No external MIDI = sadness [Functionality added in OS 1.50]

Im wondering why the newer elektron boxes dont support external MIDI… as thats a real shame to me considering how useful the machines could be as the master brain network

i suppose they are counting on people owning previous models or something

actually the absolute most awesome elektron device of all to me would be a dedicated 16 track midi sequencer with all the plocking, midi machines, perf knobs, patt based edits, chaining, etc… something specifically designed as a master sequencer

back on topic - i suppose this box combined with the A4 would be a really super nice minimal setup… but then there is no way to get any sequenced poly pad parts / one shot fx voices, etc. in there… which would be a real challenge for me personally…

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No external midi? What are you talking about?

Huh?

as in, cannot use sequencer on external gear

How do you know that theres no midi out on the ARytm?

as in, we don’t know that yet… unless I’ve not been paying attention again…

i am just assuming this, as i figured it would be a bullet point in the video
considering such a feature is highly valued

You’re judging from a sample size of 1, ie the A4/AK (essentially the same machine). But that has the extremely unusual feature of 4 CV outputs. AR may or may not have external MIDI triggering, but I don’t think you can assume either way.

He’s right though. The A4 has the Midi Out port. It has a digital sequencer. Output the data!

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No hardware machine is going to have every single feature that every person wants. And not every machine is meant to be the “brain” of your set up. I’m sure it’s possible to add all of the features, but then the unit would cost a mint, and then people would complain about the price.

The Monomachine gives you 6 tracks of MIDI control and 6 tracks of synths.

There are other products that do what you are looking for, but they aren’t analogue synths either.

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Would be nice to let the user decide instead of arbitrarily locking out a ‘feature’ which is pretty much universally accepted as the norm on every other piece of gear on Earth in possession of a MIDI Out socket.

It’s my only gripe about the A4. Everything else is bang on near perfect.

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believe me, the A4 does output the data, and it does it very well! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(I do have a hunch that we get MIDI sequencing eventually. Indeed the MIDI hardware is there, and the OS deals with MIDI (Sysex) very, very well. It has in fact 2 MIDI ports which can operate independently: USB and DIN. Maybe this will be tackled when the AR is done & released?)

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Well… Theres nothing said about this at all. It could be either way.

Because Elektron decides how Elektron devices should be used!!! Shame on you for wanting flexibility!!!

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yeh… i think its a pretty strange response as well

its like, stop gobbling the knob for a second, ya know?

nothing is perfect!

ok yeh thanks for the tip

Probably a way to sell their other products and avoiding of offering too much in one product. But I prefer flexibility and did buy and would have bought all machines so far anyway…
So, Elektron, take a heart, and give full MIDI to the AF and an updated sequencer to the MD. Pleeeeeaaaaaaaase! I even promise to be good buy all new products, if you do.

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For what it’s worth: I don’t think I have ever used the amazing MIDI output functionality of either the MD or the MnM, in the 8-9 years of owning them despite using them on pretty much every recording in that time.

yeh well ive got some external devices that i need to sequence as well…

also i suppose its possible to add this as a feature in a later OS update to the entire A(x) lineup… all the hardware is in place, and the code most likely wouldnt be very difficult - unless it would compromise other functions, which could be the problem

honestly, if the A4 had at least 4 tracks of external midi as part of the sequencer i would have bought one already… as it is, i have to weigh all kinds of other options much more carefully

features cost time and money to implement. afaik the octatrack has a MIDI button and didn’t ship with a MIDI sequencer, it came what a year later? tbh all the other machines seem to have odd MIDI behavior…(and really there are tons of products out there with bad or broken MIDI implementations. )

what if it had 1 MIDI track? people would want more and who knows what other features. midi vs new filter and browser, etc.

the a4 is mostly bug free, hasn’t ever felt like beta testing and they’ve obviously spent time developing + implementing new features, if this means no MIDI, okay.

anyway, i think the KMI qunexus does CV to MIDI. you’d have to get 2 and make some crazy ass cables, but it’s cheap.

and i wouldn’t be mad at a TV-1 :dizzy_face:

say something that converted the A4’s CV to MIDI (and the AR’s if it has CV) had MIDI ports for the MD, MnM, OT and let them communicate without train wrecking, individual CV outs and assignable MIDI to CV outs for the other machines…it’d be very cool to use the MnM’s Amp, filter, lfo tracks as actual CV.