Using/Syncing an Alesis SR16 with Reaper

[criodain]

Hello again. A drum machine is probably redundant these days! But just wondering if it is possible to sync an Alesis SR16 so that when I would click record in Reaper, the drum machine would activate e.g. after a count in of 4 for example.

I know I could record a drum pattern using as an audio in and line it up with the click track in Reaper, but if there is a way to record the drum machine as an audio file to a click track where it would auto start with Reaper once I hit record.

I have a midi to midi cable, so imagine that's a first step....?

[Boogieshoes]

Originally Posted by criodain

Hello again. A drum machine is probably redundant these days! But just wondering if it is possible to sync an Alesis SR16 so that when I would click record in Reaper, the drum machine would activate e.g. after a count in of 4 for example.

I know I could record a drum pattern using as an audio in and line it up with the click track in Reaper, but if there is a way to record the drum machine as an audio file to a click track where it would auto start with Reaper once I hit record.

I have a midi to midi cable, so imagine that's a first step....?

With midi there is probably a way to sync the tempo with Reaper by sending a midi heartbeat to the SR16. That said, I don’t have an SR16 and I don’t know how the two may link like that.

Alternatively you could simply record the audio output of the SR16 an then use the techniques Kenny Gioia shows for finding the tempo and trimming the audio recorded to match with other recordings. He uses an example of a recording free form guitar without using a click track then finding the tempo of to be able to map on drums (opposite way round to you, but same principal). If I can find the link I’ll add it here ;

https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#PlGnzK7GiSU

[criodain]

Originally Posted by Boogieshoes

With midi there is probably a way to sync the tempo with Reaper by sending a midi heartbeat to the SR16. That said, I don’t have an SR16 and I don’t know how the two may link like that.

Alternatively you could simply record the audio output of the SR16 an then use the techniques Kenny Gioia shows for finding the tempo and trimming the audio recorded to match with other recordings. He uses an example of a recording free form guitar without using a click track then finding the tempo of to be able to map on drums (opposite way round to you, but same principal). If I can find the link I’ll add it here ;

https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#PlGnzK7GiSU

Yep, I came across his video earlier. I guess I could record the audio drums in as well and use the drum track as my click, but the tricky part might be adding other midi instruments and not being able to quantize to the grid for example, but in theory, that might be the handiest.
I am half thinking of just selling the Alesis at this stage, and just using VSTs.

[domzy]

set the MIDI output (that is sending to the sr16) to "send clock..." in reaper's MIDI preferences.
you will need to enable sync to MIDI clock in the sr16 (i don't know exactly how to do this as i've never used one, but it's a common function on drum machines & the alesis must have it, i would have thought)

then you should be able to start / stop the drum machine, in sync (though you might need to apply an offset) from Reaper's transport

[Boogieshoes]

Originally Posted by criodain

Yep, I came across his video earlier. I guess I could record the audio drums in as well and use the drum track as my click, but the tricky part might be adding other midi instruments and not being able to quantize to the grid for example, but in theory, that might be the handiest.
I am half thinking of just selling the Alesis at this stage, and just using VSTs.

Domzy’s idea may work but as I think I said I don’t have an SR16 either and I do find midi configuration a bit of a battle at times.

If you do go the audio route to match tempo and tidy up then I’m pretty sure you’ll be able add other midi playing to tracks that sync and use the quantisation features at whatever note length suits your music and the quantisation can be changed and notes edited. Again some of KGs videos show this in action, I can’t recall exactly which are best but some of Free VST Instrument videos do I am sure.

[scaler123]

Originally Posted by criodain

I am half thinking of just selling the Alesis at this stage, and just using VSTs.

I hear ya! I've got an SR-16 sitting in my closet that I bought new, back when it first came out. Truth be told, I thought I'd use the heck out of it, but I've really not used it a whole lot. I hooked it up via MIDI to my Focusrite 4i4 and actually got it to work, but it was a pain. Then I compared it to what's currently available, and to be honest, I just don't see the value in trying to get any use out of it. To me, it fits in the category of something that would be fun to tinker around with, which I usually am really into, but not so much with the SR-16. I'm thinking of selling mine, and maybe getting something like an Arturia Beatstep.

Unless someone can tell me what the SR-16 does so much better than everything else on the market

[ashcat_lt]

Originally Posted by scaler123

Unless someone can tell me what the SR-16 does so much better than everything else on the market

When it came out in the 90s, it was one of the first multisampled drum machines with different samples for different velocity ranges rather than just one sample per kit piece. Pretty sure it was only a few specific pieces anyway, but it would have been a step up from the HR16 mostly for that reason. Probably also offered better midi timing resolution and maybe higher sample rate/bit depth.

At this point I think the one thing it does well is have some of the original sounds from the HR16, which is probably only slightly interesting to those of us who are nostalgic for that old beast.