It’s just the snare isn’t it?

Elektron Gear Model:Cycles
#1

I’ve got a model:cycles now. Amazing machine. Love it. A real classic. Very immediate. Great form factor. Build quality excellent. Sounds great. I’d pay the asking price for the kick drum/tone machine and sequencer alone.

But the snare… that’s the elephant in the room right ? I mean there just isn’t a usable one… and even the claps are a bit skewiff to say the least.

Seems a shame. I’m jamming on it thinking… it’s shaping up to be a complete track, I’ll just use something else for the snare/clap when it comes to the final mix

I mean I appreciate that with talent and inventiveness (I lack) it’s not a necessity if you’re prepared to step outside of the usual cliched sounds. But for me at least it’s the weak spot of an otherwise flawless design

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#2

You may want to check the M:C tips and tricks thread. Pretty sure there are ideas for both claps and snares. (And doubtless some hints will turn up here too).

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#3

Make a snare using a different machine :slight_smile:

I do this with hihats too. I really don’t like the metal machine.

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#4

Yeah I mean I’ve read around it and so on.
But honestly I’ve not heard anything or found anything that is the Sound I’m looking for.
It’s usually the one instrument that a drum machine succeeds or fails on (the snare I mean) so I dunno maybe I’m just too picky/set on a specific sound

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#5

I agree, it’s weak and fizzy, can’t use it

#6

I made some ok snares when I was using mine, I guess it does depend though on what type of snare you are aiming for. But yeah it would not be a go-to snare or clap machine for me either.

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#7

And here I thought everyone hated the hats the most! I’ve been distracted by other gear and haven’t touched my M:C in months, but I can typically get something I like. Need to fire mine back up again soon

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#8

Maybe post some examples of the sounds you’re aiming for but haven’t managed to produce yet. If it can be done, someone on here will know how to do it or get something pretty close.

G

#9

Have a listen to tracks in this thread, can hear some pretty good snares in quite a few of them, but I do agree they don’t come as easily as the kicks for example.

#10

(FWIW lol :wink: I know this is analogue

… I mean I recognise it’s an FM synth… and no I haven’t got an example of a better FM synth snare

#11

Yeah, absolutely people are making some amazing music with the cycles… and it’s a box with it’s own sound which is it’s main attraction.
I’m just not sold on the ‘snare machine’ although quite ready to accept that’s as good as it gets with an FM synth (with 4 operators)

#12

Not exactly the same but somewhat similar to the first one?

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#13

Yeah that’s pretty good. better than anything I’ve managed to create so far… I’ll keep digging (only had a few hours on it so far so some digging still to do)

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#14

I’d love to give you some pointers but I can’t remember what I did as it was a long while back, but I’m certain it was the snare machine.

But keep digging, you will probably find the sweetspots :+1:

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#15

I’m the opposite - I absolutely love the sound of the snare machine and really like how the various parameters interact. More so than a good number of classic snare sounds… then when you add in the gate mode, LFO and plocks for all sorts of nice held and evolving sounds.

Not to quote Tony the tiger, but it’s grrrrrrreeat!

4 Likes
#16

I don’t really use a lot of snares, but you can get pretty decent snares out of it.

Claps can be done pretty easily, but a dedicated machine would definitely be nice.

I’ve struggled to get good hats out of it without the use of external saturation though.

EDIT:

Favourite snare settings

SNARE MACHINE

Note - C5
Velocity - 100
Note length - 1/16
Pitch - -6
Amp Decay 94
Colour - 0
Shape - 127
Sweep - 40
Contour - 77
Delay Send - 23
Delay settings: Time - 32, Feedback - 59
Reverb send - 127
Reverb settings: Size - 101, Tone - 10
LFO - OFF
Volume + Dist - 127
Punch - OFF
Gate Mode - OFF

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#17

Epic white noise snare !! I like it
Thanks for the pointers…

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#18

I’ll experiment some more… I hadn’t tried using it for much other than snares it’s true

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#19

I would go as far and say that the kick is the only good drum sound of the Model:Cycles. Of course tastes are different so don’t lynch me. :slight_smile:

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#20

Which snare would you rather have, the M:C snare or the Volca Beats snare?

1 Like