Who's using Elektron gear in a more traditional type band?

How many here are using Elektron gear in a more traditional type band format versus EDM/DJ type setting?

Tell me a little bit about your band setup. Do you have a real bassist, drummer, or guitarist? Are you incorporating acoustic instruments?

I’m using a blend of synths/drum machines along side a bassist, drummer, and vocalist/guitarist (me).

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Yup, I use my rytm and analog keys in a traditional band.( Bass + Keys + guitar)
I like to contrast organic playing with more “robotic” drum machine timings…arpeggios ect
Actually I am kind of a metronome for the others. Having a drum machine is a lot easier for the others to follow than a real drummer!

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Sounds like you have a lot to do deal with with vocals guitar, synth, drum machine!
I prefer to limit myself to focus on one or 2 instruments, our music is more limited (we are only 3 people) but I have more fun, and the result is more “alive feeling”.
Else to much gear, I have to think too much!

It is a lot to deal with sometimes.

I do live looping so my performance feels more like I’m in band but its just me, I do however plan on having one or two guest instrumentalists to sit in on songs, perhaps bass, vocals, horn, hand drums, etc…
Rytm is drummer and I do use pre programmed patterns but mean to get into live recording from scratch. OT is set up for looping and I record moog little phatty bass lines, guitar, and vocals, into it. Once things are going I remix the loops with OT and then do improv journey solos on guitar or keys, or do vocals…
Nothing is prerecorded and I have to play everything except rytm patterns so I thought I’d post, I’m trying to avoid the “one man band” tag but that’s kind of what I am… :grinning:

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More traditional band setup for me too - bass, drums, 2 guitars and vocals. I play guitar and write much of the music. But over the last few years we’ve been making a concerted effort to bring more texture and variety to the music and elektron gear has been a big part of doing so. The record we’re working on is much more of a synth based sound than guitar at this point. I’m using an AK, AR and OP-1 for much of the writing.

It’s certainly going to pose challenges to recreating it when we play live. We had a keyboard player until recently but he had to step down; finding a replacement will be a must. We do use ableton for playing back rytm sequences (that our drummer plays off/against) because it’s easier than lugging the elektron gear out to shows in addition to all the guitar stuff.

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I quit bands a long time ago, but I did see Sampha and his 4 piece band with a pair of AKs, when they opened for the XX on this current US tour.

He was singing with an AK and Nord Stage, and a Virus.
His KB player had an AK, another Nord Stage, and a Sub37 for bass duties.

  • a traditional drummer
  • a sample guy with drum pads triggering samples from the studio productions

AKs were doing the sequenced and poly work.

Same setup as here:

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If the Analog Drive pedal counts, being designed for guitarists I could imagine most people using that would be in a band

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Been considering one for my Monologue (and future mono, the SE-02).
But everyone I know is using Heat on synths, not Drive… :confused:
except this guy:

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Not an actual band, but I use my hardware as my band I guess, mpc 1000 as drums and keyboard players, octatrack as bass and more keys or guitar player. And I’ve been playing guitar over top of it all.
Not live yet mind you, but working towards that!

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we do atmospheric, sort of improvised sounds… mimicking weather phenomena, insects, wind behaviour, traffic etc. Califone turntables for percussion, no-input mixer/delay, mc-202, clarinet, saxophone, tape, Yamaha PSS-560, field recordings etc.

used to have an Akai s20, for triggering sounds, layering sine waves etc. but it broke. recently picked up teh Digitakt for similar use, but it has opened up many more possibilities. not a traditional-type band, however

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I use AR for drums and A4 for bass needs…on a trio band with guitar,vocals and keys.

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Totally dig this!

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I do .
Contrabass, drum and Keyboard (thats me).
I use the Analog 4 + ob6 and Nord modular g2 and Rhodes.
The a4 is used alot but without the sequencer.

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I perform solo mostly, though the OT gets used for backing and aux sounds when I collaborate with other musicians (often in a traditional instrument type group).

Here’s some recent solo stuff with bass guitar, vocals and OT:

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I posted before a video of a band where i’m playing RYTM and A4. Here another track of a live concert here in Brussels. guitar/vocals/synths…

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He had the same setup at AfroPunk Brooklyn in 2017.

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How about as in traditional traditional: kletzmer, polka, etc?

I’ve used my Digitakt and an 0Coast with a garage rock band. Did an opening bit to bring the band on as well as some intros/transitional bits between songs. Trying to start another project. Drummerless with more electronic elements. Hopefully soon. If I ever learn this OT well enough :slight_smile:

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I did that circuit for many years. Got tired of all of the groupies and hangers on though.

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