Emu XL-7 & MP-7 User's Group

Hi.

I've been using drum machines for years, and for the last 12 or so I've synced audio 
loopers (Lexicon JamMan and Electrix Repeater) to them. It's always worked great (and still 
does) but I think I use my drum machines in a somewhat non traditional way.  I use either 
a Korg Electribe ESX-1 or E-MU XL-7 to put together dense loops and then kind of 
randomly mute/unmute tracks while in song mode.  The lack of traditional song structure 
is great for the way I like to improvise.

Well, this weekend I decided to put together something with a more "pop" structure and I 
found the song modes on both the above drum machines to be SO awkward compared to 
a DAW like Digital Performer or Logic, I ended up with nothing.

So, am I just spoiled by modern computer sequencing... or am I approaching the drum 
machine song construction in the wrong way?  My idea is to avoid having to bring a laptop 
to gigs, but if it's going to be so much easier I'll do it.  I can get around pretty quickly in 
Digital Performer 4... then I started to think "well if I'm bringing a laptop for sequencing, 
why not use it as a sound source as well?"  The ESX-1 is a sampler and the XL-7 is a 
ROMpler so it's not like I'd have issues with a laptop not being able to have fast enough 
processors.

So, if there's a song construction tip that you can think of, I'd love to hear it.  If you've 
found a better tool that lets one work more intuitively, (the Electribe has a way better 
interface than the E-MU IMO) I'd like to hear that as well.  If song construction in modern 
drum-machines is just a big pain compared to software, than I guess I'll abandon my little 
yellow boy for my current project, or use it purely as a sound generator.

Thanks,

Mark