Syntakt in combination with mc-101

Elektron Gear Syntakt
#1

Hi.

Does anyone has experience with combining those two together? Somehow it sounds like a great combination. I had the mc-101 a while ago and sold it cos it was the least user friendly box I ever had. Now, I thought about getting it back to get some polyphonic sounds into the syntakt. I would want to use the Syntakt as my main sequencer of course. What I like about the mc-101 is that its very portable and it has quite a lush library of sounds. Or is there anything comparable and better then the mc-101 in this case?

Also, is it possible to store the bank and patch information of the mc-101 into the syntakt? So basically next time I open a song the syntakt should be able to select the right sound from the mc-101? I hate saving projects on multiple devices but if the syntakt can just find the right sound it should be actually fine just saving my project with the syntakt.

What are you experiences in general with this combination?

Oh and in theory I should be able to control all 4 mpc channels with the syntakt. Is that correct? And with the mc-101 being 128 polyphonic I should have ample of polyphonic power. Basically what I am deeply missing with the syntakt.

#2

I know that @djst used to have both and made some tracks and ā€œreviewedā€ them together.

#3

As a Syntakt and MC-707 owner I considered the MC-101 for the exact same reasons as yours, plus classic x0x drum sounds, but everytime a good deal shows up locally, thereā€™s an inner voice stopping me.

Iā€™m actually pairing ST with a Micromonsta2 and I think itā€™s a better combo. More proper synth with a much more enjoyable menu structure/workflow. Itā€™s bitimbral and thatā€™s enough in my book for added poly and itā€™s even more compact than the small Roland.

Anyway, if you intend to use the small MC as a pure rompler/preset box, it could be a good choice, but even scrolling through that infinite amount of presets could quickly become a chore. And then you have to assign relevant synth parameters to the shared 4 knobs to achieve even the most basic live sound sculpting beyond cutoff/reso, and thatā€™s another major hassle, and on top of all that thereā€™s no direct way to create a set of user preferred sounds, but you have to assign them to individual clips (that I think you can recall via PC tho). All that stuff is rather annoying on the 707, with its bigger display and a proper set of navigation controls, I can see that being a pain on 101.

Iā€™d take a look at other Roland boxes, like Ju06a/Jx08/S1 or even sh4d if itā€™s not too big for you or eventually other tiny machines from other brands, like the nanoboxes from 1010music, to say a name. Tangerine could be cool for poly duties if you donā€™t mind samples

#4

Have you ever hooked up Syntakt with an iPad or iPhone? Thereā€™s a whole new world of possibilities at your fingertips. I own a MC707 and it pairs well with my iPad.

#5

You canā€™t do that directly, but you can do it by setting up an mc-101 project (4 tracks, 16 clips) with a different preset sound on each clip. Then you can use midi PCs to switch clip. If you want more than 4x16 youā€™re looking at manual changes on the mc-101, for instance loading different projects.

#6

Hmm I see. Not as easy as I thought :roll_eyes: That was the most important aspect. That I can use midi PCs to basically load the right patch on the mc-101.
And I guess the issue with your idea by saving sounds into clips is that I don`t know what sound is in which clip. I have to painfully look up each clip before, instead of browsing through a proper menu.

@Ciaba: Those are some good points. The biggest issue with the mc-101, like you said, I can`t even save a sound preset. What was roland thinking :smile:

The ipad is actually a great idea. But It will probably have the same outcome and I have to save projects on both ipad and Syntakt.
Do you have some recommendations what Ipad software would be suitable? Maybe something with a similar sound library like the mc101? Accoustic sounds and 80s sounds? :smiley:

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#7

I donā€™t know on the 101, but on the 707 you can rename a clip, iirc. But anyway, Iā€™ve just saved them ā€œthematicallyā€, track1 clips bass, track2 pads, track 3 leads and so onā€¦

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#8

I see. that makes sense, good idea :slight_smile: That would be at least a good workaround.

I was always wondering in general. When I see videos with artists working with multiple hardware instruments, they basically have to save the song or patch for each instrument right? Same goes when loading the song again. I feel like no one is actually making use of midi pcā€™s. Probably doesn`t even work with most instruments properly.
Why is that still so complicated in 2024 :sweat_smile:

#9

For an IPad rompler check out Pure Synth Platinum.

#10

I guess that could deserve its own thread.
I personally donā€™t bother with midi program changes, too much hassle and prep work and too risky to rely on them given the high possibility to make a mess in no time, especially in a live situation.

If Iā€™d ever steer toward some serious music making anytime soon, Iā€™d go full daw for composition so to (also) avoid all that complicated housekeeping stuff.

In a live situation I guess Iā€™d feel more confident without a pre planned structure, maybe just a couple of notes on a sheet of paper to remind me where the important stuff is, if I ever need to recall it on the spot.

#11

My take, for what itā€™s worth:

Aside from the comparison review linked to above, we did pair the two together and it worked well enough. You do have to load up a project and in that project you specify which midi channels each track should use. This means you can then use program change messages to change clip per track and therefore the chosen sound preset. So you donā€™t choose between the full range of sound presets on the entire device but between the loaded presets of that project.

I may be an outlier in that I donā€™t really enjoy pairing things in the first place. Too many cables and midi configuration headaches for my taste. But all in all, it was straightforward. Plus, both devices automatically load the last saved project on startup so continuing to jam on the last project was literally as easy as flipping the power switches for both devices.

Just as a thought, do you really need more than one track with full polyphony when pairing it up with the Syntakt? The use case Iā€™d see is either a lush Roland pad or maybe a polyphonic lead sound. Iā€™ve thought about the Roland S-1 as a potential pairing with the Syntakt too. Itā€™s not multi-timbral, but on the other hand, Iā€™m sure you can access presets using midi program change messages and besides, itā€™s a very tweakable synth so you could access the synth parameters via midi too. The MC-101 isnā€™t as tweakable through midi cc, itā€™s more of a preset box.

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#12

That sounds very promising, thank you.

#13

Just to confirm, the manual clearly says that Program Change (0-63) is supported, presumably it maps to the 64 stored presets. Plus that page contains all the supported midi CC messages, which looks pretty exhaustive. So you could essentially pick a preset for each pattern, or send CC messages to modify synth parameters and change the timbre that way instead.

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#14

@djst Thank you for your inside. :slightly_smiling_face: I donā€™t want to be greedy and I would be fine with just one track polyphony. The S-1 indeed sounds like a good choice, might be a good ideaā€‹:thinking:, but I also like the variety of sounds on the mc-101.

If the mc-101 opens always the same project at start, instead of pre-loading a sound for each clip I could actually load the sound when needed for a song and access it via midi pcā€™s from the syntakt. If i am using just one track on the syntakt for that, I could make about 52 songs without loading different projects on the mc-101. as long as i turn it on and i load the pattern with the right midi pc message on the syntakt, it would load the right sound i guess?

May I ask you one more question? Do you know if the chord designer on the mc-101 allows sus/dim/7th chords and so on? I checked the manual, but it actually doesnt say anything about the chord designer. In videos I could always just see minor/major

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#15

On the mc101 you also have scenes (I think that is what they are called) which are combinations of different clips. This works very well for swapping between sounds for songs or parts of songs. It is just two button pushes to select your scene and can be done with one hand.

#16

The chord designer was a very weird interface, which is unfortunately the case for most of the MC-101. So in all honesty I never gave it a try. But if I remember correctly, you could program chords from any notes you want so in theory any chord.

#17

I spent yesterday messing about with the mc101 with Syntakt.

It does work really well and definitely ā€˜solvesā€™ the polyphony problem and I love the sound but my godā€¦ itā€™s just so awful to use

I really loathe pressing those squishy buttons after the nice Syntakt ones, itā€™s surprisingly jarring for me

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#18

haha yea, despite some of your warnings I couldn`t control my GAS and got a used mc-101 at the end.
Its actually working well, as long as deeper sound controls are not needed and considering the typical mc-101 limitations and quirks :smile:.
I am basically fully ignoring the mc-101 sequencer though, which I never could get something out with in the first place.
Midi PCs actually working surprisingly well, I can select channel and clip and it saves it within the syntakt. I basically just need one project with the mc-101 and I can store up to 50 sounds. I turn both on and the sound loads as expected.
Midi cc gives me at least some control over some mc-101 parameter. Its not much, but its sufficient for what I intended to use it.

What I am missing though is to rename the Value CC on the Syntakt, but I guess thatā€™s not possible?
And it would have been amazing to save my midi setup on the syntakt as a sound, so I could always load it in easily.

Now I have to see how this setup holds up in the long run, I might need to continue buying and selling gear to get my perfect studio setup, it will never end :laughing:

Thanks everyone for your help on this :slight_smile:

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#19

You need to buy a Digitakt 2 for that :slight_smile: You can request it here The Syntakt Feature Request Thread

From DT2 manual

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image945Ɨ861 118 KB

#20

Congrats! For that kind of use case, the MC-101 sounds like the perfect solution. And it sounds truly great.

Itā€™s a shame that the Syntakt wonā€™t let you name cc values but youā€™ll memorize it in no time.