Who else wants more Dataline Monomachine videos?

Accent · 2014-11-15T07:24:35.000Z

Dataline has been rocking the Dark Trinity for some time, but I know he has a special place in his heart for the Mono. I think the Monomachine is the red-headed stepchild of Elektron gear, and Cenk has shown a real mastery of it that few others have shown-the Monomachine portion of his Bass Station II video might be the highlight of the whole thing. I’d love to see more in-depth videos of how he uses it.

Anyone else wish to see some more in-depth video of Dataline killing it on the Mono? Cenk, would you be interested? I’m sure something like that would push more MNM sales and inspire a lot of people who hit a brick wall with it.

The same goes for the MDUW, although it seems like it’s more intuitive than the Monomachine to most. I know Dataline made plenty of videos in the past with the silver boxes, but it was before he was an official Elektron representative, so it might be good to revisit them for something more down and dirty.

mezz303 · 2014-11-15T07:59:14.000Z

I would love to see more MNM and MDUW videos.
For me the Mono is the biggest mystery of the Elektrons.
Nicolas Lem’s Erarta Live Set is a sensational display of the Mono’s abilities also.

bolandross · 2014-11-15T09:46:12.000Z

Me!

mezz303 · 2014-11-16T16:10:02.000Z

Just us then?

bluewolfse7en · 2014-11-16T16:39:03.000Z

Yeah I’d love to see some new stuff with the old machines, especially the MM.
It’s probably the least understood but in a lot of ways the most capable machine Elektron have released!

TrabanT · 2014-11-16T22:14:10.000Z

yeah, me too …

Datalines Videos are always inspirational! … wouldnt mind a tutorial or some comments along the way (slow hand movement and display in focus would help also )

Accent · 2014-11-17T09:42:04.000Z

There’s a few of us at least…but I bet a lot more people would benefit from seeing someone with a mastery of the instrument breaking it down. The silver boxes were released and developed before YouTube videos were really a thing. You can see the impact it has had with the OT and beyond, and not to say that there aren’t lots of good user videos with the older boxes, but they haven’t quite gotten the same love. The MDUW “IDM in a box” video sold me on it and made me an Elektron user, but the MNM is so much deeper and less understood, so I think seeing Cenk do his thing in detail would open a lot of people up to the potential of this desert island synth.

MX · 2014-11-17T10:21:56.000Z

I’m in! …Maybe more about FM synthesis would be ace too.

strawberry · 2014-11-17T13:35:36.000Z

+1 from me!

and maybe more of an “idiots guide” would be useful.

Dataline · 2014-11-17T15:42:37.000Z

Your wishes are our command…

Stay tuned!

dubathonic · 2014-11-17T16:40:20.000Z

EDIT: OK, Cenk has chimed in. But while we’re waiting, here’s another idea.

We’ve got a generous helping of direct help from Cenk sitting around waiting for us right now. IIRC, the MnM booster pack contains 48 examples of what he considers to be useful patterns and kits that we can all DL from elektron.se.

It’s from June of last year and therefore not new, but I have a snapshot on my MnM where I keep them all, and whenever I’m trying to broaden my knowledge I go back through them. I take a few of them apart, ask myself how much I understand each synth voice, explore how the effects are set up, how he uses the arps, etc. I always see something I hadn’t seen before, always learn something, no matter how often I repeat the process.

So a modest proposal: Whoever is interested, let’s all go through the entire set, each pick a favorite pattern or two that has enlightened us about an aspect of the MnM we’d find broadly useful, and write up our findings for the benefit of the group?

As great as it is that Cenk is on board (and so quickly), I think we’ll learn even more if we try to help ourselves.

Thoughts?

mezz303 · 2014-11-17T17:39:38.000Z

kusalamati · 2014-11-17T22:13:05.000Z

As a previous MM owner (now with an A4 and Rytm) this thread is reigniting some mono-GAS.

I look forward to seeing what transpires.

I reckon I could be convinced to go back to the Mono in the not too distant future.

strawberry · 2014-11-17T22:51:12.000Z

Ok, maybe some of you MnM heads can help me here. I’ve been quietly lusting after one of these for a while now, but have held back because:

      1.  I've seen people complain about a narrow sweet spot, and that small parameter changes can radically alter the sound, which I know can be a good thing, but leads me to..
      2.  I'm not the worlds greatest synthesist, is this more of an "advanced" synth? Will I spend 1300 euros to make horrible noises?

      3. Its nearly 10 years old, maybe a new version ( with Overbridge) is due! and does that matter?

Sound wise it fits perfectly with the kind of music I do (ambient, dub techno, odd shit), and also compliments my existing gear ,I think (A4, Virus TI2, TB 3,BS II, Maschine). But do I really need it?

I’m sure that any new vids from Cenk are only going to fuel my GAS more, so come on guys, some perspective please.

sorry if I’m rambling, 3/4 of the way into a really good red!!

mokomo · 2014-11-17T23:33:30.000Z

Just got a mnm today … a few vids about sound design would be very welcome!

virtual_flannel · 2014-11-18T01:55:13.000Z

Ya I’d love to see some interesting combos. Like Mono and RYTM. MD and A4 etc. Throw and Octa or a Sid Station in there for fun. Looking forward to that Legowelt vid DL.

Accent · 2014-11-18T09:49:03.000Z

Dataline-thank you for being keen on doing this. I’m sure it will help pique further interest in this mystery box and give us diehards some new ideas.

Accent · 2014-11-18T10:27:27.000Z

[quote=“” strawberry""]

Ok, maybe some of you MnM heads can help me here. I’ve been quietly lusting after one of these for a while now, but have held back because:

      1.  I've seen people complain about a narrow sweet spot, and that small parameter changes can radically alter the sound, which I know can be a good thing, but leads me to..
      2.  I'm not the worlds greatest synthesist, is this more of an "advanced" synth? Will I spend 1300 euros to make horrible noises?

      3. Its nearly 10 years old, maybe a new version ( with Overbridge) is due! and does that matter?

Sound wise it fits perfectly with the kind of music I do (ambient, dub techno, odd shit), and also compliments my existing gear ,I think (A4, Virus TI2, TB 3,BS II, Maschine). But do I really need it?

I’m sure that any new vids from Cenk are only going to fuel my GAS more, so come on guys, some perspective please.

sorry if I’m rambling, 3/4 of the way into a really good red!!
[/quote]

The sweet spot has a lot to do with how you program it. I think a lot of the critics never get into the filter tracking in the “assign” menu, and that has a huge impact on the flexibility of the synth. I think Elektron might have had a better impact with it by turning the HPF tracking off by default, because it can make a lot of sounds seem same-y. Personally, I tend to change this automatically (and sometimes the LPF tracking as well, tho I leave it on a lot more as I work with the FM machines), and it expands the range greatly.
It can be a more advanced synth. I think it is helpful to approach the MNM as something like an all-in-one, digital modular unit. You can go extremely deep with this synth, but it is also largely based around subtractive principles, so after you can get the basic language down in relation to the sequencer, you can really fly with it. I can confidently say that it has taught me more about synthesis than any other synth I have ever used, and it still constantly surprises me. I won’t lie, there have been more than a few times that I’ve thought about selling it, but then I fire it up and discover something so cool that I wonder WTF I was even thinking.
I wouldn’t hold my breath for a new version. The Mono, like the MD, is more or less fully realized. Unless they can’t get the parts to build it in the current incarnation, I doubt there will be a replacement in the next 5 years. Elektron are good like that, so you can sleep soundly knowing that the $1,000+ you spend won’t be obsolete next year, unless there is something so pressing that they can’t fix it in firmware. That means no Overbridge, but with 6 outputs for the 6 internal tracks I don’t see this as a problem for the Mono.
As for if you need it…that’s something only you can answer, but looking at your gear list I think it could fill some places. I think the weakest part of the Mono is with the VA machines, but you’ve got that well covered. The midi sequencing is awesome, so you might find new things in your current gear. If you buy it and put in some time, the rewards are great.

strawberry · 2014-11-18T14:54:55.000Z

Thanks Accent, that helped a lot. I think that when they are back in stock I will find it very hard to resist!

mokomo · 2014-11-22T20:50:44.000Z

just having a mnm for a few days, I’m very happy with it.

a big palette of digital sound with lots of sequencer control.

I’ll be interested to see in a few months if I feel my A4 and mnm are neck in neck; but I guess it will be down to taste.