Product: Boss DRP-III Dr Pad
Price Paid: 45 (#)
Submitted
08/02/2004
at
02:31pm
by
Simon Beck
Email: simon<at>alphabeck dot co dot uk
Ease of Use
:
10
This is actually a drum-pad-triggered sample player with a choice of six preset sounds of varying quality and usefulness, plus a set of variable parameters to modify them. Very simple to use - plug into an amp and hit with a drumstick! The parameters (pad sensitivity, pitch sensitivity, pitch, decay time, pitch sweep time and amount/direction) are all pretty intuitive, although not all settings are musically useful. Or pleasant.
Features
:
1
Strictly monophonic, and unlike a real drum, each strike re-triggers the whole envelope, though this doesn't matter too much in practice. The rubber pad surface has a nice bounce to it, but it would have been nice to have a more sensitive transducer to allow playing with the fingers. There is no MIDI facility, but a trigger in and out are included.
Expressiveness/Sounds
:
5
The Dr Pad III had two siblings. The DRP-I had a selection of snare sounds plus a few effects; the II had bass drum sounds plus a few effects. That left the III with all the really odd stuff. The six sounds are:
Cowbell - very odd. All ambience and no actual cowbell sound, almost like an isolated reverb tail. Nice and hollow, though, and effective for dance music - think "West End Girls"
Timbale - excellent, especially with some pitch sensitivity to give it a bit of variation. Reggae, calypso or salsa - this one does it all!
Record scratch - oh dear. Dated, MUCH too short and lacking in character. Completely useless.
Quijada - don't let the fancy Latino name fool you - it's a Vibra-Slap and a very good one too. OK, it's noticeably looped, but add some downwards sweep to it and it could just add that bit of sparkle to a reggae track or even a ballad.
Breaking glass - OK, it's more convenient than putting a light bulb in a paper bag and smashing it, but musically it's an effect that hasn't been heard since Kate Bush used a #20,000 Fairlight CMI for it on "Babooshka". And deservedly so.
Gong - Hmmm. Prog-rock territory here. Like the Quijada, it has a distinct loop. Unlike the Quijada, it possesses all the roots and funk of Tony Blair. Next time I record a cover version of Bohemian Rhapsody, at least I'l be able to get the end right...
Reliability
:
10
It seems nicely made, and it hasn't gone wrong since I bought it new in 1991...
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
8
The Dr Pad isn't an essential part of my equipment, but I'd miss it if I didn't have it. I'm a keyboardist and bass player (definitely NOT a drummer) with a background in blues, soul and rock, and I occasionally use the Dr Pad live as well as in my home studio.
