Machinedrum Appreciation

Ryan · 2017-09-17T22:27:19.161Z

I feel my heart flutter when I see the Machinedrum. Excited when I hear it’s sweet voice. There is energy I feel in my fingertips when I place my hands gently upon it.

I think Machinedrum is my soulmate. Which, you know, it might be preferable if my soul mate was an actual person(like a woman)- but, I suppose I should just be grateful that I have and am with my soulmate instead of getting pissy over who/what that soul mate is.

<3 I love Machinedrum <3

MDMnM · 2017-09-18T13:29:18.385Z

elektron should make a analog version of the MD. and with better encoders. because the encoders are the weakest point of the MD.

123alastairj · 2017-09-18T14:34:54.089Z

My MD was packed up with my MNM ready to be sold, but I took it out for one last jam and realised I couldn’t sell it. I’m actually going to sell my RYTM instead.

123alastairj · 2017-09-18T14:35:40.870Z

Women only let you down dude. The MD is a far better bet.

Ryan · 2017-09-18T15:01:46.945Z

123alastairj:

I’m actually going to sell my RYTM instead

That’s parallel to my line of thinking. I was kinda ignorant of boths machines potentials the first time I had it. When I purchased the MD the first time I just thought- I like Elektron, and I need a proper drum machine. Sold it for the RYTM because I wanted something more sincere sounding(and I thought I heard that in the RYTM- which it is to a degree). Got the Rytm- it’s alright.

Revisited the tracks I made with the MDUW- damn, I miss that crispy percussion. Got another one, at some point traded the AR off. Explored the MDUW parameters for sound design. Holy moley! This thing is DEEP! I should have experimented with the AR more. Got another AR, experiemented with the sound design- it just doesn’t feel as broad as the MDUW. Great for low end bassy aggressive stuff, takes a fine touch to get it calmer. I don’t make IN YOUR FACE percussion. MDUW wins.

123alastairj:

Women only let you down dude. The MD is a far better bet.

Yeah…love is chaos and hell is other people…

123alastairj · 2017-09-18T15:08:25.070Z

Totally. I’m making a bunch of sort Sandwell District/Chain Reaction-style techno at the moment and just find the RYTM synthesis really heard to sit in the mix, but the combination of MD+Heat really cuts through. ‘Crisp’ is exactly the word - those EFM hats for example can really strike through the fog, something I find almost impossible with the RYTM.

jshell · 2017-09-18T18:35:06.981Z

I miss mine lately. Not that it’s gone or anything. I’ve just deliberately had to keep Machinedrum and Monomachine on the shelf (under their PL-2 covers) so I could focus on Octatrack and now Analog 4 for a bit. I can’t wait to get the whole family together, but I had to put to the side because it was too easy to reach for it for drums and I needed to try and make some stuff on the OT.

I’m listening to a live set I made earlier this year that was primarily Machinedrum and Monomachine based. I just love hearing all the personality changes I can do with the MD over the course of a live set without ever interrupting the signal. From very analog-style slow beats backing some late-80’s inspired synth stuff to a heavily EFM based kit to some DNB/Breakcore kind of stuff (all synthesized) running at high speeds with a lot of interesting sounds and panning on the upper percussion to really heavily processed E12 based kits and resampling… At times with the drums being really in the foreground, at times blending in perfectly with the Monomachine, at times sitting quietly underneath everything. I know there’s no other machine I could get to make all of these sounds. Maybe when resampling comes to the Analog Rytm Mk2 it could get close to some of these Machinedrum tricks…

These silver boxes still amaze and delight.

torabi · 2017-09-21T11:15:35.266Z

A friend offered to sell me “a like new” machinedrum UW for ¥60,000 (roughly $600). Having a rytm, I don’t feel that I really need the MD now, but I don’t think I’ll ever see a deal as good as this again. Anybody care to push me over the edge?

Brandx · 2017-09-21T11:31:16.880Z

Am switching forth and back between MD and AR meaning that whenever I spend some weeks with AR I’m getting excited on MD and the other way around. The only reason for me to sell the AR is to get an AR MK2 at one point and the only reason to sell the MD would be if Elektron came up with something like an “all-in-one Elektron oldschool box (SID, MD and MnM)”.

previewlounge · 2017-09-21T11:35:25.105Z

jshell:

These silver boxes still amaze and delight.

@torabi i think jshell made the perfect illustration of how amazing the Machinedrum is.

the synthesis machines are incredible for designing energy movement, either in airwaves or vibes for a room.

torabi · 2017-09-21T11:58:15.753Z

jshell:

I’m listening to a live set I made earlier this year that was primarily Machinedrum and Monomachine based. I just love hearing all the personality changes I can do with the MD over the course of a live set without ever interrupting the signal.

I’d love to hear it!

tdmusic · 2017-09-21T13:36:13.999Z

Just do it! You won’t regret it

Birdzeye · 2017-09-21T13:37:32.108Z

Your posts on the MD really got me interested to check it out. I sourced one from Europe and it finally arrived today! I looking forward to learning how much it can do!

Ryan · 2017-09-21T13:46:50.432Z

Did you get the UW+ version?

Also, I’m happy you got it! It’s so awesome. The GND machines are a fun starting point, you’re given so little to start with you can really explore the parameters imaginatively.

Found sound samples sound AMAZING in it! I’ve got a kit I made for it you can have if you want.

Also, a while ago there was a cowbell challenge. Also a fun way to discover the power of the machine: only use the various cowbell engines in the MD to make a track.

Some other time much longer ago, there was a challenge to build a track only using 2 steps(using the various LFOs to randomize the output of voices)-- I’m a little scared of taking a crack at that one.

Very powerful machine, very beautiful machine. Very satisfying to build a track on by itself(its challenging to dial in the melodies- but that makes it all the more rewarding when you do)

Can’t wait to hear what you make with that machine! It’s definitely my favorite one!

finalform · 2017-09-21T14:38:02.072Z

Bite his/her hand off. Even if you don’t like it* and sell it on, you will make a profit.

*extremely unlikely

Birdzeye · 2017-09-21T18:02:47.099Z

Yes I got the UW+. I thought I better go in all the way. Yes I’d love the found sound pack if possible. Once I get my head around it I will take on those challenges, I like the idea of the cowbell one! I’m gonna keep my eye on this forum as there is always some good advice and tips.

Ryan · 2017-09-21T18:26:16.510Z

Found-Sound Percussive sample share! Sandbox

I’ve got an art collaboration project that I’m going to, so I finally dived into the field recordings I made a few months ago to get them ready for the MDUW(I was REALLY spoiled with the OT and AR sample storage method-the second one I put together I had to go in and trim down a few times) Here’s a found-sound sample pack of random percussive sounds. Fits into a MDUW sample bank! Enjoy, and let me hear what you come up with! (PS: if my sample storage for a bank is filled, I can still utilize…

There you go, my friend! Hope you have fun with it!

Here’s a sound cloud file of the sounds in it!
[SoundCloud - Hear the world’s sounds] ← Wouldn’t embed.

Have fun!

Birdzeye · 2017-09-21T18:28:23.027Z

Thanks for this, appreciate it. I can’t wait to try all this MD stuff out

jshell · 2017-09-21T18:44:51.460Z

Birdzeye:

Yes I got the UW+. I thought I better go in all the way.

All versions of the Machinedrum are great (a friend of mine is still playing his original Machinedrum mk1 from over 15 years ago and he still takes it out live!), but UW+ is definitely the best way to go. The most perfect realization, so far, of the world’s greatest drum machine

jshell · 2017-10-02T23:11:21.719Z

I was playing around a bit over the past couple of weekends with the Machinedrum in a peculiar setup:

Used GND-IMP impulse and GND-SIN sine machines to send 3 triggers and one audio signal to the Folktek Matter eurorack drum synthesizer module.
Fed Folktek Matter output back into Machinedrum external-input machine and a couple of RAM samplers/players.
Used LFOs on all these tracks and a couple of extras to subtly add variety to the trigger/impulse levels and shapes, change the frequency of the SIN machine, and change the gate and reverb send level on the input machine.
Had some great generative blippy/bloopy stuff going with just a single 16 step pattern as a result! And all through the MD!

Then I added to this with a couple of variations:

Clock/transport out to a Future Retro Zillion sequencer playing a Korg Monologue. Also running the Monologue through Machinedrum input and using the Input-Filter machine this time. Added some nice shape to the sound.
From the same basic pattern, swapped out the Monologue for a Volca Bass and turned off the Folktek Matter synthesis and got some fun acid going on the Volca Bass. Biggest surprise - I forgot how good the Machinedrum’s filter can sound on the INP-Filter machine! I’ve done strange acid-ish stuff with it before but it’s been a while. I had fun just playing with the filter knobs on both the Machinedrum and Volca Bass while the sequencing was generated.

That’s a lot of fun for a drum machine and one lone 16 step pattern. Especially when I hardly did any drums with it! Again, I’m totally impressed by the depth of this box.