Elektron Musical Instruments

Hello to all,

I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last 
autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.

What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing 
capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I 
understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi tracks?). 
The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still 
thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of 
an idea is this?

-Mikael Nuotto

Actually, 16 midi tracks :) the MachineDrums new midi sequencer is very
cool, and very useful...will definitely kick the rm1x's ass



Kyle Riggs/Cryogenick
maker of odd noises
http://www.Cryogenick.net/

-----Original Message-----
From: nuotto [mailto:Nuotto@...]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 10:32 AM
To: elektron-users@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [elektron] MD and sequencing

Hello to all,

I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last
autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.

What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing
capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I
understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi tracks?).
The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still
thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of
an idea is this?

-Mikael Nuotto





Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

I've posted the same question about 2 months ago.. see
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elektron-users/message/1955

--
Miha

--- In elektron-users@y..., "nuotto" <Nuotto@h...> wrote:
> Hello to all,
> 
> I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last 
> autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.
> 
> What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing 
> capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I 
> understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi 
tracks?). 

> The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still 
> thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of 
> an idea is this?
> 
> -Mikael Nuotto

Buy a MachineDrum.
Buy a RS7000.  
Sell RM1X.  

>>> "nuotto" <Nuotto@hotmail.com> 02/14/02 12:31PM >>>
Hello to all,

I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last 
autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.

What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing 
capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I 
understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi tracks?). 
The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still 
thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of 
an idea is this?

-Mikael Nuotto



 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

I think the MD is good for sequencing some crazy Basslines, for you get some 
strange and interesting things out of it oyu wouldnt compose normally, but 
if you wanna make real Tracks, working with the MD is quite a nuisance, if 
your tracks are going to consist of more than 32-step-patterns...

Blop
Steril

--------
I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last
autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.

What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing
capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I
understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi tracks?).
The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still
thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of
an idea is this?

-Mikael Nuotto





Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/







Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/






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I think the MD is good for sequencing some crazy Basslines, for you get some 
strange and interesting things out of it oyu wouldnt compose normally, but 
if you wanna make real Tracks, working with the MD is quite a nuisance, if 
your tracks are going to consist of more than 32-step-patterns...

Blop
Steril

--------
I'm quite new to this group, having purchased a sidstation last
autumn. I live in Helsinki, and "compose" elektro with a friend.

What I would like to ask is, how good are the MD's midi sequencing
capabilities? I currently use a RM1X to do my sequencing, but I
understand, that the MD can do some sequencing too (4 midi tracks?).
The 32-long patterns pose an obvious restriction, but I am still
thinking of maybe selling my RM1X to get a machinedrum. How good of
an idea is this?

-Mikael Nuotto





Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/







Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/






==========================================================
=               Try http://www.steril.org                =
==========================================================


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--- In elektron-users@y..., "Steril 707" <steril707@h...> wrote:
> I think the MD is good for sequencing some crazy Basslines, for you 
get some 
> strange and interesting things out of it oyu wouldnt compose 
normally, but 
> if you wanna make real Tracks, working with the MD is quite a 
nuisance, if 
> your tracks are going to consist of more than 32-step-patterns...
> 
> Blop
> Steril
> 

Yup, that's what I thought too. 

The MD is probably great for simpler tunes with patterns no longer 
than 32 steps, but it does pose some obvious restrictions when 
working on more complex tracks. I guess I'll have to keep my trusty 
old RM then and try to get the money for the MD elsewhere... ;) 
Still, 1350(?) euros is quite a lot of money for a drum machine, no 
matter how good sounding the MD is. Compared to a RS7000 for 1499 
euros at www.thomann.de, the MD does seem ridiculously expensive. 
Premium price for premium tools, I guess.

Mikael Nuotto

>
>Still, 1350(?) euros is quite a lot of money for a drum machine, no
>matter how good sounding the MD is. Compared to a RS7000 for 1499
>euros at www.thomann.de, the MD does seem ridiculously expensive.
>Premium price for premium tools, I guess.


I don't understand why people keep saying this, the MD costs the same as 
most mid-range synths(Virus, Microwave XT, Q-rack etc) on the market. It 
has equivalent or maybe even more DSP power, loads of I/O and plenty of 
panel hardware. Why on earth should it cost less just because it's a drum 
machine?

As for sequencing whole tracks in the MD, I think it is perfectly 
possible(especially with the recent addition of a mute mask for each song 
step). The way I usually use it is to have one MIDI machine controlling the 
SidStation(seems made for that) and another couple sending messages to 
Max/MSP which then triggers other sound-generation. Works like a charm :-) 
Admittedly sequencing everything directly from the MD would be a bit 
limiting, but that doesn't mean some good music couldn't result!

jng[png]

If you own a RM or RS you already know how powerfull its sequencer can be...
I think in tandem with a Machinedrum it could be even better - like having a
seperate master brain for the beats.  But the realtime sequence manipulation
the RM and RS offers is really unparalleled so far - especially if you live
and die by pattern switching and knob twiddling as sequence performance.  It
is the only tool I consider worthy for playing strictly electronic music in
a live setting.  Improvisation is the key!!!


-----Original Message-----
From: nuotto <Nuotto@...>
To: elektron-users@yahoogroups.com <elektron-users@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Saturday, February 16, 2002 5:59 AM

Subject: Re: [elektron] MD and sequencing


>--- In elektron-users@y..., "Steril 707" <steril707@h...> wrote:
>> I think the MD is good for sequencing some crazy Basslines, for you
>get some
>> strange and interesting things out of it oyu wouldnt compose
>normally, but
>> if you wanna make real Tracks, working with the MD is quite a
>nuisance, if
>> your tracks are going to consist of more than 32-step-patterns...
>>
>> Blop
>> Steril
>>
>
>Yup, that's what I thought too.
>
>The MD is probably great for simpler tunes with patterns no longer
>than 32 steps, but it does pose some obvious restrictions when
>working on more complex tracks. I guess I'll have to keep my trusty
>old RM then and try to get the money for the MD elsewhere... ;)
>Still, 1350(?) euros is quite a lot of money for a drum machine, no
>matter how good sounding the MD is. Compared to a RS7000 for 1499
>euros at www.thomann.de, the MD does seem ridiculously expensive.
>Premium price for premium tools, I guess.
>
>Mikael Nuotto
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

> It 
> has equivalent or maybe even more DSP power, loads of I/O and 
plenty of 
> panel hardware. 

According to Daniel, it has more than three times the processing 
power of a Virus!

Regards,
Nils

> I don't understand why people keep saying this, the MD costs the 
same as 
> most mid-range synths(Virus, Microwave XT, Q-rack etc) on the 
market. It 
> has equivalent or maybe even more DSP power, loads of I/O and 
plenty of 
> panel hardware. Why on earth should it cost less just because it's 
a drum 
> machine?

True. I guess many pelople just think, that an analogue-modelling 
synth is much more versatile tool to have around the studio, than an 
A-M drum machine... (although with the machinedrum this might not be 
true) 


> As for sequencing whole tracks in the MD, I think it is perfectly 
> possible(especially with the recent addition of a mute mask for 
each song 
> step). The way I usually use it is to have one MIDI machine 
controlling the 
> SidStation(seems made for that) and another couple sending messages 
to 
> Max/MSP which then triggers other sound-generation. Works like a 
charm :-) 
> Admittedly sequencing everything directly from the MD would be a 
bit 
> limiting, but that doesn't mean some good music couldn't result!

True again. It is not nescessary to have impossibly long loops to 
make good music, but sometimes 32 steps just isn't enough. Good for 
basslines and great for the sidstation?

Mikael

> True again. It is not nescessary to have impossibly long loops to 
> make good music, but sometimes 32 steps just isn't enough. Good for 
> basslines and great for the sidstation?

True, a plain 32 step pattern repeated would be boring, but you can't 
really judge the MD's sequencing ability without including the song 
editor. You can treat a load of 32 step patterns as source material 
and then chain them, play back different sections of the patterns, 
change mutes etc all within the song editor. Works nicely for me, 
your mileage may vary of course. You can also chain several patterns 
in the normal pattern play mode and thus effectively get 128-steps+ .
Before I start sounding like a complete Elektron fan-boy, I must say 
that I would never consider the MD's sequencing a replacement for a 
linear sequencer like Logic or whatever, it's just that I don't 
really work to that paradigm. I'll not presume to know anything about 
your way of working so the MD may or may not work for you. I'd 
reccommend you take advantage of Elektron's 10 day money back thingy 
and give the MD a good going over in the context of your own set-up.

cheers,
jng[png]

> True, a plain 32 step pattern repeated would be boring, but you can't 
> really judge the MD's sequencing ability without including the song 
> editor. You can treat a load of 32 step patterns as source material 

here's a trick other people  are probably using, make a 32 step pattern,
then imagine it divided into 8 equal 4-step sections Use the song
editor to create:

ABCD
ABCE
ABCF
ABCG
ABCH

Similarly, you can make, say, 8 different sidsta notes in the first 8 steps
of a pattern, then play this pack (steps)
1,10-16
2,10-16
1,10-16
3,10-16
1,10-16
2,10-16
1,10-16
3,10-16

this works for me because my first step is usually just a kick or
kick+ch anyway.  

is there a copy range for the song editor?  it's starting to get to the
point where that would be useful!  n.e.way, can't wait to install the
new 1.1 os with mute sequencing....wicked.


> Before I start sounding like a complete Elektron fan-boy, I must say 

hahahah

>You can also chain several patterns in the normal pattern play mode 
>and thus effectively get 128-steps+ .

This sounds interesting, I could cope with that, maybe. Still, I 
probably have to keep the good ol' RM, and try to get the cash 
elsewhere.
 
>I would never consider the MD's sequencing a replacement for a 
>linear sequencer like Logic or whatever, it's just that I don't 
>really work to that paradigm. 

The Rm1x is not linear, btw.

Anyway, thanks to everybody for being so helpful, I now know what to 
do. (Still my next piece of kit will be to upgrade my MS2000R to a 
keyboard-version).

Mikael

> here's a trick other people  are probably using, make a 32 step 
pattern,
> then imagine it divided into 8 equal 4-step sections Use the song
> editor to create:
> 
> ABCD
> ABCE
> ABCF
> ABCG
> ABCH
> 

Let me get this one correct: you can use the song editor to link 
precise parts of patterns too?!?

Mikael

On Mon Feb 18 2002, nuotto <Nuotto@...> wrote:

> Let me get this one correct: you can use the song editor to link 
> precise parts of patterns too?!?

Yup, that's right. See the manual, page 43. "Song row offsets and lengths". :)

<http://www.machinedrum.com/files/Elektron_SPS-1_users_manual_100.pdf>

/Janne

-- 
Janne G:son Berg, d3berg@...   http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/~d3berg
                                      .

how do I remove my address from electron-users?
thanks

> how do I remove my address from electron-users?
> thanks

my god man!  why?!

j/k.  actually, i was wondering how to get ON the list.  i'm going to change
email soon (since the demise of the @home network) and i've forgotten how to
join.  :)

as far as sequencing goes on the md...i have to say, and i know that some of
you will hate me for this, but nothing beats an actual pc based sequencer.
of course, if your plan is to play live, it looks really fuckin stupid to
have a laptop on stage, so i plan on dumping all of my patterns to my
hardware sequencer later.  i use an mc505...i like the on board mixer and
the "megamix" for pattern swapping.

stagl

ps.  i'm using the md extensively on my latest work (and a little tiny bit
of the sidstation).  i'll let you guys in on a few songs in the future:
www.lowset.com




----- Original Message -----

From: "Rob Holding" <robholding@...>
To: <elektron-users@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 1:01 PM
Subject: Re: [elektron] MD and sequencing

>