I figured it would be interesting to share our first encounters with Elektron, be it yesterday or twenty years ago.
My first one was the SID Station.
A friend of mine did a small design job many years ago, like 2000, and instead of money, he wanted a SID station as payment. Both of us were C64 doodlers and I kind of liked the idea of having the sound of a C64 inside a synth, but didn’t have the money for a SID station myself.
We went to pick it up at Elektron HQ, which felt like nothing more than a workshop back then (although a pretty cool one). We took it home to his parents’ garage, he switched it on and we made tracks all night while having Jolt Cola and eating pop corn.
It never really amounted to anything, but I think he still keeps the SID Station somewhere in his parents’ attic.
I found out about elekton through my friend Stacey (hexinverter) about 6 months ago.
Somehow we were talking about sequencers and I was explaining how I prefer programing my sequences on my modular because I am terrible at playing a keyboard. He told me I had to check out the analog four. I watched a few videos and was immediately sold.
Needless to say I now own the dark trinity. If I didn’t just move out of my parents I’d be on the hunt to complete the collection.
Also soon after discovering Elektron, I realized that my 1st physical encounter with their machines was at last year’s Knobcon. I encountered the Keys and Rytm. I had no idea how to use them at the time, but I remember digging the sounds I was hearing.
My A4 was actually my first non-modular hardware synth!
My approach at synthesis started in software land where I only used presets and had no idea what I was doing and abandoning that and diving straight into modular… Now (two years later) I do most of the calibration & testing as well as R&D for WMD.
I first heard about the machinedrum. It really excited me as hardware drum synthesizer and not just a rom playback machine or whatever was popular at the time. It looked clean, the website was really well-designed, and the price added a mystique I couldn’t detach myself from. The cost of the machine was staggering, so it was just a dream along with some of the jomox analogue boxes available at the time. What really put me over was the “idm in a box” video. I shared that video around and got some other people to buy a machinedrum too. That video is surely responsible for the sale of many a machinedrum.
It was a mere matter of time until I’d upgraded to a UW and purchased the monomachine, and then Elektron announced the octatrack and really gained momentum with their analogue machines. We were all really happy the octatrack was the big announcement and not mkiii units.
(coming from Korg EMX as my first hardware synth) stumbled across MD online …went to their homepage… inital thought: what the fuck? who are these guys? who buys these toys for that price, with that sort of layout / marketing … tzzzzz not for me! (…bunch of freaks! … scammers probably)
then hektor, then IDM in a Box, then pulled the trigger of a second hand MD…then A4. then MM then OT, then AR … no ragrets ( ) … Elektron instant cure for ADHD
Playing on a machinedrum in rubadub here in Glasgow. Incredibly confused. Months later, somehow become fascinated by the OT, buy it shortly after, fall in love.
It will be a year on sunday since I got my first box, the A4 off of eBay… Then last October picked up the Octatrack, much to my confusion. January I made a trade for a MDUW for my OP1. And this week finally got the RYTM. I am in love with it despite the cramped button layout. I think I would like to have the Analog Keys and MnM eventually…
For me it was when Elektron released that video teaser of the A4. I was like what is that! Then one fine day I went on Craigslist and someone was selling a A4, my eyes went very wide. I was broke at the time but I did have a synth that I was welling to trade. I sent him a email and patiently waited, he replied with the best answer,(yes I will trade you my A4 for you Sub phatty) I was so happy. So I drve a hour south and meet the guy, he’s got it hooked upped and ready to go. I start playing around with it while he’s playing the sub phatty and we both look at each other and say YESSSSSSS. That being said,best trade ever. I love my A4 and I’m working on getting the dark trinity. Elektron fucking rules!!!
About two years ago, after having just upgraded my DAW (Reason), and purchasing yet another USB controller, I still found sitting at my computer completely uninspiring. Plus, as DAWs have become more and more complex, I found myself feeling lost in all of the options. At this time I had also started watching videos to see how other people interfaced with their DAWs, looking for a clue as to how to make it fun, and how to get away from using a damned mouse. Then, suddenly, I stumbled across some .elektron videos and was absolutely blown away. Fortunately my local synth shop had a Monomachine in stock, and after lots of research and confusion, pulled the trigger and bought it. Honestly, I’ve only used my upgraded DAW once since getting my first Elektron - the Monomachine!
I walked into a music - shop 2 years ago - and there was an A4 connected to very tiny spaekers. It was standing a little bit lost between giant synths witch where connected to full-size monitors. The moment I pushed a few minikeys I stayed perplexed as even in this conditions the A4 blew all other synths away. It made my hears stand up. So I immedeadly wonderd how it would sound tru descend monitors and I asked for some headphones. Listening tru these I new immedeadly I had to have one. I never had a similar experience with a synth besides onced 30 years ago with a Roland - modular systemat a coarse at the conservatorium and once a few yaers ago playing a Moog Voyager in a shop.
) … Elektron instant cure for ADHD