Hi,
What would you find more fun? Analog 4 + a drum machine like a cheap Electribe, or Analog Rytm + a synth with sequencer like a TB3?
I have to choose one of these combinations. I hate too much menu digging, I would do techno music mainly.
a4 hands down.
- esx or mpc and sample your drum sounds created on the a4. the a4 is sick!
Feel like I have seen this thread before.
I think it really depends on the kind of music you are making.
Banging techno, hip hop = Rytm + synth
Melodic, textured, harmonic… A4 + drums for sure. Although A4 + TR-8 would be great for classic techno too.
If you can get drums that use trigger inputs, you can sequence from A4. Drums like Nord Drum, Jomox Mbase/brane Vermona Kick Lancet.
Also, look at Beatstep Pro instead of TB-3 for sequencing duties. More steps, micro timing, more tracks. Would go great with Blofeld or other multitimbral synth.
Of course A4 + Rytm worth saving up for.
I tested the BSP yesterday in my friend house. It’s really bad… The build quality and the extras are very nice, but it fails in the basic gate/velocity step record sequencing. You have to lose too much time using the encoders, there isn’t even a shift for fast value change.
Instead a generic question like I did before I’ll be more specific. Which machine (AR/A4) can… or it’s better suited for…:
- Change the gate of all steps in the track simultaneously (without changing slides!)
- Step record ala TB303
- MIDI Out (I think A4 is the only one)
- Switch tracks without previewing the track sound and without use shift buttons.
- Write different step/note velocities.
- Rotate the tracks of each patterns.
- Use different tracks lenghts.
- Do note slides in a simple way.
- Load samples (Only AR, I think) and/or use loops.
- Which of them is more fun for you (you may include OT here).
I actually encountered this exact decision when I bought my analog rytm about a month ago.
It was a toss up A4 + what I already have for drums or AR + what I already have for synths. It was my intro purchase to Elektron gear and I opted for the AR and I absolutely love it. When forming my choice I read a lot and watched a lot and in the end it was simple: What type of music do I write … the kind that has thumping, funked up, banging beats (with buttloads of bass haha). The beat probably comprises more than 50% of the sound of most electronic songs (unless you write ambient or some similar style). So to have great sounding, dynamic, totally original sounding drums I decided a machine that specializes in that would be best. It was a complete success. I’m currently programming all my songs into the AR and making a live set I can play on only one device. Not only does the AR have the most full sounding analog drums I’ve ever heard in person, it does a fantastic job of making synths as well. I’ve managed to synth pads, leads, basses all out of either single cycle waveforms or just straight one shots layered up with the analog drum synthesis engines. Its no A4 in the synth realm, but I figure when I can afford to buy another premium synth I’ll go A4.
One possible option which was already mentioned (ESX) would be to go for the Electribe 2 Sampler. It’s super cheap and does a lot for the money. The sequencer (with its motion sequence recording) is probably the closest IMO to elektron. Has every requirement you listed. Records velocity, can be step recorded, live recorded (played with the pads) or grid sequenced. It can sample/resample/chop all on the fly. Sequence up to 16 tracks worth of external gear. Route them back in through external input and apply the filter/insert effect/master effect. Typing this I’m realizing they’re pretty dope and maybe wishing I hadn’t sold mine. The 16 individual tracks worth of drum/synth/sample/external is tons. At first I felt like it was a huge downgrade to go to only 8 voices on the AR, but I’ve since found a ton of workarounds that makes it sound like there’s way more voices than 8 (sound locks, performance macros, scenes etc). The only downside to the electribes is that they sound really really clean. I wanted something that sounded more pro-level and wouldn’t “stick out” in a mix. For some people clean is great, but I guess the sound I’m going for is a little more dirty retro.
Anyways … sorry for the long response, but I felt I would share my experience. I seriously can’t wait to buy the A4, but with a growing young family to support I have to make my purchases wisely !
Yes, I’ve decided for the first option (AR+synth) after reading a lot, because I already have the synth (x0xb0x, and I’m thinking into purchase a Waldorf Rocket if the new machine have midi out). I know I said AR, but it could be MD or OT. Now I’m deciding which is the best machine to do music like this:
AND the best companion for a x0xb0x (acid, hard acid, hard techno).
The MD seems the best, tons of tracks and effects, however it’s a bit outdated (sample management seems bad). The OT is not a synth, and I would have only 5 avaliable tracks, because two of them would be for the external synths, and 1 for the master). The AR is incredible, but it lacks MIDI Out and a bitcrusher effect, and the effects do not affect the Audio In).
So I doing individual question about those machines to help me to decide. I have a 340€ coupon that I must use before August for a local store. Thank you for your help
Buying an AR is no impulse buy investment, so cannot 100% recommend to a stranger, but fwiw the AR can make complete techno tracks even on its own, without any other devices.
Or even Drum N’ Bass, IDM, Electro…
I think that the last Lab Challenge proved that point!
The A4 is four independent and quite flexible synths. I sometimes pair it with the MFB 522, sometimes the Volca Beats, sometimes the Electribe ER-1, iPad… quite cheap stuff.
I believe it’s easier to find small cheap boxes with full drum sets + sequencer, than finding comparatively compact and cheap and sequencable sets of four independent synth voices in one box.
So in my mind the A4 + whatever turns up seems like the more flexible option.
OT, but you can set the response of the BSP’s encoders on their app.
Though a button to temporarily change it would be handy too…
Warts and all, as it is at O.S. 1.5, the Radikal Technologies Spectralis 2 does all the above…and much more…modular deep, lots of menus because anything is just about possible, other than only it CAN sequence other gear, different time signature, backwards/forwards, random/probability as well as 192 resolution, half analog, half digital, still being further developed and more extensive midi should then be possible.
It’s very nice with my A4. Use a QuNexus for A4 drone machine and a proper synth as a master to play with or into the Spectralis while it also has a drum matrix sequencer and unlike the A4, the Spectralis will let be record dynamics played while using the Qunexus. The QuNexus has all those cv/gate in/outs, midi, usb.
By the way, the Waldorf Blofeld’s multi mode and deep matrix, you can get some really nice percussive and you CAN load samples in Blofeld as well to be used and then there’s the brand new Waldorf iRackAttack, which has quite a lot of the Nave functionality as well…so there’s that route as well.
You could also get a Korg Monotribe…powerful little box when run through a lot of stuff.
What about a second hand AR and A4?
What would be the difference if I take an OT/MD and I match it with an used synth, like a Virus B? What would I’ve missing from A4? (excluding the “analog” part, which I don’t mind, I like digital sounds).
The Spectralis 2 seems very good, however I prefer simpler things, I don’t like lose too much time digging in menus. Where can I see its price? I cannot find it in any store.
It does not support MIDI Out, it doesnt process the Audio Inputs with its filters / effects, it cannot resample like MD, and it doesn’t have a Bitcrusher / Sample Rate Reduction. Due to such things, I think that a OT or MD is more useful for me.
A4 all the way, with a volca beats or mfb drum machine
Also you could pick up an md mk1 vey cheap
Have you thought about A4 and http://www.musicradar.com/us/reviews/tech/mfb-schlagzwerg-228448
But, why A4? Isn’t a powerful machine like MachineDrum or the Octatrack and a Virus B enough? The MachineDrum and Octatrack could handle the Virus B, and I’ll have drums+synths+effects+sampling+master effect in just two machines.
If I go for A4+(cheap drummachine), I would have only Synth (with fx) + drums. What can do the A4 that a Virus driven by an Octatrack cannot?
I see your point. 8 midi channels out of OT feeding into Virus and all that polyphony, all those LFOs. It’s powerful.
It’s also not a fair comparison because you have the cost of the Virus added on. Of course the OT+Virus could do far more.
But, there are things you can do with A4 that would be unique.
It really comes down to workflow.
With A4 you could quickly write 4 synth/drum parts with parameter locks, and far more parameter locks (than OT sends CC#s) because the sequencer and synth are contained in the same instrument with A4.
You can also set up macros (Performance mode) with A4.
If you’re a workflow junkie and like to have a nice linear progression in how your track develops, and you enjoy how that development inspires you in the beginning of composition, pushing you through to the end of the track, A4 is great for that.
If you don’t mind taking the time to set things up and constantly manage the communication between two instruments, and having to do a bit of menu digging, then OT+synth is great for that.
Sounds like your heart is set on OT+Virus. Especially considering all the sample-based stuff you want out of OT. And that is an insanely powerful combo. Workflows are different, so if you’re still intrigued by A4, you should try both solutions out and see which you prefer most.
A4 >> Much deeper for drums than than AR ( no samples ) and it’s a fantastic synth ( but only 4 tracks .
AR << Compressor - more tracks - samples .
Go for 1 of them - stay with 1 to start until you really know it iside-out and you can make it sing. Save a little longer for the second - > maybe AR + A4 - no matter - even cheap synt’s have secrets …
Why buy several instruments bat the same time ? Learn one ! Ones you know it’s limits - and tried to pass beond them - it’s maybe time to get a second instr.
You’ll make a far better impression mastering 1 really - than 2 half-way …
i’m doing synths for all my life and I would never learn more than 1 at the time. also to avoid confiusion and to avoid staying at the surface. It will push you to shearch deeper.
After knowing the beast totally - it’ll be much easyer to know witch extra instrument u need 
Indeed, I’m a workflow Junkie, that’s why I think that OT + a cheap synth (because I love some evolving sounds) it’s easier to work that doing 200 P-locking in the A4.
I’m doing this basic assumption: if you have one A4 track with few drums sounds, and you want to modify a little any of them like doing filtering more agressive in a hihat, you have to modify each hihat of each step and in each pattern individually, right? That’s what I fear.
However if I setup an OT used as a Drummachine I have 6 free tracks to do it, reserving one for a audio input and another for the master. 6 tracks only for drums is enough, considering the kind of music I want to do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5mgzKr6XDQ
I don’t think the A4 can do nothing similar easily, do it?
To be honest I love the design of the A4, and if someday I could afford another expensive machine, it would be. At the moment I only can afford one, and I need it be the most complete machine I can find.
So, I’m deciding between OT/MD/AR, and I’m doing questions in different forum parts about them. The only of them that support LoFi effects, audio input effects, and MIDI Out are the OT/MD, that why them have all my attention right now (and they have sampling too, and more tricks than the AR).
For me the perfect machine would be the MD, lots of synth engines (machines), basic sampling, lots of tracks, and the song in the video was done with a basic MD. However it won’t have overbridge, and the sample transfer to a computer seems weak, and maybe I can become tired of its sound in few years. The OT is a more modern machine with lots tricks, solid sample management, two inputs allowing me to use two future synths and you can plug a MIDI keyboard which I already own. But some people think that it’s very complicated work with it, and it relies a lot on your samples/inputs: while you can stay in your couch with an Electribe or MachineDrum on your legs, you cannot do the same with the OT, unless you can have more than one machine on your lap 