I’d like to revive this thread to talk about other types of transition tricks within a Rytm without the use of any other hardware. I’ve been working on squeezing as much out of just my Rytm as I can, even for live performance work.
Something I’ve been experimenting with is loading up some old MachineDrum loops in CY/CB and MT/HT voices, as I rarely use those anyway. So I’m dedicating them to transitional loops.
I break the tunes down (via mutes) to kick/hat or kick/clap and then begin to bring in the transition loop
Here is a crude example, recorded live out of the Rytm:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7269379/rytm/rytm-transition-jam.mp3
This is a recording of mixing between two tunes with one transition loop.
First tune runs for about 1 min, 45 sec all on its own.
at 1:50 you’ll hear the transition loop come in (an old MachineDrum loop).
It is high pass filtered to take out the bass, and it resides on the same CY pad for both tunes, with a little LFO Bitrate modulation for variation on one tune, and without it on the other. So when I switch patterns, it’s still Kick/Hat/Loop, but a variation with some continuity before I build the 2nd tune up.
From 4:50 to the end I’m just switching patterns back and forth with only the transition loop solo’d so you can hear how it is slightly different in the two patterns.
So i figure having at least 4 of these kind of basic loops on the same CY/CB & MT/HT tracks in all my patterns, with some unique LFO modulation in each, and some filter/fx p-locking, will give me at least 12 transitions. In fact sometimes, it starts to get that old Doc Martin 3 turntable house vibe when you here a transition loop coming back in that you hadn’t heard for several tracks. Combine this with all the other transition techniques mentioned in this thread and you’ve got a solid case for an all Analog Rytm performance. Or, if you’re fortunate enough to have an extra Elektron box, it further expands your transition flexibility.
Taking the time to sample loops from the tunes that reside on your Rytm, and using those as your transition loops would also help bridge from one pattern/kit/tune to the next.
Of course the main limitations are the loss of voices (sound locks are a good work around for having only 6 voices), and having to work at a fixed tempo during transitions.