i own every other Elektron machine made (silvers are both MKII/UW+). I really enjoy the RYTM but do I really need it? I write and perform primarily “synthwave” (I hate that term) and avant garde electronic music. I also do some hip-hop stuff on the side. Now with the 1.3 update I’m being drawn to it more than ever but I can’t seem to justify it.
Do I want it? Absolutely.
Do I need it? You tell me.
Also: it won’t be “replacing” anything. Never getting rid of the other units unless they release updated models.
No one’s gonna be able to tell you for sure… Watch videos, listen to tracks, if you see/hear something significant that you feel you can’t do with what you already have then I guess there’s your answer re ‘needing’ it… I guess looking at it in terms of potential improved workflow is something else and either way you still have to weigh up if that function/sound/workflow is worth the £ to add to your setup… I plan to grab one at some point, but I don’t ‘need’ it… Would be nice tho
I think the unit is amazing. Really hits that low-end punch. It also makes the samples sound really warm and nice. The Scene and Performance macros are easy to explore and program. And, as mentioned above, the 1.22/1.3 updates are a great extension of the Elektron workflow(probabilities/fills/nth trigger).
Personally, I prefer this over the Machinedrum because it’s more intuitive for being able to compose solo on the machine, and I personally like the ability to be able to write a song with a different process over all of my machines, and then combine it. Some of my better songs were written just using the RYTM.
I have yet to explore Overbridge, but if that’s important to you then another reason to get it.
Not to say you NEED it. But there are certainly plenty of reasons to WANT it.
probably should have phrased the question differently… nobody knows if you need it because nobody knows who the fuck you are - know what i mean? only you know what you need because only you know yourself best
but yeh - maybe you want to know what it can do that the other machines cant? that may be a more direct way of saying it… maybe not
if you are looking for someone to sell you something, just call sweetwater
May be you don’t need it for your current setup/workflow, but for sure it will improve it. And the most important, it will inspire you. With the Elektron machines you are not buying just a bunch of features, you are investing on inspiration, and the RYTM with it’s unique features and workflow, will inspire any one who is willed to go deep on it. Specially you, that are already familiarised with the Elektron’s way.
Thanks for the replies. Especially for the snarky ones. Those are extremely helpful.
Anyway…
My intent was to ask “is there something the RYTM can do that the other 4 combined cannot and whether or not it’s a must-have feature for anybody else that may or may not have an impact on my workflow or creative inspiration.”
To reiterate, I have used one (pre-1.22) and really enjoyed it a LOT but at $1400, is it something worth shelling out for- no matter how much money you do or do not have, that’s a lot of cash especially as there is a fair amount of feature overlap from the other boxes. It seems as though the answer for me is “yes”, perhaps most notably due to the 1.22/1.3 updates.
Thanks to everyone for playing- especially the snarky replies. As I stated earlier, those were sooooooo extremely helpful and not at all a waste of anyone’s time.
Isn’t synthwave basically a genre where you try to sound like Crockett’s Theme? I’d say the Rytm is more suited to that than the MD is. You can of course feed the MD some Linndrum etc samples, but it pretty much always sounds like an MD (which is a good or a bad thing, depending on whether that sound suits your music). The Rytm sounds both more neutral and also (IMO) better with samples.
Not sure about avant garde but sounds more like something your OT would excel at. Then again, you could also feed your OT those 80’s drum samples.
Verdict: I don’t think you NEED a Rytm as such. It might be good for the synthwave stuff but I wouldn’t say it’s a necessity. Now, if you wanted a drum machine for modern techno, then I’d 100% recommend the Rytm.
I make basically the same kinds of music as you and I’m also having the same question about it.
Certainly with the new machines as well as the trig conditions that question is getting harder to answer but I’ve decided to take a few weekends to work only with the RYTM and see what happens.
I’m convinced this thing could be perfect for doing live power noise sets as well but I haven’t really come up with anything for that application yet.
