So, I am curious…
What exactly is the relationship between Elektron and Teenage Engineering?
Those who have a MachineDrum / MonoMachine and/or remember the original flyers that came with them, the “alternative design” sketches have references to Teenage Engineering.
2020 09 07: Added in flyers
there’s this PR “interview” between a member of the band Ok Go and TE’s Jesper Kouthoofd:
http://www.larcobaleno.com/stories/dream-machine.html
If I’m not mistaken, JK designed the UI for the Machinedrum?
In the interview he’s taking a stab at Elektron:
I used to work with another synth company called Elektron on the West Coast and Sweden. They have been around for 10 years now, so it’s much, much harder for them to adopt new technology because their engines, all their software, all their code is written on a really old processor. Sorry Elektron for saying this. But it’s much, much easier for us to start from scratch.
(doesn’t make much sense to me, I mean the OP-1 has a nice case & UI, but what does new tech do for you if it doesn’t sound lush in the end?)
So I dunno, that was the only piece of info I bumped into. But this kinda leaves a taste of them splitting up in disagreement? speculation speculation 
A few of the TE guys are ex Elektron. I do not understand the comment from JK, as the 2 companies seem(ed) quite connected/close.
The OP-1 is certainly capable of lush though.
I read this and thought it seemed a bit odd, but if you take it at a technical level I don’t think it’s so bad, especially with the analogy he makes to NASA.
It seems that elektron have done some starting from scratch to some extent though recently.
Perhaps he is referring to the engines etc used for the MnM and MD, which i imagine are quite old now.
Meh, old or new - the comment is misleading…
At least I can get loops without clicking or popping on elektron gear 
So this supercomputer the TE guys built has 64MB RAM, 12 seconds of sample memory, 6 minutes of recording, mono 1/8’’ I/O, no standard MIDI- and a fancy neon color screen!
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the OP-1 a lot when I had it, but TE better be re-inventing the wheel with a powerhouse sampler/synth next time to back up that comment. In fact, how about a sampler with WiFi capabilites? To have your entire sample library on all the devices on your network always available? Internet radio? Wireless MIDI controller? Stream to wireless speakers? Why not?
I agree, it is quite misleading.
I can understand what he may mean, but I don’t see how it really matters to me as a MD, OT etc user.
Plus, I’ve never felt that the OP-1 is aiming for the same level as any of Elektrons products, so it would be strange to try and compare them really.
As I understood it when I read it, the comment was more about being able to adapt to new technologies being aviable from different fields at the time being. And to put them and your ideas together into a new (exciting) product without being “restricted” by (formely written) code and/or old DSP platform.
It´s always “easier” to start from scratch, but IMHO that statement is pretty much useless if one leaves out the necessity of history and experience needed to be able to do it successfully (=commercial product). That is only learnt the hard way and actually comes from the old stuff you´ve done…
Otherwise, there should be lots of newbies, new brands and products on the market. ALL of them being successful just because they started from “scratch”.
Some do succeed, but many do not.
Ideas is the key to gaining experiences, but experiences is the key to gain from your ideas. Since it is an cyclic process, “aging” is impossible to avoid. However, the stronger the idea is the longer it will “live” and still feel fresh.
To me, building a brand around a tangible hardware (Moog Filters), simple but powerful software (Pro Tools), or around hardware and software working together (as in, The Elektron Sequencer, MPC pads, ) will produce sustained success more often than other brand-building “attitudes”. Building a brand around taking shots at established brand and touting the product’s status and the company’s mission as NEXT LEVEL FUTURE SHIT OUTSIDE THE BOX PRODUCTS! leaves an almost impossible customer expectations in the long term.
Even if their early products are majorly successful, the products will eventually either settle into a pattern (in an effort to maintain smarter-than-the-big-guys- status OR they will release a series of unfinished or functionally crippled products due to the brand directive to to stay ahead of the curve, and, in return loose customer loyalty.
That being said, I have high-hopes for the nintendo version of the OP-1’s gameboy. Just announce a new product already, T-1!
PO-12 Rythm :
POs => OT
:B
The step sequencer is what really makes it for me with the Elektron machines, i could care less how old the engine or code is as long as it is stable
the OP-1 interface is a great way to experiment and get out of your regular music making habits.
Really nice for long lo-fi samples and adding some texture. the synth engines sound absolutely beautiful processed by the A4/OT.
I hate gear bashing, it’s wonderful that we have options and can choose what suits us best
To be fair, I imagine he was talking about the OLD processor that the MD and MM are built on.
They upgraded with the black boxes, as far as I can tell.
Maybe he’s still talking about the black boxes too, but for sure they updated when they went from silver to black…this is also why you are unlikely to ever see any more updates to the silver boxes.
That’s interesting to hear that TE and Elektron have some overlap in personnel.
I personally felt the Step Components of the OP-Z sequences may have been inspired by the Conditional Trigs on the Elektron sequencers.
Made me wonder if there had been some ideas bouncing between the two Swedish companies.
I’ve heard that they actually do drive-bys on each other’s company parties. With gang signs and everything else you would expect from deep, encrusted animosity.
What were these? I have a feeling I’ve seen them before, but I can’t remember them…
Refer first post, added them in.
Some of the respective founders and their mates come from the same creative collective, that branched out into agencies, developers and stuff. I’ve worked with a few gents from this group, one or two of them touched a video game or two I was involved in.
haha Teenage Audio. :))
maybe Jesper thought of this new stuff and Elektron only had one question: how to integrate Analog machines into a DAW…rest is history lol
The Chrysler Big Boy looks like a UI nightmare but the Flat Top Super Drummer looks amazing!
