Machinedrum secondhand prices are getting crazy

[sezare56]

@oktatracker

it a better machine for experimenting

With UW, probably. Without, I don’t agree. No retrigs, no tuned pitch, no modulations (pitchbend, modwheel, velocity). Ok for flexible lfo routing, but in the end I was still lacking lfos. I prefer 2 per track than 1 flexible per track.

@Soarer

kinds of kicks you like.

The only kick I liked on MD was the BD2.

When I sold my MD I thought I’d buy another one, still have my black faceplate. At today’s prices, no way. And I’d want an MK2UW only…
Anyway I think the OT+ST combo is much more capable concerning synthesis, processing, recording, I don’t like 12 bit samples, I found workflow boring so…no regrets!
It was gorgeous in black though…

[korpinen]

@sezare56

no tuned pitch

You keep saying this but since the X.04 firmware it’s not true. The tonal option is there for most machines.

Other than that we can agree to disagree.

[Ozone]

It would be mildly interesting to know how many actual Machinedrums there are in the wild. My 2009 and 2010 MDuwMK2 serial no’s are around 1300 and 2100 respectively. Wondering if there are as many around as the TR909 (around 10,000 produced according to Roland).

[waftlord]

justin told me about the fine (even finer) tuning trick recently. (and applicable to some other parameters for even finer movement)

LFO with two sines
Speed 0
Depth to taste
Use waveform mix to shift the chosen parameter at fine resolution.

bit of a game changer and happy the mds potential continues to surprise me.

[m0ld]

@sezare56

midi loopback, midi processing to change machines randomly with Sysex…

OK, is there a guide somewhere on how to do this? Because this sounds awesome.

[waftlord]

old share rather than a guide (edit actually i kind of give an overview in the comments!) but love midiloopback for generative scapes (one or two 32 step patterns here).
sound quality ain’t great on this either, think recorded with an irig

MDmidiloopbackstudy02/01/2020

[hyperstationjr]

Concerning the Syntakt vs Machinedrum debate, I mean it’s really hard to say and totally down to taste ultimately. There’s both common ground and features one has that the other won’t ever be able to touch.

While I really like the Syntakt and have been using it a lot recently, the one thing no one talks about with the Machinedrum is the ability to send internal midi out, process it, and loop it back. I think this was a feature brought on from the x.0x OS, but I’ve been able to use it along with something like a MidiHub to add probability and other features.

I don’t think any of the other devices can do that but someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

Anyway the point is that I think the Machinedrum is in this weird place where because of its age there are a lot of modern features we’re missing, but because it was made at a time when Elektron basically added as many features as possible, UX and ease-of-use be damned, it sort of weird and modular and can go way farther with a bit more effort and work.

Is it worth $2,500+? I don’t know…

[Omar]

Word

[sezare56]

@korpinen

X.04 firmware it’s not true

Good news. Possible to hear that somewhere ?

@m0ld

is there a guide somewhere on how to do this?

https://www.elektronauts.com/search?context=topic&context_id=53982&q=@sezare56%20sysex%20%23elektron-gear:machinedrum%20&skip_context=true

[korpinen]

@sezare56

Good news. Possible to hear that somewhere ?

Well since you asked, I made these two albums on the Machinedrum (all the tracks are live takes) only. Also played livesets for each album, again MD only (included on the albums). Lots and lots of melodic/tuned stuff in there.

My new Machinedrum-only album and liveset

This album came together in the past seven months or so. Everything you hear on the album comes from the Elektron Machinedrum, and I only used GND machines. The unofficial X.04 and X.05 firmware updates served as a HUGE inspiration for this album. To the devs (@JustinValer, @v-yadli), you’re the best! Also big up to @waftlord for MD inspiration and @phaelam for letting me use an awesome photo of his as cover art! The last track on the album is a 22-minute liveset I performed at a small private …

My SECOND Machinedrum-only album and liveset

“where we go you must follow” is a sequel to last year’s ”in the gnd scheme of things” and includes 14 tracks written in the past six months. Everything you hear on the album is coming from the Elektron Machinedrum mk2 UW. On this album I’m expanding the sonic palette by using various MD machines as well as internal sampling. The main focus is still on GND machines with EFM machines also getting a fair share of use. About a year ago I really started digging into my Machinedrum, lar…

[elektrobot7]

Hi can you elaborate the Midi Hub trick? We’re talking about Blokas? Thanks!

[hyperstationjr]

Yeah I just basically run a midi feedback loop but with the Blokas MidiHub in the middle.

In the MidiHub patch, I parse out each note (effectively each track) to its own patch lane with different options for random velocity and trig probability, and I think you can also do stuff like repeats, etc.

I also have additional LFOs pointing to the MD to modulate stuff, and all of that is controllable via Midi.

It’s not quite parameter locks and scale per track, but it was interesting.

Edit: I forgot to mention; you have to set the MD Local Control to Off. That way all the internal sequencing will go to the midi out, and then be looped back in through the midi in. This means you can use the internal sequencer, but still do probability-based stuff.

[closencounters]

@DoS

Audiofanzine is generally much more reasonable than Reverb, partly no doubt because (unless you use their Looper payment system), there are no fees for the seller or buyer.

Exactly!

2 years back I got a Monomachine for €800. And there were 2 on sale at the same time, same price!

Should’ve bought both…

[Omar]

I got mine for 600€ on Audiofanzine (but it was 3 years ago, I think - before the hype)

[Hlecktro]

Always check what items are actually selling for and not just what people are asking. If its listed online somewhere like reverb it will be a higher ask due to fees.

Anybody can ask anything they want. If you see a second hand item for sale online, in an in person store, or whatever. It means no one is buying it. Which means that isn’t the price it’s selling.

[Wick]

[elektrobot7]

Great!! Thanks that’s what I need

[sezare56]

@m0ld

OK, is there a guide somewhere on how to do this?

Wrote this for sysex kits changes.
Same principle for machines, maybe I wrote it somewhere, but there are also other users informations in the threads listed in the search link I posted above.

Midi kit selection? - #16 by sezare56

I even used midi processing for pitch correction ! @korpinen, maybe X.xx OS would have retained me to sell my MD !

[Soarer]

Kick flavours of Machinedrum’s BD2

Like I said it depends on what kinds of kicks you like. I prefer these though I’m sure ST can do these too.

[sacguy71]

Would love to see Elektron bring back the MachineDrum in modern format. Perhaps Syntakt, DT and Rytm are the closest we can get now for that sound.