Thinking of ditching MD for AR

That’s how good Elektron’s marketing is :sweat_smile: (I got brain washed as well)

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Wow the way you describe it is giving me deja vu. I haven’t even tried the AR yet and hearing that it’s what it seems to be based on just research and listening is pretty crazy. How you put the MD is exactly my feelings. What I’ve been stuck on all this time is the idea that because of its feature set it should be my bread and butter drum machine but so far … it just has too much specific character and the vibe of it is too much like operating a computer for it to really be that. Well, it is like an instrument to be sure. I might do well to get to know it better, use it the way I think it wants you to, kind of not thinking too hard about anything and just letting it take you on rides.

I think my thought process must be similar to Elektron’s because for the most part the AR MKII does everything I wish the MD did. But at the same time the MD offers something unique, a ver primitive and raw digital space. I come from a programming and DAW background but I wanted to do more live performance. MD feels like somebody said “what if you made a computer into a musical instrument?” And then when they were using it they were like “this needs to be even more like a musical instrument” and AR came out of that. It does seem to represent greater and more intentional control. I just need to figure out how and when I’m going to get my hands on one now! Got a few options :wink:

You get an award for the most helpful post.

Though I really need the money, there’s just no way I can honestly say I will never want to do that kind of music so I cannot let go of the MD. (I’ll just have to work harder.)

I tried to make the other kind of music (the original intent) with it for long enough. Wish I was more aware of this last year. I tried out a lot of MIDI controllers in an attempt to create a more hands-on setup based on it.

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I’ve got some tee time at Calbot Cliffs and some Jos Louis if you’ve got a digitone collecting dust…

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I have no idea what you’re trying to say :slight_smile:

Just sayin’… if theres something your just not feeling anymore and you wanna move on, i got a six pack of Labatts (brewed in buffalo ny) and some ketchup Lay’s…

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ha ha ha…if you got $600usd + shipping its ALL YOURS bro.

can’t knock me for trying to lowball :wink:
(especially if someone is just casually dismissing their MD)

but seriously…earplugs for the truck horns and the complete SCTV series on laser disk? :crazy_face:

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HA HA HA…already got SCTV DVDs :wink:

wouldn’t be a true Nuck if I didn’t…EH!?

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Then i’ll make it elsinore beer instead of labatts.

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Honestly, just buy the AR and do a head to head comparison, keep what you like best or both. I wouldn’t dream of selling the MD until I was sure the AR was scratching the itch, I’d have to be okay with never owning one again just based on how the prices are going.

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If Rytm MK1 is too expensive, I would recommend adding either a RD-8 MK2 (if you need more organic analog sounds), or a used TR-8S if you want samples in addition to more varied synthesis (assuming you don’t have the MD UW). If you can find a RD MK1 cheap used that would just as well be the perfect sort of sounds to add to the FM groovebox weirdness of the MD imo

Don’t do it. Keep it and get an A4 :wink:

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I’ve got their album too. On vinyl :wink:

Mind controlling hockey players is what originally got me into synths.

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Pro tip here…

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I bit the bullet.

I went from contemplating ditching the MD for AR, to not being sure if I’m really ditching the MD, to keeping the MD, to now planning to evaluate the AR to replace the MD after all.

If I don’t use the MD much after a few months, I’ll sell it. No point in keeping something around that I don’t prefer to use. Especially since I can just sample it.

I’ve been thinking about that all-important question when figuring out an Elektron device:
Track layout! The sampling and various chromatic options (analog drums, dual vco, single cycle waveform) inevitably mean trading in tracks.

Past making plain 12-sound kits, here’s a layout I think I’ll use to start out for performance and songwriting

1-Kick
2-Snare/Clap samples
3-VCO
4-VCO
5-Loops/FX
6-General
7-Tom
8-Tom
9-CH
10-OH
11-CY/FX
12-General

How do AR veterans lay out their tracks? Do any people use a consistent layout for traditional drum tracks?

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I trust you appreciate that 3-4 7-8 9-10 11-12 all share one voice so may not act as the 12 channel dream you’re envisioning.
Unless you like regular choking.

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Yup! That influenced my plan.

Datalines recent rytm buggy boy jam is all
I’d need to be swayed to the beautiful raw power of that box.

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