Donner Essential D1 Performance Beat Machine, Step Sequencer& Finger Drum Machine Combined, with LCD Display, 16 RGB Beat Pads, 5 Endless Encoders, 12 Tracks Sample, Reverb& Delay Effects

This is a device that really becomes whatever you make of it. You can do a lot with this, and operation is pretty intuitive. I'm still exploring it and enjoying every minute.It's easy to let Donner become associated with a lot of quirky (though often unique) low priced audio devices that aren't usually disappointing, but also not something you'd take all that seriously. Yeah, I've had a few of those, too. But this is a different ball game. Donner actually has a very diverse range of products and many unique and innovative designs and this one has the potential to be a real scene stealer. Step sequencing, finger drumming, color-coded UI, and full size MIDI connections. And that's just the beginning. Did I mention custom samples?Many devices with a lot of claimed capability show up just feeling like a piece of plastic with some knobs on it, regardless of what they can/can't do. This has a great quality feel to it - knobs feel good, pads very responsive. It feels like a top-notch piece of gear. While I've only scratched the surface of what I can do with this, I can tell it's truly a force to be reckoned with.FYI, with a quick search there is at least one case available for this on Amazon. Definitely check that out if you want an easy way to store and carry this.

Donner, Donner, Donner... what have you done this time...I've been playing electric bass and guitar for over three decades. This year my goal is to learn drums.I love writing, playing, and recording songs. The problem is that I live outside of town and there is no one to jam with.I have been using a "drum beat" guitar pedal, but that just loops the same beat... which gets boring after a while, as well as not adding any any fills or spice to the song. I have also tried creating beats using MIDI/samples and prerecorded drum loop samples. That is great if you want to create a drum line for a song that has a specific length. Yes, you can loop it, but again... boring after the twelfth time through.The Essential D1 lets me create a beat and have a few fills and variations on the beat that are accessible at the touch of a button (Donner... if you could please add a foot pedal for changing the beats and inserting a fill it would be appreciated immensely!). I can play along to a beat and between strums, push a fill or rhythm change button, and add some dynamics to my song writing process.So that is how I'm using the beat machine. It is easy to set up and write beats. I will say that as a visual person, it would be nice if you could connect via USB and create the beats on a grid then load them into a bank on the machine.The machine is small, lightweight, -portable- has great feeling touch pads, the knobs turn smoothly, and sliders... well, they slide well.Great machine with a lot of great features. It is easy to use, and the preloaded samples are decent. You can add your own samples and personalize the tones to your liking.This is a fun little machine packed with the power to keep you grooving, as Lionel Richie says, "All Night Long"...For me, it is a great way to add some dynamics to rhythms while I write and play songs.The only thing that could be better is if a foot pedal was added for inserting fills and swapping beats while playing guitar.

Well made pro quality easy to use very responsive would recommend

I have a few Donner music instruments and equipment, all of which are well functioning with good quality. The Donner D1 Beat Machine does not disappoint. It has a compact design, packed with features, and comes with an easy-to-use interface right out of the box.The built-in sounds and patterns mean you can get started without needing to connect to a computer. While the included instruction manual provides a just a very basic overview, we can also download the PDF guide from the official website which provides more helpful and in-depth information. The touch pads are responsive, and the device's overall design is intuitive, with well-spaced buttons and an informative LCD screen.Overall, the D1 combines practicality with powerful features, making it a worthwhile investment. It is a great choice for both beginners and experienced users.

There is a definite learning curve if you never dealt with these type of devices. I have Dj'd for over 30 yrs, so I have some background on the capabilities of this beat maker/sampler. I like it's compact size and it offers what appears to be endless options. The buttons are very responsive and the digital display, even small, is very legible and you kind of learn and recognize the tools without even reading the manual. I so far only have used headphones for monitoring it. I want to implement my DJ turntables at some point.

This was ridiculously easy to get setup. I love that it can be a standalone or better yet incorporated into your setup. I’m still playing with it and finding endless functionality and having a blast. This is a very cool and robust piece that would improve any dj setup.

I got this to use on my stream with my friends. It works great, was easy to set up, the instructions were clear. And was up and running in no time.

What a great product by donner. Fairly cheap, but wow does it pack a punch. Easy to import samples, and the stock samples are waaay better than I would have thought!

j'attendais depuis longtemps cette boite à ryhtme. pas decu par les fcontionnalités et la facilité d'utilisation.

Review for Donner Essential D1 Finger Drum Machine & Step Sequence Combined, Boast Color-Coded UI, 12 Tracks Sample, 16 RGB Beat Pads, 64 Preset Beat Patterns, 5 Endless Encoders, Reverb & Delay EffectsI am in the process of setting up a small SOHO recording studio, having assembled some of the key components I was looking for, now sourcing bits of kit to add creativity and automation to the workflow. This is a finger drum and sequencing machine to make creation of drum/percussions sequences as easy as possible. Powered by a DC power adapter and the rear features 3.5mm headphone jack, 3.5mm aux in, MIDI in, MIDI out for controlling either this machine or other MID devices and L/R sound output for monitor speakers. There is also a multi functional USB-C port which serves as a general PC interface to load/backup samples as well as firmware updates. Beautifully presented in an 80s inspired look with coloured lighting for easier location of keys in low lighting and a backlit LCD display allows easy view of settings etc. Great for live use such as a live DJ session or for preparation in a recording scenario. Full control over the sound creation with the various knobs allowing to set ADSR parameters to get a sound unique to your project. I have a basic understanding of music and spent hours experimenting with the almost limitless abundance of options and settings. The internal memory banks have 4GB of storage capacity to allow a good level of samples to be stored on the machine. This is great for beginners and seasoned pros alike and will grow with your experience. Overall a flexible powerful drum and sequence machine which is beautifully presented, creative and versatile for use in a variety of different projects.

Funktionalität & Bedienung 🎛️:Die Donner Essential D1 Beat Machine bietet eine Vielzahl an Funktionen für Musiker und Produzenten. Die 16 RGB-Pads und die umfangreichen Effekte wie Reverb und Delay ermöglichen kreative und dynamische Musikproduktionen.Design & Handhabung 🎛️:Das Gerät ist kompakt und bietet ein intuitives Layout, das sich leicht bedienen lässt. Das LCD-Display und die Endlosdrehregler erleichtern die Bedienung und bieten eine gute Übersicht über die Einstellungen.Klangqualität & Leistung 🎶:Die Beat Machine liefert eine beeindruckende Klangqualität und ist ideal für Live-Performances oder Studioaufnahmen. Die Möglichkeit, Samples zu importieren und direkt zu bearbeiten, macht sie zu einem vielseitigen Werkzeug.Fazit 🎯:Ein ausgezeichnetes Werkzeug für Musiker, die nach einer kompakten und leistungsstarken Beat Machine suchen. Die umfangreichen Funktionen und die hohe Klangqualität machen sie zu einer idealen Wahl für kreative Köpfe.

プリセットで様々なサウンド、パターンが入っているのでPCに接続しなくてもそのままで利用も可能です。付属の紙の取り扱い説明書は各ボタンの説明はあるものの、実際の操作としての説明は足りていないのでHPからPDFのマニュアルをダウンロードして読んだほうが情報量が多くわかりやすいです。同じくHPからWindows/Macそれぞれの操作アプリのインストーラーをダウンロードできますので、このマシンを利用する方はHPからダウンロードできます。ちなみに付属の取扱説明書に記載のURLにアクセスしても海外の全然関係ないHPにリダイレクトされますので、この商品ページの「商品の説明」の中の「ファームウェアを更新するには」に記載されているURLにアクセスすることでPDFマニュアルもインストーラーもダウンロードできました。商品自体はコンパクトでありながらできることは多く、また必要最小限のボタン類で構成されているので初心者でもあまり迷うことなく使えます。PC接続でのカスタム性はしっかりしていて、DTMでの利用でもパフォーマンス用マシンとしてもいろんな場面でストレスなく使っていけそうです。