Hi folks ... brand new here and just looking for a little product insight/advice. I'm really starting at the beginning with all of this, so please bear with me(!)

I'm looking for a freestanding device -- a drum machine or sequencer or ? -- that I can use to program some percussion sounds and a bass line. I'd like to use these tracks to practice my drums along with. (After 30 years of playing along with a metronome, I'm ready to branch out a little ... LOL!) Ease of use is the primary requirement ... would be great if the bass lines were sort of pre-programmed, if you will(?) In other words, I'm not a bass player or a composer, so I'd like it to know what it's doing right out of the box. Programming the percussion tracks will probably be less of a challenge for me...

Any suggestions? I've seen the Boss DR-880 "Dr. Rhythm" and the Akai MPC500 in the $400s/$500s. That price point would be OK, if necessary, and those two look reasonable (I think?) for what I want to do. But, they may be overkill. (I don't mind if they have extra features, BTW, so long as they don't overly-complicate matters. I'll probably grow into them.) I've also seen the Kaossilator -- looks super-easy to use, but too electronica-oriented, I think. Anyway ... just to give you an idea of where I've been looking. Who knows? I could be waaay off with those. Please set me straight?

Thanks!

~Jim