Elektron-Users

Yes it's really handy to work with a mouse and a pc and a controller and I can sit really cool in my chair! :-D

But I think it's different to work with hardware and I need a creative change in my music.

OK, a big problem today is, that many hardware products are not better than software and more expensive, too!

I would never buy a Virus TI2 or a Tempest or a Rhizome ... for that current prices.

Yes that are good machines but for that money you can really get more and very good software!

Elektron still is a little bit special and I don't know alternatives (hardware and software) ?

And my music is oldschool, like a little bit Kraftwerk and Anthony Rother and LFO ... not as good like them but I'll try!

It's just an experiment and I think I will have many questions for that forum here, too in the future! but I'll try and if it's not working I can sell that machines on ebay for the same price I bought them! So it's only a time risk!

The octratrack is the newest thing in my studio... everything else is 7years old, or older

what is getting more and more problem for me is.. being standalone...
when i buy stuff. I usually buy it.. because i want an Extra trick.. or a certain sound..

so, i just want it to eat propper midi without usb interface.. and eat audio via normal inputs.. and spit out audio via normal inputs.. and this is the biggest: i want to be able to use 99% of its functions without a computer...

My guess is, the older i get.. the more stuff will come without oldskool midi.. but more with that usb-midi.. and not seperate audio-outs.. but only a mainout.. rest of it via usb..
so one day.. U cant do it without computer.. heheh.. or your really really really oldskool..
(and, that computer, could be some i-pad typo-deal...)

The OT is great and I love mine, but there are also in-between solutions that you should consider, which are considerably less expensive and more "bang for the buck" (with all the standard computer disadvantages too) if you're worried about money (or, just save up!):

NI Maschine--good for sequencing, etc. MPC-style workflow, sort of, and controls all your softsynths
Five12 Numerology combined with something like Live (though you can actually do most stuff in Numerology at this point). However, to get the most out of it, you NEED a Launchpad.

And as Dreammer points out, even with an OT, you'll probably still need a computer for editing samples, backing up, etc. unless you're only sampling other instruments in your setup.

Yes, standalone was and is really a problem! That's the reason I planned my setup with different synths syntheses:

The main problem is, that many manufacturers always built complete new machines with new sound engine and new here and there ... and don't integrate the good old things there., too.

As I was young I played with grooveboxes, too (MC 303, 505 ...) and the MC 909 for example was a good concept but Roland never finished that concept. The MC 909 still has some bad bugs so you can use it but you can't use it only standalone if you wan't to produce a high quality track ... ok some freaks perhaps can do this ?

OK, with Elektron it's a little bit similar. I think, the Monomachine would need some more other filter types and some more new machines, too ... then perhaps I wouldn't need 4 other synths, too? - but who knows what comes up in the future from them? What I like from Elektron is, that they improve their old machines continously. That's a good strategy and perhaps some day you can upgrade Monomachine / Machinedrum with an USB Port?

And yes, USB Audio and Midi will become standard but many of that modern synths sound like plugins but are more expensive!

For example the Virus TI2:

It's has a big and modern technic but its sound hmmm ... I think you can replace it with Omnisphere, Trilian, Sylenth and Vanguard together and save a lot of money. This plugins you can buy for 750 EUR together and can use them easily with many instances in your daw without hardware mixer ... so what is the need for a Virus TI2 if you still have a good PC, with DAW and great plugins and want to work with your pc? For live ... ok but for DAW?

Or look at the Korg Kronos:

It has many syntheses and a great sound .... BUT the sequencer is terrible - so only for that you need to use a brakelight Kronos Plugin, too ... so you pay 3000 EUR for a all-around entertainer keyboard with fantastic sound but nothing more! Please, don't show this post the Korg Forums - as I posted my opinion about the Kronos there, they hated me!


If they will create hardware in the future which can do special and freaky things, like the Elektron sequencers for example, which you can't do with your DAW or plugins, then PCs will become old!

Especially freaky and integrated sequencers in a hardware product are the goal for me!


And I found this, too:

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2011/07/15/kenton-intros-usb-to-midi-interface-eliminates-need-for-computer/




And yes you are right! For edit-, cut-, samples work I prefer my PC, too and will still use it for that and fast remixes ...

In the picture you posted I don't think the OT is in the optimal position at all and there are some other areas that I'm unsure about.

1) Do you own everything pictured now except the OT?

2) You should be feeding the OT audio, probably from sends on your mixer. There are a few different ways to do this depending on how you use the cue outs.

3) I thought that the OT was the "better" sequencer? If so, I think I'd use it to sequence the other gear and take in the other gear's audio to process.

4) Your mixer doesn't have MIDI in, at least in the picture. This would be very useful especially for live use. I guess maybe with the USB on the mixer you could feed your master sequencer into cubase and then have cubase send the control to the mixer. I'd worry about latency though.

5) Is the trinity a rack? If not, why not use it as a master keyboard?

@JONAH:

Thank you very much, too!

1.) No, I still bought:

- Trinity Rack
- Access Virus B
- Monomachine

I still look for a good price for Maschinedrum and Octatrack

2. I Octatrack I have to test, too and I'm not sure if I should buy it for what I want to use it:

Normally I don't work with Loops but sometimes with some Vocals and I only would use it to create some vocal sample phrases there ...

3. So, I don't know if Octatrack is the better sequencer? That's a good question!

4. Midi in a mixer is really new for me!

I thought I use the mixer only to record 18 tracks to Cubase to great Single Tracks for remastering.

And for mix I thougt I look for a good digital Hardware EQ and Compressor for the Aux Sends of the mixer?

Because I buy this equipment to work live without a pc, too

5. Yes it's a rack

not allot of mixer actually do midi..
i know some dj-mixers do it (send and recieve stuff).. and i know some oldskool studio mixers
(think of 1990's 3meter wide mixers) to do not allot more then channel mutes.. some do faders..

So looking for a mixer, with midi mutes , fader controll and such.. it might take you some time 2 actually find it..
if you look for those digital mixers (bring out the "big bucks" do this type of stuff.
think of a behringer x32 or something.. they got it.. but heh.. expansive..

I don't understand the advantage if a Mixer has Midi?

OK, it would be great if Cubase is used as the main sequencer and controls the hardwaresynths but I thought to use the sequencers from Monomachine, Machinedrum and perhaps Octatrack?

Now, I'm a little bit confused ??

That Behringer Mixer costs 3000 EUR !!

Turn it around.. thats more practical way of looking at things..

some mixers, can be a "hardware control unit" for your daw..
so when you move a fader on your board.. the fader in cubase also goes up and down..

My mixer / harddisk recorder, is more oldskool (like working in the 1990's but in a more 2000 era type of technology thing) there is a seperate sequencer in my recorder.. that can control
the faders and the mutes. and even the fx if i wanted to (internal fx-cards type plugins) and all this works with midi..

then again.. these days.. i would use my mixer for "input sweetening / routing / leveling" then send the nice stems (combinations of audiotracks) to my computer.. and use a cheaper controller.. to control the mutes and fx and all that in my computer..

ah ok now I understand it better! I can do this with the faders from my Masterkeyboard.

And yes I thought about a harddiscrecorder, too. for example this one:

http://www.thomann.de/de/tascam_2488_neo.htm

Perhaps I could buy it a little bit cheaper if its used .. ?

But I'm still not a specialist with harddiscrecorders !

And with a harddiscrecorder like that I could save the money for a mixer or?