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Drum Machines
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Peterson]Marcus Peterson

Drum machines are popular electronic music machines consisting of digital signal processing circuits and memory. These are widely used as the backbeat for all types of music such as pop, jazz, salsa, funk and hip-hop. Structurally similar to a small box, a drum machine has a number of small buttons that enables the player to create many different sounds and beats.

The history of drum machines dates back to the 1930s. Early drum machines were referred to as rhythm machines. The first successful drum machine was introduced during the 1970s. It was known as the first programmable rhythm machine that allowed players to create their own beat. The programmable machine allows drummers to create a drumming pattern simply by pressing the trigger pads though a drum kit or using step sequencing. The beginning of the 21st century witnessed many innovations in drum machines. Software based sequencing and sampling, the use of loops, and integrated drum sounds sequencing are some of the latest additions.

Drum machines duplicate the sound of drums and other percussion instruments for any type of live musical programs and recording. You can record your patch for later use or modify the existing patch by adding your own sounds. Drum machines also support many inputs and outputs. Modern machines serve as sequencers with sample playback or synthesizer component that can reproduce the drum timbres and the sound of traditional percussion instruments. Some models have pressure sensitive pads for finger drumming. Each pad is assigned unique sounds such as bass, snare, low-tom, cymbal crash, hi-tom, etc. The LED screen on the machine pad displays the selected patches or the tracks. If your machine has some advanced features like MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) connectivity, you can easily program it with other MIDI devices or a computer.

Some of the main advantages of drum machines include easy programming and provisions for faster beats. Moreover, they are convenient and portable and simulate a variety of sounds. The technical features may vary from one model to another. [http://www.z-Drums.com]Drums provides detailed information on Drums, Drum Sets, Steel Drums, Custom Drums and more. Drums is affiliated with [http://www.e-DrumSets.com]Electronic Drum Sets.

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