Newly Entered

synthtoucher · 2023-05-28T18:16:14.627Z

Just wanted to chime in this space about having recently entered the Elektron world via acquiring a Syntakt. It’s pretty satisfying to finally get a full sense of what the hype is about, and get to genuinely appreciate where that hype comes from (blown away by this machine). Coming from being mainly into vintage analog synths, this modern synth technology is definitely more than worth having in my setup. And I get to be cliquey with my friends that already have Elektron gear lol. Also, I’m glad I got my Syntakt brand new, as I could take in the full vibe and intention behind this music machine, loved reading the mission statement at the beginning of the manual.

I have a pretty nice well rounded arsenal of analog synths now and not sure if I will feel the need to catch all the Elektrons like Pokémon, although I can understand the desire to.

If anyone else would like to share their experience entering the world of Elektron, I’d love to hear about it.

darenager · 2023-05-28T18:42:29.781Z

Welcome

I have been using Elektron gear since they first started, I also use vintage gear too, they compliment each other nicely I think. Generally the consensus is that having all Elektron’s products can be a bit much, 2 or 3 units seems to be the most common sweet spot for most users, that said there are plenty of users with one and quite a few with lots of Elektron gear.

Personally I have 2x OT, AKeys, AHeat, Model Cycles and Digitone currently. I have owned most of the line up at some point, except for MC, ST AH+FX, DK.

I think if you were looking to get another the A4 might be a good choice as it has CV and Gate outputs and a very good implementation of CV meaning it can breathe new life and new sounds into vintage CV synths, for example extra modulation capabilities like LFO’s, envelopes etc - assuming the target synth has mod inputs.

yoyz2k · 2023-05-28T19:40:54.318Z

I would have loved to begin that with a Syntakt. That’s really a good box which does lots.

On my side I begin in 2008 by a MD. Now I have fallen inside the rabbit hole
But more for the pleasure of discovering other way of composing than for efficiency.
As @darenager explained, 2, 3 is where the efficiency is. Human are made with 2 hand in the end

pidgeo · 2023-05-28T19:46:17.185Z

welcome

plragde · 2023-05-28T19:56:17.904Z

yoyz2k:

I would have loved to begin that with a Syntakt.

I feel this also. Instead I began with a Model:Cycles, which I never really gelled with, and eventually sold at a good price to someone who seemed very enthusiastic about it. Partly I did not know how to work within its limitations, and partly the things that experience alone could not fix (the physical aspects of the device) are alleviated to a considerable degree by Syntakt (also some of the non-physical limitations). But the result is that I am leery of Syntakt, though if the right deal comes along, I will jump. This is unfortunate, but the way it is. The other Elektron devices I have – A4mk1, AHmk2, DK – are each amazing in their own way. It’s hard to explain for each of them, because on paper they don’t seem like much, and it’s not like I can’t criticize each of them. But they are just exceptional within their category. You can live perfectly well without them. But I don’t think you will regret acquiring any of them.

natehorn · 2023-05-28T20:17:19.614Z

Welcome!

I started with a Digitakt, ended up selling it along with some other gear - a few months later I missed it so much I bought another one.

I’m now a full-fledged Elektron hog. My main setup includes an A4, Rytm and OT, and I have a Digitone and Digitakt that I use as my simple setup.

Love the workflow and general experience of using Elektron gear, they’re wonderful boxes - they sound good and feel good. There’s something very tactile about them.

I think there’s a chemical they release that works like toxoplasmosis, I must acquire them all.

synthtoucher · 2023-05-28T20:39:34.912Z

I absolutely agree with the 2 hands sentiment, that’s partly why I have committed myself to only jamming with no more than 2 synths at a time. For a while I felt like I needed to be a juggling act with synths in order to make something compelling, when that is definitely not the case. Especially with the Syntakt, where one more synth is almost too much lol

synthtoucher · 2023-05-28T20:46:11.335Z

Elektron Hog is a serious sounding stage name lol! The gear really does sound & feel good, they make things a whole lot more sexy lol

Kraus · 2023-05-28T21:11:23.552Z

My gateway to Elektron was an Octatrack Mk1. Prior to that I’d been playing a home-made Serge modular, along with guitar etc, but in 2019 I acquired a Blofeld and wanted something to sequence it with. My friend was selling his Octatrack, a mysterious object that seemed to inspire awe and be spoken of in hushed tones, though I barely knew what it was.

With the help of the manual, and the Elektonauts search function, I fell in love with the Octatrack and use it for much more than MIDI sequencing. I ended up replacing the Blofeld with a Digitone, then got an Analog Four, Rytm and recently an Analog Heat.

Elektron has revolutionised my music making, especially what I’m able to do as a live performer. The expanded step-sequencer concept and its tight integration with sound-design works brilliantly. These tools don’t just “get out of the way” when making music, but seem to actively encourage the creative process. At least that’s how it is for me. I’m so glad I took a gamble on that Octatrack.

jdaddyaz · 2023-05-28T21:38:36.133Z

Welcome aboard buddy. Glad to hear you’re getting on well with your newly acquired gear. I hope it serves you well for many more days.

My entrance into the world came via the Digitakt which I’d seen via a Make Noise video for the O-Coast. I like the portability of it and the literal clicky clack of the buttons. Was nervous at first as I’d read about how indepth the UI was, but almost instantly figured it out. Can’t explain it, but I feel like myself and the engineers critically think in a similar fashion. Everything I’d wonder how to do something, I’d try a key combo and boom, it was right. Other times I say to myself “that would be cool if I could do this”, try it out, and be amazed that I could indeed do it.
Funny story about my first interaction with the feedback delay. While I was at Guitar Center inquiring about the used DT they had, my son turned the feedback all the way up, and almost opened a vacuum portal to Hell. I’d not come across many delays like that in my days, and after he’d done that, and I rushed to turn the feedback down, I knew I had to have it. Been in love, and collecting new Elektrons ever since.

Enjoy your time here my friend.

Ryan · 2023-05-28T21:56:35.269Z

synthtoucher:

I have a pretty nice well rounded arsenal of analog synths now and not sure if I will feel the need to catch all the Elektrons like Pokémon, although I can understand the desire to.

I was about to say…(I caught this bug)

synthtoucher:

If anyone else would like to share their experience entering the world of Elektron, I’d love to hear about it.

I started with the Analog 4 mk1 back when the mk1 wasn’t a necessity in the name.

It was my entry into making electronic music(I had to Google wtf a “parameter” is regarding electronic music)

The moment I explored the whole “hold a trig, turn a parameter” thing and saw that value get locked it i got terrified.

I rocked back and forth in a corner for the rest of the evening. “Its too much potential” I uttered in my frantic mumblings, “there’s so much that can be done”

Welcome to the cult!

BTW, I highly recommend either a digitakt or octatrack. While the synthesis method of Elektron is cool, I’ve ALWAYS been fascinated by how plocking interacts with samples

synthtoucher · 2023-05-28T23:21:40.632Z

I’m one of those analog enthusiast weirdos, at least for how I’m inspired to make music. And what I love about the Syntakt is that I can run all the digital machines through the analog fx track. It’s like, I’m not anti-digital in my music, but it at least has to have some analog coloring added to it. Which is what I really like about digital sound generation synths like a Prophet VS or an Emulator II, where they have analog filters.

No samplers in my setup thus far, but without question if there ever were to be, Elektron would be the natural order.

your_lamp · 2023-05-28T23:35:48.803Z

Welcome, friend. You’ve just crossed over into… The P-Lock Zone.

My first Elektron was an Octatrack, I became obsessed with it through YouTube videos (shout out to Max Marco) and wanted to take on the challenge of learning it. It’s a magical device, as are all Elektron machines really.

What are your first impressions of the Syntakt synth machines? Any comparisons to the other synths you’ve used? I recently started playing with a Syntakt myself so I’m getting to know it as well.

Microtribe · 2023-05-28T23:42:37.765Z

synthtoucher:

If anyone else would like to share their experience entering the world of Elektron, I’d love to hear about it.

I got myself an octatrack in 2015 after getting sick of doing laptop gigs, and ableton constantly updating.

Gradually moved away from ITB, and am all hardware since around 2017. Ive got a carefully curated small collection of old and new analogue synths, drum machines, small modular system, also an Elektron Digitone and Analog Heat. (Ive tried a few other elektrons, didnt like them)

I wouldnt say I’m ‘in’ the elektron world. But I do like the octatrack a lot, I use it as a combined master sequencer/sampler. I use digitone mostly as a synth module. Analogue heat for well, various fx processing.

synthtoucher · 2023-05-29T00:03:15.114Z

I still need to develop my param lock skills lol!

My first impression of the Syntakt is that it sounds expensive, like something very professional.

I have a vintage Prophet and some newer Dave Smith stuff, so I’m pretty familiar with the sound of quality, but this Elektron stuff is like in your face awesome - it’s everything I could want in a drum machines + a million other possibilities as a synth, sequencer and the brains of a setup. Pretty awesome stuff!

bodymechanics · 2023-05-29T00:36:23.495Z

Bought an OT years ago. Shortly after I realized how much better it would be if I had the RYTM and A4 and not much else.
I’m completely addicted to elektron gear.
They keep on giving over time too.

Stone262 · 2023-05-29T02:25:31.693Z

I started with Elektron gear maybe back in 2019 with a Heat Mk2. It was really as an anti-GAS move. I had some gear that I liked using but found a bit uninspiring sound wise, so after hearing how good a sine wave sounded through the heat I figured it would be an upgrade to the sound of everything. I’ve been lurking around the forum since around that time.

A few years later I finally picked up a Digitone, which I think of as my first proper Elektron. Nothing against the Heat in that comment, it’s just that DN has the sequencer.

I’d love to add another Elektron box, but I struggle to justify adding more sound sources to my setup. If I lived in an area where I could shift gear a bit more easily I’d probably rotate gear a bit more, but most of my purchases feel like something I’ve approached as owning for the long haul.

The biggest shift in my gear preferences over the last 10 years has been from being fairly obsessed with gear with presets and midi control etc to working out that my natural preference seems to be synths without patch storage. I do like to be able to save cool sounds, but I found I gravitated to using my Juno 106 waaaaayyy more when the memory battery went flat.

Starscream · 2023-05-29T02:51:59.134Z

Elektron is really good stuff. A joy to use. Fast workflow and great at parameter locks being the strengths IMO. However, in terms of innovation it isn’t as progressive or forward looking as in the past. Prices are going up across the board though.

davestasiuk · 2023-05-29T03:28:12.064Z

Welcome to the forum and the world of Elektron instruments!

Your Syntakt will play very nicely indeed with your other gear. If you haven’t started sequencing your other synths with the ST yet, or processed them using the ST’s mixer and send effects, then you really ought to try it out. My Digitakt and Prophet REV2 are best friends.