Elektron Musical Instruments

Hi group, I am new here & do not yet own an MD.
I am thinking about buying an MD SPS1-UW soon but
haven't been able to find one locally to play with &
try.
So I will probably just order direct if I do go for
it.

I've been a sample-based production type artist & have
used Akai MPC3000, Sequential Circuits samplers &
SP-1200's for most my music over the years.

I am now venturing more into sound design & building
my own loops using analog outboard gear & various
synths/samplers.
So I can make my stuff sound like old samples & loops
off vinyl, but it's %100 original.
As well i would still incorporate sound & samples off
vinyl in my current music, so I need something that
samples as well as generates its own sounds.

I've recently gotten into using NI's Kontakt soft
sampler & was looking at Kore as well, but am debating
going with software & leaning towards hardware like an
MD.
I was wondering how the MD SPS1-UW would hold up as a
core production tool for me.

In comparison to the MPC, can you tap out beats in the
same manner? 
Or must they all be "programmed" in step sequence /
pattern style?
Are the drum pads/switches velocity sensitive?

How does the sample engine sound, say in comparison to
an SP-1200 or classic MPC's? Is it similair, lo-fi?
From what I've read it is my understanding any samples
I want to use must be MIDI SDS dumped in, versus
sampling straight from a source, correct?
Can you edit samples within the MD itself, or must it
all be done on your PC?
I am wondering if I can use it standalone with just a
basic Dj setup & some outboard, no PC.

I do both Hiphop (old school underground sounding) and
some downtempo/dance/electronic'ish sort of stuff as
well.

Forgive me if the questions are novice, but as I
mentioned I am still debating whether the MD is right
for me, one thing for certain is it sure looks cool...

I would appreciate feedback & comments from you MD
(especially SPS1-UW) users!

Thanks!

-josh

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On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 03:25:44PM -0700, jg wrote:
> 
> In comparison to the MPC, can you tap out beats in the
> same manner? 
> Or must they all be "programmed" in step sequence /
> pattern style?

You can do both - live and programmed recording.

> Are the drum pads/switches velocity sensitive?

No, they're not.

> How does the sample engine sound, say in comparison to
> an SP-1200 or classic MPC's? Is it similair, lo-fi?

As lo fi and gnarly as you need, definitely.  I don't think
any of the machines lack low end, but you can kick out some
sickly treble, as well.  Admittedly, I'm into the clicky
sounds that come from retriggers and start/end point
modulation.

Here are some jams with a lot of UW - forget the dodgy
composition and recording, just listen to the drums ;) - all
recorded with no post-processing or outboard:

All MD/UW:
http://syncretism.net/snd/some_new_beats.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/md.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/spreche%20ich%20techno,%20ja.mp3

MD/UW + Monomachine:
http://syncretism.net/snd/where's%20ya%20head%20at_.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/shameless.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/off-tropic.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/funky%20like%20a%20german.mp3
http://syncretism.net/snd/it's%20sunday,%20it's%20raining.mp3



> From what I've read it is my understanding any samples
> I want to use must be MIDI SDS dumped in, versus
> sampling straight from a source, correct?

Yep.

> Can you edit samples within the MD itself, or must it
> all be done on your PC?

No sample editing onboard.  You'll need something else for
that.

> I am wondering if I can use it standalone with just a
> basic Dj setup & some outboard, no PC.

I reckon you'll need _something_ to get your own loops and
hits in, eventually, but if you really learn to rock the RAM
machines, who knows?

Where do you live?  Perhaps someone here can show you.

-- 
Yours,
Niall.
.. .  .   .    .     .       .           .             .                 .
Aleph-Null.                             A Simple Insinuation Around Silence.
http://aleph-null.net
.. .. gpg public key - http://www.aleph-null.net/niall.gpg .. ..

a new MD operating system has been released...
one of the features is that you can send audio from RAM -> ROM machines. This means you can sample directly from the source, and save the sample.

also theres a device called turbomidix10 ...which is ready to be announced very, very soon....it will speed up MIDI dumping by ten times...and I think we're all hoping it will have some sort of flash-storage for saving samples on to.

I'm jealous of your sp1200! so jealous! 
have you got any tunes made with it online ?



Niall Munnelly <aleph@...> wrote:                                  On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at 03:25:44PM -0700, jg wrote:
 > 
 > In comparison to the MPC, can you tap out beats in the
 > same manner? 
 > Or must they all be "programmed" in step sequence /
 > pattern style?
 
 You can do both - live and programmed recording.
 
 > Are the drum pads/switches velocity sensitive?
 
 No, they're not.
 
 > How does the sample engine sound, say in comparison to
 > an SP-1200 or classic MPC's? Is it similair, lo-fi?
 
 As lo fi and gnarly as you need, definitely.  I don't think
 any of the machines lack low end, but you can kick out some
 sickly treble, as well.  Admittedly, I'm into the clicky
 sounds that come from retriggers and start/end point
 modulation.
 
 Here are some jams with a lot of UW - forget the dodgy
 composition and recording, just listen to the drums ;) - all
 recorded with no post-processing or outboard:
 
 All MD/UW:
 http://syncretism.net/snd/some_new_beats.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/md.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/spreche%20ich%20techno,%20ja.mp3
 
 MD/UW + Monomachine:
 http://syncretism.net/snd/where's%20ya%20head%20at_.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/shameless.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/off-tropic.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/funky%20like%20a%20german.mp3
 http://syncretism.net/snd/it's%20sunday,%20it's%20raining.mp3
 
 > From what I've read it is my understanding any samples
 > I want to use must be MIDI SDS dumped in, versus
 > sampling straight from a source, correct?
 
 Yep.
 
 > Can you edit samples within the MD itself, or must it
 > all be done on your PC?
 
 No sample editing onboard.  You'll need something else for
 that.
 
 > I am wondering if I can use it standalone with just a
 > basic Dj setup & some outboard, no PC.
 
 I reckon you'll need _something_ to get your own loops and
 hits in, eventually, but if you really learn to rock the RAM
 machines, who knows?
 
 Where do you live?  Perhaps someone here can show you.
 
 -- 
 Yours,
 Niall.
 .. .  .   .    .     .       .           .             .                 .
 Aleph-Null.                             A Simple Insinuation Around Silence.
 http://aleph-null.net
 .. .. gpg public key - http://www.aleph-null.net/niall.gpg .. ..
 
     
                       

 		
---------------------------------
 Copy addresses and emails from any email account to Yahoo! Mail - quick, easy and free. Do it now...

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for the replies & sound demos guys...

What really has me interested is being able to tweak
the samples you load into the SPS1-UW.
This may be the icing on the cake.

I can do similair with Kontakt & thats why I was
looking at Kore with the latest version of Kontakt,
but I kind of don't want to be too dependant on a
computer for making music.
I use the PC for Recording & that is enough mouse
clicks for me.
I like standalone boxes for beat making.

Another question I have is if it's able to do loop
based production style beats?
i.e. can you program a pattern to just trigger a one
shot loop ?
Can you chop a sample/loop up & spread it across drum
pads?
I think if it can do that, then I will be sold.

Far as my SP-1200, I actually sold my last one not too
long ago.
But, I still have a Sequential Studio 440 which blows
it out of the water completely.
And the MPC3000 which will remain the core of my
production lab.

Thanks & if anyone has a sound demo of a loop sampled
in the SPS1-UW, i'd love to hear it!
Especially if it's been bit-crushed or tweaked a bit.
i.e. sample a drum loop & maybe filter it a bit...

-j




--- Bob Henke <j3l1yt0t5@...> wrote:

> a new MD operating system has been released...
> one of the features is that you can send audio from
> RAM -> ROM machines. This means you can sample
> directly from the source, and save the sample.
> 
> also theres a device called turbomidix10 ...which is
> ready to be announced very, very soon....it will
> speed up MIDI dumping by ten times...and I think
> we're all hoping it will have some sort of
> flash-storage for saving samples on to.
> 
> I'm jealous of your sp1200! so jealous! 
> have you got any tunes made with it online ?
> 
> 
> 
> Niall Munnelly <aleph@...> wrote:        
>                          On Mon, Sep 18, 2006 at
> 03:25:44PM -0700, jg wrote:
>  > 
>  > In comparison to the MPC, can you tap out beats
> in the
>  > same manner? 
>  > Or must they all be "programmed" in step sequence
> /
>  > pattern style?
>  
>  You can do both - live and programmed recording.
>  
>  > Are the drum pads/switches velocity sensitive?
>  
>  No, they're not.
>  
>  > How does the sample engine sound, say in
> comparison to
>  > an SP-1200 or classic MPC's? Is it similair,
> lo-fi?
>  
>  As lo fi and gnarly as you need, definitely.  I
> don't think
>  any of the machines lack low end, but you can kick
> out some
>  sickly treble, as well.  Admittedly, I'm into the
> clicky
>  sounds that come from retriggers and start/end
> point
>  modulation.
>  
>  Here are some jams with a lot of UW - forget the
> dodgy
>  composition and recording, just listen to the drums
> ;) - all
>  recorded with no post-processing or outboard:
>  
>  All MD/UW:
>  http://syncretism.net/snd/some_new_beats.mp3
>  http://syncretism.net/snd/md.mp3
> 
>
http://syncretism.net/snd/spreche%20ich%20techno,%20ja.mp3
>  
>  MD/UW + Monomachine:
> 
>
http://syncretism.net/snd/where's%20ya%20head%20at_.mp3
>  http://syncretism.net/snd/shameless.mp3
>  http://syncretism.net/snd/off-tropic.mp3
> 
>
http://syncretism.net/snd/funky%20like%20a%20german.mp3
> 
>
http://syncretism.net/snd/it's%20sunday,%20it's%20raining.mp3
>  
>  > From what I've read it is my understanding any
> samples
>  > I want to use must be MIDI SDS dumped in, versus
>  > sampling straight from a source, correct?
>  
>  Yep.
>  
>  > Can you edit samples within the MD itself, or
> must it
>  > all be done on your PC?
>  
>  No sample editing onboard.  You'll need something
> else for
>  that.
>  
>  > I am wondering if I can use it standalone with
> just a
>  > basic Dj setup & some outboard, no PC.
>  
>  I reckon you'll need _something_ to get your own
> loops and
>  hits in, eventually, but if you really learn to
> rock the RAM
>  machines, who knows?
>  
>  Where do you live?  Perhaps someone here can show
> you.
>  
>  -- 
>  Yours,
>  Niall.
>  .. .  .   .    .     .       .           .         
>    .                 .
>  Aleph-Null.                             A Simple
> Insinuation Around Silence.
>  http://aleph-null.net
>  .. .. gpg public key -
> http://www.aleph-null.net/niall.gpg .. ..
>  
>      
>                        
> 
>  		
> ---------------------------------
>  Copy addresses and emails from any email account to
> Yahoo! Mail - quick, easy and free. Do it now...
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> 
> 


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The sampler in the MD is really pretty basic, certainly nowhere near
as comprehensive as Kontakt.  So there's not sample slicing or
anything like that.  You get 2MB of memory to load up to 32 samples,
which will be converted to 12bit samples when they are loaded.  You
can load loops, but they must be trimmed and prepped on the computer
before you transfer them to the MD, and there's no way to alter the
tempo once there.

I love the UW functions of the MD, I think they are well worth the
money and laods of fun.  But it's not in any way a substitute for a
multi-purpose sampler, unless the low fi sound is your thing.  It's
cool for drum sounds and the odd one shot, but not really the right
environment for loop based production IMVHO.  Something like the
MPC1000 or the forthcoming MPC500 might be a better bet for that kind
of stuff.

Not knocking the MD-UW at all (it's my favorite bit of gear), just
wanted you to be fully aware of what you're getting since you
mentioned this might be a center piece of your studio.  Possible yes,
but it's not the best option if you're looking for a sampler, versus a
drum machine that has some sampling capabilities.

On 9/19/06, jg <jg573@...> wrote:
> Thanks for the replies & sound demos guys...
>
> What really has me interested is being able to tweak
> the samples you load into the SPS1-UW.
> This may be the icing on the cake.
>
> I can do similair with Kontakt & thats why I was
> looking at Kore with the latest version of Kontakt,
> but I kind of don't want to be too dependant on a
> computer for making music.
> I use the PC for Recording & that is enough mouse
> clicks for me.
> I like standalone boxes for beat making.
>
> Another question I have is if it's able to do loop
> based production style beats?
> i.e. can you program a pattern to just trigger a one
> shot loop ?
> Can you chop a sample/loop up & spread it across drum
> pads?
> I think if it can do that, then I will be sold.
>
> Far as my SP-1200, I actually sold my last one not too
> long ago.
> But, I still have a Sequential Studio 440 which blows
> it out of the water completely.
> And the MPC3000 which will remain the core of my
> production lab.
>
> Thanks & if anyone has a sound demo of a loop sampled
> in the SPS1-UW, i'd love to hear it!
> Especially if it's been bit-crushed or tweaked a bit.
> i.e. sample a drum loop & maybe filter it a bit...
>
> -j
>

-- 
Tarekith
http://www.tarekith.com