Those of you who still have Machinedrum and Monomachine, other reasons than sentimental?

Elektron Gear
#1

Hello fellow 'nauts,

Currently I am trying to decide if I really need Machinedrum if I already got Octatrack, A4 and Rytm (mk1 but new for me). I CAN do everything I want with tham, but I am really fond of the mighty grey duo.

Monomachine was my first hardware synth that was sold to finance other purchases. I plan to repurchace it when offer appears.

Currently I have an eye on a mint condition Machinedrum. And I am torn if I really NEED it.

Could those of you who still own old Elektrons for reasons other than sentimenal/collection why didnā€™t you part with them. Or why you have acquired one (or to) in recent past. Those whoā€™ve sold them - do you miss them in any practical way?

This is more ā€œsupport groupā€ type of question, so every opinion is important.

ty

#2

You really need a monomachine

8 Likes
#3

Right now I got my fourth machinedrum. Best drummachine ever. Not nostalgic, timeless.

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#4

Kept monomachine cos it is just totally unique in what it can do and how it sounds. Without the sequencer it is so-so as a synth but the routing combined with the link between the seq and the sound, its just bonkers. Its boxed up at the minute but I know I will find crazy new sound worlds when i take it back out.

Machinedrum is amazing, also totally unique but the internal machines grate on me now and the sample handling (transfer) is too annoying, so I sold it. Still miss it though, quickest drum machine I have ever used for getting something funky and workable going. Digitakt is a bloody close second on the speed front though and the sample handling is way better.

4 Likes
#5

Machine drum mk2 UW was one of the first bits of hardware I bought, picked it up when it first came out, and I still have it and use it regularly, itā€™s just so damn good.
I went through a bit of time feeling like the machines could be a bit grating, along ipassengerā€™s comment I guess, but a slight tweak to the right parameter and all of a sudden the sound is right on point. Even more so once I started running it through a ccompressor - I never did
get on with its inbuilt one though.
The general depth of options it has is just insane, but it plays amazingly well with my digitakt too, both as drum machine or as a random FM / glitchy noise and ambience box. Buy one!!!

1 Like
#6

they are deep instruments that continue to reveal yet greater depths once linked together. personally i canā€™t say enough about them as a duo. but:

it is the noble truth of GAS that desire leads to suffering. if you donā€™t already have a long list of sonic examples created by the silver twins that is making you ask this question in the first place, i recommend embracing what you have.

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#7

If you have a good opportunity, give MD a chance ! Iā€™m new to it, but itā€™s a keeper for me.
I have OT and A4, and use A4 analog drums.

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#8

Iā€™m still trying to decide whether or not I want to sell my monomachine. Leaning towards selling itā€¦

Synthesis-wise, Iā€™ve got almost everything covered with DN+Nords+0-coast. My first generation Nord Lead has a more exciting VA sound, and the DNā€™s FM is way ahead of that of the MnM. The vocal synth is a nice novelty, but I never use it. The DigiPRO waves are cool, but I canā€™t seem to get exciting sounds out of them, even with the various official soundpacks. Almost everything I make with them sounds like a broken Hammond organ.

The effects and routing are great! But nothing my OT canā€™t doā€¦ just a different flavour I guess.

The multiple outputs are a definite plusā€¦ but then again if Iā€™m using my Nord Modular and DN I have 6 outputs and 4 inputs at my disposal, sooooā€¦

I also havenā€™t used it since the beginning of the yearā€¦ and before that, mid last year. I tend to turn it on, make some silly goth EBM thing or early 2000s IDM cliche, then leave it for 6 monthsā€¦ maybe time to let it go :confused:

Donā€™t get me wrong, itā€™s an amazing machine. If it had the latest sequencer features I might be more reluctant to move it onā€¦

4 Likes
#9

I feel the same way about Mnm. I hang onto it in the hope I can manage it, but deep down know I probably never will. MDUW is much easier and seems to integrate better for me with the dark Trinity. The MNM is the odd duck in my setup.

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#10

MnM is still one of my absolute favorite things and I still use it on practically every track I make. Love it so much that I bought a second one last year, a mkll. I loved my mkl but the ll is a revelation. Love the digipro stuff. Also still love the fm machines, even though I have the DN. They have a pretty different tone when you start bringing in the rest of the architecture.
Still have my MD mkl as well. I love it but use it less than the MnM. Itā€™s a great compliment to the RYTMā€™s character. Together they sound super fat AND sharp.

Reading back, I said love a lot, which should give an idea of my emotional attachment to these machines, but it goes beyond that. They continue to be useful and inspirational creative tools today.

1 Like
#11

MD pairs great with modular gear. 16 channels of trigger sequencing.

I use 10-12 channels for percussion, then a channel or two to midi sequence bass lines on a moog slim phatty. I channel out for trigger clock to my modular. 1 trigger out to an envelope generator in the modular. And of course a ctrl-all track on channel 16.

Try doing all that with a Rytm.

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#12

Within the past two years Iā€™ve bought both a MNM and MD. No nostalgia for me, just pure experimentation.
Even though Iā€™ve also go a rytm, I think that the silver box still hold their own both as sequencers and sound engines. MNM is the brain of my set up!

#13

If you are ā€˜newā€™ to your current 3 elektron machines as the opening post implies, then I reckon you might be wise to dig them for a bit before adding complexity. The silver machines will add colour and variety but not a lot of function over what you already have, and I say that as someone who owns them all. I find that a song gets messy and hard to handle beyond 2-3 machines.

No doubting they are all keepers though.

5 Likes
#14

Just getting around to digging into the FM machines on the MNM, I always struggled finding a good lead from them, but itā€™s amazing for drums!

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#15

Thereā€™s a MM for sale pretty cheap near me. Iā€™m very tempted to get it. Perhaps you could help clear a few things up for meā€¦? I have a Digitakt. Mostly Iā€™m interested in how well it would play with that. Otherwise, Iā€™ll keep saving for a Digitone; the thing is, I tend to prefer the sound of the MM in videos that Iā€™ve seen.

-Would there be any problems using the MIDI tracks on the DT to sequence the MM? Mostly what I have in mind is that Iā€™ve heard the MM sequencer doesnā€™t do microtiming; but it would accept whatever MIDI the DT threw at it, right?
-would it possible to have the MM controlling program change (for song mode) and the DT actually sequencing the notes?

#16

Sure, you could send midi to the MM from the DT, but I think youā€™d be missing a key part of the experience. MM really shines through itā€™s own sequencer and various arp settings. Sure, thereā€™s no micro timing like on the newer machines, but you can fake it with arp. Basically, I think youā€™ll find fewer happy accidents if you donā€™t use itā€™s sequencer.

#17

The MD is still my favorite drum synth, even 18 years later. I donā€™t ever want to get rid of it.

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#18

very cool! out of interest, what parameters do you enjoy in conjunction with the Ctrl-All machine?

#19

You can totally sequences notes from the dt to the monomachine and use micro timing and conditionals. Depending on how you run the midi channels on the dt tracks its at least 8 parameters controllable from the dt per track. Also you can live record knob encoder adjustments on the monomachine and it will still have an effect on the sequence coming out of the dt. Itā€™s a different workflow than the usual monomachine use but itā€™s fun.

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#20

Iā€™ve sold the one MD I had and both MMs I had, but I can understand why one would continue to hold onto them.

Lack of polyrhythms, trig conditions, and micro timing had me using my other Elektrons more. And so if those arenā€™t crucial features for you, then no need to get rid of them.

But sequencer aside, the MD is a great synth, and the non UW still goes for around what its final retail price was, $599 US. Not much more than a used Nord Drum 2, and with more outputs and tricks up its sleeve.

MM though, definitely an odd child. You gotta have a real spark ignite with it to keep it around. And while that can feel somewhat rare, itā€™s a spark like no other. Its rewarding. For the synthesis crate diggers, for sure.

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