Musical Instruments

Reviews

I've been roasting my own coffee for almost 10 years now, and I've gone through a lot of roasters. I've been using the Gene Cafe for more than 6 months, and this one is holding up great. It is well designed and manufactured. It has been problem-free and shows little signs of wear. It is very quiet for a home roaster, which for me is a huge plus. The Gene Cafe will roast up to a full half-pound of coffee at one time. This means you are roasting less often, which of course will add to the life of the roaster. All coffee roasters produce smoke, and the Gene is no exception. Make sure you get the "Gene Cafe Large Chaff Collector" attachment. The last time I looked this was being sold with the roaster through many online sellers. It can also be purchased separately. This allows for a hose to be attached to vent the smoke. I have a fan on my stove-top. The glass roasting chamber allows for complete visibility at all points of the roast. This lets you get the perfect roast every time. The large digital front end lets you set the temperature and roast time to exact specifications. The knobs let you adjust the time and temperature of the roast at any point. I know the sticker price on this thing is high, but you will save money in the long-run by not having to replace your roaster every year.

I have been using this roaster for over a year with great results. It is a very quiet and very solidly build appliance; feels like driving a German car. The controls couldn't be simpler to use. As expected, it does make a lot of smoke, and proper ventilation is required. A portion of the plastic case started to melt near the exhaust which prompted me to lower the operating temperature. The power cord warms up a bit during operation.

When I first considered roasting my own coffee beans, the idea was that I just wanted to take my coffee enjoyment up a notch. It worked. I have had my Gene Cafe for about a month and it is an integral part of my routine now. It's easy to use, does an excellent job and is built to last. It's a workhorse. I make a lot of coffee so I roast about every other day. The variety of roasters to choose from can be a little confusing. What's important and how much to spend and how difficult is this going to be? From my experience so far, I am pleased to have chosen this machine. The manual is easy to read and tells you what to set for the variety of roasts. Roasting takes about 45 minutes including washing all of the parts of the machine and putting it away again. It's the right size. I store it under my stove along with the 3" diameter 3 foot long aluminum duct I use to direct the smoke into my downdraft stove exhaust. I have the large chaff collector so I don't know how well the small one works. Controlling the exhaust of smoke is important and it seems easier using the large chaff collector and a flex duct. Bottom line as I tell my friends is in the cup. It's the best coffee I've ever had and I've been a serious coffee drinker for about 35 years all over the world. If you can afford one of these you will not be disappointed. I've been a chemical engineer for 25 years and I can tell you this is really well designed and built. It's the right equipment for the process. Get a good burr grinder ( I use a KitchenAid ), lose the Mr. Coffee and get a simple cone brewer, the kind where you pour hot water over the grounds. Then just enjoy.

I origionally had a Freshroast Plus 8. It worked very well for me but it can only roast a small quantity of beans and you have to wait awhile between roasts. I upgraded to a Gene Cafe almost a year ago although I didn't buy it from Amazon. This roaster is great. It's bigger than it looks in the picture. It takes up one whole large drawer in my pantry. You need some ventilation or it will set off smoke alarms, although there's no visible smoke. I roast on a covered patio. I use two scoops of beans but that's a lot of coffee and you'll go through a couple of pounds of beans learning how to get the roast you want. I keep the temp. setting constant and vary the time according to the roast I want. For me, 451 degrees for 17 to 18.5 min. is perfect. But each person and each roaster can be different. The coffee is excellent. I get rave reviews from guests.

The Gene Cafe rotating drum roaster was very easy to use right out of the box. I was able to run two different batches of roasting within an hour. This allowed a side by side comparison of a light roast and full city roast using the same bean. The roaster cleans up nicely and only set off the smoke alarm once. The chaff collector is easy to dump out at the end of each roast cycle. The instruction manual had the funniest artwork that made the reading material interesting as well as useful. The 9 lbs. of coffee was a mixture instead of one kind that I assumed I had ordered (no decaf which is fine for me). Estimate 65-85 lbs of roasting green beans, at $6 per pound, to begin to have this roaster start paying for itself. So for now it will be called a hobby instead of a money savings. :)

Reviews

Pretty hard to separate this kit from the aerator- you'll need it. First off, you can't move the aerator by hand without the wheel kit. Second, if you will have to go over any paved surface (asphalt, concrete, etc) the aerator will tear the surface up unless you have this kit. The parts are well-made, powder paint, assembly is about half an hour. You will need a source of air as the tires are deflated for shipment. (No figure is given for psi inflation- I arbitrarily used 22 psi.) Worth the money- and just about necessary.

Reviews

I've had this pair for about 3 years and use it often. I'm not happy with it for multiple reasons. It does smell, I wipe it down, leave the door open...everything. If I do not use the washer cleaners available (throw it in alone and it will clean the inside) my clothes smell as if I've left them in the washer for days. It has a ring just inside the door, where the dirty water goes in, I always find smaller items stuck in there...really gross to pull out wet soppy socks (or worse) knowing they have served as a filter for the rinse! The high spin is nice, but it essentially glues my clothes around the washer tub, so I have to pull them out, then they turn into this big "chain" of semi-wet clothes. I have to attempt to keep the chain together as I feed it into the dryer, but usually they start to break apart and fall all over the ground. So I've tried to pull them out, and break them apart from the "chain" so I can shake them a bit, to avoid the wrinkles--nope, wont work--still fall all over the ground. I do not notice the clothes being any cleaner...and most of the time they smell worse than when I put them in (unless I drown them in fabric softer to hide the musty smell). The clothes do come out of the washer fairly dry, but the irony is that I put them into the dryer for the 55minute HIGH cycle and usually many items are STILL damp!!?? Socks, jeans etc...I always have to add another 15minute quick dry, sometimes I'll have to do that twice. It's just not saving me any time, seems to be taking MORE energy--at least for me. I also hate that I start a load, and if I walk through the house to find a "last minute item" I can't open the door and toss it in (it's locked and filling with water). I think I'd rather go back to the top loader.

Reviews

I am only slightly familiar with Pink's music because it is used for Jazzercise routines somewhat often. I really loved one song on this album, so bought for that particular song. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked quite of few of the tracks. Amazon music is always fairly priced and it's vendors are reputable and also quick. That is great in my book of positive things about Amazon.

Ok. I saw a biography about P!nk on VH1 the other day. I so enjoyed it that I decided to buy three of her albums. I just listened to "Can't Take Me Home" and am now listening to "Missundaztood." And, will next listen to "Funhouse." All I can ask myself is "why didn't you buy her when she came out in 2000?!?" Her lyrics resonate with me. Thus far, her CDs have been a real treat!

This one is good but if you like this one get Funhouse to rock your world

I just keep playing this CD. I am about twice as old as P!nk and think this album is just fantastic. The beat is perfect, and suits her voice exactly. I also listen to lyrics and this CD is not lacking in that area either. There have been reviews of the specific songs already, but I just wanted to add my vote because she's really been clever to create such a great set of songs --- from the starting drum beat in My Vietnam -- to the lamenting tones in Family Portrait. 5 stars!

the condition was perfect. but the shipping was late. i got it in the mail 3 days after amazon said it would be there.

Reviews

This is one of the best cd's ever I love every song.She can sing all types of songs. I bought this when it first came out and I still listen to it.We miss out on alot of good music because radio and tv play certain artist.When Pulse come out I will purchase it.Toni Braxton is a great singer.

I feel this is one of the most underrated R&B albums in the last 5 years. There isn't a bad song on the track, and Toni really mixes it up - From the catchy R&B in "Please" and "Take this Ring" to letting her vocals shine on "Shadowless" and "Stupid." I agree- the only negative is that there are only 10 songs. I think this album was under-advertised. But regardless, it was definitely underrated!

This is a great CD. Some of the songs might have more of a hip hop flavor to them than some people are used to.. but T.B. pulls each of them off perfectly.. and I found myself thinking.. "If Beyonce had done that song, it would have been a chart topper for WEEKS!" Someone really missed out on promoting this CD to multi platinum. Her vocal acrobatics are unrivaled by any contemporary R and B or pop singer and she certainly straddles these two music genres well. I mean she just takes a lyric and does whatever she wants to it and always does it well. As one reviewer wrote about her, Braxton never over sings. She never makes a song bad. I am not in love with every song, but I can listen to all but one. The beats of Take This Ring are just too loud, too hard, and too overproduced and hard to tolerate. Nevertheless, Braxton herself is on point with each song and my can this woman bring home a crescendo! If there is a vocal weakness.. and it is more of my personal taste than a weakness .. is the backup singing... Primarily Tamar Braxton does the backup here. She has strong vocals, but I think on many of the songs these two sisters' voices just do not work very well together. We all know that Toni has a very sensual and adult sounding voice, while her sister just does not. She sounds too much like a young Brandy.. nothing wrong with that.. but it does not work for me paired here with Toni's. The background singing on The Heat was fierce. Listening to Tamar backup Braxton on some of these songs reminds me of listening to Johnny Gill sing with NE. He vocally outclassed all of the other members, and for me.. just did not belong. On the songs where Toni participates more in the background vocals, the blending of their voices is better. Make sure you order the European version of this that has FOUR extra songs on it. 11. I Hate You 12. Shadowless 13. Long Way Home 14. Time of Our Lives (With il Divo) I ordered one on Ebay that had all but track 14 on it for abut $7.00 new and delivered from Canada. The sad thing is that I Hate You and Long Way Home are two of the strongest tracks on the CD. Yeah... her record company screwed up all over this!

This is Toni's best album to date, even better than her biggest selling album Secrets. This is a great album but flopped because Toni and Blackground didn't see eye to eye and Blackground failed to promote this album at all. Huge mistake they could've made millions off this album. Standout tracks include Please, Trippin, Midnite, I wanna Be your Baby, and Shadowless, which is probably one of the most beautiful songs you'll ever hear. This album ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Toni Braxton is one of those artists with a voice that is truly one-in-a-million. With sultry notes her voice is unforgettable. Apart from the very short length of this album this is a great album for her. Suddenly, Stupid and Please are album favorites that are sure to get your attention. So now the only question that I have is, "Toni, when will you release another album for us"? KMD

Reviews

Mariah Carey was of course someone who showed a lot of promise early on and had a very very mixed bag of a career ever since. Luckily it doesn't appear that with this album sophmore slump wasn't any problem for her. Considering the ballad orientation of her debut album Mariah Carey this album mixes it up with not only a broader variety of textures and tempos but broadened her appeal in the process. The help of Cliville's & Cole also helped wheras the uptempo tunes such as "Emotions","Make It Happen","You're So Cold" and "To Be Around You" are excellent examples of late 80's/early 90's style disco-funk that showcase Mariah's not-always-obvious talent at interpreting fast songs which,despite attitudes to the contrary is an art in and of itself. Mariah also shows herself to be a superior composer here as she writes and sings the soul out of "Can't Let Go" and along with one of her precussers Carole King on "If It's Over". The ballads "And You Don't Remember" and "So Blessed" feature a Mariah not only making great use of gospel drenched Hammond organs but of equally strong gospel/soul passion from Mariah herself. "Till The End Of Time" is the only song here that really showcases the epic ballad style she'd make famous and........it's actually a pretty good example. The album ends with "The Wind",a jazz number by Russ Freeman. Mariah's extremely breathy,whispery vocal may not be to everybody's taste for this kind of song and in some cases works against the grain of the arrangement. I've heard a lot of people saying,and in many cases complaining Mariah would be better suited to jazz singing and this may not be what people would expect but it was a worthy try nontheless. Mariah's career would be one huge up and another huge down from this point on in her musical career but this is one of her strongest early albums and probably the only one from this period of her career I'd deem as essential to fans of the kind of music I enjoy.

OH WOW this is so old, but i own it, its a great classic album, its her 2nd studio album but great. emotions, cant let go, make it happen, if its over, great songs, especially emotions, listen to my hero hit notes that no one else can hit, and when she does them it gives u the shivers because its so amazing, lol, so yes must own. i own, buy it now only 6.99

Boy, talk about a good album! Mariah did her thing on this cd. I was shocked to find out that this album didn't reach #1 on the Billboard charts when it first came out. And I also don't understand why some people talk negative about this album, thinking that it was a somewhat remake of her first cd. Well, I own 7 Mariah Carey cds, and this one right here is my FAVORITE one, just shy of her self-titled cd. Every song on this cd to me is given four to five stars. It is that serious. The reason why i luv this cd is because it has the great upbeat songs (produced by the C&C Factory dudes) and those unbelievable ballads (all produced by Walter Afanasieff). And speaking of production. I love the fact that she only used these two production teams specifically for this album, one for the fast tunes, and the other for the slow songs (artist nowaday just pick anybody and just throw songs on cds without care). The song "Can't Let Go" is my all-time favorite song from not only this cd, but of Mariah Carey, period. Trust me, this is a good cd. Ignore everyone who thinks it's bad, because it's not. Oh, more thing. If you liked this cd, you'll just love her first one. Just a little info for ya.

I really want to review mariah's latest cd but it's not out yet, cannot wait to hear it, so to past time i will review Emotions. This is another one of my Mariah faves, for memories and nostalgia. This is when Mariah was doing "adult contempory" music when she was young and now that she's mature she's doing for younger-based music. It is irony but the fact is Mariah is still banging out gr8 music regardless. I own all of her works, other than the greatest hits stuff, no need! But this album is near perfect, deep lyrics and mood music, no real skip-overs. I luv luv "Til the End of Time, Can't Let Go, So Blessed, pretty much all of it. A gr8 memory cd, jus a shout out and a Memoirs promotion all in one! Mariah ur tha best, luv u.

My personal taste, the first album was better. With this one, I find myself using the track forward button a lot, Though there are songs that I enjoy on it.

Reviews

Product is excellent quality. I filled with oil instead of water to avoid rust. Works great.

This is a well-made item and does what it's intended to do. I live in Mississippi, and our red clay becomes concrete in our long hot summers- this wouldn't be effective at that time of the year. However, I've been using it in the spring when we have moisture in the ground and it does the job well. Unless you have soft soil, you'll need to fill it with water though, otherwise it will just ride along the surface. Also, assuming that you have the water in it, forget about your average lawn tractor pulling it. I tried with a John Deere LT160 (17 HP) and it had the horses, but the lawn tires in the back couldn't get enough grip and just spun. Fortunately, I've got a John Deere Gator and that handles the job just fine. This item is well made (comes from China-wow) and is easy to assemble. You _will_ need to grease the two sleeves on each end unless you want to entertain your neighbors with the sounds of a thousand birds singing. Oh, get the wheel kit. Unless you can stop and leave it where you unhitch it, you won't be able to push/pull/maneuver it by hand.

This thing really works great. I am on 1 1/2 acres and it makes aeration of the yard easy. Only one thing. Make sure you put down some plywood when crossing crosswalks for when it is full of water it will chip it up pretty good. Thats how good it is.

I purchased this to try and resolve my dust bowl lawn. It was easy to put together and I pulled it behind by lawn tractor with it empty. It can be filled with water to increase its weight, but I tried it empty. I made several passes on the lawn and then put seed down and then made another pass. Well my lawn has never looked so good. In the past, rains would wash the seed away and it never filled in. This time the holes made by the very well made steele tines and the weight of the drum, allowed the grass seed to enter the soil and not get washed away. It's very well made and did an outstanding job and that was with it empty, so with a load of water the tines would go even deeper and allow the seed to get an even better start. It was well worth the money and if you have shed to store it you can't go wrong.

Reviews

I had the pleasure of working on this film as both the online editor and colorist so I have watched it many times. The film tries to get to the "heart" of what music is and how it affects us on so many levels. While not a fast paced film, it still manages to grab and hold the viewers attention because the subject matter is so intriguing- How does one describe "music"? It brings forth both a visceral and physical response and the many interviewees are funny, thoughtful and insightful. If you are a musician or just love music than give this film a viewing!

Reviews

Great DVD and really helping me with the DR-880. However the disappointment was the Customs Duty. I had to pay £12.43 to collect it from the Post Office. Beware if you are buying in the UK.

The DVD makes learning the Roland DR-880 very clear and simple. A must for anyone using this machine to its full and incredible capacity.

The DR-880 is an amazing machine! It's literally a band in a box and if you love to read and figure things out for yourself, then reading the owner's manual alone will be a fun challenge for you! But if your like me and understand things better after someone shows you first, then the Roland (Boss) DR-880 DVD Owner's Manual is a must have! Everything and anything you want to know about this drum machine can be learned in minutes watching this DVD, as opposed to hours reading the manual. You want to master this drum machine, buy this DVD and thank yourself over and over and over again.

I don't want to write too mutch...so, Don't think! Buy it immediatlly! It's an amazing explanation. Easy talk, and everything about DR.880 is on this DVD. It's not a dream, the DR.880 (with the DVD), has no limits to make backtracking (drums and bass). I'm very mutch satisfied.Regards.

Not much help in making the DR-880 productive. A little help but I'm still not getting any songs from it.

Reviews

Great DVD and really helping me with the DR-880. However the disappointment was the Customs Duty. I had to pay £12.43 to collect it from the Post Office. Beware if you are buying in the UK.

The DVD makes learning the Roland DR-880 very clear and simple. A must for anyone using this machine to its full and incredible capacity.

The DR-880 is an amazing machine! It's literally a band in a box and if you love to read and figure things out for yourself, then reading the owner's manual alone will be a fun challenge for you! But if your like me and understand things better after someone shows you first, then the Roland (Boss) DR-880 DVD Owner's Manual is a must have! Everything and anything you want to know about this drum machine can be learned in minutes watching this DVD, as opposed to hours reading the manual. You want to master this drum machine, buy this DVD and thank yourself over and over and over again.

I don't want to write too mutch...so, Don't think! Buy it immediatlly! It's an amazing explanation. Easy talk, and everything about DR.880 is on this DVD. It's not a dream, the DR.880 (with the DVD), has no limits to make backtracking (drums and bass). I'm very mutch satisfied.Regards.

Not much help in making the DR-880 productive. A little help but I'm still not getting any songs from it.

Reviews

I bought a Sirius Light and sound machine..You can find it here on amazon for 99 bucks. Search for: mindplace sirius. As a stand alone cd I can't say. i've never listened to it that way. I have however listened to it with my sirius light and sound machine set on the audiostrobe decoder setting and it's definitely a great experience. I took 3 tablespoons of raw cacao powder put in the cd and layed on my bed for a lil over an hour. It was the trippiest experience I've had in a while.

Although it sounds fascinating it seems to be just a few "artists" making funny noises in a studio to a drum line. Nothing exceptional. After about 10 minutes I wanted my money back...

This CD is meant to be used with the Mind Modulations Proteus Light & Sound Mind Machine. The technology involves using light and sound that is driven by the music to change brain wave states. Judging by my personal experience, it works quite well and this particular CD overs a very interesting and relaxing experience. There are a number of collections of these CDs on Amazon, two of which include this specific CD Mind Modulations AudioStrobe Collection Volume 1 and Mind Modulations Deluxe AudioStrobe Collection. Both of these also contain my favorite recording available for this unit which is Tibetan Highlands AudioStrobe CD for Light and Sound Mind Machines and can be purchased separately. There is also another set that DOES NOT include this specific CD, but is a good starter said and compliments the first set Mind Modulations AudioStrobe Collection Volume 2. The technology behind these products is amazing and they really do induce different states of consciousness. This CD is one of my two favorites and is very well done.

Reviews

I NEEDED A DRUM UNIT FOR MY FAX MACHINE AND FOUND IT ON AMAZON.COM AT A VERY GOOD PRICE.

Bought this for the office instead of the much more expensive one we usually buy.

Product arrived promply and as advertised. Purchased item as a backup and have not used it yet

I am very satisfied with the prompt service I received from this supplier and I recommend this product.

I purchased the Panasonic KX-FLM651 fax machine back in July '07. Yesterday, October 23, 2007, barely 3 months after my purchase the drum unit failed. I was getting dark black lines down the left side of faxes I received so I called Panasonic. After having me run several tests on the machine, they told me that it is a drum problem, and unfortunately these are not under warranty. Even though testing showed that the drum only had 263 pages printed on it, and that it is rated for 10,000 pages of use, Panasonic would not replace it. I have always been very impressed with Panasonic products, but the FA84 drum unit is one to stay away from. If you find that your fax needs replacement of this, you would be better off buying a new machine (not a Panasonic machine) than taking the chance on this unit, since it costs about $100 to replace.

Reviews

I've owned an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier/fax machine for four or five years now. This is the only place I've been able to reliably find this product, and it always arrives in perfect condition thanks to good packing methods. This cartridge lasts me approximately a year, on average, but I only have moderate printing needs. It is wrapped in a special plastic packaging that prevents the toner from drying out, which means it can be stored for quite a long time if you do not remove it from the box.

Our Samsung printer is still working great after 4 years. We're on our 3rd toner cartridge, which isn't bad. The toner always works fine, and even prints many pages after the printer says "Toner Low" and "Toner Empty". If you remove the toner and shake it a bit, you can get more pages from it, but sometimes a bit of black toner leaks out if you shake it hard.

I bought this toner and when I loaded it in my copier....it was giving me a low toner message...I was disapointed ....I will purchase this item from a different source next time.

Reviews

If you are looking for a toy for your 6 year old to bang around on, this set might qualify. It is not a set for anyone with even a mild interest in actual drumming. I am not a pro drummer; I just wanted something to bang around on in my apartment. This doesn't qualify even for that. One must first recognize that this product is only $[...]. Now, $[...] is a chunk of change, but still, cheap for an electric drum set. This product should be considered a toy. The most immediately noticeable thing is that one cannot rapidly drum on this. I'm not talking super-speed, I'm talking simple 1-2-1-2-1-2 rifting. This set consistently misses every other drumbeat. I tried hitting right in the middle of the pad, tried hitting harder, made no difference. This unit is simply not responsive or fast enough to keep up with even the most mediocre of players. I know that sounds somewhat surprising. Believe me, I was surprised. The volume of the individual pads cannot be altered. The lower tom far out-volumes the other drums, and the bass pedal is so loud it overpowers the entire set. The touch-sensitivity on the set can't be changed either. It might be somewhat difficult for a small child to manage to hit the pads hard enough to elicit a decent response. Ease of use is good as far as layout, design and right-out-of-the-box playing. Kudos on the design. The pads aren't large (the largest is about 6") but they're moderately acceptable overall. I had no problem hitting them. Even the smallest one was easily located on the fly. I would prefer larger pads, but the configuration is acceptable. What isn't acceptable is the performance. In my unit, the left pedal didn't work well... a connection problem. I also had a problem with "double-hits" on the right pedal. Clearly not constructed well. The foot pedals are an odd size, but I did like the fact they were a vertical-contact pedal, allowing one to bounce one's entire food up and down on them, releasing ankle strain. An unusual but beneficial design. Would be nice if they actually worked. In short, I'm glad I ordered from Amazon, because I applied for return within an hour of opening the box. I'll spend three times this much for a decent set, but I can't warrant $[...] for this one. Sorry Fender, you're a great company. And Amazon, you're a super-great distributor. But this product missed the boat.

The product is great! Love how you can record & play back your own stuff.

This pad is terrific for beginners or for getting a quick practice in. User configurable in more ways than I'll ever use. I like having the MIDI-in/out for laying down tracks to a computer. While it can't compete with a true, full-blown set, it's definitely a step up from the kiddie sets out there.

If you are someone who learned to play drums acoustically (on a regular/real drum-set), then this Fender set will annoy the p*ss out of you. Its response and sensitivity is so bad that you will become quickly bothered and will want to toss this machine out the window (second story!). Also, the machine that I received had a defective power supply, so whenever I hit the bass pedal, the machine completely shut off. Nice. I wouldn't waste your dollars. Look for another brand (maybe Yamaha?), or try a Midi trigger type device that you can hook up to your computer.

This now discontinued product from Fender is disappointing. It is not an expensive drum kit, but I would have expected more realistic drum sounds and a more authentic drum feel. In addition the product shipped with only one of the two advertised drum peddles. (Fender was very helpful and found a peddle even though the product is no longer being manufactured.) I would suggest that if you are interested in a drum kit, spend a little more and get a better product.

Reviews

My son received this toy as a gift for Christmas this year. He's only 2 years old, so he's too young to really enjoy it. He did press the buttons a few times, however. But that was about it. The toy is geared for children a bit older. It says 4 and up on the box. I guessed it would be for children 5 and up before reading the box. The child needs to either be able to understand how to keep time with music, or be very creative. This toy offers all sorts of options for creativity! You get six buttons on the neck, six keys on the keyboard, and four pads to check the drum beat. You can add fills and be as creative as you want. There is a dial for changing the tempo as well. The volume dial is right next to tempo. You get two styles of music to choose from - rock or rap. Both are extremely fun to jam with! If you have more than one child, and some of them are 5 or older, this toy can easily be a big hit. Since I only have a 2 year old son, I took the liberty to be the "one man jam" all over the apartment! It was a blast, and my family enjoyed the show. This is a fun toy.

Reviews

Christmas morning was a blast with this thing. Has a big sound, many different kits, songs you can play along with, recording function, headphones, foot pedals, etc. The hi-hat pedal can 'open' & 'close' the high-hat while you hit the corresponding hi-hat pad. Deducted 1 star due to responsiveness. It's like a set of fancy practice pads, understandible. But you sort of need to hit the pad towards the center with pretty good force sometimes, I couldn't really figure out why it seemed less responsive sometimes. Not a deal breaker by any means. It seems so-so for training kids how to play the drums. Probably good for learning basic rhythms, etc. It may work ok ofr a small band thing. I plan to try recording some drum beats to import into my computer for composition (I believe it has a USB out). I had fun on it. I like the headphones. It can go pretty loud too -- I was very surpised at the nice sound on this little thing!

I travel for work and have been searching for a nice affordable drum machine that I can take with me to lay down some base beats with all my guitar friends. This machine fit that need. I am impressed with the functionality and diverseness of the voices for such a small package. The pedals however leave a lot to be desired, they are a bit sticky at times and move allot...but I've worked around that by purchasing standard e'pedals from ebay. Other than the pedals, for the money this machine was well worth it, great for beginners as well without breaking the bank.

I was an avid drummer for many years but had to leave my drum set behind during a move and then got married, had kids, etc. etc. I wanted to start drumming again but didn't have the money to invest in a full set. This is an excellent product for beginning drummers, kids, and those like myself who just wanted to get their chops back before buying a full set. The response is excellent but as you can expect the functionality of the high-hat is very limited. I would recommend this product to anyone who wanted to try the drums and wasn't sure if buying a thousand dollar crash-ride was a smart investment just yet.

My Grandson loves his drum set,just exactly what he wanted. I told him to show it to me and I was amazed at how well made it seemed to be and how it worked and sounded so good.

This has all the bells and whistles. Very good quality. A bit complicated for 11 yr old but he will grow into it. Sound is good, various songs/rythmns to play along with fun. I really recommend this product.

Reviews

I bought this book because I'm a guitar player, not a drummer, and I needed some ideas for my drum machine to record. I wish I could return this book (it was a present). Please believe me, you will learn much more about drum patterns if you search online for drum TABs. To program my machine now, I look for a TAB to a song that has a similar beat and go from there. You could even do a search for basic drum patterns or something similar and in a matter of minutes have exponentially more and better information than what is contained in this book. Did I say it strongly enough...this book was ABSOLUTELY no help. The comments from previous users, as far as dynamics, are right on. But again, an online search should point you to an excellent article by Nicholas Rowland. Save your money...please.

Years ago I was very into electronic music and searched for a book like this. No babble no fruit just drum patterns...recently I found some of my old gear and started setting it up. I searched around on amazon to buy something, well cause i was buying a present for someone and I wanted free shipping. Lame I know. But I found this book (there is an older version with 200 patterns - I think its the same but this one has some added pages, so get this one). The book does exactly what its supposed to supply basic drum beats, variations, fills and breaks, in a bare bones matrix representation. The beats are good, the patterns are not awesome - this book provides a bases to build from. The breaks are OK but all these patterns start to get great when you tweak them, change to strange samples that fit the niche of whatever basic instrument and start to layer effects. Its not cheating because you programmed it and didn't rip from another song...like some...dj - :-D if you program beats, buy this book

I bought this book years (decades?) ago. The copyright year says 1987; I probably bought it a couple of years later back when I had an Alesis HR-16 drum machine. I remember programming in a few drum patterns from the book and being pleased with the results, it's just that back then I didn't have the recording equipment, synthesizers and so on to suplement the drums (plus, I wasn't as good of a musican as I am now, at least I like to think I've improved a lot since then). So I put the book on the shelf and forgot about it. I remembered this book tonight, and on a whim I took it down off of the shelf, dusted it off, and began programming some of the "R&B" patterns into Sonar. Unlike those days in the late 80s, I have the means now to do the drum patterns justice. The advent of today's DAWs make it easy for "bedroom" musicans like me to realize their musical dreams. Anyway, I've found that these patterns to be really good (so far). I'm hearing them in a way I couldn't originally. I'm looking forward to programming in many of the other patterns, especially the Rock and Funk patterns. Some tips: 1) When programming in the drum parts, be sure to play around with the dynamics (MIDI note velocity). The book has accent marks for some of the notes, but really to get more realistic results you need to go farther. As a general rule, try emphasizing the downbeats. But let your ears be your guide. 2) The drum patterns use a small subset of the drums found in today's General MIDI drum map. Back then your typical drum machine didn't have a large set of drum samples to choose from. So be sure to take advantage of the GM drum map to add realism to the patterns. For example, if a drum pattern calls for a cymbal crash two notes in a row, use the first cymbal crash (note 49) for the first crash and the second cymbal crash (note 57) for the second crash. That way you're not hearing the same crash sample so close together. Even better if you have a drum machine (something like EZDrummer) that has some kind of humanizing algorithm for mixing up the samples. 3) You may want to play around with the note placements to change the characteristic of the beats. For example, moving the snare drum on beat 2 and 4 slightly ahead of the beat for a more driven feel. 4) Instead of using the same pattern over and over again, alternate between two patterns that complement each other. The book's introduction talks about this. Also, when repeating the same pattern, go in and make a small change so that it has some variation. This will add to the realism of the performance. That's about it. I'm glad I've rediscovered this book. There are tons of prefab drum MIDI files out there (Groove Monkee comes to mind). These are great, but I gotta say, it's fun traveling a bit back in time and doing things the old fashion way. For one thing you really get inside a pattern by entering it by hand one note at a time. If you have the patience, it's very rewarding.

I am not very musically inclined, but I love making it. I use only a computer, no drums, so these beat patterns have been wonderful. I would never be original enough to come up interesting beats on my own. It's also helped me learn about rhythm.

Well, I just got a Roland tr-808. It a lot of antiquated features I wish newer ones had. This book provides ideas for fills, intros, and basic patterns. Good stuff!!!

Reviews

I don't feel that the patterns in this book are very useful outside of the most basic types of music. The patterns areorganized in a visual format allowing for easy programminginto grid type sequencers which is a plus for those who cannotread standard music notation. However these patterns simplydo not cut it except perhaps for those seeking an introductionto beginning MIDI drum programming. Anyone expecting interestingpatterns should look elsewhere.

Book is very basic and simple. Easily applicable to any drum machine. Most rhythms in this book are very basic and thus highly recommended for those just getting into drum programming. Anyone wishing for more intracate drum patterns this is not the book for that. These patterns are cool enough to get you going. Alot of cool basic rhythms presented in this book. Simple and concise.

Reviews

This book is worthless. If you have Cubase, and have no clue how to lay down a drum rhythm then it may help you with it's ample screen shots of the Cubase drum editor. It has sample midi files, but they are saved without the right extension, so if you want to use them you have to copy them from the CD and rename them. Save your time, there are better drum books out there.

In the first paragraph of the introduction it states that the book does not affiliate itself to any one sequencing package and instead focuses on common rhythm manipulation techniques and concepts found in all sequencing applications. What it should say is that this book is only for people who currently have a deep understanding of LOGIC and or CUBASE, and through the 51 Tutorials its possible that you might grasp some concepts of rhythm manipulation techniques. This book never at any point mentions generalities of sequencing software but only specific actions of what to do in CUBASE and LOGIC, and rarely explains the purpose or reason. After a poor explanation of AUDIO and how it relates to computers. the tutorials start and are relentless and without clear guidelines as to why these 6 tutorials are part of a chapter and the next two tutorials are part of a different chapter. then apparently board with tutorials the book spends a chapter defining audio effects, (delay, echo, phase, ect ) No not discussing these will effects our rhythms or drums just defining what a echo is and how compression works. then in a chapter titled STYLES it list percussion sounds, Latin, funk, rock, and snare rolls. and then fro no reason at all the tutorials start back up again and power through the rest of the book. also a key factor this book has no Index in the back or any sort of indication that the book is finished. leaving the reader in terror that more tutorials might have made it into other copies, and other people might have had to endure more before they realized this book will only make you hate drummers.

I learned absolutely nothing from this book. My only advice is: steer away from it! This guy is probably a good drummer, but know nothing about teaching. Everything is repeated a hundred times. I was expecting to learn something about humanising, velocity, ghost hits and things that makes your programming a little more lively and more real, but disappointingly he didn't cover that stuff other than scratching the surface. And the CD which was included in the book was full of midi-files and wave-files without a file-extention, so I had to copy them all over to my hard disk and rename them...

This book has little to teach that's not for the absolute beginner. To boot, the only time it gets into detail is when it's dealing with Cubase specific programming.

Really good book, but the Discription omits 1 major detail. This Book is ENTIRELY based on Cubase and a little bit on Logic Audio. I use neither products ( i prefer Ableton Live) and feel that it should be put in the Discription. Cubase Users will get a Lot out of this book, Beginners or Advanced MIDI people.

Reviews

The skins came quickly and looked great. Very easy to install and they stick very well to the drum pads. After just a day or two of normal use though I noticed the red pad started showing heavy wear. Huge cracks and holes that make the pad look torn and not silenced as well as the others. The drum sticks look and feel great. Light and smooth. Much better than the sticks that came with the Rock Band 2 kit. Still searching for the perfect pads that muffle the loud sound and wrap around the outer rim that makes such a horrible sound when it is hit. Might see if my wife can knit something up that works better than these. For the price, getting the pads for just a few months and getting the better drum sticks makes it worth the trouble....

While these do look really cool and the colors are more visible the pads did not last long. We had them a few weeks before the adhesive backing let go and they started to slip around on the drum head. Once that happened they never stuck again. The printed graphics started to crack and the foamy/neoprene like material the pads are made of was easily gouged. The drum sticks are holding up ok. They are lighter then the plain wooden ones that came with our RB2 set. I wouldn't order these silencers again and would return them if it wasn't such a hassle.

These are a nice foam drum silencer that was very easy to adhere with sticky backing--just peel and stick. They look cool which I knew would please my son. I am not sure on their actual performance--just very cool! The bonus drumsticks with skulls were also great!

What a great idea & the skulls really add a cool touch. These pads really cut down on the pecking noise that is made when the drums are played. The only thing is that they cannot be used on more than one set of drums. Very sticky backing. They definitely do not slide around. Price was great & shipping was fast.

Really like them you can see the colors better so when friends come over an want to jam it helps them to.Sets your drums apart from the others. As for the silence part really didn't notice but that could just be me over all really cool.

Reviews

When I heard about this game I was thrilled but began to realize how limited it was. Once you got use to it, one began to realize how hard it was to make good music. Just wish there was more to it. Wish I could download extra work or had more slots to make one song from. Not to say it wasn't fun and that I didn't play the heck out of it but after a while I got bored. Nice to pick up every so often though. Wish I could upload to a site or phone. Still a fun game and love the mixing on-the-fly.

It's one part drum machine, one part synth, one part sequencer and one part kaosillator. A surprisingly powerful piece of software! Buy it.

This software isn't exactly a game. It is a great tool to electronic music on the go. Built in are a four beat, four-part, customizeable drum machine, two different analog synthesizers, and much more. Any type of beat or song you can dream in your head; you can recreate with Korg DS-10. a must have for any musician or fan of digital music!

korg ds-10 is a great"game". the reason i put"" around game was because its not much of a game but if you have ever thought about a career in music production then this is a great start minus the actual lyrics

This little thing rocks. It has two monophonic synthesizers based on the Korg MS-20 and a four voice drum synthesizer. It operates in a very logical fashion, with a sixteen by four grid for the drums: if you want the drum to hit there, you fill in the little square. Synthesizer programming is difficult, but there is a significant 'leg up' in the form of preset sounds. Bass sounds, lead sounds, special effects and drum sounds and every sound can be loaded into any of the six slots. Take a preset, modify to your liking and all of a sudden you're making music. There are two three-setting Kaoss pads too. One setting is for notes, the next is for volume and pan and the third is for whacky or non-whacky filter and resonance sweeps. You can record any activity on the Kaoss pads just by pushing the little red circle. For any aspiring musician, active musician or puttering musician this is one 'game' that should not be missed. It's worth ten times the price I paid just for the fun I've had with it already.

Reviews

I like the bag..it fits all the parts and i can take my drum every where i go..:)

This bag looks great and is good quality. Not available at local retail stores.Rock Band Drum Bag

I bought this item with the idea that it would cost me the price plus some shipping, but there needs to be a warning. Because of new Canadian laws, any shipments over 20 dollars from the US are held at the border and must be cleared by the person purchasing the item. This means that a courier company must be used. This turned my meager 60 dollar purchase into a 150 dollar buzzkill. I kept it because I found out it would cost me more to ship it back! The item is good and works (although it doesn't fit the rockband 2 drum set too well. I write this negative review for the Canadians who shop on this site. Be warned.

Great bag for both storing and travelling with your drums. I use it from time to time to store it away when the young kids come over that I don't want messing with my drums. I also used it this summer to carry the drums on our family vacation as everyone was eager to play Rock Band at nights in the beach house. It has velcro straps and elastic to tie everything down nicely and has a convient pocket that can hold 2 sets of drum sticks, the game, a memory card with some room to spare. Unless your drum set stays assembled all the time and you never tote it to someone elses house, I would highly recommend this bag.

I wish I could give this bag a better review. Unfortunately, I cannot. The Good, what there is of it : The bag is made of a nice, strong material, it's not likely to rip. This is good. The zippers, not the best though and the pull on one of mine came off on the first use. I had to re-attach and then crimp with a pair of pliers. What is Bad - getting the drum kit placed in the bag properly and securing it down. Not an easy task. The Process, and it is one : Your kit gets broken down into it's individual components and then laid out and velcro'd into place. The problem is - the kit is bulky and the bag doesn't seem to take that into consideration. All the parts, pedal and all, fit into the bag - but not very easily. With their diverse shapes and lengths, it's a bit like origami. Couple that with the velcro securing tabs, and it's not a fun or easy time of it. The velcro straps are barely big enough to stretch over the tubes and components. Several times they've come undone while the bag was just sitting. More of the Bad : My other complaint with this bag is that it isn't very well padded. The parts bang together and get kind of knocked around when carrying. No protection beyond the bag material itself. I'm hoping the good folks over at Rock Band come up with a better transport. This one, it barely gets the job done. Basically, consider this a carrying device and nothing else - No protection, and not for storage.