Approaching the flexibility of Elektron machines

turbo7021 · 2024-02-25T16:51:49.042Z

Hi yall!
I am an M:C user, but I’ve got a feeling this isn’t by any means exclusive to that.
Many Elektron machines have different sound engines and can easily be used as grooveboxes, drum machines or multi-part synths, or any combination of those. How do you guys approach this? Do you use them for sounds exclusively or any combination of sounds depending on the situation? I would wanna hear other experiences and share mine.
As I said, I use M:C, and I often end up making music on just it so I end up using it for everything, or sometimes sampling some specific parts to MPC1000 and using the 6 channels on M:C for something else, but I find that it would probably be much easier to use the M:C just for drums or just for synths or whatever, but I know that I would get the most of it if I used it for whatever works. Also, even though it brings flexibility, it sounds slightly confusing for live use.
How do you guys approach the use of your machines in this sense?

error.eyes · 2024-02-25T17:10:34.877Z

I use my machines in every shape or form that I need. When I sit down and plan how to use them, it 100% depends on the context, specifically the song/track I am working on. The song dictates the sounds, and I choose the machine that will better give me the sounds I need for that song.

I understand that most people like to dedicate their machines to a set of functions, and I admire that. I unfortunately cannot do that. One day I would use the Monomachine for drums, another day it would be used for melodic sounds, another day it will used for effects and weird sounds, the following day it would a combination of the two, or I could use it as a huge synth with layered sounds. That all depends on what I am working on. I like to stay flexible and “do more, think less”.

turbo7021 · 2024-02-25T17:12:18.194Z

Yup, same, feels like it would be super convenient to know what sounds are where exactly but also I don’t want to limit myself bcuz of that

error.eyes · 2024-02-25T17:18:39.115Z

Since the way that I work can get messy, and since hardware doesn’t have the benefits of “total recall” that software has, I keep notes of what I do. It helps immensely.

Microtribe · 2024-02-26T01:21:09.486Z

Ive found over the years that although I like grooveboxes, I dont like using them as grooveboxes to make music.

I like seperate bits of gear with dedicated Jobs.

Synths for synthing, drum machine for drums, sampler for sampling etc.

Tchu · 2024-02-26T01:41:08.458Z

error.eyes:

The song dictates the sounds

I’m the complete opposite. For me, the Sounds dictate the song.

Microtribe:

I like seperate bits of gear with dedicated Jobs.

This. That’s why I have several devices. Using Elektron gear as grooveboxes is cool but you have to compromise on certain things -except OT- (e.g. Reverb on Drums isn’t the same as Reverb on Synths, …).

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T18:33:42.424Z

Right? But also you kinda end up limiting yourself, but I guess its fine if you have enough boxes.
Also some boxes r defs more specific than others, like Analog Rytm is pretty much a drum machine and Four is a synth.

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T18:34:25.432Z

So would you say you just use the sounds you have decided on and then create whatever?

chrisroland · 2024-02-26T18:38:39.975Z

sequence my Digitone externally from Deluge, one voice per track, one Deluge MIDI track for each voice

Tchu · 2024-02-26T19:01:13.815Z

turbo7021:

So would you say you just use the sounds you have decided on and then create whatever?

I don’t even decide on any Sounds. I build them from scratch (98% of the time) and incorporate them gradually in the Mix. I guess having the liberty to create anything and not being attached to any Genre helps in that regard.

Microtribe · 2024-02-26T19:48:47.783Z

turbo7021:

But also you kinda end up limiting yourself

I dont find it limiting at all, quite the opposite.
All my gear is connected to a mixer, and its all midi’ed up.

Massively liberating, endless possibilities.

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T20:24:47.849Z

Oh then I actually get it, I often start with some goal when I make music but yeah I also usually make sounds as I go

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T20:26:01.163Z

Hmmm, makes sense, for me it would be limiting because I dont have enough gear to comfortably have one piece of equipment per drums/bass/leads/synths whatever
EDIT: and sometimes I explicitly end up doing 6 synths on the M:C and sometimes its drums or anywhere in between

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T20:27:30.770Z

Actually I just realized a plus in having different pieces of equipment per sound - you get to EQ and filter them differently in your mixer, cuz otherwise all sounds coming from one source can end up sounding cluttered if you cant filter and EQ them carefully at the source

Snipecatcher · 2024-02-26T20:28:27.382Z

turbo7021:

Analog Rytm is pretty much a drum machine and Four is a synth.

Except that the A4 is an awesome drum machine and the AR can be a great synth. Versatile machines, both of em

turbo7021 · 2024-02-26T20:31:19.982Z

Oh yeah absolutely, again they’re not limited, but its like, M:C is easily intended to do all those sounds as a groovebox, while if someone said that they use AR for drums and A4 for synths exclusively, that wouldnt sound like a massive waste

Azzarole · 2024-02-26T20:36:03.532Z

Most of the time, I come up with the skeleton of a track on one machine, maybe two. Syntakt is ideal for that with its twelve tracks and different flavors. Sometimes I then later use other machines to play a sound I came up with on Syntakt or Digitone, like SH 01a playing a bass or lead. Or I bring in some effects.

Like you said, having everything come from one box makes it harder to use external FX or EQ. Right now I‘m seeing the upside of having a project that’s easier to understand and I can work on without plugging in tons of different machines.

Personally, the versatility of Elektrons combined with the sequencer makes them superior to all the other machines I’ve ever had. They just always make me make something, be it a track, a beat or just a sound. But I can save it, it will be there next time and I can evolve it over time. They’re tools that enable me to create, but inspiring and fun tools.