Help me decide how to expand my setup

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hey everyone,

I have an Octatrack MKII and am getting quite proficient. I’ve read Merlins guide and the Manual. Watched a ton of youtube videos. I’ve been having fun chopping up breakbeats. Setting up Scenes with effects. Parts. Sampling & Resampling from my Model Cycles. And generally I’m at the point where I know what I’m doing, how it works, and how I want use it.

I’m really into sample based music and I plan on buying a field recorder to make my own samples and mess with them in the OT. And possible a turntable to sample from old vinyl. I’d like to sketch out ideas and compositions in the OT and finish them in Ableton or Bitwig Studio.

I want to buy a decent synth next. I think my drums are more or less covered from the MC and the OT. (I know technically the OT can be used as a Synth, and the Cycles is an FM Synth) But still, I’d like to add a synth to the mix and I think I do want to have a key bed. I’d like to be able to play in some nice ambient pads, piano, create some warm leads, but also have the ability to create a deep Moog sounding bass. (Also open to selling the MC).

I’m into a wide genre but I think the thing that ties them all together is musical, compositional type music. e.g.

Stimming
Nathan Fake
Boddhi Satva
Boards of Cananda
Aphex Twin
Dusky
Thom Yorke
Amirali
Deep Dish
Massive Attack
DJ Shadow

I’ve been looking at the Argon 8 & Cobalt 8. Digitone. Blofeld. Novation Peak (If I save a bit more). Hydrasynth Desktop. Wavestate. and pretty much everything else (I know they’re all different synthesis types). I’ve also been considering getting the Argon8 for the keybed and decent synth, but being able to control VST synths with it also.

At this point, I’ve just been researching and thinking too much, any tips or advice my way would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

#2

Stop thinking too much. Make an album with what youve got.
Then add to the collection if you still feel you need to.

5 Likes
#3

The OT is a great sampler. It’s nice having a poly to pair with it, but you could also grab some samples or make some with VSTs.

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#4

I’d like to reduce my setup !

I am happy with the Hydrasynth Explorer.

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#6

Yeah I’ve been using some Waldorf samples for this, it’s really fun! Maybe VSTs are they way to go for this, but you can’t beat the tactility of a hardware synth

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#7

Digitone Keys.
Such an incredible instrument.

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#8

There’s actually an incredible deal at the moment on a digitone I’m tempted to snap up!

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#9

I knew you’s would say that :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: you’re not wrong though

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#10

virus

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#11

So get to it.
Look forward to hearing your work.

2 Likes
#12

Hydrasynth is a great workhorse.
Apart from modern sounds like ambient, techno, and so on (youtube is full of videos), Hydrasynth is surprisingly good at more old school sound like ones you’re talking about

Digitone is its own kind of a beast. You have to get used to it, and even then it’s not always possible to recreate desired subtractive like sound. But if you don’t try to get a sound of a specific synth, DN is great for almost everything. Love this synth.

Blofeld is great, but unless you’re looking for that Blofeld sound, Hydrasynth covers its area and offers much more.

1 Like
#13

i have iPad as part of my setup, now i don’t have so much GAS about new synthesizers, because there are so many good apps that can do FM or wavetable or granular for very cheap.

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#14

How about an Akai s900 or Roland VP9000, they certainly add character to samples from vinyl

#15

I vote something knobby and immediate with wide sweet spots, maybe Take 5. If you want multitimbral then a Virus is the classic octatrack companion.