Thoughts on the future for the MD?

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#26

I think some bits of gear just become so beloved by users, and as their stock diminishes, while praise and admiration continues, words like classic, and legend begin to get used. I think the MD breathed life into the world of drum programmers, and as people messed with them, discovered so much more. They certainly offered lots of unique sounds, and certainly lots of options for the time without having to dive deep into menus. Same can be applied to the MM. Most people who own them seem to really love them.

Alas, as it goes, the MD goes for so much cash money these days, and Iā€™ve come to accept the possibility that I may never have the opportunity to jam on one. Therefore Iā€™ve settled with using a DT midiā€™d to a Nord Drum 3P. Allows the sampling side of things as well as that really cool Nord synthesis. Helps to ease the itch.

Also in response to your first couple of questionsā€¦nope.

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#27

was gonna post this in jamuary thread, seems relevant for here.
recorded earlier tonight with an irig2(shitty clicks and distorted) and compressed down to fit on this forum.

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#28

wow, cool stuff. :space_invader: not that I donā€™t know what itā€™s capable of, still, when new OS came out for OT, putting it on the right track to become what it should have years ago, I started to think how giant of a leap the beat per pattern is, and how I wish I had it on my MDā€¦ also, iā€™m on my way to forget about midi sequencing with MD, and go for a Pyramid

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#29

I got very cool results sequencing my MD from my MPC. Was fun to play it with pads !

#30

Mods please flame and ban this user!!! :stuck_out_tongue:

Love to use my MD with the Nord Modular, I donā€™t really worry about how current they are as they both do things that I love. Obsolescence hasnā€™t stopped music making just yet!

And if you havenā€™t seen @JustinValer and @v-yadli 's MCLive project you should check it out. Theyā€™re building a hardware controller and tweaking the OS to bring the MD into the future.

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#31

Behringer BPB-1 UW?
(iā€™m surprised uli hasnā€™t gone there yet)

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#32

:rofl:

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#33

Donā€™t confuse mature/refined/finished with obsolescence!

Or at the very least donā€™t tell my wife that itā€™s the same! Lord help me if she ever notices :flushed: Sheā€™ll trade her MD(me) for some flashy new MC!

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#34

sure thing. iā€™m talking about functionality, some OS update probably easily solved by a few lines of code (maybe not). i just sold my expanded Nord Modular rack, currently using a 30 yo Kurzweil K2000RS with MD, plus some other older gear. itā€™s not that iā€™m dissatisfied :slight_smile:

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#35

As a fellow gear hoarder. I say ā€œneverā€. The midi sequencer is a thing of its own and the new Elektron boxes can do more. However, the synth engine plus + UW can get you sounds that many sample packs canā€™t hold a flame to. I remember when I was a poor college student eating cup of noodles all I could afford was the M Audio sessions Machinedrum disk and that held me up for many semesters. Now I have the real thing and if I want to dial in a drum sound and record into my DAW it is in the palm of my hand.

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#36

Yes it is. I use it everyday. And the one from 2001 is even more obsolete.

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#37

They still struggle with the programming of the 808. I canā€™t begin to imagine how the firmware of the MD would mess with them.

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#38

There will never be an upgrade, for sure. The capability of this machine is on the edge.
But : it was my first elektron device and I learned and still learning so much on it. I use it in combination with the AR mk2 and itā€™s a surprising part in my setup as I often have the RAM machines randomly resampling the pattern or some modular sounding percussions in the background.
Iā€™m sure I will keep it as long as I live.

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#39

I really feel like this machine has spoiled me for eternity, what? you mean (insert new machine) doesnā€™t have 16 endlessly tweakable tracks and an internal sampling engine??

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#40

Swapped mine for a an OT Mk1

Out went the MD Mk2 UW and in came a second OT. I jammed hard on both of them and I still stick by my decision. Even though it was a few years ago I still wouldnā€™t trade back despite the prices.

EDIT: Never will be obsolete. Ever.

#41

A couple of months ago, I picked up the Model:Cycles, thinking ā€œlightweight simplified best sounds of Machinedrum and Monomachine!ā€.

I was right about lightweight - I do like how easy it is to use on my lap, on my little couch in my small apartment; and that itā€™s drum and synth in one.

But synthesis wiseā€¦ It has nothing on its ancestors. Itā€™s fun and small and easier to use than the silver classics, and thatā€™s a good thing. But itā€™s no replacement for those deep and strange old beauties.

I recently picked up the Blokas Midihub. Itā€™s a multi-port midi processor. I havenā€™t used it too much yet, but Iā€™m thinking it could be useful as a loopback device for Machinedrum and Monomachine - adding probability, delay, repeat; or even multi-destination performance macros. And since there are so many tracks on Machinedrum, the Midihub can be controlled by MIDI so it should be possible to recreate things like the ā€œcontrol-all chanceā€ feature of the Model machines; or the performance macros of the A4, using one or two MIDI tracks on the MD.

A main reason why I got it is to be able to use the Machinedrum with other sequencers like OP-Z, and let the Midihub store the translation (instead of having to reprogram the op-z CC settings), and give some new and extended life to older boxes (or quirky things like Volcas).

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#42

A box with 16 freely assignable LFOs will never be obsolete.

Ever.

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#43

Im a bit dulled out by the sounds I can get from my Rytm mk2 and have been looking at the MD UW mk2 but the prices are a bit too crazy. I truly wish for an mk3 or more machines for the rytmā¤ļø

#44

Fuck no.

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#45

Iā€™m obsessed with my Machinedrum for a million reasons so itā€™ll never be obsolete to me.

I did think it was interesting when i saw this update from Akai not long ago ā€” seems like theyā€™re trying to emulate some of the MDā€™s sound design approach with dedicated drum synth machines, relevant parameters ready to tweak, etc. etc. Obviously I donā€™t think it comes anywhere close to the MD but it seems at least that the overall MD approach might have some appeal going into the future even if Elektron has stopped producing it.