I got a Volca Sample and have found that it works really well as a companion to Octatrack. I use it to build loops from one shots, and to mess with them live once the loop’s grooving.
But it is a limited machine. Can’t export your stuff, sometimes you don’t want the gritty noise that comes with the conversion, the reverb is great or awful depending on your needs, and so on. I’m outgrowing it.
So what I’m looking for is a competent machine that can play back samples, mainly for one shot purposes (I use the Octatrack for loops), and to offer some solid editing and tweaking both in the sequencer and the sound design department to further develop the samples.
I know the ARytm is capable in this area, more than so actually. But it’s an eight track machine, and that’s not a whole lot when you’re going to use it just for samples. It’s actually the same as the Volca Sample.
Does it make sense to those of you who own the AR, to use it mainly as a sample playback instrument? I’m already covered in the analog drum machine department so I’m not looking for that and will probably not use that part of ARytm much at all. But is it powerful enough in the sampel playback area to justify a purchase? I’ve looked around and can’t think of obvious options, including the more portable MPC:s, Roland’s more DJ-oriented samplers and so on. I’m thinking perhaps the new Electribe Sampler, though it’s not out yet and god knows when it’ll be.
You can do A LOT with samples in AR, and also trigs are sample-lockable, which gives you the ability to pile 64 samples per track for what it’s worth. C6 transfer is a bit PITA though, esp when transferring large sample batches - so you’d probably want to buy Strom to compliment your AR purchase. And speaking of apps - check out Samplr which might give you enough sample manipulation/sequencing options. In fact, get it anyway, it holds up on its own even with AR handy.
Hey buddy
I think you are fine with what you have to be honest
Octa plus volca and anlog drum machines are fine
Unless you can get a secondhand Ar and see if it fits into your set up
Pays to remember its a drum machine first and sampler second
It’s a great sampler though with limitations
I realized I forgot to mention an important detail - while I’m covered in the studio as far as drums go, I don’t need the Rytm there. You’re right, I got enough going on already.
What I’m looking for is a slim rig that can replicate what I do, live. I sample most of my work once it’s done. Ideally, I’d bring only the Octatrack to gigs. But with my loops going on, there’s not enough tracks left to work with separate one shot samples for the drums, which is what I do frequently - mutes, reverses, other fx and so on. I simply want tight control over both drum one shot and loops, and don’t want to merge samples just to fit them into the Octatrack only.
So right now, my live rig is the Octatrack and the Volca Sample. This is what I need to upgrade. I’m wondering if the Electribe Sampler could be an option once it’s out, but I have to say, the ARytm sounds pretty damn good as a sample playback instrument.
Wait and see for the Electribe Sampler, I am waiting for that as well (although I already own an AR).
The only other option that you haven’t mentioned is the Akai MPX16, but there have been some worrying reviews about its quality so it’s probably worth paying extra for something of better quality.
That’s definitely worth consideration! [/quote]
You know, I’ve thought of that myself. But I like building my own loops from just playing and hammering them out, and the Rytm seems more immediate for that. The OT is a bit stiff when it comes to jamming like that. But it’s obviously endlessly more flexible in terms of a sampler than the ARytm.
But yep, had the OT been equipped with like 12 or 16 tracks, I would’ve never bothered, my needs would’ve been covered and pads or not wouldn’t have been a big deal. The Volca Sample is basically an extension of my OT workflow and nothing else.
I was considering the ESX as well, not the new one around the corner but the 2003-2010 edition. I’ve tried the new Electribe and it’s a cool machine, but it’s missing some of the structural features that I enoy with the OT and that the Rytm has. Arranger or Song mode is an essential feature, since I want to create a synced track between the instruments. And there’s some other things going on in the previous Electribe generation that I like better than in the new ones, such as the LFOs, effect systems and so on. And they’re better looking too
Feels like I’m trying to talk myself into the Rytm and just want people to say “Hell yeah, what’re you waiting for?”
Push the things you have a bit harder to cover all your needs, if poss. An AR for that purpose seems a bit wrong, like getting a Ferrari to fetch your groceries. Don’t wish to sound patronising, i just can’t foresee outgrowing the potential of gear like that for my needs, it perhaps should impose a limit on what you try to juggle in a live sense. Sure it’s easy to need more for all of us, but that’s where the fun of pushing the gear’s envelope comes in, limitations breeding creativity. Having said that, the AR is great, but it’s foremost an analog box and the workflow for sample import is not without drawbacks. Maybe OTx2 as suggested is best
Good advise. I’ll hold for now. The Volca Sample is a very direct and fun instrument, so I’m gonna stick with it and push it, as you say. And it does a lot of the things I want to do. And has almost no footprint at all.
Thanks for your feedback, guys.
^ this or an OT, AR has limited features for sample mangling … the OT/MD give you more options
smaller/cheaper devices will probably do the job as well (seen the Microgranny2?) but then it all comes down to how many things you want to do with the samples you’ll be using.
i would look at a sampler rather than a device with sample layering capability, unless Elektron adds more control over the samples
If you need a one shots sampler MD is the way man, and also MD is still the elektron tha causes me jawdropping any time I turn it on. If you want, it can really spitout sound not of this world!
Nope, you don’t. You do if you use Korg’s app, but there are third party apps out there - I’m using one of them - that works better for both sample editing and transferring.
So don’t hold off on the Volca Sample because of the iOS thing, because it’s not true.
This is what I’m using, on my Mac: http://www.singlecellsoftware.com/cevs
Works like a charm.
