Multiple Elektron boxes: Sync & Song Mode

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi,

Apologies as this is probably covered elsewhere, but I’m moreso looking for people’s opinion on the pros/cons and not just what is possible.

People who play live sets with multiple elektron boxes and use song mode, how do you set it up? I’m building a live set that is just monomachine and machinedrum, and would like to use song mode on both boxes for programming mutes and structure.

If I do this it seems like I will need to trigger positions in the song on both boxes separately. Is this the best option? Am I missing anything? Even if I could synchronize song position between the boxes with midi song position pointer, there’s no guarantee that my loop lengths are the same number of steps (or bars).

Up until now I’ve had the monomachine in song mode and kept the machinedrum just listening to MIDI pattern changes, and kept the patterns in sync. The downside to this approach is that I can’t preprogram more complex pattern selections (like you can with song mode, sequence length/offset etc…) or track mutes.

So, yeah… people who do this, how do you do this and what compromises do you make?

Thanks

#2

I use song mode on MD and Digitone follow patterns changes… but Digitone have mute / pattern so its more easy.
BUT now i have a A4MKI and want to use both song mode. I dont try yet but i will try like this : Send only play/stop and sync tempo but no patterns change and have both song mode play i the “same speed” to have the part of my both machine as i want.
I mean, if my A4 part is 64 lenght my MD can be 2 differerents patterns at 32 lenght. If i want a part at 128 with md, and after a break of 32 ; i need 2 patterns at 64 from A4 and one 32 (for exemple) Etc. Do you unterstand what i mean ?
And english isnt my first language so… :confused:

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#3

Thank you, I think I will be doing the same. Probably have each device in song mode and only sync tempo, and then build loops that are of compatible lengths. I find if I write it down on paper first it’s easy to translate into song mode. This is the first time I’ve tried to break out of 1-2 pattern chains, I really appreciate the song mode transpose and mute abilities to reuse 1 pattern in different forms.

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