Best of the affordable drum loopers for drum sounds only

[MadMaxG79]

Hi everyone

So the portable, affordable drum looper in pedal space has exploded in recent years and I'm having trouble choosing one...

I play in four piece where we're sometimes forced to rehearse without the drummer present. Usually we'll just play acoustic and that's a lot of fun too, but sometimes it's nice to be able to play to a groove. Usually we've just been using a laptop or a smartphone/tablet with a relevant app (most often Garageband), but I find it to be a bit of a hassle going through the different grooves just to find a straight forward, nice 4/4 drum loop. This is where those small drum looper pedals come in.

Just for context: We all go straight to a mixer, a Zoom LiveTrak L20, and have individual monitor mixes in our headphones. Everything's in stereo.

I don't need the Drum Looper for looping - just for drum sounds. When I do have to use a looper, I use the looper on my modeler and pretty much only when playing acoustic.

So my questions are:
1. Does it even make sense to use one of these boxes just for drum sounds? Am I better off just saving a few different "favourite" drum sounds on an app and continue to use that? Should I be looking at something like a BeatBuddy instead?
2. I want stereo - but only if the drum sounds in the box are actually in stereo. If the stereo is only for the incoming and outgoing guitar signal and not for the actual drum sounds, then I don't really care about stereo. So does any of these boxes actually have stereo drum sounds?
3. What's the best of the affordable boxes for the above needs?

Thanks to anybody who can help shine a light on the questions above

 

[kartikg3]

Hi everyone

So the portable, affordable drum looper in pedal space has exploded in recent years and I'm having trouble choosing one...

I play in four piece where we're sometimes forced to rehearse without the drummer present. Usually we'll just play acoustic and that's a lot of fun too, but sometimes it's nice to be able to play to a groove. Usually we've just been using a laptop or a smartphone/tablet with a relevant app (most often Garageband), but I find it to be a bit of a hassle going through the different grooves just to find a straight forward, nice 4/4 drum loop. This is where those small drum looper pedals come in.

Just for context: We all go straight to a mixer, a Zoom LiveTrak L20, and have individual monitor mixes in our headphones. Everything's in stereo.

I don't need the Drum Looper for looping - just for drum sounds. When I do have to use a looper, I use the looper on my modeler and pretty much only when playing acoustic.

So my questions are:
1. Does it even make sense to use one of these boxes just for drum sounds? Am I better off just saving a few different "favourite" drum sounds on an app and continue to use that? Should I be looking at something like a BeatBuddy instead?
2. I want stereo - but only if the drum sounds in the box are actually in stereo. If the stereo is only for the incoming and outgoing guitar signal and not for the actual drum sounds, then I don't really care about stereo. So does any of these boxes actually have stereo drum sounds?
3. What's the best of the affordable boxes for the above needs?

Thanks to anybody who can help shine a light on the questions above

Logged in after long-term non-logged-in-hiatus, just so I can reply to this!

I stumbled upon this:
KMISE Drum and Looper:

Which I think is a STEAL ofr the features it has. I don't think the drum sounds are true Stereo (but you can load up custom made drum loops as audio files). It sounds like a great looper with quantizing functionality etc.

I think it's a super affordable no-brainer solution for both looping and drum sounds, esp. for rehearsals (your use-case).

I am waiting for my gear-purchase sins of this year to wash away before I can be approved to purchase this (hopefully next year or 2026) lolz.

 

[kartikg3]

Addition to my previous reply:

 

[0XI0]

this thing let's you set the tempo and actual beat with a riff from the guitar, the same riff u just taught to your buddy, and after you put in the training you just hit the footswitch and it does what a normal drummer would do for the rest of the song... fills, go to the ride for chorus, crash on 1, you can set the verse to be tribal toms instead of hihat, or side stick verse and snare chorus etc. it does really good with odd times also, it can be set in 4/4 but you train it some weird 9/4 11/4 kick+snare pattern and it gives you cut time turn around over the bar that sounds like a real player (only 4 limbs, the AI knows what to contextually do with them per song "part" ). it tracks so well you can train it double kick hertas if you want.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

SDrum is great for what you want. It can go deeper really easy but you can also just tap or strum the tempo and go to town the way you describe
Or, if you can find a used Alessis SR16 grab one. Probably get it for $50 and it is simple and sounds good

 

[MadMaxG79]

Thank you for all the suggestions!

this thing let's you set the tempo and actual beat with a riff from the guitar, the same riff u just taught to your buddy, and after you put in the training you just hit the footswitch and it does what a normal drummer would do for the rest of the song... fills, go to the ride for chorus, crash on 1, you can set the verse to be tribal toms instead of hihat, or side stick verse and snare chorus etc. it does really good with odd times also, it can be set in 4/4 but you train it some weird 9/4 11/4 kick+snare pattern and it gives you cut time turn around over the bar that sounds like a real player (only 4 limbs, the AI knows what to contextually do with them per song "part" ). it tracks so well you can train it double kick hertas if you want.

SDrum is great for what you want. It can go deeper really easy but you can also just tap or strum the tempo and go to town the way you describe
Or, if you can find a used Alessis SR16 grab one. Probably get it for $50 and it is simple and sounds good

I remember checking out the SDRUM back when it first came out and thinking that was awesome for my use case! It was always a bit pricey, though, so I could never justify the purchase. However, I just set up an "agent" on my favorite used gear site so I'll be notified if someone puts one up for sale locally. Although, why would they?

Logged in after long-term non-logged-in-hiatus, just so I can reply to this!

I stumbled upon this:
KMISE Drum and Looper:

Which I think is a STEAL ofr the features it has. I don't think the drum sounds are true Stereo (but you can load up custom made drum loops as audio files). It sounds like a great looper with quantizing functionality etc.

I think it's a super affordable no-brainer solution for both looping and drum sounds, esp. for rehearsals (your use-case).

I am waiting for my gear-purchase sins of this year to wash away before I can be approved to purchase this (hopefully next year or 2026) lolz.

Thanks for the heads up! I actually stumbled on the KMISE while searching, which is probably what set this GAS in motion again and prompted me to start this thread in the first place

 

[mbenigni]

Although, why would they?

I've got one here I've been meaning to sell. I really like the idea, and hope Digitech will develop further and integrate with an audio looper (a la Trio+) now that they're back in business. But (wait for it...) I never really got the hang of the UI. Of course now, with you guys talking it up, I feel like I ought to give it another chance. Give me a couple of days, and I'll let you know whether I'm still looking to sell it. Like new, box, etc. The only catch is I can't seem to find the original PSU. You'd have to use a 1-Spot or whatever 9V DC you have laying around.

 

[mbenigni]

Here's a video I shot a few years ago because I was thrilled with how easily I got the SDRUM to throw some percussion together for a cover of Planet Caravan. (Although, per the UI concerns I mentioned above, I'm not certain I could ever do it again LOL.) Sorry for the seasick vanity shots of guitars, etc.

 

[MadMaxG79]

I've got one here I've been meaning to sell. I really like the idea, and hope Digitech will develop further and integrate with an audio looper (a la Trio+) now that they're back in business. But (wait for it...) I never really got the hang of the UI. Of course now, with you guys talking it up, I feel like I ought to give it another chance. Give me a couple of days, and I'll let you know whether I'm still looking to sell it. Like new, box, etc. The only catch is I can't seem to find the original PSU. You'd have to use a 1-Spot or whatever 9V DC you have laying around.

View attachment 27340

Here's a video I shot a few years ago because I was thrilled with how easily I got the SDRUM to throw some percussion together for a cover of Planet Caravan. (Although, per the UI concerns I mentioned above, I'm not certain I could ever do it again LOL.) Sorry for the seasick vanity shots of guitars, etc.

Thank you for posting this! Don't think I'll be able to trade though, since I'm in Europe and the shipping and import fees will probably negate any sort of savings I'd get from buying it used...

The sound clip is really cool and I like the quality of the drum sounds! I could definitely work with that...

 

[mbenigni]

Thank you for posting this! Don't think I'll be able to trade though, since I'm in Europe and the shipping and import fees will probably negate any sort of savings I'd get from buying it used...

Ah, I see. Well, that eliminates the rush to decide whether to sell.

The sound clip is really cool and I like the quality of the drum sounds! I could definitely work with that...

Thanks! Obviously, it does more conventional kits for rock, pop, jazz, etc. The only shortcoming is that most of the kits have a similar (or perhaps the same?) kick drum, and it's nothing great.

 

[quadgear]

At the high'ish end of pedals there are:

• BeatBuddy
  • Sounds Great
  • Lots of options
  • Add on beats and drum content
• BeatBuddy Mini
  • Mono, but same sounds as OG BB
  • Cannot add new beats or drums
  • No midi/ midi sync AFAIK
  • Cheaper.
• SDrum
  • No experience with this pedal
  • Guessing the BB is a better option
• Trio/Trio+
  • Has killer feature of creating backing for you based upon what you play
  • No experience with this pedal
  • Guess for pure drums, the BB is a better option

Not clear how good the many low end drums and drum/looper pedals. My guess is they are just OK in terms of quality of the sound. Might be wrong.

 

[MadMaxG79]

Ah, I see. Well, that eliminates the rush to decide whether to sell.

Thanks! Obviously, it does more conventional kits for rock, pop, jazz, etc. The only shortcoming is that most of the kits have a similar (or perhaps the same?) kick drum, and it's nothing great.

Would be cool to have the option to add your own samples to a box like this. Do any of the other affordable drum looper pedals have that option? (Which excludes the BB, of course )

 

[MadMaxG79]

After having researched all these boxes a little, I think the only one that makes sense in my use case, is the DigiTech SDRUM. My only gripe with it is that the drums don't seem to be sent out in a true stereo signal - at least this is what I've read from users when searching the webz. It seems that the L+R outputs send out the same mono drum sound. I was expecting it to have a nice stereo field with snare drum and hi hat more present on one side and toms and ride more present on the other. Otherwise, having a stereo output adds nothing of value in my scenario since I don't really care about the looper - just the drums. @mbenigni Can you confirm whether this is actually the case? Only if you remember, of course

The BeatBuddy (both big and small versions) is really cool too, but without the added functionality of the SDRUM, it's just a really expensive solution to something I've previously been doing on either an iPad or a laptop. But at least it's true stereo (the "big" one, not the mini).

Why is stereo so important? Because we all run our signals in stereo and we've really come to appreciate the sound of a well mixed drumset in stereo. And since Garageband, Logic or any other DAW can achieve this relatively easily already, I'd expect a dedicated pedal to do at least the same - just in a more immediate and convenient package. Oh well

 

[mbenigni]

My only gripe with it is that the drums don't seem to be sent out in a true stereo signal - at least this is what I've read from users when searching the webz. It seems that the L+R outputs send out the same mono drum sound. I was expecting it to have a nice stereo field with snare drum and hi hat more present on one side and toms and ride more present on the other. Otherwise, having a stereo output adds nothing of value in my scenario since I don't really care about the looper - just the drums. @mbenigni Can you confirm whether this is actually the case? Only if you remember, of course

I'll have to wire mine up a bit later to test for myself, but the Owner's Manual says the following, on page 8:

"NOTE: When only the MIXER OUT jacks are used, the mono guitar signal and stereo drum signal are fed tothe MIXER OUT jacks. This setup works well for applications where an acoustic guitar with a pickup or a bassguitar are connected to a live PA system. See 'Output Jack Operation' on page 10 for more information."

(Link here: https://www.strumentimusicali.net/manuali/2017/10/13/b3/digitech-sdrumstrummabledrums-en.pdf)

I'd be really surprised if Digitech described 2x mono outputs as a stereo drum signal. But stranger things have happened LOL.

...it's just a really expensive solution to something I've previously been doing on either an iPad or a laptop.

There's some truth to this either way, to be honest. The form factor of the SDRUM is going to be preferable for stage applications, but an iPad app is going to be easier to use overall. (And, depending on the app, more flexible.) As I said earlier in this thread, I still struggle with the SDRUM's UI. There's just a lot going on in a very small space.