Synthstrom Audible Deluge [inc. Open Source development]

To those of you who’ve been using the Deluge, I wanted to ask for your experiences in connecting it to the Elektron world.
What place does the Deluge have in your music creation process?

How did you set the machines up:

  • Who sends the master clock?
  • Do you use the Deluge to sequence Elektron gear - or the other way round?
  • in general, what were the shortcomings when connecting the Deluge with Elektron devices?

Thanks for all input!

Deluge is master, because it’s more masterful :stuck_out_tongue:
I send tempo/ transport to my OT and A4, but I use their own sequencers.
The Deluge arranger sends song position pointers that correspond perfectly with OT’s arranger.
I haven’t really bumped into any shortcomings myself as of yet.

2 Likes

Awesome, thanks!

I have my machinedrum as master clock, and sequence it internally. This way drums are tight and i don´t waste any midi channels. It sends clock to my Rytm, same there. Third in the chain comes the deluge and only then it sequences the synths after it.

This was the only way for me if i wanted to get a really tight beat without bringing in external gear. Now everything is rock solid and i can also take advantage of all the p-locks and stuff. Works great for me.

Since the Rytm also have it´s weird midi setup it pays to just send it clock, otherwise it would chew up 12 channels…

1 Like

Nowhere near actually, i just got a Digitone and it´s truly masterful at FM. Deluge is great for basic / entry-level sounds but Digitone really opens up FM.

1 Like

Please can anybody compare Deluge and DT.
Thank you)

Just in case you haven’t seen this, here’s a bit of external opinion: https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/8ecj2i/which_between_a_synthstrom_deluge_a_elektron/

2 Likes

Thank you. Reading now

Some questions:

  1. Is there a PC editor for allocating sample kits?

  2. How would you work with the Deluge if your approach was melodic-samples-based only, and your focus = live performances?

  3. I read somewhere that stem export might be happening in a future update. What are your predictions about the details?

  4. What is something you wish you had known earlier in the learning process?

  5. Ifnyou had two units for live performances - how would you use them?

1.-There are a few user editors for some utilities. I think one is for sample kits, but I dont use it. The next OS 2.1 is bringing automatic loading of multisamples and kits, making this task very powerful and easy to do.
2.-For melodic samples I would use synth tracks. You could use a midi keyboard if you want, to play the melodies.
3.-This will be a very powerful feature. I think it will be soon done. They promised to do it, and I am very confident they will deliver.
4.-There are a few details that need to be improved. More delay parameters, count-in recording, sample start/end modulation, modulation of more sound parameters,…
5.-I dont know.

2 Likes

Thanks so much!

1 Like

Yes, you can do it but unless you use something like a sync solution by innerclock, expert sleepers and similar that creates clock by audio, you better let the MD be the master clock. I find it unproblematic, this way i also let it clock my Rytm and i wont loose any midi channels at all. Also, i can use the p-locks, swing and all goodies that are it´s strengths.
I don´t use a daw at all, if i would i would probably have to find a solution like above.

Yeah i guess so, i think i meant that when using the internal sequencer and not as a module i can use p-locks n sh*t. Of course, if it takes clock i can use everything but i loose the timing. But you are correct, i just wrote without thinking about it too much.

I currently have one of these sitting in my flat, but can’t open it until my birthday on Monday as my partner contributed a bit towards it! Curses.

2 Likes

Had this thought the other day: with two Deluges you could prepare it so that each unit holds like 8 drum tracks and 8 sample/synth loops per pattern. Then you could make seamless transitions when performing live without even needing additional hardware.

Is there a convenient way to “clone” a unit including >all< settings?
That would save me a lot of time.

1 Like

I believe you can just copy the Sd card contents

2 Likes

So I finally got to have a go on this yesterday. It’s absolutely bloody amazing. I prepared by watching as many videos and tutorials as I could, so was finding my way around the machine pretty easily. The workflow is so, so nice, and the sound right out of the box is lovely. I haven’t even loaded any of my own samples yet, I’ve been playing around with what’s on the supplied SD card.

I can see my productivity leaping into overdrive with this, even though it’s massive fun just noodling around.

2 Likes
3 Likes

Correct

So a couple days ago the Deluge got a massive firmware 2.1 update (in open Beta). Too many things to mention but the highlights are below.

  1. Automatic Pitch Detection- Any samples that you load into a track are automatically transposed to the correct pitch that you play on the pads. I.e pressing C3 Pad will give you that sample at C3 etc… So I can choose any tonal sample and automatically remain in the song key, and if I want I can transpose the sample to the original pitch quite easily.

  2. Multisampling- Numerous options. I can import a folder of multi samples of say a Rhodes and the Deluge will play the samples at the right pitch on the keyboard/pads.

Loading a folder of samples as a kit.

Loading a folder of different samples over the scale of notes. I.e sample 1 is pitched at C3 and sample 2 is pitched as D3 etc etc

  1. Record to arranger. Similar to Ableton in that you can live jam, launching and switch your track/patterns and this is all recorded in the linear Arranger Mode. You can then edit the linear recording after the fact etc. It’s such a quick workflow.

  2. New Waveform view http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2018/08/09/synthstrom-deluge-2-1-sneak-preview/

  3. Improved sample pitch adjustments and sample rate conversions. This improvement is immediately noticeable when pitch shifting. You can even choose to use the older bit crush style sample conversion or the new recipe :joy:

I’m very impressed by how comprehensive this update is, and how it’s actually implemented in the workflow.

I had initially (a year ago) considered selling the Deluge but I kept it due to the ongoing support from the developers and their openness to communicating and implementing ideas. Now, there is no way I would sell it. It’s awesome!

6 Likes