Replacing Octatrack with Rytm

KOTARE · 2015-03-23T05:31:33.000Z

I’d recommend the AR over the OT for straightforward sample mojo with analog power.

Depends on what you want an Elektron sampler for though, I guess?

andreasroman · 2015-03-23T05:48:55.000Z

""KOTARE"":

No offense, but you probably don’t realize that these toy samplers gave us Madlib and influenced Dilla, created Flying Lotus, and account for most of Stonesthrow and half of Brainfeeder.

Long live the SPs!

That’s very true. I know very little about them and I stand corrected.
In fact, you’ve got me interested. I’ve seen the latest one available second hand at the local dealer. Gonna check it out now.

KOTARE · 2015-03-23T05:57:45.000Z

No worries!

They have a nice sound, great lo-fi FX which can be put to good use, and the 404sx runs on batteries, has an inbuilt mic, and sounds great.

You can’t sample on the fly, many things are a chore - the OT is all over everything else in terms of functionality.

But the OT hasn’t got the SP mojo. It’s muscle is in manipulating sound, not playing it back.

andreasroman · 2015-03-23T06:03:49.000Z

Battery power!

Now I’m really interested.

Thanks for the tip.

There’s also the new ESX, I guess, once it’s available.

I’m gonna need a sampler, not just sure I need it for the heavy duty Octatrack stuff anymore.

But, as I said earlier, I’m in the Analog Rytm honey moon phase. Haven’t even finished my first track with it yet (though I’m close). So we’ll see.

Muddler · 2015-03-23T13:55:17.000Z

You will love her long time.

If the ar had sampling and a media slot, it would be game over. Done.
But, alas.
The sp-404 is great for longer samples and the effects are pretty good, and yes,!it has mojo.
IF the ar sent a few midi channels out the 404 could really work as a part of the ar.

clunky · 2015-03-23T14:16:57.000Z

""KOTARE"":

No worries!

They have a nice sound, great lo-fi FX which can be put to good use, and the 404sx runs on batteries, has an inbuilt mic, and sounds great.

You can’t sample on the fly, many things are a chore - the OT is all over everything else in terms of functionality.

But the OT hasn’t got the SP mojo. It’s muscle is in manipulating sound, not playing it back.

Having had a S 750 and a few SP 808’s, they sound great.

Just wish Roland had got their act together with that stuff

MC-808, MV 8000, SP series, great sounds, great features, some mind numbingly stupid OS limitations,
mostly you have to stop playback and do 10 actions to do anything!

MisterX · 2015-03-23T19:05:11.000Z

Never have i had so much fun with a music instrument as the last 30 minutes with the AR (last time was with the OT ) … I had to stop to make a BBQ so imagine… At least i have a PC next to the BBQ to realte…

backtrack 4-5 months ago after i got the Sub 37… I couldn’t play… Either i could make a beat with the sub or a lead, not 2 of them…

First i wanted a beat machine. But despite reading raving reviews of the AR, the OT (with equally raving reviews) was more appealing for both being a ryhtm machine and a sampler. Perfect choice since i wanted to get away from the PC. I have an awesome sequencer in FLStudio which i use since version 3 (10-15 years) but the immediaty of laying a beat with a synth just makes FLStudio a glorified recording machine. Hmmm. Not really on any count i love to jam for 30-60 minutes for one channel… Still i couldn’t make beats with FLstudio, my synth sequencers were beh… So i got an AR last week and now im happy as a pig rolling in cow dung…

I just played almost a complete track in 30 minutes without any other instrument! On my first time! WTF? This is magic!!!

For beats and effects and live playing both the OT and the AR are both checking all the boxes in my list for a beat machine. But the OT requires lots of work before you can chain your beats, leads and any solo you might want to do… To make a beat, the AR is far far far more intuitive - i just played with it for 30 minutes and it’s amazing the stuff you can do with just ONE pattern!!!

The OT takes quite some time to assimilate, and while the AR was easier than the OT since i know the OT a bit, neither is by far a simple hands on machine but the AR is more geared for beats and the OT for songs not that neither cannot do the other machine’s job!!! It’s just each has it’s own specialty!

I wish i had the AR to do the science lab contest… Better control of the beat Having such a motivation to learn the OT was far more challenging (and rewarding) than if i had an AR at the time - and seing the results i dont regret it, i regret getting the OT before the AR because the beats come out easier and the sampling being more limited, allows for more simplicity - direct results. I heard the amp and filter on the AR are better, and i can’t tell yet… To be seen - compared to the sub 37, or BS2 or range of filters on the mininova, it’s going to be hard to compete…

Now i have the AR, im just thinking the OT is necessary to link songs or solos which the AR couldn’t do… But i couldn’t do a song’s beat without the AR now… in just 30 minutes i figured that out… The AR’s effect (song mode and scene modes) are just EPIC!!!

Glad I got both!

AdamJay · 2015-03-23T20:02:37.000Z

From what I’ve seen of the Strom app, Strom + Rytm seems to help bridge the gap toward Octatrack even more.

I haven’t gone down that road yet, though. I’m still working on finding the edges of possibilities with the AR/A4/MnM trifecta.

NEXNESIS · 2015-04-08T10:14:25.000Z

I had the SP404-SX few years back. So flexible, powerfull, easy and those pads are so f¤cking sensual !

andreasroman · 2015-04-09T12:01:33.000Z

Anyway. For me, it’s official now.

The Octatrack is out. The Analog Rytm is in.

I’m still using the Octatrack for actual sampling, because it’s so easy, dead quick and it has nifty midi sync features for that. It allows me to just jam and repeat until I get a section right.

But should I find a sampler that samples as well or better than the Octatrack, then I’m selling it. I’m not excluding software options here, if sampling directly into the computer is the way to go. I wouldn’t know, not using computers for music.

I’ve had good fun with the Octa though. I’ll remember it fondly and I know I’ll miss it from time to time.

zfigz · 2015-04-09T13:10:42.000Z

""andreasroman"":

I’ve had good fun with the Octa though. I’ll remember it fondly and I know I’ll miss it from time to time.

word

udenjoe · 2015-04-09T13:18:37.000Z

I’ve been debating with myself on getting the rytm. I would keep both however!

sovietpop · 2015-04-09T14:50:17.000Z

I have both and i am thinking about selling the Octa though im still not sure the Rytm can totally replace the Octa for me so i will probably keep it.

Wish it was possible to transfer samples on the Rytm without using C6.
Its slow and feel like 1990 again.

Sampling on the Octa is great and simple but sometime i think its a little overkill for me need. I use the Rytm for drum and percus so the Octa is mostly used in live situation where i dont want to bring everything on stage.

In the studio i dont see any use for the Octa because i dont mind using the computer with my external gears.

So Octa minus :
-I never use timestretching .
-The Octa FX are so so compared to their other machines, something i dont understand because the Octa would really benefit from good FX.
-File management … not so great.

Octa +
Can be used as a backing track machine (streaming from card)
Sampling on the fly is great.
Great sequencer.

There is Strom that can be used with the Rytm but im not sure about support in the future and i use the computer most of the time anyway cause with the ipad i need a sound card to sample external gears etc.

Dtroy · 2015-04-10T07:01:32.000Z

Interesting seeing how those who bought the AR after the Octatrack seem to not feel a use for the Octatrack anymore.

I bought the Rytm first, last May, since then I’ve picked up an A4, and recently last month, the Octatrack. I freaking love the OT! It is a deep machine and is intimidating at first, but after putting some hours into learning the machine, I have been pleasantly delighted by her abilities.

The OT now functions as the brain/hub of my set up, midi sequencing other gear, and sampling live hardware. I feel that the OT brings out the best in all my other machines. As much as I love the Analog Rytm, I’ve been thinking lately that I might love the Octatrack just as much!

Of course if I had to pick one, I would most likely pick the Rytm because of its ease of use and intuitive nature, but the Octatrack suits my needs as it acts as a hardware DAW.

I also love IDM and glitching/noise so the Octatrack’s mangling capabilities are right up my alley. I can’t fathom getting rid of either the AR or OT.

andreasroman · 2015-04-10T18:46:40.000Z

The OT is still one of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever owned. Ironically, for all it can do and for the far less feature-rich things the Rytm can do, I still prefer the Rytm. I don’t require much in terms of features, but I’m very specific, and the Rytm just happens to tick those boxes. For example:

Sound - The OT sounds great. The Rytm sounds spectacular.

Filters - The OT’s filters are average. The Rytm’s are great.

Performance - While the OT has its scenes and other stuff going on for it, the Rytm feels more like a tactile instrument to play with live.

Effects - The OT has plenty of them, most of them good. The Rytm has few, but they’re are top notch and as a consequence, always usable.

Chromatics - The OT has it. It’s okay. The Rytm has it. It’s a lot better. It suits my keyboard mind.

There’s so much you can do with the OT, it’s a lovely instrument and it’s unique in ways that the Rytm will never be. I’d like to see a fusion of the Rytm’s qualities in terms of interface and audio, with the OT:s take on structure and composing.

The two philosophies of those machines combined into one, would make for a legendary piece of gear.

And also most likely hurt sales for Elektron, since you’d have fewer reasons to own more than one of their boxes if this happened.

NickD · 2015-04-11T11:10:03.000Z

I just got an AR yesterday, so I’m still exploring it at the moment. I might have to upgrade Strom today and get that going on, but right now I’m just checking out what can be done with the factory samples.

I also have an OT, and I can’t see the AR replacing it - the OT just does so much else, it’s my cornerstone. Most of the time I’m using the OT instead of my mixer (another task for today is getting the OT, AR and A4 hooked up in an effective way). The effect options, static machines, MIDI control and LFOs make it a different machine entirely.

Having said that, I can definitely dig the simple power of the AR’s sampling features - there’s no messing around, just straight into old-school use-your-ears beatmaking… I had to decide between the AR and the MD-UW, and having the OT already tipped me towards the AR - but the sampling ability of the MD was a big point in its favour. Obviously it would be awesome if the AR had basic sampling built-in, but I anticipate the +drive will take a while to fill, and it has nice organisational features. So I’ll just be sending samples over to it as and when, and building up a library.

I also have an SP-404SX, and I don’t know how much use that’s going to get now. I can see a role for it alongside the AR and Strom - sample into the SP, apply a few FX in there, resample into Strom and send to the AR. A hassle compared to sampling directly into the AR, but it adds the SP’s charm and portability into the equation.

Anyway, the OT’s not going anywhere, but I’m looking forward to it complementing the AR via effects and scenes.

Ess · 2015-04-11T11:24:26.000Z

I think samples sound amazing through the filters of the Rytm!
… But the Octatrack is a wholly different beast to say the least.

KOTARE · 2015-04-11T13:18:16.000Z

Hey there.

My 404sx lay unused for a long while but recently it’s become the perfect tonal compliment to my AR. I sequence it via the OT - much better than the 404’s inbuilt sequencer!

andreasroman · 2015-04-11T21:05:06.000Z

So for what it’s worth, since I started this thread, I figured I should have something to show for it.

This is my first track made with Analog Rytm.

It’s just the Rytm, with my own samples from different gear, all routed from the Rytm through two Minifooger Drive pedals.

I believe I overdid the whole vintage recording thing. But I like it all the same.

Feedback is much appreciated.

Thanks.

AdamJay · 2015-04-12T01:52:16.000Z

Not sure if you guys saw the thread klerc started - AR as External Sequencer (sonuus g2m) ?

Turns out you can use a Sonuus G2M to send midi notes to external midi gear. It will cost you $70, and a Rytm voice. However, if it was a voice/track you were using to write bass on the Rytm, and can now sequence a Minitaur or Pulse 2 (or a Rytm sampled synth stab and now a Blofeld or P6), then it’s worth it.

Not earth-shattering but it does allow the Rytm to inch closer into a more complete solution.

And it’s made me think of other ways to utilize the voice outputs. Perhaps feeding trigger inputs to a Nord Drum 2 to layer Rytm synth and sample sounds (also routed to L/R outputs) with synthesized ND2 sounds. Rytm sends program change, so it would be a great way to beef your sound up into interesting territory, effectively adding a third layer (synth, sample, external).