By David Gedge
HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK
Boss
DR-01S
Rhythm Partner
Funky Acoustic Drummer
Boss DR-01S Rhythm Partnerr
Boss's new drum machine has a fancy
pedigree. The DR-01S Rhythm Partner, the
world’s first virtual percussionist designed
specifically for acoustic musicians. Unlike
the rhythm machines used by electronic
musicians and DJs, the DR-01S is packed
with organic percussion sounds and sim-
ple, versatile grooves that tastefully com-
plement the unplugged experience. It’s an
ideal companion for acoustic guitar and
vocals, and just as powerful with ukulele,
violin, piano, and other types of acoustic
instruments.
One of the great joys of acoustic music
is that it’s simple and uncomplicated—you
just grab your instrument and start play-
ing. The DR-01S flows seamlessly with
that relaxed unplugged vibe, offering a
friendly panel interface, all-in-one design,
46 illinoisentertainer.com january 2018
and tasteful, understated grooves that
enhance any acoustic music style without
getting in the way. Via dedicated buttons,
you can call up all sorts of beats and varia-
tions, layer up to seven instruments
together to create your own unique
rhythms, and save up to 50 favorites for
later recall. Volume, tempo, and time sig-
nature can be adjusted with just a few
touches, and it’s easy to add a count-in
before the rhythm starts. You can even fade
out grooves to create polished endings for
your songs.
The DR-01S takes full advantage of the
acclaimed rhythm machine and sound
development history of BOSS and its par-
ent company Roland. A large variety of
authentic acoustic percussion sounds are
on board, including shakers, maracas, tam-
bourines, congas, bongos, bells, cajon, and
many more. There’s even a full drum kit
with acoustic and electronic sounds, per-
fect for when you want to rock up your
acoustic jams. Every instrument category
includes lots of expressive grooves created
by acoustic percussionists, giving you a
wide range of organic backing for any
unplugged style.
With its integrated audio system, the
DR-01S produces warm, full sound that
blends right in with the natural tones of
your acoustic instruments. BOSS’s
advanced approach combines an innova-
tive cabinet design, custom speaker, and a
high-efficiency amplifier to deliver impres-
sive sound in a highly portable package.
And when you want to take your rhythm
partner to the stage, just connect the line
out into your acoustic amp or PA system.
While you can access all DR-01S func-
tions from the front panel, it’s often handy
to perform some operations while keeping
both hands on your instrument. And by
connecting one or two optional footswitch-
es, you can. There are a variety of assigna-
ble functions to choose from, including
start/stop, tempo up/down, tap tempo,
pattern variation, and many more. It’s also
possible to trigger nearly any DR-01S per-
cussion sound by foot, great for manually
tapping out beats as you play.
Hartley's Guitar
Peavey HP2 Guitar
When a USA-made guitar bears the ini-
tials of Peavey founder and CEO Hartley
Peavey, players can expect an iconic design
with its own unique flair and the Peavey
HP2 guitar delivers, according to the com-
pany.
From the blueprint of Peavey's
Wolfgang guitar, each Peavey HP2 guitar
is constructed with leading-edge technolo-
gy and traditional handcrafted methods by
Peavey artisans in Meridian, Mississippi.
The HP2 stands out with a carved top and
offset, asymmetrical body design that
offers comfort, proper balance, and maxi-
mum playing ease. Maple was chosen for
the top and basswood for the back; solid
basswood construction is also available.
Peavey selected these hardwoods not only
for their natural beauty and weight charac-
teristics, but also for their specific tonal
qualities. Cream or black top-edge binding
accents the body.
At the select birdseye maple neck and
fingerboard, players will find unmatched
stability and playability. Dual graphite
reinforcement bars and an easy-access,
adjustable steel torsion rod provide addi-
tional strength, as does the bolt-on con-