Anyone with a Machinedrum?

[Smag]

I've been looking at getting my hands on a Machinedrum but am not so sure after listening to the demos on the Elektron website - they're not that good are they? For anyone with a Machinedrum, would you say these were a fair reflection on what it can do?

[3o3]

I owned a Machinedrum for about 8 months before i had to sell it due to some finacial problems.

Anyways, I dont think those MP3's on the Elektron website show it's whole capacity. I haven't had so much fun with a drummachine.

I made some really odd twisted electric piano sounds that sounded really cheezy 80ies casio homekeyboard. You can make some really odd FX, Lead-sounds/Bass-sounds and so on.

And it's an excellent hardware-sequencer! If i had the cash i would buy it or wait until the new machinedrum comes out with sampling option!

[Smag]

If i had the cash i would buy it or wait until the new machinedrum comes out with sampling option!

But I thought existing machinedrums can be upgraded to have the sampling option, is this not the case? Is it a separate unit they're bringing out?

Also, some people have said the Machinedrum sounds a bit cold, do you find this a problem or not?

[3o3]

But I thought existing machinedrums can be upgraded to have the sampling option, is this not the case? Is it a separate unit they're bringing out?

I've heard rumours about this aswell, but the main problem is the simple "upgradecost". I have friend that loves Elektron-stuff and he has all their products. and he talked about the (if they allow people to upgrade) it will cost quite alot (Everything elektron releases isn't cheap).

Also, some people have said the Machinedrum sounds a bit cold, do you find this a problem or not?

Nope, but then again. I like hard/electronish type of drums.

[Merlot]

I definitely want one for sure. If i didnt need to update my mac, thats what I would be getting. :evil:

[Smag]

It looks rather tasty:

http://www.elektron.se/stories.php

[Hollowcell]

Pretty full on combo you'll have if you end up getting the Machinedrum Smag - that with your Jomox would be a gutsy combo for sure!

[Drammy]

I got one and love it BUT - I use Cubase and Cubase won't sync to an external MIDI Clock...

Now the MD is excellent as a master clock but does not sync to an incoming clock very well - when recorded into Cubase where Cubase is master I found all my sounds to be either infront or behind the beat by anything up to 300 samples - not ideal.

For this reason alone I barely use it - gutted - waiting for Steinberg to make Cubase sync to external MIDI clock.


Drammy

[Panopticon]

when recorded into Cubase where Cubase is master I found all my sounds to be either infront or behind the beat by anything up to 300 samples - not ideal.

Are they all off by the same amount? I'm not positive about Cubase these days, but at least with Digital Performer there's a MIDI I/O fine tuning utility to compensate for this.

[Drammy]

Unfortunately not, they are all random - some are infront some are fairly close and some are way behind, v frustating!

[MADSTATION]

Drammy: Have a look there: www.cubase.net :)

[Smag]

I got one and love it BUT - I use Cubase and Cubase won't sync to an external MIDI Clock...
Drammy

That's a bugger cos I've got Cubase aswell (SL) which I use all of the time. Is the Machinedrum therefore unusable with Cubase in your opinion Drammy?

[Merlot]

use this in the mean time. Give MD like sounds.

www.soniccharge.com

It is made by the same guy who did the malmstrom in reason. Top notch drum synth.

[Drammy]

Personally yes, unless you wish to spend quite a lot of time adjusting the timing of the recorded wav files.

I suppose it depends on how important tight timing is in your music as well as how intricate you drum programming is.

So upsetting - I just hope Cubase gets an internal MIDI clock sync soon!

[Drammy]

Madstation,

Any particular thread?

I am a member of Cubase.net and have discussed this subject with the guys over there, but I don't keep such a close eye on the threads as other forums...

[Smag]

Personally yes, unless you wish to spend quite a lot of time adjusting the timing of the recorded wav files.

I suppose it depends on how important tight timing is in your music as well as how intricate you drum programming is.

So upsetting - I just hope Cubase gets an internal MIDI clock sync soon!

That's depressing, I need my drums to be tight and with lots of shuffle. I'm going to look into this MIDI sync thing in a bit more detail, it's a fair bit of cash to shell out after all. Cheers Drammy.

[MADSTATION]

There are some issues with SX3 regarding some soundcards that has different input and output latency. However, a fix for this will be released in august.

[Smag]

Drammy, I've e-mailed Elektron about the MIDI-sync issue you mentioned. They haven't got back and I don't have a machinedrum serial number so I don't blame them really. But is the unit usable OK if Cubase sends data to the "MIDI in" on the box? There shouldn't be any issues with this should there?

[audiofunktion]

I use the machinedrum and cubase at the same time, then again, i dont do any sequencing with cubase itself.... The workaround that I have found works quite well with my MC-909 and my machinedrum is setting them up as remote machines. Therefore they are all trigerred by a midi message coming from cubase, but use their own clocks to sync.

I make techno and drum n bass, so timing is definatly important, and i've found the using them as remote machines does a pretty good job.

[audiofunktion]

And, by the way, the machinedrum is so simple and intricate that you can relate to it quickly and intuitivly, I am a major supporter of elektron and the MD in particular, as its the only piece of theirs i own, yet....

As for the sampling machine, its about $400 more, and there are so many options for that in my studio already, i didnt quuite see the point, although i'm sure if i played with it, i'd want it like a fat kid eyin a wedding cake!

[Smag]

i'm sure if i played with it, i'd want it like a fat kid eyin a wedding cake!

:lol:

Cheers Audiofunktion, it sounds as though I've got my kit set up as remote machines already i.e just receiving data from Cubase via the MIDI ins and the audio fed back out into the soundcard on the PC, not heard of that term before. So the Machinedrum would work OK like this you reck?

[audiofunktion]

for me, it works fine... I dont know if you can get timing any more precise than on the MD, and when it comes to actuallt recording the sound, i would be hard pressed to have any kind of midi sync sent to the MD besides the "Play" command. I'm still not an expert with it, i havent had it all that long, but in comparison with the drums i've sequenced in software/MC-909, its unmatched.... you can hear a differance the first time you put to drum hits on the same beat....

There is a good forum

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/elektron-users/

you should def check it out, those guys know alot more than me, but fact of the matter is, i'd rather go and buy new recording software rather than sacrifice the MD to menial tasks.

Also, you can trigger patterns through midi events. Not sure how this works, as I havent done it yet, but that could possibly be an option as an alternative to operating as a remote machine

1

[Smag]

Thanks Audiofunktion, I've signed up to that forum so I'll ask them about it later today.