> I have a Vermona DRM1 drum machine which is controlled via external
> MIDI. I use computer software to program the drums, but I want to
> buy a hardware sequencer to do the job. I have no idea what to buy
> - I have seen many products (future retro mobius, sequentix P3...)
> but they are all waaaay overprice. I only want a simple 16 step
> sequencer to make sequences for the different drum sounds.
>
> I have seen the MAQ 16/3, but I actually have no idea if this would
> suit the job. I have seen videos on youtube of it working with
> melodies, but I don't know if I can do drums... Is it suitable Can
> anyone tell me what to buy

The MAQ gives you 3 rows of 16 steps via MIDI so you could play up to
3 drum sounds at a time. Not ideal but not useless. You would be
spinning a knob to get the drum you want or perhaps use a MIDI
keyboard to get the right midi note or you'd add a rest for each
step. Then you'd move to the 2nd and 3rd row if you need a second or
3rd drum on the same step. I have neither unit but I have the
feeling it would be workable but not super fast to program and edit.

An 808 style interface where you could choose the MIDI note going
out (that's important!) would be ideal and most direct in my mind,
not a simple knobby sequencer. As I think you've discovered,
unfortunately most flexible sequencers aren't cheap and unfortunately
while I can think of a couple drum units that respond to MIDI, there
aren't that many that a lot of companies find a demand to support
them with affordable hardware (the fairly expensive Elektron
Machinedrum could control it properly from what I know).