At least up to now, Elektron uses MIDI SysEx messages to update the firmware on their instruments. Each model of instrument uses the fifth byte in the SysEx file as an identifier.
SysEx message details
In hexadecimal format, the first byte is F0 (to indicate a SysEx message), the next three are 00 20 3C (to indicate an Elektron device), and the fifth is the model identifier.
So far these identifiers have been allocated in chronological order. Let’s list the decimal values:
1 = SidStation
2 = Machinedrum (all flavours)
3 = Monomachine (all flavours)
4 = TM-1
5 = Octatrack (MkI & MkII)
6 = Analog Four MkI & Analog Keys
7 = Analog Rytm MkI
8 = Analog Heat MkI
9 = Analog Drive
10 = Digitakt
11 = Analog Four MkII
12 = Analog Rytm MkII
13 = Digitone & Digitone Keys
14 = Analog Heat MkII
15 = Model:Samples
17 = Model:Cycles
(0 is used for inter-device Turbo MIDI negotiations.)
Did I overlook something? What gear uses or will use number 16? Should we expect it soon?
Reasoning through this: These numbers get assigned pretty early in the software development cycle, pretty shortly after a project initiation. So a longer development cycle means that product would get released out of sequence. Something like Model:Cycles likely would have a particularly short development cycle, given the close relationship that the Model:Cycles has with the Model:Samples. Therefore i conclude #16 is a larger project taking longer to develop, (Though it could be a canceled project, but then you might have reused that for the M:C.)
I would be happy with a a new model or a new flagship. I’m really enjoying the cycles workflow though, immediacy and playability. The analogs and ot are immense beasts and I love them also but it’s nice to not have all of those gainstaging elements for a change!!!
Does someone have the same product listed in order of release? We could see if out of sequence happened before. I couldn’t see one just going from memory.
It’s hard being fact based when all you have are little facts blowing around in the wind. I guess there was that list of trademark names Elektron took. What other facts do we have?
holding out for a sample-based wavetable synth at the scale of the flagship boxes, either hybrid with analog filters & amps or pure digital. or maybe an analog Model box, whether a bass synth or a stripped-down drum synth.
Probably going to make a flagship that is a multitude of different handclap machines, sample-based/fm/analog, will have a microphone similar the Donkey Conga drum to trigger sounds. MK2 will feature snaps, and hambone generation.
