I totally relate, and I don’t think I can add much, except: the monomachine
Have you tried it?
Soundwise, is unique.
Conceptually, The FX track and routing are fantastic.
It’s my favourite drum machine. Except it’s limited to 6 tracks, also because it’s not really a drum machine.
So yes, I can relate. I wish there was something else.
When I dive in the MNM or the korg prologue, I wonder: is there a drum machine in this world that would fit me like these two instruments do? But I’ve come to accept that there isn’t, to tell myself not to indulge in GAS and consumerism, through unreal expectations, that will only drive me away from music.
Digitone 2 absolutely rocks as a drum machine, do yourself a favor and check it out. Tempest has been in the back of my mind for over a decade but every time I find myself with GAS in the last 8mo I’ve just pulled out DN2 and cured it.
If we are talking about the DN, we can also talk about the M8 I guess. The M8 FM synth is gorgeous for drums, as well as the macrosynth instrument (it’s mutable instruments’ Braids). You should especially look into this if you’re into the MD and the MnM.
I feel the need to bump The Division Department’s 01/IV a little further!!!
It is a drum synth (no sequencer) however each of it’s 4 voices are identical, and any one can make any drum sound your heart could desire: hats, BD, snare, toms, rides & crashes; and a lot more! No triggers (just why?) and midi TRS-B are small annoyances, but they’re easy to look past once you hear it working. The machine is an absolute beast.
Definitely, worth a 2nd look, as IMHO it’s exactly what you’ve described as what you’re looking for: The, dare I say it, universal drum synth.
~ AdB3
P.S. Apparently they’re no longer in production, sadly, but check out the archived site:
To add another thing you might consider: you’ve released an EP just a few weeks after you got your Rytm. That speaks to the power of it imo!
So it might be worth asking yourself the following questions (which you probably already did):
Do I want to make tracks more quickly and release more? Or do I prefer deep sound design sessions at the cost of less output.
Is the A4 and AR combo perfect for switching between both modes? Maybe sample some A4 sounds into AR (like you’ve already mentioned) or find new ways of fusing both into a new kind of hybrid machine?
I also agree that adding some more control elements to AR might work wonders. Or you think again what exactly bothers you about DN II interface that might be solved by adding a controller. From my experience, the MIDI implementation of digis is fantastic and you can basically map anything to something like a Faderfox, including performance macros or mutes.
