iDrum Club Edition – Review

Our rating:

By: iZotope, Inc.

Version #: 1.0

Date Released: 2008-08-09

Developer:

Price: 4.99

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iDrum is all about creating drum beats (patterns) from scratch. This program has a unique graphic method of placing the beats you want to record into a rhythmic line. The concept is constructed into 16 boxes. All 16 boxes represent a labeled digital drum sound. There are 16 little boxes (within each big box) representing 1 unit of 16 that make up a "measure" or 4 beats of time. After everything is played in that box the next box will be come active and whatever pattern you have created in that box will now be played.

There is a list of 20 pre-recorded patterns in alphabetical order that you can use as a starting point.

They each have a name and tempo that are pre-determined. Each drum "song" is distinctly different in tempo, style and feel. You might like to just play each one first, to see what’s in store for you.

When you start the sequencer (recorder) you can watch how the boxes are reacting to the pre-recorded beats. If you watch closely you’ll see that the small boxes are reacting to what’s already been recorded.

After you watch how those impulses are lighting up the little boxes, you can tap the large box which will enlarge the box so you can interact with the smaller boxes. After you’ve identified the sound for the boxes then you concentrate on the 16 small boxes within each "sound" box.

When you tap a particular small box it, listen to where that sound was placed in the pattern. You can continue to use this tap method to build a drum "track" that would be exclusively your creation. Sixteen seems to be the magic number! There are sixteen large boxes with 16 small boxes inside for your tapping.

This is a very clever graphic method of building a drum track. There’s no nice drum pictures to use, but this sequencer can be a very useful tool in understanding how drum tracks are put together. Have fun and you might come up with something exciting!

Quick Take:

Value: It will be fun for all, but especially useful for the drummer or arranger looking for different drum patterns.
Would I Buy Again: No question! It’s well worth the effort to learn how to "play" the iDrum program
Learning Curve: For the uninitiated, it might take an evening to get the hang of it, but for the musician who is already familiar with how drum tracks are built, it won’t be than an hour or two!
Who is it for: Anyone will have a great time playing with the pre-recorded "drum songs". But the professional drummer or arranger will find this tool quite valuable in a tiny package.
What I like: The digital sounds are excellent in quality. The pre-recorded patterns "songs" are already interesting and will inspire you to add your own touch to the tracks as they develop.
What I Don’t: Being a professional drummer for so long, I’ve always seen drum music in a "linear" fashion left to right! Had I been asked to design this program I might have considered using a single 16 box set up instead of a 4X4 configuration. With 16 horizontal boxes it would be just like written music. Every 4 boxes would be numbered as a consecutive beat. It would just be a little easier for the amateur to visualize. In any case, as a drum sequencer this is a winner.

Final Statement: for those interested in making interesting drum tracks just for fun or to be added to some real sequenced song this simple little drum sequencer is just the ticket! I’m impressed with how well this program was conceptualized. The few suggestions I made were purely from a professional’s point of view. This program can be enjoyed by anyone young and old without regard for any of the technical suggestions I made. It a word (or three),… It’s a winner!!