Help me decide my 1st Elektron gear. Octatrack, Analog 4 or Digitakt!

unbesbai · 2017-11-21T16:08:34.635Z

Hi elektronauts, this is my 1st post here.

I’m looking for my 1st Elektron gear. My doubt is Octatrack, Analog 4 and Digitakt.
I’ve already Akai MPC Live, MPC 1000 and Roland SP404SX but the MPC 1000 is a bit tired and i’m not so into SP404SX.
I’m a little plus for Octatrack for what i’se saw over the web than others Elektron gear but Analog 4 and the Digitakt takes my attention too.
Is possible achieve theese sounds with **Elektron Analog 4: Rhodes/Wurlitzer, Grand Piano, Strings like Adagio Transparent Strings on Omnisphere, Synth like Big Synth in Silenth1 **? If yes, maybe ill go for go Analog 4. If not, ill go for Octatrack.
My style of drum programming is Mainly South African House, Underground Afro House, maybe Tech House or Techno!
I’m dj and maybe beatmaker too and my ideia is programming live set based on sequences based on my style of drum programming.

In MPC Live my Project layout/Template is like (I change the 16 tracks volume with the 4 pages Q-Link encoder’s ):

MiDi Tracks
1 Kick / BD
2 Snr / Clap / Hi Hat / Shakr
3 Extra Perc 1 - Mrcas / Tamb
4 Extra Perc 2 - Hand Dr
5 Piano 1
6 Piano 2
7 Pad
8 String
9 Bass
10 Synth 1
11 Synth 2
12 FX

Audio Tracks
13 Audio 1
14 Audio 2
15 Audio 3
16 Audio 4

Sequence Track Layout
Track 1 - Intro 1
Track 1 - Intro 2
Track 1 - Main
Track 1 - Break
Track 1 - Out

Thanks and hope you help me decide

William_WiLD · 2017-11-21T16:23:07.834Z

unbesbai:

Analog 4

I would go for an A4 MK2 regarding what you already have

I feel you already have too much sampler and you can already put sample from Rhodes/Wurlitzer, Grand Piano, Strings like Adagio Transparent Strings on Omnisphere, Synth like Big Synth in Silenth1
inside your MPC Live isn’t it ?

A4 would be a good choice to me
Learn to make your own sound like Bass, Chords, Textures, Pads, Strings… Weird things
Analog Four is very powerful and capable

Sound Synthesis is the next big step after dealing with sample
it’s an important step to take to get your own sound signature in your tracks

Automageddon · 2017-11-21T16:29:19.369Z

Akai MPC LIve and Analog 4 are a killer combo!

I use the effects on the A4 on the Live, then resample and add that as a layer!

AdamJay · 2017-11-21T16:32:28.721Z

I vote for A4.

It can do so much. You have sampling covered, time to have synthesis covered.

SoundRider · 2017-11-21T16:34:59.845Z

I agree with the others … you have already a big set of samplers … a synth would extend your setup better than the next sample based instrument. The A4 is for sound creation from the ground up and you can twist and mangle it further with your other gear

unbesbai · 2017-11-21T18:03:46.958Z

ooh thanks for all your answers!

I’ve told you i’m for the Octatrack because this video. Use the Octatrack as a Performance Sampler by @TheDaydreamSound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsv7d9PrbRE

and this post by @Obsolete Adding effects to inputs (and will they be recorded?)

As i do dj sets, the ideia is utilise the Octatrack to be the center of the performance set.
The master from dj system, in my case XDJ-RX, goes to the Inputs A/B of the Octatrack and the Output of MPC Live, linked via MiDi with the Octatrack, goes to Inputs C/D of the Octatrack.

But believe me, i’m in love with the Analog 4 too and all your answers massively, is for a reason… the sad thing is, i can’t buy the 2 at the same time!

Stemshade · 2017-11-21T22:34:07.538Z

I can’t think of something better for a dj than the octatrack. My suggestion would be selling the mpc and other samplers you have and getting the octatrack and a4 and then a digitakt later on. But i’m a fanboy.

DimensionsTomorrow · 2017-11-21T23:10:34.961Z

unbesbai:

Rhodes/Wurlitzer

Yamaha Reface CP is excellent for these sounds and the effects sound great.

DimensionsTomorrow · 2017-11-21T23:12:09.351Z

Stemshade:

octatrack and a4 and then a digitakt later on

Just curious. Why the Octatrack and Digitakt?

Stemshade · 2017-11-21T23:33:52.665Z

Digitakt for individual drums. Octatrack for master fx/looper , prepared stems, etc. While you COULD do it all on the octatrack it would be cool to not use up tracks on the octatrack and have individual mutes etc for the drums

mokomo · 2017-11-22T00:36:14.899Z

As your kit says you are a sampler at heart, sell your MPC 1000 and Roland SP404SX and get an OT.
Totally new paradigm but that’s a good thing. You will lose some of the immediacy of the MPC tap-a-loop, quantise, tap-a-loop flow. But the OT digs a lot deeper down that hole into new worlds.
You might breakeven costwise if you get an OT Mk1, which is still a beautiful and very flexible machine - the Mk2 just makes navigation a bit easier…

A4 is superb, but it is very much all about synth, fx and sequencing which don’t seem your roots.

unbesbai · 2017-11-22T13:04:10.644Z

Thank you again for all of you that take you times to a litle help.
I wold sell the MPC1000 and the SP404SX if someone’s interested. I’ve my eyes on digitakt since a been longtime even i don’t have any elektron gear but i think the octrackt can do all the thing that does digitakt plus something’s moore (correct me if i’m wrong).
All your answers’s helping me with my final decision

DimensionsTomorrow · 2017-11-22T13:09:03.822Z

You could also wait and see what the Rytm Mkii looks like in a month or two. It will be a combination of Digitakt-style sampling and analog drum synthesis. Could be worth the wait.

unbesbai · 2017-11-22T13:43:57.665Z

i don’t know, but i’m never so into to the rytm thing like it could be a game changer for me.

unbesbai · 2017-12-21T10:24:52.901Z

And the winner is the Octatrack. Maybe not the easiest or the ideal to introduce in the elektron world but if others can learn it, i can too!
Now i understand why amoust of you told me to go to the Analog 4.
For the drums and percussion, the core of my music stuff, in this stage, i think the MPC Live can do a lot more things and you have a lot possibilities to program a track, a sequence, etc! But as i like chalenges, i’ll keep my Octatrack and learn to love it. I’m struggling with sample locks and sample trigs… Sometimes i’ve no feeling to touch it! But i’ll learn it!

Thank you again for all of you take you time to help me find my way