SPS1 MkII owner here. I feel like i’ve never had the brains to use that machine to even 20% of it’s potential and it’s a frustrating feeling. I feel like all i’ve done recently with it is get geeky about the new firmwares and try to find inspiring new video tutorials (which have long dried up sadly).
I have GAS for new modern gear like Perkons HD1 despite knowing they are vastly inferior in many ways, but maybe just more fun and direct to play with.
Go ahead, I am ready : convince me to keep my MD!!!
I have Perkons and MD (which is my favorite drum machine) - sounding like nothing else.
The more time I am spending with it, the more I love it. I missed for quite some time the ctrl machines. Spending more time with the device was key for me (same for Perkons).
Hemmeligs GND scheme album was/ is a huge inspiration:
I think you have done all you can with it. In fact, nobody wants MachineDrums any more, they are soooo out of style. Best just get rid of it by putting it in the bin behind my house (nicely wrapped in plastic to keep moisture out please)…
I loved it for a long time, for many years it was the only gear I had aside from an Alpha Juno and an akai s1000 sampler. I just feel I’ve come to the end of what I can actually learn/process with it. It’s a really deep machine and sometimes when I read this thread for exmaple, I fear it’s totally wasted on me, if you know what I mean?
There’s nothing wrong with using even just 1% of what something can do. If I felt that way I’d have to quit using Ableton. With that said, you either have to spend more time with it, or check out new tutorials (they exist, I just saw a great one last week on how to generate “infinite” kits), or maybe try feeding the manual and the forum and other tips and tricks guides into Notebook LM and ask it questions. Worst case, move on and buy that next piece hoping you’ll connect with it. The problem there is, Perkons is pretty different and there is no guarantee you’ll like it more. And MD prices are probably only going higher unless Elektron pulls a Roland and actually gives us a MKIII.
As an owner and seller of like 16 mds, I can tell you there is a way to hang onto it and keep the Md as a piece of Swedish furniture:
Try something new with it, every couple of weeks.
This Saturday morning for example: the 303 and 909 Md kit with eventide quadravox vst plugin. Turned out rather unhinged and weird.
Ok, next, so what about an Md midi track sequencing a tb 303 vst with the eventide quadravox….
Mmmm all gold and fun
The MD really is a unique machine. It has a great range sound design wise so yes, you really have to spend time with it. I like twising it from one beat to something entirely else with control all. Here’s a glitchy beat (single pattern) with some ctrl all tweaks. Gets loud.
Ha ha thanks waftlord
No, it is feedback from Ram Play machines to Ram Record. It stops when I turn down the volume of the Ram P tracks.
As Machinedrum users have often pointed out, the sampling machines is something very special about the MD. All kinds of very controlable delays can be added to your beats.
