Machinedrum and Multi-tracking in Ableton

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi everyone,

Thanks in no small part to this forum I’ve been able to create a few grooves using my new Machinedrum, and I’m super happy with it. Now I just need to record everything…

My current idea is to individually record a separate Ableton track for the snare, bass drum, hi hats etc. That way I can layer and arrange after the fact, without being married to whatever performance I happen to jam out at time of recording.

The problem of course is that I only have the ability to record using the main stereo outs of the MD, since my interface only has two inputs. I’d be curious to hear how other people with similar setups go about doing this. Simply play back all 64 steps of each track one by one? And if that’s the case, is there anything I should know in regards to getting all the tracks perfectly lined up? I get the feeling there’s an easier way to do this that I’m not thinking of.

Thanks!

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#2

Hard pan left and right and get two tracks at a time is one option.

Upgrading your interface to one that has 6 inputs and knock out six at a time is another option.

An easier way of executing this would be to use Abletons audio to midi conversion, get the midi in Ableton and then just run thru the track however many times you need to run through it.

#3

Of course this doesn’t take into account Plocks.

That’s a toughy. I loved the MDUW- but it’s lack of full capability with ITB compared to the later Elektrons is why I sold it.

Beautiful machine though! Good luck!

#4

Thanks! At this point I’m thinking I’ll just do one audio track at a time, as cumbersome as that is. I figure if I have Ableton tell the MD to play as soon as “record” is hit then it should be in sync…

#5

Just know where the first beat of each sequence lands. (Kick starts on the 1, hat on the .25 beat, snare on the 2, etc). Record each track into Ableton individually. Cut them on the first beat. Then line them up on the timeline. Make sure Ableton’s tempo is the same as your MD

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#6

I know there’s a lot of “it depends” type answers, especially on how you might want to treat sounds once they’re in Ableton, but as a general rule of thumb I would:

  • Track low frequency sounds as individual: e.g. kick drum, low tom, any bass, etc
  • Track snare individual:
  • Track hats and higher frequency sounds as stereo
  • Track anything with FX as stereo

You might find you only have a handful of sounds that need individual tracks and the rest can land on a single stereo pair. I wouldn’t necessarily overdo each and every sound individually. At least start with the basics and you can always break things out more as needed. You might be surprised with the results with just a handful of tracks and a stereo pair.

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#7

Drive it from the DAW midi clock. I’ve found with multitracking the MDUW mk2 that there’s enough drift in the timing that multiple takes sound kind of sloppy if you’re trying to line them up.

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#8

I always track my Machinedrum in stereo. The multitracking changes something.

EDIT: or should I say not multitracking changes something :sweat_smile:

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#9

All very helpful - thanks, everyone.

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#10

Used to multitrack. The groove was definitely off once the audio was in Ableton. One solution was to mute each sound on the MD one at a time and then record them onto the one track but to keep the MD playing so at least the sounds were coming out from the same tempo. Then create new audio tracks and chop up the one audio track with all the audio from the MD and drag them into the new audio tracks. This worked. But right now im back to stereo out:)

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#11

don’t multitrack into ableton

get familiar with muting tracks in and out live on the box
use the MDs clock as master not abletons
record from the main outs directly with the master EQ and compression in full effect, the effect on the overall mix glues it all together in a very different way to using plugins.
if you’re not using sounds on all 16 tracks use control machines to make dynamic, exciting live performance changes to your beat whilst recording
if arrangement is your concern get familiar with song mode

this way you get all the unique nuances of the machine which i feel are lost by static multi track recording (unless of course you want to spend hours looking at a screen achieving all the above through pointing and clicking)

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#12

I appreciate the input there. The issue with arranging within the MD/using song mode is that I honestly don’t know what these songs are going to be yet. My goal is to push out a bank of grooves that I’ll have at my disposal for whenever inspiration hits and I come up with a synth line or sample. A bit like collage work with my own music.

Of course I may not want that noisy EFM machine up top, or to have the bass suddenly start doing somersaults mid-track, so I figured I’d keep it generic and sectioned off instead of spending time programming arrangements/effects that end up irrelevant or hard to retrofit. I’m also pretty good at using Ableton, while song mode seems kinda byzantine.

With that said…the big downfall to this approach is that yeah, it can end up sterile or “tracky”. The point you bring up about keeping things fluid, live and exciting is a great one. I’m taking it in to account.

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#13

i thought this too initially, once you get your head around it copying/pasting and looping/jumping sections actually becomes quite speedy. especially if by “grooves” you mean one pattern that you want to arrange to complement a synth line. the mute options per step in song mode are a really straightforward way to build up an arrangement with just one pattern. start there and when you want to start adding fills and variation you’ll realise there’s stuff you can do in song mode you can’t in pattern mode (without creating XX iterations of the same pattern with varying step lengths + start points).

if i’m honest if you end up using ableton clock and recording individual tracks you’d get the same results quicker sampling the individual hits/loops and arranging inside the software.
but missing out on LFO mod, p-locks, elektron groove, wild live freak outs, the eq and compressor.

this is all very subjective and personal, i gave up using a computer DAW about 4.5 years ago and have never had more fun making music away from a screen, but i appreciate thats not for everyone and it’s what works for you without stifling your creative flow.

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#14

Just bite the bullet and get a used 8-channel audio interface on ebay … around 100 bucks if you shop around. You will appreciate having the inputs when you decide you want a hardware synth in the mix :slight_smile:

You WILL get better sound by mixing the individual outputs in Ableton, using some nice compression, EQ and FX plugins. That’s the whole point of having individual outs and why all serious producers use them.

I’m sorry but this is no good. The MD is not likely to put out a solid clock signal ( tests done on AR and A4 show too much MIDI clock jitter) - and even if it does, Ableton is known to not keep good sync when running as a slave to external MIDI clock.

#15

Perhaps true about AR and A4, but many attest to the stability and accuracy of MD’s MIDI clock. I use the OT as my master clock, but the MD is by far the most accurate sequencer I have, especially with TM-1.

#16

again i think that’s subjective. i love the ebb, drift and flow of the MD sequencer. i hate the rigid nature of ableton, even with groove templates, and your workload triples trying to give the sequence some soul.
but in terms of multi tracking, you’re right, it would be harder to layer things tightly, hence me advocating for all in the box recording, or as recommended an 8 input sound card.

kind of agree with this, but whats capable with just the master FX outs is pretty damn impressive when balanced nicely.

#17

Ableton isn’t rigid enough! :confused: I suppose it depends on the type of music being made. If you’ve got other sequencers in the mix (eg another drum machine) or you’re multi tracking and you want tight rhythms you simply can’t have any drift. It is better to have a rigid clock and then add the swing that you want rather than random timing offsets from drifting clocks, but I guess if you’re making glitchy or ambient stuff it’s all good.
Anyway, syncing Ableton to external MIDI clock doesn’t usually work out well.

#18

I would agree with those who suggested a cheaper interface with more ins. If you have an optical in, you could also look for a multi-channel mic pre with digital outs. When I do track the :elmd:, I use the individual outs every time. Every time I’m happy I have the luxury. May be the singular thing I don’t like about :elot:.

#19

There is definitely a place in the market for an affordable 8-input interface WITHOUT mic preamps, just balanced line inputs.

#20

this is why I never upgraded from my MOTU 328 mk III.

8 x 8 analog and plenty of digital I/Os and a dedicated card which makes it rock solid. Yeah, it’s more than 10 years old I think, but it does the job for this sort of thing quite well.

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