This sounds great. Has a specific pattern (1-16) in a bank the same absolute program number on both devices? So I just would need to arrange the patterns side by side?
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In Elektron machines I bet they will be the same. I can confirm this with the ones I have owned (M:S, A4 & M:C) so I suppose it will apply the same for the others
With other machines that will depend by how they manage projects, patterns, etc… But it works the same way
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I have never really felt the need to midi sync anything personally. Sometimes I do sync them, for more complicated pieces, but oftentimes I just started them at the same time and have the patterns chained where they are switching in unison. I have good rhythm naturally and will usually make complex songs with multiple instruments and sync them by ear. So when I say that I paired it with the samples, I just mean that I added a samples to my rig.
There seems to be a system that all patterns are mapped sequentially to PC numbers, no gaps. Certainly applies to the models (I own both) and the 3 digis (I’ve researched them). So the models have PC numbers 0-95 and the digis (from memory) have 0-127. So it’s easy to combine these boxes and have them pattern switch together so long as you stay in the range 0-95 (6 banks)
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Personally, I like the velocity of the M:C very much! Of course, the stock setting is unusable. But if you turn the velocity depth down (about 30) and assign the kick to pitch and the hats to decay, it works great for me! I never want to play a drummachine without velocity anymore. It´s so much more fun!
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I wonder about that too…
No one tried a side by side comparison?
If you have both, can you achive in Syntakt the exact same sounds with same overall sound quality as on MC?
Did Syntakt have the same overall big sound the MC has? Thanks!
Syntakt has a big sound but i got a different palette of sounds from the Model Cycle
Also the fact that you can clip the volume on the MC and compensate with the track level adjustment is quote nice
I think the gain staging on the Syntakt is different
Also because I could hazard more on the MC i was getting more interesting result and this is due to the layout of the machine - less menu diving and more hands on control
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I briefly talked to Ess on a discord channel once and he said that the M:C has a very low headroom which is a huge part of its sound. They apparently implemented it like that by accident and he begged them to keep it. He said it was like an homage to Nanoloop, which on Gameboy Advance has a similar type of crunchyness.
On the Syntakt it’s been implemented with way more headroom. The sound is much cleaner as a result.
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My $0.02. The LFO is the Model:Cycle’s saving grace. Without it the sound engine is more quickly exhausted. Because of that, it can’t go obsolete.
I said it above but I’m gonna reiterate, the Model workflow is superior in several arenas.
- The data knob is faster than arrow keys. Once you gain enough skill with it typing in names is at least twice as fast.
- Per-track swing (on DT not sure about ST) and dedicated nudge knob
- Saving sounds and sound-locking are much quicker. (Also, folders are better than tags.)
- Designing sounds is quicker and more fun
- You can see all p-locked parameters at once, no need to check all pages (I have asked Elektron to improve this on Digis)
- Dedicated bank-select and track-select buttons (the pads) make things a little less confusing
- MIDI-enabled tracks have retrig, while the dedicated MIDI tracks on Digitakt do not. Not sure about Syntakt
- Solid build, and light, flatter form-factor, easier to transport
- Option to destructively quantize
Short story it’s apples and oranges. ST improves on M:C’s track count, machine count, and lack of filter - but the aspects above make it IMO not an overall improvement. All the other features are like owning an AR and AH so I don’t consider them enhancements to M:C but inclusions to a larger integrated package.
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Is the low headroom also implemented on the Model Samples? I think it is
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I never used the M:S and it wasn’t mentioned in the brief chat I had, but it’s possible. Would you say the M:S also has that same sort of crunchyness? To me it’s really the secret sauce of the Cycles and I didn’t personally like how the Syntakt sounded without it, even with all those fancy extras it has.
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Yes this is why i returned the Syntakt
I am not sure on the Model Samples, we would need Ess to confirm
I emailed them a while ago and asked a similar thing, they said that both Models boxes have the same headroom but the Cycles synthesis engines sit at a higher gain level, so it’s much easier to push up into that ceiling on the M:C
the Samples is a bit quieter, I wish there was a way to make it the same as the M:C but I’m not sure if the effect would be as good with Samples
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For me the main difference is, apparently the models C & S are now stopped in their firmware evolution…not ST
Unfortunately, I now suspect you’re right
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this post has done more to make me GAS for a M:C than anything else
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