What do you feel is the sweet number of Elektron devices for live performance and studio recording?

Elektron Gear
#42

I posted one today but wow, it’s terrible due to the mastering. I’ve never mastered in my life, I need to practice some more and well, read an entire book on it.

I just wanted to get something out for Jamuary since I’ve never released any of my tracks. I’m working with the Digitakt compressor currently and cleaning up the song in my DAW, or at least trying to based on mastering tutorials.

Be warned… I recorded this whole thing in 2 hours at 4AM and tried to master it for the first time after, so the dynamics are all over the place and some of the filtering is botched… Sigh… I’m more of a musician than a sound engineer, guess I gotta work on the second part for stuff that isn’t live.

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#43

I am also trying to put together a live set and am using DT+DN. They are are fixed to a board and everything stays plugged in (MIDI and audio DT->DN), I only need to connect to power. It fits in a small flight case.

This pair works really well and I’m becoming pretty fluent with both, but I started filming myself and I feel like it lacks a “performance” element to make it more interesting to an audience. I’m considering adding a mono synth with a keyboard to play some parts live, or a guitar/bass (but that would make pattern changes trickier).

#44

Pattern changes are pretty nice with them due to the pattern change MIDI send. Two button presses total, surely no more than 3 seconds if you know where you want to go.

You can do it!

#45

This idea doesn’t really work if you’ve got everything setup within a flight case however I think part of the issue with that is you tend to be very still. Having your gear spread out on a desk a little bit so there is a little leaning from one side to the other just breaks the impression of being immobile. Obviously not too far apart that it’s a pain to perform with or it looks contrived… just a gentle lean. But if you’re considering adding a small monosynth then that can definitely help in that respect.

#46

Very nice arrangement and chest-thumping synth chords. I think I hear the Digitone. Man, I want a Digitone badder than a mofo, though!

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#47

My first piece of Elektron gear… it will always have a special place in my heart. The whole opening is just the Digitone except for the tambourine and vocal chant (which is so horribly mastered it’s cringe worthy).

Then I got the Digitakt for Christmas. Still learning the ins and outs, never sampled anything before. The two go together like peas in a pod.

#48

I use 3 octa as drum machine + a4 and digitone, perfect combo. Will add vīrus ti2 in future. Not big fan of fm pads so need something more

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#49

Yeah, it’s only a matter of practice I guess :grin:

That’s pretty clever, but I prefer to add an instrument to play live and improvise on.

#50

Well, I’m unsure if it’s clever… just what I’ve observed from having been to so many gigs over the years. The other thing that I reckon has a similar disconnect from the audience is someone sat at a table tweaking their devices (or laptop!!). Being stood up just seems more active.

I was at a gig last Saturday and the opening guy was just sat there with a table of volcas/boutiques and headphones playing some pretty banging stuff but the audience pretty much ignored him. The next one was someone who was signing/faux rapping to a pretty poorly produced backing mp3 and the folks were lapping it up…

#51

OT being brain most of the time , for studio, 1 or 2 Elektrons with sequencers (I don’t count AH and AD as they are very simple in comparison). I got stuck with 3. May change, but I’m not interested in a static setup for the moment.
Best Elektron pairs

For live I still don’t know. I’d like to use guitar / bass / vocals, and other non sequenced stuff, OT recording / sequencing / mangling.
I’d like another sequencer for drums, I find MD sequencer too static, A4 a bit complicated for that purpose in live, so I think an AR or DT I don’t have would be interesting to concentrate on other instruments…

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#52

Hey mate I dunno if you know this, but something I’ve been using a bunch ever since that track I posted (I completely forgot about it the entire time) is Global Change on the DT…

aka. hold down “TRK” and every parameter you alter changes the parameters on every track, then you can “FUNC” + “NO” to reload pattern once you’re done mangling… It’s the closest thing we have on the DT to live performance features IMO based on the magnitude of changes. For instance you can reverse the entire pattern at the same time, add bitcrush, change the tuning, then reload it and it immediately switches back. It’s very nice for immediate performance.

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