@MacroX FM needs some amount of Attention, practising, learning and understanding the Operator Models, the Impact of ratios and the relationship with envelopes. Randomly twisting knobs will bring you shitty results. Even more you must be Modest and neglect the Impulse and not turn every Parameter to full amount. Be Patient and use your ears and common sense. The Digitone is very rewarding.
If that still doesnt Work for you, better Stick to substractive Synthesis.
4 Likes
I love my CP, the onboard effects just cut it. If you bring the high end sounding effects to the table, then you are going on a trip to lalaland.
Dfam and Minilogue are my time erasers.
4 Likes
The CP is amazing, the effect even better i wish someone would figure out how to make an insert to be able to use the effects on external sounds.
2 Likes
I want a CS and a CP now 
1 Like
Great keyboard the CP, I bought it for sound design quite honestly…
The fx are just enough to coax many noises out of it other than the presets and the secret piano setting is a bonus.
The input is great too, iPhone beats and jam along…
I just love doing those 60s paranoid dream noises with it!
4 Likes
Menu diving is a creativity killer for me. Having one knob per function on a synth interface is heaven for me.
I own a rare Prosynth (Marion Systems, Tom Oberheim). That machine has a decent sound, but it is a rack mountable unit with - let me think - a small display, 6 push buttons, two “cursor” buttons and two encoders. It’s a shame, but it rests in one of my racks - almost unused.
Other synths like my Korg Arp Odyssey, or those, which happen to have many buttons, sliders, switches, wheels, joysticks etc. are used all the time … and often … only just for fun.
But there is something more. If a synth comes with many knobs and sliders, we can change the sound dramatically even in a live situation and this is, what makes it so important for me, to have all of the most important parameters at my fingertips 
I was a bit surprised by this actually. Will definitely keep my TX81Z for the chaos logic. 
yeees!!! I advice you to service yours and as long as you get inspired by using it do so.
I love my 106 and use it all the time, through some effects or just raw into sampler or DAW for post processing.
yeah, indeed. Much to learn. My first thought when I got the DN was that most of the presets can‘t be recreated because they use some secret modes that are not accessable for the enduser 
I guess I have to look for a nice tutorial / breakdown of a complex preset.
But what I wanted to say: isn‘t this the opposite of „immediate“ and „musical“ if I have to be careful what knob I turn?
sounds like you are not a fan of elektron devices
But I get you. I made the mistake to buy a lot of stuff with menus to get more sound design power in a small package, but I’m also tending to replace some stuff with knob/function machines
1 Like
Yes and no. The first proper synth I bought was a used Juno 106 back in the early 00’s.
Now, if you do know basic subtractive synthesis, it’s as immediate as they get. But I didn’t, and while I loved the string sounds, I did not know how to do bass sounds, because I didn’t know enough about EG:s.
At that stage I probably would not have gotten much out of a Digitone style workstation either, but now that I’m more experienced, the sequencer and the sounds together make it really immediate. But of course, that’s a personal thing.
1 Like
I agree. I also like the workflow of the analog four. No deep menus. Still all elektrons are very dependent on their screen
1 Like
Ohh, on the contrary Maybe I am even a Fanboy, I love my Trinity
For me Elektron have found a very good compromise between complexity of the units and an efficient interface to work with on the fly. After some years of use I don’t often look on the screen, because my mussles know, which button activates which function and what the encoders are supposed to do.
Even my Virus has some menu structure, but it’s like on the Elektron boxes. We don’t need to dive deeply through a complex structure. It’s more like a switching between osc or filter, rather than to have for 3 complex oscillator settings and 2 complex filter settings all knobs on the surface
1 Like
Yes, once you know them well, the workflow is great. I don’t have the feeling I spend much time looking at the display. But I don’t think they are very immediate in the beginning
I never thought of this thing regarding sound design. A very good sounding Epiano, yes.
But people do get really nice stuff out of it. Is it all about the effects?
This is absolutely true. For a beginner, who wants to learn and understand synthesizers, I would recommend Moog Grandmother, Sub37, one of the Korg …logs, etc. having as much as possible knobs and sliders to move and mess about with.
1 Like
The effects are obviously key but also playing the very highest and lowest notes on particular patches gets you oddness. Also it’s response to velocity is impressive…
I would not have bought it without the effects though!
Plus it’s 128 note polyphony I think!
Edit, The sounds themselves are very high quality but as with the ‘originals’ the fx really bring it to life.
1 Like
and maybe a little too clean for my taste. But yes, very melodic indeed. Great instrument for diving into the realm of FM. For connecting with subtractive synthesis, Moog Phattys are my cup of tea.
Moog Grandmother has been incredibly immediate and inspiring so far. Doesn’t hurt that it sounds absolutely brilliant. So much better than my Subsequent 37 which I ended up selling (heresy!). Best Moog in ages.
Also, my Novation Peak has had a similar effect. Not a lot of menus -all knobs and buttons that are clearly laid out and make sense.
1 Like
totally different to a juno, but how about the OP1. Immediate synth?