Casio XWPD1, should I get one?

[Mahmoud]

Hi,

I recently saw the XWPD1 on sale in a shop in Europe for EUR 249.  I was thinking of getting the Alesis SR 18 drum computer at first.  Are both devices comparable with each other, and would the XWPD1 be the wiser choice, especially at the given price?  Is it also possible to use the XWPD1 as an enhanced drum computer / sampler for pop music or is it strictly for dance, techno and hip-hop?  Lastly, I find the Alesis SR18 (or SR16 for that matter) quite intuitive to use, so how would you rate the XWPD1 in comparison?

 

Thanks,

[spacecoffin]

 None of the above. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you happen to be looking for a " first " device to get into music production...save a bit more money and find something bit more comprehensive. 

 

 That's my shot in the dark.

[Mahmoud]

I am actually looking for an affordable alternative to the Alesis SR18, for example + a few more extras that I can use if I choose to, and I'm wondering if the XWPD1 can also be used like a regular drum machine.      

 

Thanks,

[Brad Saucier]

Yes. The PD1 is a drum machine....a step sequencer. It has a huge number of drum samples built in plus a bunch of DSP effects like stutters, rolls, reverse, phasers, tape stops, etc....and parametric master EQ and compressor.  A step sequence can have up to 64 steps (Four 16 step patterns).  Each step in a sequnce can trigger up to 64 events simultaneously.  Patterns within a step sequnce can be chained together in something called a pattern group.  A pattern group can be used to program a pattern playback sequence.

[Display Name]

5 hours ago, spacecoffin said:

 None of the above. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you happen to be looking for a " first " device to get into music production...save a bit more money and find something bit more comprehensive. 

 

 That's my shot in the dark.

 

And like most shots in the dark.. MISS! 

 

The XW-PD1 is a very comprehensive music production tool. It is a drum machine, sampler, synthesizer, and effects unit.  It is like a musical Swiss Army Knife (it's even red like a Swiss Army Knife!) 

 

Now, is it the best choice for you, Mahmoud?  Really depends on what you want to do. .  If you want 100's and 100's of drum sounds and to be able to sample your own sounds, make bass and synth lines in the tracks, and add effects then something like the XW-PD1 is what you want.  

As far as comparing ease-of-use to the Alesis or other traditional drum machine: The PD-1 will require more time to learn all the features, but it is well worth it for all it can do, The data editor also makes it very easy to make your set-ups and load samples. 

 

RE: Using the PD1 for pop/rock music. It can do any drum patterns any other drum machine can do. It has more drum samples than any drum machine I have ever used, so finding the right drum sound for your songs won't be an issue... and you can also load in your own. 

[Mahmoud]

Y

3 hours ago, Scott Hamlin said:

 

And like most shots in the dark.. MISS! 

 

The XW-PD1 is a very comprehensive music production tool. It is a drum machine, sampler, synthesizer, and effects unit.  It is like a musical Swiss Army Knife (it's even red like a Swiss Army Knife!) 

 

Now, is it the best choice for you, Mahmoud?  Really depends on what you want to do. .  If you want 100's and 100's of drum sounds and to be able to sample your own sounds, YES! make bass and synth lines in the tracks, OCCASIONALLY and add effects YES! then something like the XW-PD1 is what you want.  

As far as comparing ease-of-use to the Alesis or other traditional drum machine: The PD-1 will require more time to learn all the features, but it is well worth it for all it can do, The data editor also makes it very easy to make your set-ups and load samples. 

 

RE: Using the PD1 for pop/rock music. It can do any drum patterns any other drum machine can do. It has more drum samples than any drum machine I have ever used, so finding the right drum sound for your songs won't be an issue... and you can also load in your own. YOU GOT ME CONVINCED.

 

[Mahmoud]

Thank you everyone for the replies, and for the detailed and on-topic explanations.  I really appreciate it.

 

Cheers,

 

Mahmoud

[Mahmoud]

5 hours ago, BradMZ said:

Yes. The PD1 is a drum machine....a step sequencer. It has a huge number of drum samples built in plus a bunch of DSP effects like stutters, rolls, reverse, phasers, tape stops, etc....and parametric master EQ and compressor.  A step sequence can have up to 64 steps (Four 16 step patterns).  Each step in a sequnce can trigger up to 64 events simultaneously.  Patterns within a step sequnce can be chained together in something called a pattern group.  A pattern group can be used to program a pattern playback sequence.

Thank you.

[spacecoffin]

 Well you know, opinions and all. If someone wants to donate one, I would jack off a few tracks.....perhaps literally  

 

 I want to like and recommend, just lacking MIDI and other i suppose personal reasons can't in good faith. Now if he asked about XWG1, would rave about it.

[Mahmoud]

On 3.4.2016 at 7:50 AM, spacecoffin said:

 Well you know, opinions and all. If someone wants to donate one, I would jack off a few tracks.....perhaps literally  

 

 I want to like and recommend, just lacking MIDI and other i suppose personal reasons can't in good faith. Now if he asked aut XWG1, would rave about it.

Yes, I agree about it not  having Midi-Instrument (5 Pin DIN) connections could be regarded as a huge deficit, well actually as almost a deal breaker, especially for someone who uses music software to record music, but personally, I can live with that. I usually (80% of the time), don't use Midi synchronization. I still record most of my music on a traditional old school 16  track machine. :-). Another thing that caught my eye was that it apparently only has 12 Bit resolution, which could be considered a bit out if date for an instrument that was released in 2015. Nevertheless, for the sale price it is available now, I believe that it's still quite a sweet deal. I'm not sure though if I would have been willing to spend the original MSRP on it. 

Thank you for pointing out the lack of (5 Pin DIN) Midi-Instrument connection. I really appreciate it. 

[spacecoffin]

 Nice on the 16 track, I'm using a 2 on 8. Anyhow would like to screw around on the trackformer. Just would like it to pull double duty. Use a hardware sequencer...so if could MIDI it in out and about fun. As it stands I would feel empty, like playing a stylephone and just looking at a studio.

 

 12 bit, I sorta like the sound of that ( use so many deci anyways ). Workflow and integration my only real concerns.

[Display Name]

Just to be clear: The XW-PD1 DOES have MIDI, just not a 5 pin MIDI I/O.. it's MIDI over USB. it DOES NOT, however, send or receive MIDI clock. 

 

At first glance, one looks at both no 5 pin MIDI and esp. no MIDI sync as a major omission, but the more I used the PD-1 the more I realized how they designed the PD1 to be used.  Also, if you really need the PD-1 to send MIDI data to your 5 pin MIDI only devices, there are plenty of ways to do that. Cheers!

[tuxfriend]

Scott, is it possible to use a USB-to-MIDI adapter, connect the PD1 directly to my PX-5S and can create phrases to be used in my keyboard? Sorry, MIDI is still new to me. 

Oh, btw, I just got that l'il fella for 150 bucks. Just couldn't help it at that price. Had to push the buy button ... 

Edited April 4, 2016 by tuxfriend
addition

[Mahmoud]

I just clarified what I meant by Midi-Instrument connection by adding (5 Pin DIN). Have to be careful not spread falsehoods by posting misunderstood / misinterpreted messages.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Cheers!

[glenesis]

I love mine as a standalone instrument. The learning curve is very steep, and there isn't enough info on the net about it, and the manuals are weak, but to be fair, I've never plugged it into a computer and never run the editor software.

 

For the list price of this unit, leaving out DIN MIDI I/O, and leaving sync out of ANY drum machine are just unforgivable oversights! But those mistakes are the ones that drive its price down, down, down

 

Great thread everyone. All I'd like to add to this thread is that the best part, of course, is that the device looks a lot like the Millennium Falcon. That and sampling are worth the price of admission.