Analog Rythm w/Zendrum drum controller

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

Pre-purchase question even after looking at the manual. I’m interested in using my Zendrum (zendrum.com) MIDI drum controller with an Analog Rytm., and I want to make sure about the playing feel and setup. I can assign 12 strike pads on my Zendrum to a different MIDI channel, then assign each channel to a different track on the AR to play its drum sounds, right? The strike pads are velocity sensitive, and the AR will respond on these 12 tracks to MIDI velocities 1-128, right? I expect that this kind of setup will give a decently natural playing feel for finger drumming via the Zendrum, right?

I use my Zendrum with a software sampler that provides 128 velocity layers. which works great with acoustic drum sounds and allows kits of unlimited size, but I’d like some electronic sounding options. I also use it with a Roland drum brain, which also sounds and plays great, but it’s still acoustic-sounding kits, with a max kit size of 8 pieces. It seems the AR will give 12. Normally, I’d just buy it and try it out, but given the AR’s cost, I’d like to get some opinions.

Silent sequence with p locks and external controller?
#2

You can do that (keep in mins that there’s only eight voices, so there are four groups where one Track will take priority over its neighbour)

You can also use a low midi note range on any midi channel to play each track voice at its default pitch

If you use the Track channels for each pad you can vary the note to pitch the voices (if assigned and possible)

You can assign a number of voice parameters to velocity, so it should be possible to get good timbral variety as well as some dynamics or use it creatively

The AR sounds incredible (also with samples), but a large part of the satisfaction (and cost) is the sequencer integration, so there may be other analog/midi options out there that are better suited or cheaper

#3

The rytm has a four slot velocity modmatrix and a four slot aftertouch modmatrix. You can get great dynamism to the sounds by utilizing these modmatrixes creatively. You can target any parameter with the velo and aftertouch mods :diddly:

Each voice on the rytm can be assigned to a separate MIDI channel. You can also assign macro controls to a separate MIDI channel, which allows further modulations to be set up.

Even if there are other analog drum brains on the market, rytm ranks among the most flexible ones. Combined with sample layers and analog filters, vast sonic scope is on offer. Getting most out of the synthetic sounds on the rytm takes time though so your mileage may vary.

#4

Hmm, that 8-voice limitation is unfortunate–I didn’t notice that in the manual, and I assumed 12 voices. My Zendrum has 30 strike pads (velocity only, no aftertouch), which I often like to divide into two groups of 13 (with 4 special ones), so 12 voices would have worked great, but 8 leaves a lot on the table. On the other hand, I didn’t read the manual closely enough to notice that velocity could be mapped so creatively, and that’s a big plus.

But without creative velocity mapping, do the sounds respond interestingly to changes in velocity, or are they limited to louder/softer? For example, the sampler’s velocity layers don’t just get louder, but change their tone in a way natural to acoustic drums. Do AR’s sounds vary with velocity “out of the box,” or do I have to program up all that dynamic response myself?

#5

Some will - it depends on the sound designer - the creative potential with the modulation matrix is huge (depending on voice type) - basically pretty much any parameter you can adjust can be targeted - for FM voices the timbral variation can be quite dramatic, but there’s so many aspects of each machine/circuit that it comes down to the designer

Be doubly aware then (as 8 voices was not something you knew about) that the 8 voices are tied to certain machines - some are tied to a fair few - i.e. the lowest four tracks are extremely flexible, whereas the tom tracks can host a tom machine and an impulse machine to ping the filter or a noise machine to pass through the filter - so when you are laying out the 12 pads you are tied to the constraints of the respective voice (from the 8)- though a machine on a shared voice may be radically different to its counterpart track sharing that voice - they just can’t play simultaneously (as per CHH OHH etc)

Nonetheless, the AR still sounds incredible and when using its sequencer the 8voice 12 track ‘limitation’ is simply not a thing - especially with sound locks etc - but then we’re looking at its sequencer which is a part of the whole

#6

Sure, the sequencing and “normal” use of the AR look great–I like the Elektron workflow–and I want the AR’s kinds of sounds, but at this price, I really want it to be a one-box solution. It needs to at least be close to also filling my drum brain need, or else I sill have to take along more gear. It seems I can have my cake and eat it too if I buy two AR’s! Even with that financial insanity, I’d be toting the additional unit around.

#7

Or buy a Digitone for the remaining voices… completely different sound palette that also works great for percussion.

#8

Pre-purchase question, and I think that even after studying the manual, I can’t be confident of the answer, so I’m asking here.

I’d like to play an AR MKII using an external MIDI controller (Zendrum.com). While playing, I’d like my external MIDI notes to sound different at different moments, p-lock style, which I assume is done by having the sequencer running while the AR receives my external MIDI notes on channels matched to the sounds I’ve designated. But I want the AR to only sound the external MIDI notes, so I’d want the sequence to only be sequencing p-locks and be otherwise silent. Can the AR do this?

#9

Not like that - any incoming MIDI will take priority over the sequencer locks

Apparently a Korg can do this and the MicroFreak - it’d be a great feature for sure but it doesn’t work like that - there are ways to breath life into the sound, but sequencing with its own track like you want ain’t one

#10

Too bad–silently sequencing p locks would have been the killer feature for me. At the price and the large footprint given my cramped work space, I still can’t simply snap one up to see if I can live with it–I have to try it in person first.

If the AR’s pads can give me a playing feel that’s highly sensitive to velocity, then that would do it for me since it could then pinch hit for the Zendrum controller sometimes. My Zendrums are kind of big and heavy. But in my experience, any machine with percussive strike pads–and I’ve tried many–are set up to be whacked rather hard. For example, the threshold striking energy for my Model Samples is about a MIDI velocity 115 on my Zendrums, which I set up very hot for playing efficiency. I can’t find a velocity sensitivity setting in the AR’s manual, and the demos look like it’s set up to be struck relativlely hard. That makes sense for almost everyone out there. In my case, though, after years of Zendrum, I want to simply hover one hand over the AR’s strike pads and be able to get the full range of velocity with just finger movements (including pinky), and no wrist involved, let alone shoulder. That way, you can go a long time and also have the other hand doing intricate stuff on the AR or another device.

#11

Regarding the velocity response you want from the the pads (highly sensitive just by finger movements and no wrist invovled) I’ll fear the AR is not what you want. You can’t even customize it.