So I’ve had my OTMKII for awhile now. It was my first piece of elektron gear and was quite a lot of fun learning to use, but arrangement process in it just feels super cumbersome. I usually opt to record a 16 or how many bar loop into Ableton and do my arrangements from there. Maybe I’m missing something but going and programming parts patterns, and scene for a whole song or set is tiresome and puts me out.
I posted about this recently: New thought: 16 patterns of a bank as a 2D grid
It definitely depends … (like everything OT), but in general copy/paste is your friend and is probably more powerful/quicker than you think.
Same, a bit: MK1 my first Elektron box, had for a few months, it’s definitely something I wanted for a long time, mainly in sound: how it processed samples.
Not long after finding my way around, it DID change my composition approach, for the better…no more being “locked” in a linear mindset, I will say.
You DO have to go in with an idea/sketch in mind- for this, I choose a few synth/ loops in and mess about, or even just plain weird noise…where I used to pretty much start with a beat and build from there. But it got pretty predictable- mostly due to the gear I had and habit- good results- in fact, honed to a tee, but fairly predictable.
Now, every time I compose is after I have some new sounds to work with in the pool, pretty much tossed salad, fill about 20 slots at first, start with 3 tracks, mess about, see what gels, replace, replace again, follow the scent.
I actually have been ending up with more odd time signatures and meters. Pretty much split between loops/phrases and one shots and grid vs. live recording. Tho I like programming individual beats still.
The whole thing with having the project “auto saved” tells me something about the Elektron Mind: you are gonna go through quite a bit of working, setting it aside for a few days/weeks, powering up, making more changes, perhaps resampling, dropping, adding, composing etc. before till you get “there”, at least for laying it to tape, mulling over it, and perhaps going back again to change a few things.
Ever date a redhead? She’s like that, she’ll talk to you a little, give you little hints. Give her time, play a little. Not one to fight with. I have learned to trust her, let her have her way. Most of the time it doesn’t make sense, but when you hit her spot, you’ll know. It don’t come easy.
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