Instantdrummer vs Rex2

[sisnootles]

What is better to use, Instantdrummer sessions or Rex2 loops?

You can get more for your money using Rex2 loops. What are the pro's and con's for each format?

Thanks

Si

[bluesydude]

I like the ease of use of the InstantDrummer (ID). For me Rex files can add a lot to a song but they require more work. Both are great.

[pooterpatty]

Instant Drummers are certainly easier to use (they're built into Riffworks), but it's main drawbacks are that they are much more tempo-dependent than Rex files. With most Instant Drummers you can slow em down only about 20-30 bpm before they start sounding bad. Some Instant Drummers have more variation than others as well. The plus side is that they're easy to use, and some have enough variations to do an entire song.

With Rex loops, you'll spend more time searching through a massive collection on CD to find what you're looking for. Rex loops also have no variation like Instant Drummers. The upside for Rex loops is that if you buy a cd from a company like Beta Monkey Music, you're pretty likely to find something good on that disk. Plus, Rex loops are much more tempo-independent than Instant Drummers, meaning you can use the same loop at 80bpm and 220bpm.

[scott]

You can use them both together to complement each other and really 'beef up' a rhythm or beat. Pooter has covered the main points on pros and cons.

[dennisandcheryl]

for me i like playing metal and i would take rex files (beta monkeys double bass mania 2)over instantdrummer any day of the week.I think they are way more flexible and you can always find what your looking for.But its true is does take alot longer,but usally worth it .

my opinion anyway
dennis

[jonmy7]

For me InstantDrummer is a key reason why I use RiffWorks.

For full songs I'll use CuBase but I often spend more time fiddling around making the drum tracks.

With RiffWorks I just turn it on, select a drummer and play guitar... and that's the part I love most

I'm in the process of getting some new InstantDrummer sessions and can't wait to play them

[blue4u]

A major drawback with REX loops is that, well...they are loops. The just repeat and that's it. If I want a fill at the end of a riff, forget it! At best I can create a new, one bar riff and use a REX loop as a fill. Not very productive or useful to break up the parts like that. Talk about killin' my flow! I like to move very fast and keep the creativity going. Instant Drummers are best for that. If the song is finished and I want better drum parts then it might make sense to play with REX loops. I bought several REX loops and I barely use them if that tells you anything. I have almost 50 Instant Drummers and just bought more.

Most Instant Drummers have some sort of a fill, cymbal crash or turn-around at the end of the beat depending on the riff length. This makes the drums A LOT more "human" and natural sounding. Not to mention I can come back later and change the drummer with a simple drop down menu and twist a few knobs.

Arguably, Drums on Demand are the most versatile, musical and responsive drummers. They contain song sets with labels like intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc. and the "intensity" and "variation" knobs work well.

Hope this helps?

Rich

[Wedgebill]

Hey Rich, that's the coolest way of comparing ID's and REX files I've seen, well done my friend. I have not even ventured into the world of REX files etc as I've found ID's to be all I need and like you I have bought quite an arsenal of em, even to the point that I cashed in on your previous excellent suggestion of 20 ID's $30 off. I was about to do it again just prior to moving over to FLA but held off when I realised how long it would take to get my stuff here. I tried all manner of music software prior to RW and gave up on all of em, it needs to be simple for an old fart like me to take it on board.

Rock on Riffworks and Rock on Rich


Uncle Bill

[bluesydude]

I tried all manner of music software prior to RW and gave up on all of em, it needs to be simple for an old fart like me to take it on board.
Uncle Bill

I am in full agreement with you Bill. And from what I've heard of your recordings you don't need anything other than IDs. I'll be happy when you get your gear so we can hear some more tunes from you.

[DaFreak]

Rex2 loops are definitely the best solution for me (like someone else in this thread, I use beta monkey double bass mania 2, great sound, lots of different loops). Up till my 2 latest songs, I've always used Instantdrummers, but since my last 2 songs I've been using drum loops, and it's greatly improved my creative process and the quality of my songs, but most importantly, it has offered me the ability to use the same drum sound and style on an entire album. Instantdrummers are nice to use for single songs, but the problem is that each Instantdrummer sounds different, and you can't make a song merging 2 different Instantdrummers together and expect it to still sound professional/coherent, let alone make an entire album with the same drum sound. A lot of the instantdrummers I've tried also lack variation and don't have enough different parts to my liking (of course, I make progressive metal, a genre that demands a bit more than most genres in terms of variation). I think that Sonoma should try and make series of Instantdrummers that can be used together, instead of offering all these individually good Instantdrummers that are unusable together on one song or coherent album.

[blue4u]

Excellent idea DaFreak! Kind of like a set or suite of instant drummers? I like it...

Rich