the owners manual for complete listing. Use the cursor up/down buttons to scroll thru the various drum sounds and to the right of the screen is the blocks that represent each beat in a measure. Cursor to the beat you want to make that drum sound and turn the time/value dial. There are 6 volume/velocity levels and it increases with each click of the dial turning clock-wise. PRESSING F2 or F3 re-sizes the grid. Press F4 to select the Tempo and Drum Kit.
2- Press PLAY and the measure you selected for the pattern to be will repeated over and over, and you can make adjustments or continue to build your pattern.
3- Press STOP and EXIT/NO to get to the screen to STORE your pattern in a USER location.
4- Press F4(Write/Copy/Delete) to STORE your pattern for use in an ARRANGEMENT.
5- The screen will display a (To: U00X), and you can then specify which of the 999 user location numbers that you wish to store the pattern you just created.
6- Press F4 (GO) to store the pattern in the specified USER location.