Snapshots Headscratcher

Just got a MDIIUW+ and trying to figure out snapshots, I have read the manual but the most of the info on snapshots seems to be on a single page. I’m currently stuck ‘in a snapshot’ without access to the main kits :grimacing:. How do I return to the default ‘non snapshot’ state and how do I save something I’m currently working on to a new snapshot?
sorry, realise this is basic stuff!

Make sure that you have the final version of the manual, downloadable from Elektron’s website. Page 3 describes what Snapshots are about and pages 76 to 78 describe how to use them.

The MD can use 128 patterns, 64 kits, 32 songs, and 8 global slots at any one time. You can store all of that as a Snapshot on the +Drive. The +Drive can hold 128 of those Snapshots.

You can SAVE your current stuff to a Snapshot on the +Drive via the Snapshot Manager menu within the GLOBAL SETTINGS menu (manual, pages 77-78).

Then LOAD whatever you were working on before, assuming it was saved in a Snapshot. (If it’s not in a Snapshot or saved to computer, it’s gone.)

I advise you to set up your +Drive settings with QUICK MODE set to “CHANGE” (manual, pages 76-77) and to never use Snapshot 1 for your own work.

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Hi Peter, I appreciate your reply. I read the pages you mention, but I’m still unsure how to get back into the ‘non snapshot’ default state. Earlier I had access to all the factory kits, when I loaded a snapshot I have access to only 3 (sample based) kits specific to that snapshot, how do I then get back to the factory kits? Do we start out in a snapshot? did I just overwrite all the factory kits? Sorry, I just seem to be missing an essential bit of the logic, or maybe it’ s just too late! Thanks.

Snapshots contain everything you can’t open something from another snapshot from within a different snapshot…

So if Slot 1 is the factory content snapshot and you load snapshot 2. you don’t have access to the factory content within that snapshot. You would need to load snapshot 1 again to view those factory kits. Each snapshot starts off as a blank slate for you to create from.
but just like anything else. if you LOAD a new snapshot without saving your work you lose it all.
Slot 1, the presets snapshot is usually locked by default, meaning you can’t save anything over it. this is why it’s not reccomended to work on your own material in that snapshot.

The snapshot menu works very similar to the kit editing menus.

The left most column shows you what action you’re going to do

If Save is highlighted, then you’re about to save what you’re doing, it will be saved in the slot you chose in the next column over. if you have something on slot 2 and choose SAVE -> SLOT2. You are about to replace whatever is in slot 2 with your currently active project, if you choose slot 3 you’re gonna write into slot 3 etc.

So to change projects without loosing anything you want to first SAVE > and select the current project slot you’re working on. THEN

LOAD > select the slot you want to go back into. it’s not drastically different than the project system on the newer boxes. just a weird menu as all the operations live in the same UI, Load, Save, Copy, Erase, Lock, etc.

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Hey thanks for the detailed reply. that seems to make sense but after the factory reset I see slot 1 as ‘LOFIDUB1’, when I load that I only get access to 3 reggae kits!

Factory reset loaded a different Default kit huh? that’s odd. That might require a support ticket to sort out how the last owner messed that up.

The factory content is still available on the Elektron.se site. got to Support and choose Machine Drum UW. the latest firmware release and the updated factory content should be available as a download.

Are you sure you did a FACTORY RESET and not an EMPTY RESET or SOFT RESET?

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Hi Peter, I’ve just done another factory reset and ‘LofiDub’ is still the (locked) slot 1 snapshot, but doing the reset gives me back the stock kits which I can then save as ‘presets’, so some progress there!