Live performances can be a tricky business, especially when it comes to incorporating live drums into your performance. But there’s no need to worry – with the latest technology, you can now use a drum machine to give your show that extra bit of oomph. In this article, we’ll discuss the best drum machines for live performance and how they can help you take your live shows to the next level.
Top 9 Best Drum Machine For Live Performance in 2023
Bestseller No. 1
Alesis SR-16 - Studio-Grade Standalone Drum Machine With On-Board Sound Library, Performance Driven I/O and In-Built Effects
- A Studio Icon - Legendary classic drum machine for songwriters, live performers and remix engineers
- In Demand Sound - 233 professional sounds included, built-in digital effects for added realism and powered by Alesis exclusive Dynamic Articulation
- Seamless MIDI Connectivity - Complete MIDI support for use with keyboards, computers, DAWs and electronic drum kits
- Connectivity Covered - 4 (stereo pairs) outputs; 2-function footswitch jacks for start/stop and count/A/B/fill
- Production-Ready Features - Sound stacking, step editing, stereo samples with reverb and ambience
Bestseller No. 2
Akai Professional MPC One – Drum Machine, Sampler & MIDI Controller with Beat Pads, Synth Engines, Standalone Operation and Touch Display
- Beat Maker Essential - Standalone Mpc, Sampler, Drum Machine And Midi Controller (For The Included Mpc Software – Mac / Pc) With The Powerful Multicore System From The Mpc Live And Mpc X
- Developed For The Modern Music Producer – 16 Velocity Sensitive Rgb Beat Pads, 7” High-Resolution Multi-Touch Display, Touch Capacitive Encoders And Connectivity For Usb Midi Keyboard Controllers
- Connectivity - Midi In / Midi Out For Control Of Synthesizers And Drum Machines; (2) Line Inputs For Recording / Sampling; (2) Line Outputs; Headphone Out; Cv/Gate Outputs For Modular Synth Control
- On Demand Sound - Custom Sample & Loop Library; Exclusive Standalone Synth Engines (Electric, Tubesynth And Bassline); Premium Air Fx For Mixing & Mastering; Network Access For Splice Integration
- The MPC Experience – Compact desktop format; built in USB audio interface; USB Slots for thumb drives; SD card slot; MPC mainstays including Note Repeat, Full Level, 16 Levels and Transport Controls
Bestseller No. 3
AKAI Professional MPD218 - USB MIDI Controller with 16 MPC Drum Pads, 6 Assignable Knobs, Note Repeat & Full Level Buttons and Production Software
- Beat Production, Anywhere - Ultra-portable, feature-packed and USB powered pad controller with 16 thick fat MPC pads for triggering drums, melodic samples, effects and more
- Expandable Banks - Easily accessible dedicated controls for three pad banks provides a total of 48 assignable pads
- Assignable Control - 18 fully assignable 360-Degree potentiometers accessible via three banks for controlling DAW, virtual effect and virtual instrument parameters
- Feature Packed - MPC note repeat and full level controls for immersive expressive performances
- Comprehensive Software Suite Included - Ableton Live Lite, Drum Synth 500 by AIR Music Tech
SaleBestseller No. 4
Neil Peart Taking Center Stage: Lifetime of Live Performances
- Factory sealed DVD
- Neil Peart (Actor)
- Greg McKean (Director)
- English (Subtitle)
- English (Publication Language)
Bestseller No. 6
Hot Jams for Recorder: With Guitar and Drum, Book & CD
- English (Publication Language)
- 56 Pages - 11/01/2011 (Publication Date) - Alfred Music (Publisher)
Bestseller No. 8
Native Instruments MASCHINE+ Production Workstation
- Immersive standalone workflow for creating beats and melodies, sampling, arranging music, and performing on stage or in the studio
- Includes MASCHINE+ Selection with industry-leading instruments, sounds, and effects, plus renowned MASCHINE drum and bass synth plugins and effects
- Quad-core CPU and 4 GB RAM for fast, seamless creation when it counts
- Pro-grade, 44.1 kHz / 24-bit audio interface with 2 x ¼” TRS line outputs, 2 x ¼” TRS line inputs, ¼” dynamic mic input, stereo headphone output, 1 x MIDI In, 1 x MIDI out; 1 x Footswitch, 2 x USB ports for MIDI controllers / external HDDs
- Robust, anodized aluminium design for years on the road and in the studio
Bestseller No. 9
PreSonus ATOM Production & Performance Midi Pad Controller with Studio One Artist and Ableton Live Lite Recording Software
- Tight integration with included Studio One Artist and Ableton Live (live 10 Lite included) music production software gets your mind off the screen and back on the beat.
- Produce, play virtual instruments, and trigger samples and loops with unsurpassed expressiveness and flexibility.
- Trigger loops and effects and play virtual instruments with 16 full-size velocity- and pressure-sensitive, RGB LED pads (and 8 assignable pad banks).
- Comes with over $1000 of computer recording software plug-ins – Studio Magic Plug-In Suite.
- Selectable pad velocity curves and pressure thresholds customize the pads' response for maximum expression.
Conclusion
There are several great drum machines on the market that can help to enhance a live performance and make it more interesting. After looking at different models, we recommend the Roland TR-8S as the best drum machine for live performances due to its incredible sound quality, wide range of sounds, intuitive user interface, and powerful sequencing capabilities. With this drum machine in your setup, you’ll be sure to take your shows up a notch!