Yamaha CLICKSTATION-- Verdict..... [long review]

I feel like I can give a big thumbs up to this thing. It seems to
be everything it's cracked up to be, and once I get the manual, I
figure it will end up being more than that. :-)

Programming isn't quite as quick as the Tama one-touch method, only
because it gives you the option of naming the program, along with
the number. So call it a two-step, three touch system. Most of
times you find yourself quickly pressing the store button, skipping
the naming procedure by pressing the start button, then pressing the
store button again to lock it in the 86 available banks.

One of the cooler features is the vibration pad that gives off a
vibrating pulse to the beat, when pressed. You just press down and
it starts silently pulsing the tempo into your finger. You let off
and it stops.

Another very nifty feature of this vibration pad is that it
overrides the audible click, in that anytime you press it, it starts
the click over on one. I find this a wonderfully thought out bonus,
for those times when the band has dragged or rushed beyond your
control just a tad off the tempo and you don't want to 'snap' them
back on tempo. With the Tama, it would take stopping and starting
again, very quickly. With the Clickstation, you simply hit the
vibration pad on a beat and you're synched up again. Very cool!

The mixing faders are Bogarted right off the Boss DB-88 Dr. Beat,
with some added features. Along with Dr. Beat's 1/4, 1/8, 16th and
triplets note faders and master fader, the Clickstation added a
fader for the vibration pad, and an accessory fader for the line
level stereo aux. input.

Entering tempo can be done with the jog wheel that really flies, or
by pressing the tap key and tapping in a tempo on the start/stop
button, or by pressing the type tempo key and typing in a tempo on
the keypad.

Did I mention this thing has an audible tuner! A six octave range
with an 8Hz fine adjustment.

And just for you Ben Jacoby..... All setting are saved when powered
down and battery is changed. Just for you, I'll take the battery
out for a few hours and see how long the memory lasts. Oh yeah,
when you turn the power off it doesn't reset. It restarts right
where you left off-- whatever memory bank you were on, whatever
tempo setting you last had. :-)

Because I don't have the manual, I can't fully comment on how to
program time signatures, though it can be done and you can do
complex or compound beats. There is also something called "chain"
with 20 program banks. I'm guessing this can be used to create and
store "songs" or groups of patterns and tempos in a row...... more
when I get a manual.

TWO stereo headphone jacks-- one 1/4", one mini. A trigger input
for start/stop and tapping tempo, and midi jack for remote synch
make this bad boy very versatile.

The size of the Clickstation is about the same as the Tama Rhythm
Watch, but a tad thicker and heavier. Just like the Tama, there is
a 6mm threaded insert on the top, for mounting to a cymbal arm. I
haven't opened up the unit, yet, but it feels like it is secured a
little better than the Tama.

Specs can be seen here:
http://tinyurl.com/kjyh
Press release here:
http://tinyurl.com/kjyq

That's all I can think of, right now. :-)
Questions are welcome.

-MIKE-

--
http://mikedrums.com
mi...@mikedrumsDOT.com
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Nice review, Mike. How much?

Glenn D.

excellent review.

one question: does barry manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?

seriously, though: is the MIDI jack a MIDI out or in? i.e. can it be a
master MIDI time source or just a slave?

--
Joe.

"you're an electronic girl...i'm a rock guy...i don't think we have a
chance." - storm&stress

> And just for you Ben Jacoby..... All setting are saved when powered

This thing sounds like a WINNER! I may have to move up! The memory
doesn't have to last for hours, though I suppose the longer it
holds the better. But as everyone knows my big bitch with my
Tama is that whenever the battery comes out it won't even hold
for the minute or so it takes to jam a new one in it.

Now I mostly use the Tama for practice, so I like to program the
presets with incremental tempos like 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 etc.
that way you can start our practicing some rhythm slowly
to learn it and then as you get it reach over and bump the tempo
a notch. etc. The mem loss thing means that when the battery dies
(which is often due to the Tama battery-eating feature) you have to
take time to put ALL those settings back in again. Just think
how cool it would be to but your band's book of 87 tunes
back in each time!

Sounds like someone tuned in to the RMMP bitch-fest we had a while
back about all this stuff! :-)

Great review, Mike!

Benj

Wrong guy. Who is the guy who sells everything he just bought? Is
it Tony? Evan?

It says, midi in, so probably just slave. If you want we could
pitch in and buy you one.

I left it off for a half hour or so and it dumped everything. But
it's good for a few minutes, which is plenty of time to change the 9
volt. (tip for Tama: plug ac adapter in, while changing batt.)

Check this out, Ben. Though I don't have the manual, so I'm not
completely certain of the details, the have this thing called
"chain," which I'm thinking allows you to chain together patterns to
form a song. You could chain your practice routine together.

Best part for that: along with the locked in program bank number,
you get to program a 5 character name using letters, numbers, and
symbols.

They're out there listening-- that is a fact.

Thanks,

namm demo price, $130 plus TN's ridiculous sales tax of $12. List
is $179, on-line prices have been $169, expect to pay $149.

Who knows, though, they might shoot them out of the gate real low to
move them as a new item and for Christmas.

Glad to hear how cool it is.

How much was Fork's selling it for??

I am playing a the Wildhorse all this week...give me a call or shoot me an
e-mail if you want to come out.

Lee

Evan's worse than me. I'll give him 2 weeks before the Delites are up for
sale!

Tony

yeah, alright. but while you're at it, you might as well throw in the
drumframe; I'm likely to fall off of my throne while adjusting the
metronome.

PP

Glenn D.

Like the Tama, the presets are 'hard-numbered' for lack of a better
term. But along with each hard-number, you can add 5 characters to
name that preset. You can step through with the + and - keys.
There is also a search function key and the chain function key.
When I get my manual, I'll let you know how those work.

I was hoping one might be able to use the scroll wheel for flying
though the presets, but if it's an option, I haven't figured it out
yet.