Top Drum Machines

Best Suited For: Mostly recreating acoustic drum sounds, bass & drum backing tracks, practice, some electronic genres, studio use, live use

While Roland’s TR-8 is a fantastic drum machine, if might not suit you if you’re looking for something more versatile for use with non-electronic and non-hip hop genres. Enter the Alesis SR-18. Successor to the very popular Alesis SR-16, the SR-18 is a compact, portable, relatively affordable, full-featured drum machine, and most importantly it sounds fantastic.

The great thing about the Alesis SR-18 is that it’s made for every type of music, not just hip hop or house. You get numerous sounds and patterns for rock, blues, funk, jazz, and many more. Electronic musicians, fear not; electronic music and hip hop patterns are well-represented too. The best way to describe the SR-18 is to think about two categories drum machines fit in. The first category is more the world of the 808 and 909, which produce non-acoustic sounding drum hits, that are used as the percussive backbone to electronic, house, rap, pop, etc. The second realm is that of drum machines that are meant to substitute real drums through digital samples, and that’s more where the Alesis SR-18 fits in. It doesn’t sound exactly like a real drummer - no drum machine really does - but it honestly does a very nice rendition. In our research, we found many of its users to be solo rock/blues/country/jazz/metal guitarists and bassists who need the backing of drums to perform, or songwriters who need a scratch pad to build songs or record demos. Nonetheless, one of our favorite demo videos of it is actually for some electronic music:

What makes the SR-18 even more powerful as a practice or recording tool is its inclusion of bass sounds. The bass does admittedly sound a little cheesy and not nearly as good as the drum samples, but it could serve as a great start if you’re a guitarist and need a backbone for songwriting (and if not, you can just switch the bass off).

The Alesis SR-18 is well built, small, extremely portable, and can be powered with batteries so you can lay down beats on the go. Its layout is relatively intuitive, and the big bright display makes it easy to see what’s going on, especially if you’re on stage in a dark venue. There are loads of patterns and sounds to explore on this drum machine. Everything on the SR-18 feels very solid, and the drum pads have a nice tactile feel for jamming on it live (unfortunately the velocity response on them is limited). Patterns can be 4, 8, or 16 beats long, drum kits can be fully customized, and you can tweak the parameters of each individual sound. Programming and step-editing can be little challenging, and we found ourselves getting lost in the menus at a few points, but it’s nothing that can’t be be solved by spending some time with the manual.

The included effects like reverb, EQ, and Compression are nice, but one gripe users have is that they are not fully customizable. They come in the form of presets. They are still quite usable and help shape your drum sounds, but this limitation is something to be aware of. The multiple outputs of the SR-18 are nice, since they allow you to do interesting things with routing different parts of the signal to different outputs. One of the biggest complaints of this drum machine is the lack of USB port to interface with your computer. It does have MIDI IN/OUT, but the inclusion of USB would have been nice.

Bottom Line: The Alesis SR-18 is a very effective, self-contained tool. Its limitations and lack of expansion options prevent it from being the end-all, be-all drum machine. The lack of USB is peculiar, it’s almost like Alesis gave it a 90s feel by design. What you do get with the SR-18 is a variety of very nice and crisp sounding drum samples covering multiple genres, portability, ease of use, all with a very attractive price tag. The most common sentiment about the SR-18 from its owners are that it’s simply a fun machine to use. Whether you’re new to drum machines or are a fan of the older SR-16, you’ll find lots to love about the SR-18.

Best Suited For: Techno, electronic, hip hop, experimental, drum sound design, studio use, live use

When we make buying guides, we tend to shy away from items that are discontinued and thus could be hard to come by. We had to make an exception for the Korg Electribe ER-1, one of the highest recommended drum machines in all the forums we looked in. The ER-1 is one of several sound modules from Korg that are part of the Electribe family (the others are synths and samplers). Released in 1999, the Korg Electribe ER-1 is already labeled as a classic by many electronic musicians.

Rather than jump into the features, let’s talk about this drum machine’s central and most unique feature - the way it sounds. The ER-1 is definitely not a one-size-fits-all machine. It has a unique sound that is best described as electronic, analog, and synth-like. If it’s realistic, sample-based drum sounds you want, look elsewhere. We hesitate to call the ER-1 limited, because with some programming it is surprisingly versatile. Just don’t expect realistic drum sounds like the Alesis SR-18, nor a perfect out-of-the-box reproduction of Roland’s x0x drum machines like the TR-8 provides. The Electribe ER-1 is very much its own beast. Perhaps watching this quick demo video will help you decide if it’s for you or not before you read on:

On the right side of the ER-1 you’ll see ten buttons dedicated to playing each of its drum sounds. The way it works with the ER-1 is that you only get this one “kit,” which is why it has such a specific sound character, but it’s very tweakable. The four pads in the Percussion Synthesizer section are powered by a virtual analogue synth engine, and you can shape all four with the knobs atop the machine (you choose the oscillator, LFO, etc). You can create a deep kick drum, a tinny snare drum, and even some strange glitchy sounds. Unlike the Roland TR-8, you can record knob automations in your patterns, which allows you to have beats with shifting and morphing sounds. The next two pads are dedicated to the AUDIO IN jack, which lets you trigger any sound you feed into the Electribe from an external device (this can be loads of fun). The other four pads - an open hi-hat, closed hi-hat, crash, and clap - are sample-based. Many of the reviews we read say these four sample-based sounds are one of the weaker parts of the ER-1, as they are only slightly tweakable, and aren’t very punchy. You also get a 16 step sequencer along the bottom of the machine, but you can concatenate up to 4 sections of 16 steps, for a total of 64. In terms of effects, the ER-1 is rather limited. You have a delay control that gets applies to all the parts at once. Luckily, it sounds really cool, sort of digital and stuttery (you can record automations on that as well).

This drum machine is built well and it’s an ideal size. It’s compact enough to throw in your backpack, but large enough so you won’t struggle to tweak the knobs and jam out on it. Much like the TR-8, it’s a very accessible drum machine. Everything you need to start playing with it is laid out on the front panel nicely. No hidden menus to deal with here. In terms of outputs you have a mail L/R output, and a headphones jack. Unfortunately this means you cannot route certain drum sounds out to different places. Perhaps you could get around that by playing with panning, where say you pan a kick drum all the way to the left, so that it only comes out of the left output. This is not a deal-breaker by any means, just a minor nice-to-have feature. There is also no USB connection, so you’ll have to rely on old school MIDI to sync it up with other devices or your computer.

Bottom Line: If you’re not looking for realistic drum sounds, the Korg Electribe ER-1 is a drum machine you at least have to consider. Its unique angle of giving you a single, very tweakable sound set makes it very fun and immediate. You just never know what you’ll come up with each time you sit down with it. If you’re a beginner, the ease with which you can program it will teach you the basics for drum creation. If you’re a pro, by owning one you’d be joining the likes of artists like Underworld, Legowelt, and The Prodigy’s Liam Howlett. For the price, it’s an incredibly good drum machine, and has features you wouldn’t find unless you spent $500 and up. The most consistent places you can find it used and in good condition are Reverb and eBay, so make sure to check there.

Best Suited For: Techno, electronic, hip hop, experimental, portable beat making, practice, studio use, live use, drum sound design

The Korg Volca Beats may be small, but it packs a big punch. This analog drum machine takes one of the top spots in just about every “best drum machine” list around, and for good reason. It’s certainly not perfect, and it’s more at home with electronic and hip hop musicians as opposed to rock, but it’s hard to ask for a better drum machine given its very budget-friendly price tag.

The Volca Beats is one of four mini analog instruments from Korg (the others being Volca Bass, Volca Keys, and Volca Sample). It features 6 voices, plus 4 additional PCM voices (clap, claves, agogo and crash). The overall tonal character of it can be described somewhere between a Roland TR-808 and a Korg KPR-77. It can do huge kick drums, glitchy snares, and spacey toms. The kick, snare, toms, and hats all have three adjustable parameters like Pitch and Decay, which allows you to radically alter them. Similar to the Korg Electribe ER-1, you get a single drum kit, so it is a bit limited in terms of sound profile. It is definitely more fitting for those wanting to make beats in the context of hip hop, R&B, techno, and many other electronic music genres (basically, anywhere you would use a Roland TR-808). What it does do, it does very well. The Volca Beats sounds really nice, particularly the kick drums you can make with it. We agree with this sentiment:

The kick drum tone is worth the price of admission alone, and the snare has a gritty, complex texture that to my ears is more interesting than the snare of the 808, 909, or similar drum machines.

Take a moment to hear how it sounds:

The Korg Volca Beats is small, definitely making it one the most portable drum machines around. You can power it with an AC adapter in the studio, or six AA batteries. The batteries surprisingly last a while (note that it does include batteries, but the 9V adapter is sold separately). One word of caution is because of its small size, its knobs are a little cramped, which is something to be aware of if you have big fingers. In terms of connectivity you have a MIDI IN port which lets you link the Volca Beats to your DAW or any other MIDI device, a Sync IN and OUT for controlling other Korg Volca machines, and a headphones jack which serves as your main output to hook it up to headphones, your audio interface, or some speakers (hook the Volca Beats up to some good studio monitors to really be floored by its sound). It even has a small, very cheap-sounding built-in speaker in case you have no headphones handy. You get 16 step sequencer, 8 locations to store your own patterns, tempo adjustments, and a load of other fun options all easily accessible from the intuitive interface. The stutter effect is particularly fun. It’s based on the current tempo setting, and can be applied to all the voices or a single one.

A few caveats: The pads on the Volca Beats feel great, but they are lacking velocity sensitivity. Also, we noticed a slight bit of disparity between the volume levels of the voices, which means you’ll need to adjust the kit to sound more even. And finally, note that when you load a pattern you saved, the analog sounds are not recalled. The Volca Beats will play back the pattern using whatever the current front panel knobs are set to.

Bottom Line: In today’s world where everyone is using nothing but software synths and plugins, having a dedicated hardware drum machine like this one can be a game changer. Its portability means you can practice designing kick drums and snares or work on making loops and beats anywhere, anytime. All you need is your Volca Beats powered by batteries, and some decent headphones. This is what gets us really excited about the Volca Beats, there’s just something inspiring about its ease of use, simplicity, and tweakability. It’s slightly more limited than the Electribe ER-1, but it’s a bit less expensive, and readily available to be purchased brand new. The sounds that come out of it are impressive, and it’s great fun to play with. We felt our drum and beat programming skills improve every time we used it. If you’re at all serious about programming some great beats, at this price we suggest you pick one up. Best Bang for Your Buck.

Best Suited For: Electronic, hip hop, R&B, pop, drum sound design, studio use, live use

If you think of the Korg Volca Beats as a really fun motorcycle or scooter, the Elektron Machinedrum SPS-1 MKII is like the Mercedes-Benz of drum machines. This boutique drum machine originally came out in 2001 and was a game changer at the time. There have been several iterations of it since, but in our research, the most recommended one is the Machinedrum SPS-1 MKII. We’ll warn you now - it’s pricey. But for those that demand the best and have the budget for it, you’d be hard-pressed to go with anything else.

The Swedish-made Elektron Machinedrum’s sound engine is based on their machine concept, where each type of machine inside this unit is a different type of percussion synth to create the kicks, snares, claps, etc. For instance, the TRX machine creates Roland TR-x0x drum sounds, the EFM is for more FM-synthesis type sounds, you’ve got E12, P1 to simulate the behavior of acoustic drums, etc. You’ll find all these groupings as you scroll through the menus. We should note that while the P1 machine is billed as recreating acoustic drums, you’ll have better results if you just approach it as yet another drum synth and sound design tool. If realistic acoustic drum sounds are what you’re after, we think you should look at the Alesis SR-18.

Everything we just said is pretty technical, and we’re mentioning it because it means the Elektron Machinedrum is a sound generating powerhouse. There is so much flexibility and versatility in what you can create. It’s extremely customizable, and will fit into your studio perfectly whether it’s your first drum machine, or you’re adding an already existing studio and synth setup.

Considering how powerful it is and how much it can do, the layout is actually fairly straightforward. The left side focuses on part and pattern selection, there’s a screen in the center, and record/play/stop buttons on the right side. On the top right are 8 knobs which can control synthesis, effects, or routing, depending what you have selected. Along the bottom, you’ve got a 16 step sequencer. Speaking of the sequencer, pattern creation is easy - you can make patterns using the traditional step sequencer mode, or changes can be made to the pattern in the real time recording mode.

The connectivity is pretty comprehensive. You get a headphones out, main L/R out, and four additional outputs for flexible routing of drums. You also have a standard MIDI IN/OUT/THRU, so you can communicate with your DAW or other MIDI devices. The build quality of the Elektron Machinedrum is fantastic, as you would expect at this price-point. It’s worth mentioning that the way it’s designed and laid out, it makes for a great tool if you have live performance and improvisation in mind.

Bottom Line: The Machinedrum is in its own class of drum machines, and has a lot more going for it than the sub-$500 machines on our list. It’s one of the most flexible drum machines available, and no plugin or VST really comes close to this quality. That said, we have to admit it’s not as fun and immediate as the Roland TR-8, Korg ER-1 or Volca Beats. You have to wrap your head around the menu system and figure out what the different sound engines mean. We recommend this one if you have prior experience with synths or drum machines, or if you have the budget for it and love boutique made instruments. It’s certainly pricey, but the price is justified considering you’re getting a modern classic, and one of the most versatile and powerful drum machines in existence.

The Elektron Octatrack revolutionizes rhythmic production through its innovative eight-track engine design. Each track functions as a complete sampling channel with drum-focused recording and processing capabilities. Four dedicated track types offer specialized approaches to beat manipulation. Flex tracks excel at tempo-synced drum loops and beat-slicing, Static tracks optimize RAM usage for longer drum breaks, Neighbor tracks enable seamless sharing of drum hits, while Thru tracks process external drum machines with a comprehensive effects suite.

Audio manipulation transforms drum patterns via the Machines system. Every track hosts specialized playback engines optimized for percussion. The Single Machine handles traditional one-shot drum hits and samples, the Pickup Machine enables beat-juggling and drum break manipulation. The Flex Machine provides advanced time-stretching algorithms specifically tuned for drums, from tight kicks to complex percussion loops, each Machine features dedicated parameter sets for transforming simple drum hits into complex rhythmic elements.

Pattern sequencing elevates drum programming possibilities through its 64-step sequencer, combining traditional step sequencing with Elektron's renowned parameter locks for per-step changes of drum characteristics. Conditional triggers introduce probability-based variation perfect for humanizing drum patterns, while micro-timing adjustments enable MPC-style groove manipulation. The Scene system captures complete drum kit snapshots, enabling real-time transitions between different rhythm sections.

Performance features empower live beat manipulation. Crossfader enables seamless morphing between drum pattern variations, while dedicated track mutes allow for dynamic drum breaks. Real-time sampling captures and instantly manipulates external drum sources with automatic slicing and distribution across multiple tracks. The comprehensive MIDI sequencing enables synchronized control of external drum machines with the same parameter lock depth available for internal sounds.

Advanced routing options enable complex drum processing chains. Each track features multiple audio outputs for individual drum processing and dedicated cue outputs for monitoring. The internal mixing system provides precise control over drum levels, panning, and send effects with three send effects configurable for drum-specific processing (from traditional reverbs to experimental percussion mangling). Master track adds final stage compression and EQ for cohesive rhythm section shaping.

Storage recall features balance instant kit changes with depth. Project system organizes complete sets of drum patterns, samples, and settings while Parts feature enables lightning-fast recall of different drum machine configurations. The comprehensive file management system handles drum sample transfer and backup operations, supporting multiple storage devices via USB port, while built-in sample editing provides precise control over drum hit start points, loop regions, and slice points.

MIDI implementation expands rhythmic control options. Extensive MIDI CC mapping enables integration with external drum controllers, while MIDI sequencing capabilities turn the Octatrack into a central drum production hub. Track automation can be recorded from external MIDI sources, captured from panel movements, or programmed step by step, while the USB port handles both MIDI and sample transfer, streamlining integration with modern drum machine setups.

The Roland TR-6S is a compact powerhouse that brings Roland’s legendary drum machine heritage into a modern, performance-ready format with extensive sound design capabilities and intuitive workflow.

It reimagines Roland’s drum machine legacy through sophisticated digital modeling. Advanced Circuit Behavior technology meticulously recreates the distinctive character of classic TR-series machines while adding contemporary flexibility. Each modeled instrument captures the nuanced behavior of its analog counterpart - from the way the 808 kick’s decay interacts with tuning to the subtle distortion characteristics of the 909’s snare compression.

Sound design possibilities extend far beyond vintage emulation. The six-track architecture allows simultaneous use of different sound engines. FM synthesis adds distinctive metallic textures and experimental percussion, while the sample engine handles acoustic drums and imported sounds with equal finesse. The intuitive parameter controls maintain a hands-on feel, with dedicated knobs for tone, decay, and tuning that respond with analog-like immediacy. Layer multiple sound sources on a single track to create complex hybrid instruments or split them across tracks for independent control.

Pattern programming combines classic TR-style step sequencing with modern production tools. The step buttons provide familiar 16-step sequences, but the probability function adds controlled variation to any step. Sub-step programming enables intricate rhythmic detail, from subtle ghost notes to complex rolls. The variation system generates intelligent pattern alternatives that maintain musical coherence while introducing new rhythmic ideas.

Performance features demonstrate thoughtful integration of classic and contemporary approaches. Real-time recording captures dynamic playing through velocity-sensitive trigger pads, while step recording offers precise control. The customizable effect section processes individual tracks or entire mixes, featuring studio-quality reverbs, delays, and character effects that can be automated per step. The filter section draws inspiration from vintage analog designs while offering modern precision and stability.

Advanced sequencing capabilities unlock sophisticated rhythm programming. Control depth extends to micro-timing adjustments, accent levels, and parameter automation for each step. Multi-measure patterns allow complex arrangements spanning up to four bars, while fill variations create dynamic transitions between sections. Probability settings can be applied to individual parameters, creating evolving patterns that maintain their fundamental groove.

Connectivity options prioritize modern production workflows. USB audio and MIDI integration enables seamless connection with DAWs for multi-track recording and external control. Balanced stereo outputs deliver pristine audio quality for studio or stage use. Individual track outputs via USB allow separate processing of each instrument in your DAW, while external audio input enables processing through internal effects.

Storage and recall features balance immediacy with depth. Pattern memory stores complete sequences with all parameter automation, while kit memory preserves detailed sound design settings. The hands-on interface ensures important controls remain immediately accessible, with deeper parameters logically organized in clearly labeled menus. Factory content demonstrates the machine’s versatility across genres.