Ha! To me it’s clay.
But sometimes it’s steamed vegetables. With no salt or seasoning. But still yummy.
And sometimes it’s just half-remembered purple-grey-orange dream shapes with no edges, beginning, or end.
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To me, it’s not core gear but core skills.
I’m a pianist and I’m at my best when I write linear, non-pattern music.
Everything starts and continues from there.
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Maybe core … process? Is the broader term?
For some that might revolve around a piece of gear, which in my case is helping me figure out that process.
So many artists talking about their background recall a first drum machine or first synth and how much they squeezed out of it.
I never really had that growing up, I didn’t even know what a drum machine was and had a very hard time with the crappy tools that were available to me. It never gelled until I committed to doing everything in Reason and limiting myself to a handful of favorite plugins. Then I got a MD and that was the beginning of the end.
I’m gradually moving towards my goal of making music that’s equal parts programmed loops and performance on keys or knobs and buttons. Something about having a sense of control over the technology.
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Not gonna lie, while the Rytm is the “core gear” for me in a lot of ways and preferential as an instrument over the Digitakt (which is why I let most of my gear go to fund replacing my previous unit), if I could afford to have both I’d still have a DT.
The Rytm is pretty close to the ideal balance of satisfying instrument and inspiring tool to me but I used the Digitakt in practically every [non-velocity sensitive] music making scenario. Whenever I got new gear I was like “What can the Digitakt make this do?”. It just has a gravity to it in that regard. So if I DID still have both, I’d probably say the DT was the “core”.
Ironically being the perfect red mage kept it from being irreplaceable cuz without support from midi controlled gear or a midi contoller it’s live potential is severely handicapped compared to many other grooveboxes. (Disclaimer: I’d still pick it over 90% of other grooveboxes)
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I agree and combined with a model samples the 2 together are a killer combo, cheap and effective
i agree on the model:cycles. it also just feels really good to program and play. it feels so nice to have all that power and great sound with a much more simple interface. something freeing about that knob-per-function rubbery sturdy lightweight box with all of the flexibility of an elektron device. and i miss the sound a lot. when i used to make percussive sounds strictly on my octatrack, i was always trying to get sounds like that. using filter pings on the ot for clicky tactile perc sounds and synthetic impacts. but when the cycles came out, it did all of those things perfectly. and the kick was mind blowing. i think the rytm is more satisfying in an entirely analog setup, but i’d like to get another cycles again someday. that format is perfect for a drum machine
i always end up back at elektron devices for my core setup. the octatrack has been the center of everything since i got it as my first elektron box. loved the digitone and the cycles, but ultimately sold those in favor of a take-5 analog poly and a mk1 rytm.
digitone used to be my main midi controller for all gear, now its the digitakt. i really like that as a central controller for live recording midi, arranging patterns on all external gear, muting and unmuting gear (via midi) during performance/recording, and grabbing small samples of things i like from my mixer.
back to analog four for the 3rd time and also have a crave as a dedicated bass voice. i like thinking of my setup as a non-eurorack hardware modular chain. the octa clocks everything and ultimately grabs all audio, compresses/glues, mixes, and multi-tracks loops. the take-5 and crave are my poly and mono “modules” being driven by the digitakt midi tracks, the rytm is always analog drums, the analog four handles itself, but also acts as a sort of complex multi-timbral synth with polyrhythmic melodic patterns or sparse carefully placed chromatic analog elements
whatever happens, i think it will always be a digitone or digitakt as the main midi sequencer (i wish i could just use the octa for this, but im much more comfortable with the polyphony of the digitone, the layout of the 8 takt midi tracks, and the resolution, quantization, quick intuitive ease of use on both of them. and the octa will always be at the end of the chain, acting as my daw sort of. multi-tracking synths, bouncing layers, adding effects, utilizing morphing scenes for dynamic performance/compositional transitional elements such as riser sounds, filtering, stuttering, using the master track 8 for master compression and mixing all of my synths with my rytm via thru tracks
every time i stray too far into any other workflow, i get completely lost. i think even if i got the hapax, which seems like a dream sequencer, i wouldnt be as happy as i am now. my brain is sort of conditioned to work within the confines and workarounds of the elektron sequencer at this point.
i also just really like the way elektron boxes are always rewarding when you sit down with just one, away from your other gear, and try to squeeze the most out of them. i havent had any other piece of gear that feels that way
i’m hoping the next elektron box is a polyphonic multi-track va/analog/physical modelling synth, because everything else at this point just seems severely lacking in functionality. i’d even settle for a ms2000 or korg radias in a digitone box if that’s what they came up with. my real hope is that in the future, every synth will come packaged in a multi-track elektron sequencer box
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Totally agree on the importance of finding core gear. Mine is Rytm -> OT
Then I add 1-2 synths running into the OT using it as sequencer & performance mixer (as well as sampler).
Works really well for me - enough similarity to become familiar with gear, enough variety by swapping out the synths occasionally.
[EDIT] I should add it’s taken me years and lots of effort and money to reach this apparently simple conclusion!
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IMO this core gear thing is indeed very important. Concentrating on digging deeper on what you have makes it possible to spend time learning other things about sound production, instead of scratching the surface of other gear.
Besides, while the honeymoon for the shiny new thing doesn’t last long, pleasure your get from playing an instrument you master is here to stay.
My core gear is the OT, but DN is close second… Lately I’ve been playing with multi-map, same as I play slices on OT, and it’s been a whole lot of fun.
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Same! There needs to be books and courses on this! The marketing and user manuals certainly don’t help! YouTube videos don’t even help …
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Along the lines of physical modelling, I very much hope for a ‘model:algos’ (algorithms) along the lines of the microfreak - a bunch of algorithms (including physical modelling) with 4 macro parameters per algorithm would fit well in the model line UI.
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking there must be an instrument out there that is at least closer to perfection compared to the ones you already have. This search will never come to an end unless you find a way to fully understand and embrace an instrument as a tool (or as an extension of your self) and get to know it inside out and with eyes closed.
Gear doesn’t matter. Skill, knowledge and understanding do.
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I was using DT yesterday n noticed I hardly need to think when using it. its completely instinctive. the flow is wonderful.
I’m similar with OT.
love em 
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for me, those were MC-707/101 and Circuit / Circuit Tracks.
alternate approach: perform with it.
jams, rehearsals (i know rehearsals are uncommon in electronic music world, but whatever), and finally gigs.
i can make tunes even in a DAW 
but live performance is totally different story.
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i’m not disagreeing that the individual creator is key to whatever music is being produced, but i’m saying core gear (even if you shift this gear at some point) is a valuable thing to embrace. i just think it’s bad advice to tell people that it comes solely from them instead of something practical like hone in on some gear that works for you and fits your workflow etc.
we also shouldn’t deny the importance of gear on shaping sounds of different times and genres even if they are in the hands of vastly different individuals. 808s, marshall amps, les pauls, DX-7s, etc. etc. all are fundamental to things we can point to as pivotal or defining sounds. there’s no way to separate the reality that someone like jimi hendrix was able to get expressive and interesting tones and musical possibilities because he was a creative person who had gear that inspired him.
in this day and age, access to gear and the sounds you can make are nearly endless. as other ppl pointed out in this thread(even you) chasing a sound or gear can be a never ending and fruitless chase. that’s why the advice of finding gear that works for you and your sound is really important. i’m just a realist and think musicians need more practical advice than people often put out there.
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I have to be very careful these days to only watch videos about kit I already have 
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A lot of YouTube videos give me the impression that the gear has less potential than it actually does, to be fair. Artist interviews are the ones that get my gears turning
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The Core of my Studio is probably my MIDI Devices : Kenton MIDI Thru-12 and Blokas Midihub connected to DT.
Having a Setup where you can only fire up the Devices you want to use is key to me. So, no need to power on everything. This helps me to focus on the Devices I want to use in this particular moment on a particular idea/project.
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Interesting thread.
I guess you can think about it in terms related affordances. What does your relationship to your synth/gear afford you to make? How can you use and misuse equipment to create what you intend or discover something new based on informed experimentation? How accurate is your mental model of how the gear works so you can operate it effectively? Does it enable you to work fluidly and enter even a ‘flow’ state?
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I’m gonna go ahead and be “that guy” and post it. Sorry / you’re welcome.
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