Status Update on Overbridge [posted February 2018]

Your opinion on this is understandable. But if you’d know how i work (as an example), and the plans I have in terms of workflow using OB in detail, you might think differently. I won’t lay this out completely, as that would be a waste of space and time.
No idea why the amount of years in creating music would be relevant, but I’ve been producing music for over 15 years now. And have been an instrumentalist for 25. I know what I want, how I like to work, and how OB would propel this into the next level. I choose my gear very carefully indeed

It’s not a Case (see what I did there) of it being impossible to use (Digitakt), or impossible to record something into a DAW via stereo output into an audio interface. It’s understanding the possibilities when OB is released. I explained this in a previous post.

Yes, you could record every channel one by one into a DAW or HW recorder (if that’s your thing), but this will yield completely different results than recording a track live (and will take ages if you have around 40 potential tracks waiting in the DT), and being able to mix each channel separately afterwards. Recording a track live via the stereo outputs is possible too, but if you, like me, want to mix everything properly, this is not the way to go. It works fine for live performance purposes, but to create releasable tracks it’s not secure enough.

I hope this might’ve given you a better look on why some people want OB. It’s not about needing it to create music, it is about wanting it to take a certain hybrid workflow to the next level.

And ehm, to be able to backup your stuff of course… :wink:

3 Likes

Sorry but YOU don’t decide what I really need to make music. And no, luckily i didn’t bought a DT. But after owning an A4 and a RYTM i thought about to add a Digitone. But it seems to be the same bugfest like DT and “no overbridge” is the icing on the cake.

So please come off your high horse and stop to argue what people need.

3 Likes

This ! My plan was to buy a second DT and make DJ-style sets with both units having the same content and switching/mixing patterns. Will only buy a second one when a full backup/restore will be available now.

3 Likes

To be fair, its obvious that the DN shares much of its OS code with the DT. Therefore the DN is much more mature at this stage than DT was at the same age. I mean, there are bugs but I’ve yet to encounter any show-stoppers myself…

1 Like

I can’t believe that some of you are debating whether we need Overbridge or not and how it fits or it doesn’t fit in your workflow.

That’s not the point…

3 Likes

“High horse”… I don’t believe anyone in this scene ( electronic music gear) would deliberately give out advice that they know is not good. I’m just offering advice based on my understanding, nobody is obliged to take it. Seriously.

I am not defending Elektron here. They have made a mistake (promising stuff that cannot be delivered) and are now seeing the consequences.

All I’m saying is use what’s available now and don’t wait for software that depends on so much stuff out of Elektron’s control. See the thread in OB forum. (Lesson learned).

I am saying your plans may be too ambitious when they rely on this software. For reasons I outlined in the other thread ( basically, digital audio sync issues that are going to plague OB for the foreseeable future)

1 Like

Based on experience with OT mki, OB(mki), and now the digis , mkii’s bugs and OB mkii It seems we have to accept that to have a finished product from elektron we have to wait at least a year and a half or two to have a fully functional model of the products they advertise. I personally think this is problematic, maybe for others is not, but I think one should know it prior to preordering something or buying what they have just released.

2 Likes

No they’re not too ambitious :). Thinking like that is limiting imho. My workflow doesn’t rely on it either. It will just open up possibilities which I will take advantage of. It’s really that simple.

Your opinions on sync issues are pretty wild assumptions, and even if they become true, all I personally need is streaming 8 tracks into DAW and the backup functionality. After that I reconnect my normal audio interface and go on ;). And if it all fails and OB is never released (which I doubt :wink: ) then i’ll work around that and move on. I’m not one to think in doom scenario’s. My advice: Think in possibilities and whenever you hit a wall, walk around it.

Anyway, I trust elektron in what they’re trying to do. It may be naive but so far they’ve enriched my musical life, so even without OB I’m happy with the things they make.

2 Likes

After some thought I’m going to give them until the end of March and then if no working OB I’m putting my DT and RYTM for sale. If people are upset (and they have a right to be) then better to sell up.

1 Like

I’m sure Elektron have considered this already but just my 2¢… How about releasing Overbridge in pieces (maybe even alphas/betas) ie…

  • stereo audio I/O over USB
  • backup (maybe through the Transfer app for now?)
  • 8 channel audio I/O over USB (if even technically possible? 4 channel as an alternative? i.e. if CPU or USB issues are preventing 8 channel then give us what you can now and bump it up if possible later)
  • editing via a VST plugin - or even just standalone for now if that’s easier - and maybe separate VST’s for each device instead of all in one if that’s easier

I’m assuming here that the delays are from having to have one plugin that works for all your devices? Breaking it up like this would at least bring incremental overbridge happiness to subsections of the user base :grinning:

6 Likes

yeah, just bring out the sample transfer for Rytm mk1 already pretty please… or just tell us it won’t happen so we don’t come back here every day in the hope that it’s out…

1 Like

use of terms like this in a volatile thread is a surefire way to ignite the thread and ultimately see it closed

let’s take it down a notch … @every_one

2 Likes

Honestly I think no one should have to justify themselves on their workflow (so don’t justify yourself @DaveMech) , everyone do what he/she wants!


(Open to everyone)
Then, when people give advice personally I can understand that it does not speak to experienced people now the advice is more for beginners and everyone do what they want … For me there is not one perfect workflow that the workflow that each person polishes and make better over the years with learning (and we learn every day even with 15 years to make music) investments, desires, goals!

Clearly if everyone apply the same recipe our music should probably boring too… And the term happy accident have never been invented :stuck_out_tongue:
Experiment is also on the workflow… it’s something personal. And we, as Musicians or Artists should never criticize our fellow (people who does the same than us…) !

Do not you think that what we are doing is difficult enough and engaging in both psychological and in financial terms ? … Respect each other is not only how we speak to each other… :man_shrugging:

1 Like

to all the lemmings who are blindly repeating “thanks elektron for your transparency on this issue”… pahhleeze! :roll_eyes:

seriously though, as the CUSTOMER, this news (while absolutely not a surprise, given all the past excuses) stings a bit.

Unfortunately for myself, selling all my elektron gear would give me little satisfaction given the resale prices are currently and historically weak, so I encourage all of you to (if you are dissatisfied) join me and walk away.

Fortunately for myself, the elektron fanboy in me has long vanished :laughing::yum::grin:

2 Likes

@AlexCase
“Advice” from someone, who obviously does not understand why and how others are using or want to use Overbridge, to better avoid it???
My view of “advice” has something to do with understanding the workflow of others, before proposing not to use what they want and need to use.

1 Like

For me the whole overbridge stuff is more like a nice „add on“, but if it wouldn’t exist I would have still bought the elektron gear. I really like the option to create patches for the A4 on my PC. Something that i really like is to see all parameters on one single page, this is very handy for analysing presets. But in the end, if i wanted to create my music ITB, i could just use normal midi out channels and for automation create some templates with all midi CC‘s. If I would use only DAWs I probably wouldn’t buy hardware synths. (Ok. Maybe I would buy a few analog synths :wink: …I

I tend to use my DAW just for mastering and maybe some effects.

Yep, there is plenty of that on Youtube. Both from people using unimaginative “me-too” gear like the Roland AIRAs and boutiques, and people with modulars.

Go for it with your Overbridge plans, and good luck.

If you need just a sample transfer utility, SDS Drop is an alternative. It’s very simple, but effective.

I already own it and am quite happy with it. What I need is a way to manage the plus drive, as in know the amount of storage left and hopefully other things like folder management and such. I know the later can be done on the machine itself but when you have several thousand samples on there, it can be very time consuming.