Machinedrum to synthesizer

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi. I recently saw a video of a Machinedrum running and it was playing sounds from a synthesizer as well. How does that work? Is there any other cable besides a midi cable connected to the synth?
Thanks.

#2

Maybe you can show us the video so we can see what‘s happening there?

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#3

In the MD, you have MIDI Machines for that purpose.

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#4

This is the video I’m talking about.

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#5

The MD’s sine engines played polyphonically sound glorious.

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#6

That you ask this question reveals a disconnect between core elements of music tech.

So…

Music gear typically deals with two streams:

Audio- ie audio cables
And
Data- ie: cv cables(not relevant to your video), midi cables(is relevant to your video), and (as of lately) USB.

So the MD controlling the external synth, the hardware configuration, would just require data to be sent from the MD to the external synth.

Think of sending data the same way if you were to play keys on a synth. But its the midi sending that key, instead of your finger. One step further, if you plugged a midi keyboard into a synth, you hit a key on that keyboard, and that data is communicated to the synth.

The software configuration(MD configuration) would just be establishing a midi machine for each lane of control you want to send- for which channel you want to send that data to(based on the configuration on your external synth)

Optional hardware configuration could be that you want to route the audio from the synth you’re controlling back into the MD for processing- in which case, you would send the Audio via 1/4" cables inthr the MD and then has a track for external sound.

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#7

I’m trying to fix my mk1 because the sines and chords are glorious

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#8

Here you can see two videos of a Machinedrum sps1 MK2 sequencing a Blofeld. I think you were referring to something like that, right?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CP8uQpoKTpm/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ==

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPiUduXKEaU/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ==

I did many test similar to that and it is such a versatile setup, as Blofeld has 16 tracks of joy to be sequenced from the Machinedrum.

#9

That Instagram post sounds amazing.
How is this done?
Do I just load up a kit and make the settings there?

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#10
  • Load a MIDI machine onto a track in the MD. The track corresponds to a MIDI out channel, i.e. track 3 with a MIDI machine send MIDI out of channel 3 (read page 108 of the manual)
  • Match the MIDI in channel in the synth to that of the MD’s track above (read the synth’s manual)
  • Connect a MIDI cable out of the MD MIDI out port and into the synth’s MIDI in port
  • Make a sequence on the MD for the track with the MIDI machine
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#11

Thank you so much for your help.

#12
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#13

That’s pretty precise :wink:

#14

I know

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#15

Cool :sunglasses:

#16

I really appreciate all the help with the detailed steps.
Thank you.

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#17

This isn’t unlike what I’m trying to do…

M:S triggering the SH01a.

Slowly learning. But got damn!!! I should know how to work all this shit by now!

It still baffles me (in a good way) that machines can be programmed to “talk” to other machines.

Gotta love life… sometimes.

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#18

I think you’ve got a part of the answer written on your t-shirt. :rofl:

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#19

I wish I owned that shirt. Its actually an old picture of Jason Pierce aka Jason Spaceman… Spiritualized.

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