Alesis SR18 (Pt.1) How to write your own basic pattern 

I've had this little box for a year just using the presets. This video is a game changer for me.

Finally I found your lesson. So many people have SR-18 lessons on you-tube and it's a lot of talking and not explaining anything. Thanks for posting this it is very helpful.

Thanks so much! I used to be in a band back in the 90’s. Had the Alesis SR16 & a Boss drum machine I programmed for the band. I totally forgot how to do it. My drum machines broke & I got married, had to forgo my musician lifestyle. Just now getting back to being solo again & I got an Alesis SR16 & the SR18! I am in heaven again! Thx so much I am a happy one man band programming drums & having a lovely time!

I used Zoom 234 drum machines since 98 and wrote hundreds of songs on them. I absolutely adored them, but they have been long discontinued. It became increasing difficult to find a used one that wasn't broken or didn't break within just a few weeks, was frustrating. Since I am not really a fan of building drum tracks using DAWs and software drums, I FINALLY pulled the trigger and decided to try out a different physical drum machine. I decided on the Alesis SR-18. An old dog learning a new trick about almost 25 years isn't always easy! So these videos have been a tremendous help. Great job, and thank you!

Thank you. Yes please keep these clear and concise SR18 tutorials coming.

I like the branding. You really take the 80's man thing seriously. The titles and video quality look like it's straight out of the early 80's!

Finally getting around to seriously deep diving into your series. As a solo singer/songwriter, I invested in this thing to create everything completely. Thank you for being so clear and concise!

Very helpful. I was trying to figure out how to make tracks for my church. For songs and praise breaks. Now I have them thanks to you! So thank for helping me it really helped/helps a lot.

Great tutorial. Very informative. Under the quantize part of this recording, I think what he meant by "one note and two bars" was 16th notes.

Tremendously helpful, thank you so much for tanking your time to break it down.

This was the video I sorely needed! Much appreciated!

EXCELLENT! Now I know which one to buy. You're a very good teacher.

Thank you sir. I had one of these several years ago. I just decided to purchase another one. Your video was extremely helpful. Thank you.

Thanks for doing this series 80's man. Very helpful indeed.

Excellent job! This was very clear and concise. Cheers!

This is really so super useful...very clearly explained ....A massive time saver...thank you..!!

Very useful. Moving on to part 2.

Examples like this video should have been at the beginning of all Sr 18 Alesis purchases. Best video to date Great Job. Guess I will take it out of the box now and start over.

Thank you, mine gets here today! your tutorial was helpful, I’m def feeling confident jumping into it now!

Much appreciated indeed !!! I haven't used the Alesis drum machines since I had the HR-16 and MMT-8 back in the day. The SR-18 has really stepped things up. ;-)

Great tutorial, efficient information and easy approach to each step toward completing a pattern/song , thanks, Mr. 80'sMan, Positive Vibe Curse on your band.

Thank you and I’ll be watching. I bought one awhile ago and it’s good to see I can write my own drums instead of try and remember them

I have just bought myself this bit of kit, but I have no instructions. Your videos have been extremely useful. Thank you so much.

I was thinking of buying one. This helped convince me. Thanks

Great video. Simple to the point. Thank you please keep sharing. Great work.😊

Amen dude much needed as the other comments say. I’ve seen another video with a different way but I like this way! Very simply explained and you went through the menus Thanks a million! Have not had a chance to dig into this machine yet and unlock some creative options but this is brilliant

Great stuff, thank you.

I love this video, it's so very helpful. Thanks

Thank you so much for sharing this sir. Awesome video as well as enjoyable

Incredibly helpful - thank you so much!

Really good intro to the SR18! I have this model coming next week. I Plan to watch your other videos after receiving my uni. Thank you so much!

Just got mine yesterday, this has been helpful!

Much appreciated! Keep them coming!

Thank you ... have just ordered one

So so helpful, thank you !👍👍Read the user manual but wasn't getting far until I viewed your video.

Smashing! Thanks you for the lesson. Helps quite a bit!

Brilliant video . Thinking of getting one just for solo jamming at home.

Thank you! I was given one of these as a gift, and you're right some of us don't pick this stuff up easily. Usually a patience thing, give me organic instruments and effects pedals im good because its instant returns that keep you hooked. My alesis has sat on my amps for 2 years im dertemined to crack this thing, because as you say its not about presets. You've made it feel accessible with your explanation here thanks again ;)

Thank you! Very helpful

Awesome, just got mine so I'm kind of blown away

Thank you for your SR 18 videos. Very helpful

I've learned a lot from your videos. I've came along way on this machine! Thank you very much!

Thank you, you’re making it very clear.😊

Really glad you did this. Thanks

a big thank you your help was very precious to me

Brilliant. Thanks for this

My first drum machine was the Alesis HR:16. I later paired it with the HR:16-B. I skipped the SR-16 and have been shopping for an affordable drum machine now. It’s nice to see the control design from the HR:16 was carried over to this, more versatile unit. I think I’ll pick one of these up.

Very useful video. Thank you.

Thank you , this helped me a lot !!

It definitely is a piece of equipment, easy does it for me l just got the drum machine pattern book to use with it just started today its going to be along process but it will be good once i get the hang of it, thanks for people like you explaining this stuff.

Very useful video, thank you

Just bought an SR18, and have been scared of it! This video has got me encouraged to start making my own patterns . .Thank you! Subbed and bell . .

Tnx so much for the help.

Thank you buddy, this really helped me

Great video thanks

Thank you!

Thanks man, Subscribed.

Thanks, real helpful

you're really good.

Thanks for this! cheers!

Thanks for sharing. I just picked up one of these and didn't really feel like digging through the manual.

Very nice video I have learned a lot

Awesome sauce!

thanks. I am interested in this unit. wanted to get away from sequencers so this is interesting

Great Job.

Very helpful! Had one for a few years, just used the presets. Moved to another state, sold it-just found another one! This will be very helpful bc I think I have a pdf manual but you know how those are..Thanks ✌️🎵

Thanks this helped tons!

Thanks for your help

So, my SR-18 started freezing up...came to yt for fix...added batteries, it works! So need new adapter is my guess. Then I saw this vid, and I finally learned to program a beat...after having it for 10 years, lol! I just use presets, but this will be even more awesome, thx!

TY !

Brilliant... Thank you! 🙂

I wrote that down, thanks for the video.

Great informative video. Thank you.

Good video. Any way to save the recorded patterns and songs on to an external device and reload back as needed??

PERFECT TUTORIAL

good job mate thanks

Thanks for the vid. You must have spent hundreds of hours putting together you play list. One thing I must add. You have to save each time you change the pattern. Say, from 4/4 to 6/8. Thank you again for taking time out to teach us!

Helpful

Very cool thank you

Great vid thank you ! Was really hoping to just program a simple four on the floor kick drum and assign BPM to tap tempo on a midi foot switch and the kick velocity to an expression pedal Is this possible with this unit ??

this is great, thanks. just about to buy one.

thx very helpfull!

I really appreciate your excellent tutorial! One question, maybe I may have missed you saying this but is there an included catalog of pre-recorded (factory installed) drum rhythms and matching fills patterns, or do you need to create everything from scratch? Thanks again!

Thank you so much

Hii 80s man. Your videos are excellent for being accurate and understandable. Can I make patterns by mixing drum, percussion and bass sounds simultaneously? Congratulations and a million thanks for your help.

Awesome thank you

thanks!

Thanks, very usefull. After my song is registrer, can I change de name of the pattern?

Hello, many thanks for your helpful videos! I’m considering buying an SR-18 but am hoping you can clear up one big question: The online Alesis Preset Patterns & Sounds doc shows the 100 preset patterns, ending at P-99 Polka. Then it shows 100 User patterns beginning with U-00 World 2 tempo 109. Question: Are there existing editable patterns already in these User slots? If not, why does the doc show 100 different User patterns, all with the common names and tempo settings?

My SR18 just arrived today but I've been studying your videos for a few days now. Really helpful and much appreciated. Is there a tutorial #4? I couldn't find it.

Thank you so much for that demo, I just purchased one on thomann, now years ago I did have the SR16, but also at the time had a full band on the road, within the last 8 years I have since taken up keyboards and getting very good with this but many a night I have been asked for a song request and I may not have a style for this and I think if I had this Sr18 I might be able to tap in on the fly, I know you may say sure I have the keyboards, but after watching this video you also mentioned you have keyboards too, I think this Sr18 may help and then again maybe not, but I said I'd better buy one before they become hard to get, I did look at other drum machines but honestly total crap maybe ok for dud step and trap music but nothing can really beat the Alesis sound of a real kit of drums, that's just my view so far and bud I could be totally wrong, tell me do the SR 18 have into and endings or is it just your start and sudden stop, hopefully you will enlighten me a bit more on this machine, I'll have to use it in my gigs now that I bought one, I did make a huge mistake on buying the digitech trio + this never saw the stage and it won't either, if I could send it back I would 😉

Works for an ageing dummy like me Bud. I thought I had to learn MIDI programming to achieve this. Cheers.

Don't own one of these drum machines yet, but I'm saving up to get one!

great video, can you show how to properly record a waltz in the time of 3/4 or 6/8 and how to choose for example time 2/4 (polka),sorry for my bad English.

Great video, thank you! But I have a question- Do you know if it's possible to make the machine respond to pedal-input tempo changes in PATTERN PLAY mode? When playing live I want to switch between patterns quickly, and using the pads is 100% faster than the tiny buttons. So I created and saved 12 patterns to the pads (thanks to your tip, as this isn't in the manual, as you said!) I wanted to use each pattern for several songs, altering the tempi to suit using the pedal whilst playing the intro on guitar. But in PTN/PLAY mode, the machine won't respond to tempo changes that I input with the pedal. It just reverts to the original BPM. If this can't be rectified, I feel Alesis have shot themselves in the foot. Having 12 patterns on easily reached pads would have been perfect, but as the tempo is set, flexibility is completely undermined and each pad will only work for a limited no of songs in my set. Thank you

Thanks for the tutorial. Does it import sample loops?

Great video sir! It got me started for sure. Does this machine fix timing issues if I screw up writing a beat. I have seen where it's supposed to but I am wondering how and if you have a video on it.

Thank you very, very helpfull. The manual is a bit obscure its good but not for all.

mine on its way on fedex i cant wait was post to be hear i hope it dont get delayed

Great help, a lot easier to see it than read it Thanks! How do I change the sound of the kick and snare anyone out there knows ????