I felt the same way at first. frustrated and felt that I wasted a lot of money. I don’t know how to build a drum track or use a midi editor. I tried and failed miserably. this group of very helpful people talk way over my head, I just wanted the songs my band plays to start and end where I wanted them to and play them exactly the same every time. I am the singer/guitarist in a band called THE BASICS (that should say a lot) we play classic rock that everyone knows and I don’t extend the songs(usually). I found a very good tool that someone on the forum created called BEATBUILDER. I simply download free midi drum tracks from the forum or the internet and BEATBUILDER allows me to shorten/alter or extend the song, it’s really simple to use. I use 99% one push songs and have been playing out without a drummer for over 2 years. I occasionally use a real drummer but actually prefer the beat buddy for consistency. a lot of folks on this site don’t like the one push option because you can’t extend the lead breaks or the song if your audience is digging a particular song but they work fine for me. I want to play not program.i hope this helps you but unlike me I hope you embrace this machines ability and learn to program to get the very most out of your investment. everyone on here will help you achieve your goals, I am simply happy with where I am and don’t need to take the next step. we are THE BASICS after all.
I use the Jazz kit on a bunch of stuff, and both Blues and Country have side-stick/rim beats. This is more and more feeling a bit troll-like.
But maybe not. Here’s you shot at redemption: Have you tried any of the things people have suggested? If so, how did that work out for you?
I come delayed to this conversation but is true, at the start with BB you need to learn some things about how works the box but after that you can put your own songs on it in one part or many parts and the result feels good.
What is your favorite gender?
Maybe the fast way to start is search songs in the forum and begin to test.
Personally I love the BB pedal.
I’ve been using is successfully on my gigs and it sounds great.
I really like Goram’s playing/programming.
I get what some are saying about the includes fills but, I looked at the included fills as a bunch of “choices,” not a use-for-all pattern arrangement.
Not every fill is perfect for every song.
I use the BB manager to reprogram my “songs.” Is it perfect? He’ll no.
But, I get it done with some work-arounds.
My wishlist includes the ability to copy a song within the BBM instead of exporting a “song” and importing back into a list.
How cool it would be to duplicate a song right in the manager. Or… OR duplicate an entire folder of songs.
That would be sweet! (Guys… please do this.)
Like, probably all of you, my gigs are made up of different set lists and order of songs. I find it very tedious and time consuming to have to export each song out and import it back into another set folder.
Once it’s in there, I edit the pattern arrangement and move the fills around to accommodate the song.
But, man… I would love it if I could just duplicate a folder of songs to rearrange and keep the original in place.
Hoping they update the BB manager.
Now, about this new forum;
Tough navigating.
Not easy to find beats and drum sets anymore. Links are expired and it’s difficult to browse.
Hoping they fix this too.
In the meantime, I’m still digging the pedal.
The problem with Drum machines and arranger keyboards, they tend to overplay in the beats or styles. I am an accordion player and had to redo from scratch the polka beats. Not close to what I wanted from factory. I got a nice beat that works for me. The country beats were weak too for my music styles. The editor is nice, but it needs some enhancements. I always start with a 4 measure loop then build up from their. it would be nice if you could copy and paste the 4 measures to maybe 11-15 more, then you can do slight edits on the remaining measures.
I like the rock kit the most as it gives more fullness to my music. I even programmed “Wipeout” on beat buddy using the accordion guitar sound through a Boss Gt-1 effects pedal.
Wipeout Beat Buddy
I’ve tried the country and blues songs and different drumsets but don’t hear a simple side-stick beat. The Mini 2 had it on song 1 of the ballad songs but the new version in V2 is slightly different than the mini and doesn’t have the sidestick. I did install V2 of songs/drumsets and was thrilled at first that the ballad songs were now there. However the ballad ONE is not the same as the mini and doesn’t have the sidestick. I upgraded from the Mini2 because I’d like to save presets and I do own Reaper (paid for) and EZ Drummer2, but I’m just not comfortable moving midi tracks to make them work in the BeatBuddy. The jazz songs have a very unrealistic tom/bass sound that sounds like the gated drums ala Phil Collins. I’ve been listening mostly on good recording headphones but have tried it out jamming through my PA system. I just never thought this would be so much work to get a usable sound.
thanks for the reply, I’m mostly into old classic country but I do play guitar in a hobby blues band that meets about once a month at my jam space. The blues ones aren’t so bad but the country songs are way too busy. I tried to get some songs from the forum, but a message came up saying they were unavailable/deleted. I don’t remember which ones though. I’m not interested in the one press songs I just need parts that I can pull up, verse, chorus, etc.
I’m beginning to wrap my head around the fills but you have to really be spot on with the pedal to make sure you just come in on the last 3 or 4 beats of a measure.
Yep. Any conversation strings from the old forum that got ported over to this new forum seems to have been disconnected from the file links.
It’s frustrating.
I used to visit the forum often to grab a song I needed for a gig or get some ideas.
This new forum needs a cleanup for sure.
I’ve been down the exact same road with the BeatBuddy. I purchased it way before it was ever released originally and to this day have never been able to use it in a live performance situation. I agree that the drums, fills, intros and outros are lame! I have been able to do more and faster with my SR18. I am and have been very familiar with MIDI ever since MIDI started and purchased the BeatBuddy thinking it was going to be a piece of cake. That was stupid of me!
Anyway…with that all said… now that I am retired I pulled the BeatBuddy out of the closet and instead of throwing it in the trash have decided to give it a 4th try.
I will probably be posting a number of times here on the forum trying to get things right.
I went to the trouble to install default V2.0 and lost a key function I need. With default V2.0 I can no longer stop a paused song by holding down the main pedal. When I swap back the old default and SD card it works again. I have the same main pedal set up for both SD cards. Is this a bug with default V2.0?
Without this feature the pedal is lame for jamming with others not to mention a gig.
I haven’t tried BB with the footswitch since installing V2. I too have one switch set up to pause, would be a shame if it won’t function with V2
It functions fine! I use the auxillary footswitch and have it set to the left one - single tap stop, single tap restart. In fact with the way I have it set, if I restart with the right switch (and the song is at the right time) it starts back with a fill 
You are the most welcome Timmy. I am sure you will not be disappointed.
I’m afraid I’m just going to have to give up on the Beat Buddy. I just don’t have time to mess with it. I wish that I didn’t trade in my SR16. Winter is around the corner, who knows?
Let me know if you’re selling it.
dpsimon
I have had my BB for about 2 years, and I love it. I played in a band for about 25 years, and when it broke up, I want to go solo but I missed having a drummer, My Beat Buddy didn’t totally replace a live drummer, but it comes darn close. Not everthing about the BB always works but my live drummer wasn’t always pure satisfaction either. I do mostly small shows and house parties, so BB works for me. that’s all that’s important to me.
I’m going to give it another try as I have a little spare time now.
musicians should never stop learning regardless of whatever tools or instruments…just saying and hope you find time to love your BB