First impression:
Depends on how you work (as always)
I often start with a kong + redrum where I dragged the CVs to kong pads. I have each drum pad in kong on separate mix channels. That is how my song starter template look like. Later on I swap the redrum patterns with fills etc in the Reason sequencer or mix them.
I very seldom use the sounds of redrum
Advantages:
-System 9 have 16 outputs - redrum 10. Big advantage.
-You can set what velocity u want for soft/medium/hard in system 9 (well in redrum u can automate the velocity. U can here as well with the parameters, but only 4 parameters available)
-You have the shuffle/Random/reverse options on System 9
-You can set parameter curves to chosen CV in system 9. The parameters can CV what u like it to impact.. velocity, pitch ..
-The option to trigger sequencers to start (like the Thor one) in System 9.. see no real usage.. but it is a bit easier to trigger side chains since there is no sound in system 9 that u need to mute.. other things u like to trigger?
-BIG advantage is that u can save the patterns in the patch! Perfect for snare rolls, percussion beats, tops and whatever beats that you like to reuse in your songs in an easy way with different sounds. Bring in a System 9, load the patch and CV it to a Kong.. done (now and then I have to broswe for an old song to find the beat I once made. No more)
Disadvantages:
-Not as straight forward to set the patterns in the sequencer. It is easy for sure (see the video in shop) but Redrum/Rex way is easier to see what u are doing
In all.. I like it. I bought it after 10 minutes and swapped redrum with it in my template
What I miss:
I would have preferred that instead of just having gate out, it should have notes as well. Then instead of having 16 triggers it could have 12 + the octave choice like in matrix.
In that way you could program drums like Kong but also the NNXT since it would represent a keyboard with gate and note. You could also use it to program and store sequences for synths in an easy way
Then it should have the same pattern/loop lane way of handling as Redrum/Rex
If it had that it would be perfect for me and something I have been longing for.
Next thing: I buy tons of refills with sequences and drum patterns that I can manipulate/choose sound for. mmmmmmmm
I think somehow there is a limitation in the SDK for reason that stops me from getting that. Redrum, Autoarp, Korde, Mercury are all instruments but RPG+8, Matrix and System 9 are utilities.. Why?
That Redrum is an instrument I understand (it has sounds) but Korde, Autoarp and Mercury? There are probably reasons for that and I guess it is that reason that makes it impossible to use the loop/pattern lane for System 9. There is no lane since it is not an instrument
But.. as a whole.. I like System 9. Easy to use
