First elektron box: preparing?

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
1

Dear all,

This will be my first elektron box and I’m shaking with anticipation. I’m glad this forum is here with people i can identify with :slight_smile:

Considering elektron devices (are said to) have a steep learning curve, would you think it’s a good idea to go over some of the previous machines’ manuals to prepare myself? If yes, which one(s)? Im guessing the a4. Any suggestions on how else i can prepare?

Pumped.

2

Try that:

which machine are you getting?

Edit:
Just in case it came across too roughly :slight_smile: I implied: make sure you have time for enjoying the experience for a couple of days in the beginning…

3

Besides reading the A4 manual, you could read up on subtractive synthesis if you aren’t already au fait with oscillators, pulsewidth, lfos, filters etc. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/allsynthsecrets.htm
And then think of all those parameter settings in terms of being able to p-lock them per sequencer step to alter their sound. You can also load different pre-sets to each sequencer step within a track.
Also watch Cenk and Cuckoo’s videos.

4

Step 1- the the entire manual once through.

Step 2. it is important to plan for a two week period of time where at times you feel you may want to pick up the Elektron box and throw it out the window.

step 3 . But if you push through and re-read the manual as you are figuring things out, aspects of the Elektron way of doing things will click inside your brain and will stick…

I can now fly around in my Octatrack but it did take some time. I will getting an A4 keys and RYTM and my experience with OT will have served me well in picking up these new machines quickly.

5

Lol. It don’t come across as rough. The moment i saw the still shot i knew what you were implying. Love that film. Good ideas too. Don’t think ill be needing the porn though. :slight_smile: I’ve already worked it out to take a day or two off work immediately after i get my hands on it.

Oops. I thought i was posting directly to the rytm board. It’ll be a rytm. Which is why i was asking about “previous machines”. No manual yet. :frowning: i have an analog synth (an alpha juno, so I’m use to menus too) so i have a fair idea of subtractive. I have never worked with an external drum machine, sequencer, sampler ect. I’ve tried software but like almost all things itb i hated it and quit. I’ve read that sos series; great stuff.

6

the way i approached my first MnM was a mix between properly studying a subject and trying things out randomly;at some point, they’ll meet…

  • as rockreid said, read the manual at least once, familiarize with the interface you’ll be using and what the machine does
  • once you have read the manual, go back to it and put it next to your machine. start by trying things out, follow what the manual says and hear the results (you could pick random pages or start from the first page). things may not work straight away but don’t worry, try again until you get the expected result :slight_smile:
  • keep doing this for at least a week (or up until you feel confident you know what you’re doing)

i found that, even if this method sounds a bit like randomly turning knobs, it makes it so that things will stick better in your brain because of trials and errors (or at least it works for me)

most important thing: don’t assume you can’t use the synth because it’s too complicated (and viceversa). it is not so. each Elektron’s machine is really deep and it takes time to learn how to use it (regardless of which one you’ll get :slight_smile: ), but once you get to know the workflow, then you’re good to go with any Elektron machine.

edit: if you’re after the AR then yep, no manual…have a look at the A4 one, might help

7

Great. Thanks very much for that.

8

get/setup something to record on, turn it on as soon as you have something nice, just play around see what happens. not worrying about completely losing something cool leads to good learning experiences for me.

read manual in the bathroom and as you’re falling asleep. too much at once doesn’t makes sense.

if the interface is anything like the others, function + other buttons in important. try that and double taping everything. play like super puzzle fighter II turbo or super hexagon or classic arcade games.

9

Thank you everybody for their advice - technical, practical, emotional and otherwise.

What is everyone’s preferred way to sample? I’m attracted to the ar because i can layer sampled drums with analog voices but the beauty of course with the ar is that sampling doesn’t have to be limited to just drum sounds (obvious to i think everyone on this board.) So how do people do their sampling? Daws, vsts, hardware? I’ve never been interested in sampling but the ar is already doing its work by making me look at things differently.

10

in addition to the Function button accessing certain parameters, entering Grid Mode also has a large effect on parameters. This confused me about learning the Octatrack. Grid Mode on the Octatrack is simply pressing the red Record button. This makes a huge different on what parameters and edit screens are available and recognizing when you must be in Grid Mode or not is important. If the RYTM is the same, then get used to looking at the red Record button LED a lot just to make sure what mode you are in.

11

While you wait for your box to arrive try using your DAW but only allow yourself 1 level of ‘undo’.

Eg; if you change a note or delete or paste something and then go and make a further change then the previous change is permanent.

This was the biggest learning curve on the OT for me - at first it was massively frustrating but it has definitely made me think about what I’m doing a lot more as there is no safety net if you want to revert back unless you are constantly saving.

12

That sounds like great advice.

So am i to assume the ot has only one step of undo or none at all?