Elektron-Users

^ that would be sweet! But not digital samples, but rather really crisp synthesized sounds (different than the machines in MD) - maybe via a colaboration gig with the microtonic dude like TE did?

A Elektron drum machine like that would rock big time - but would require a huge design effort.

Well, I guess they could release an updated MD mkIII, why not. The mkII is now several years old, and even if this is still a good machine, some new upgrades could be interesting like things available in the A4 : multi-scales, mute trigs, Performance mode, patterns saves, keyboard record in Midi In, USB etc... and a black front cover

This will probably not require a big budget for development, will give freshness to sales, reposition the MD as the top notch of the drum boxes, and without disturbing their range philosophy by introducing a totally new drum machine. In fact it is what they did from the mkI to the mkII.

Sample the a4 into the OT. Or run the machinedrum into the a4 and sample it into the OT. Or buy 2 a4s to get 8 tracks. Elektron has drums in a lock.

Analog vocoder/polyphonic string machine.

Personally, I think a unit with 8 stereo inputs that used Thru and Neighbour Machines with dual effects per stereo input pair + a master fx out bus and some sort of fx parameter locking sequencer.
Add realtime control functions and clever performance interface.
Effects like harmonizer, pitch, time, granular, reverb and modulation effects and spectral delays, smearing, droning etc would really be the icing on the cake.
I think the Machinedrum does Roland TR style drum synthesis exceptionally well myself.
I've even created some kits in mine that sound pretty close to the 606 with a far better sequencer to boot as is.
Other people here think otherwise I guess, but if I want analog percussion I can just sample it into the OT comfortably enough.

Hi, I was reading recently an interview with Mathew Jonson, who has been using MD on his live set up since the machine first appeared and when asked what would be his ideal machine drum this is what he replied:

What would you say is the ultimate drum machine?

They are all really different so I would say my ultimate one is not built yet. If I had the opportunity to design a new one just off the top of my head it would be a mix of digital and analog sounds, it would have one set of buttons for 16th notes and another row of 12 for simultaneous triplet programming. Steps 1,5,9,and 13 of the 16th notes would align with steps 1,4,7 and 10 for easy visualization. Each knob to edit sounds would control only one function and be VCA. The only menu it would have would be to select the sounds for each part. So it would pretty much be like a modern mix of an 808 and 909 but including some acoustic sounds and features.



Here is the link with the interview and a recent video where you can see his live set up:

http://www.fabriclondon.com/blog/view/in-the-studio-with-mathew-jonson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD0H0KlHUgk


I think those are very interesting features.