I am looking to get a drum machine to go with my Octatrack and other non elektron synths to make dance music with. As i have been enjoying using renoise to make gabber/hardcore stuff but want to go dawless, which thankfully due to the gear i currently already have only means getting a decent drum machine.
I previously only made noise music with hardware, so i don’t know very much about drum machines if i am honest. All my noise stuff just uses fairly rudimentary foley samples for percussion when needed.
i had a look at buying a Syntakt originally but my friend is insistent that i should get an Analog RYTM Mk2 instead which is very much within my budget. I am inclined to agree with him upon seeing it seems to have functions better suited for live performance and has solo outs for each drum sound (make mixing it all a lot easier).
He insists that it’s a better machine because it gets a much nicer industrial distortion and resampling techniques better suited to this style of music.
However none of the videos online seem to showcase it in any meaningful way for the kind of stuff i want to make.
I mostly want to make 90s thunderdome style gabber stuff but with some influences from the softer less abrasive side of hardcore.
i think this instagram reel i found of someone using a syntakt highlights very well what i want to do:
Can this kind of stuff be done using the synth engines and drum engines on analog rytm? anyone have any examples of stuff they’ve made like this with the analog rytm? Explain their workflow to achieve similar stuff in a user friendly way?
Ha, thank you! Here’s my Hardcore/Gabber playlist ft. Digitone II, Syntakt and others.
Here’s a quick Elektron rundown for Gabber and Hardcore:
Analog Rytm: Synth and Sampler. Good if you want to use the external outputs and distortion pedals to make your kicks, and possibly resample. Doesn’t have the possibility to put the filter before distortion.
Analog Four: Synth. Each track has two filters, the first filter is before the overdrive, so it’s kinda possible. I made it possible. But then it’s only four tracks …
Syntakt: Synth. Does have one analog FX Drive Bus into which tracks can be routed (after their filter) which opens a lot of possibilities, but it’s more a brute force approach.
Digitakt II: Sampler. DTII’s sampling is more capable than Analog Rytm and samples can be stereo. Filter can be routed before distortion for every track, so you can do evil things.
Tonverk: Sampler. Similar to Digitakt II, but here you can stack multiple overdrive and distortion and filters to your heart’s content thanks to the Bus system. Also, it has two separate outs if you want to use pedals.
Digitone II: Insane Synth powerhouse, Filter can be routed before overdrive, does FM to make sounds crispy and what not. I prefer it since it can do every sound the others can do, and so much more, and with more tracks and finesse. (Here’s more DNII hardcore stuff on soundcloud )
It’s also the best option for elements such as stabs, hoovers (only this one can do the authentic Alpha Juno hoover) and so forth.
So I’d say if you like to use samples, check out Tonverk. If you like to use synthesis, check out Digitone II.
