Elektron Machinedrum ???

Just wondering if anyone in here has one?

If so, how good is it? Whats the interface like? I think you can sample on them..right? What are the drum sampling/synth features like? and how does its sequencer (and other features) compare to that of an mpc?



thx in advance for any info.

I've got one, the original model. It doesn't load samples, just got built-in samples plus digital synthesis sounds.
The new UW model loads a small amount of 12-bit samples, like the old samplers did. (20 seconds ish.)

The box has a very distinctive sound, you can notice the difference right away between it and an mpc. It is very "punchy" "crisp" and "cutting" sounding, also got huge bass. They say it has a 24/96 sampling rate (or maybe not i don't really remember) and very excellent D/A convertors that make it sound really tight. Sound-wise, it has kind of created its own genre, sounds like nothing else I think.

The interface is pure awesome. There is a flexible Swing deal, but it won't do triplets very easy, something to consider. Every drum sound has many many parameters to tweak (all kinds of envelopes and algorithms , filters etc.) and you can record the knob motions into the sequence. That is the best part- you can do really ill advanced experimental sounding beats.

It is really great for 'modern' sounding stuff- it sounds rather 'electronic' but powerful. The onsite demos don't really do it justice, but check em out for an idea of the tone quality.

For a more 'classic' sound, not so much-- except if you have the patience to use midi dump and 20sec sample memory, the UW version might be good similar to a SP1200... I have a feeling it would still sound more modern and "crisper/colder" instead of "warmer". It's a lot easier to recommend if you do grime/d'n'b/idm anything like that, but for old skool hiphop, hmm?

Running it thru a bit of analog mixer eq to take off the high end really improves the sound IMHO... the thing just has such a wide freq. range that the lows and highs are almost out of control until u tame them. But thats a luxury once u get used to it.

Any more questions, feel free.

I own one... it is the most extensive drum machine ever made. The range of sounds...for something that does not sample...is rediculous. It does the typical 808, 909, 606 style stuff as well as acoustic drums and crazy electronic drums. The newer userwave model allows you to load, via midi, your own samples...which you can then tweak with the numerous functions the machine offers. With the Machinedrum...you can take a cowbell...and make it sound like a bassdrum...that is how much you can tweak the sounds. The interface for beat programming is easy to use if you have ever used Rebirth, Fruity Loops, Reason, or any Roland TR or Korg Electribe machine.

sleepersriddle wrote:
For a more 'classic' sound, not so much-- except if you have the patience to use midi dump and 20sec sample memory, the UW version might be good similar to a SP1200... I have a feeling it would still sound more modern and "crisper/colder" instead of "warmer". It's a lot easier to recommend if you do grime/d'n'b/idm anything like that, but for old skool hiphop, hmm?

I use it for hip-hop influenced stuff...but my definition of hip-hop is very wide open... I think most would think my music is not hip-hop at all...even though I make beats and I rhyme.

I'm sure everyone knows this, but M Audio has 2 Sample libraries
Elektron MachineDrum and MonoMachine
Seems like it was with elektron's blessing too...(see below written about
M Audio Vol 15)

"Created in cooperation between M-Audio and elektron, elektron:Machinedrum delivers sounds and loops from some of Europe’s hottest programmers for one of the hottest drum machines on the planet. All sounds in this collection originate from the Machinedrum SPS-1, tweaked and programmed it to its extreme by its most skilled masters. These hot grooves span a wide area of music styles, delivering rhythmic inspiration for all types of contemporary and future electronic music."

Hey is anyone aware of any other third parties that have done monomachine/machinedrum sample libraries?

noharmlessrock wrote:
Hey is anyone aware of any other third parties that have done monomachine/machinedrum sample libraries?

Nope...but these are decent libraries.

thanks for the info

i wanna try one next time i'm near a gear shop. i tried out a monomachine about a year back when i brought my mpc and it was very cool. used to have a sid, but shot it to pay for other gear. never messed with a drum synth, but i'm getting quite into drum layering. def couldnt cop a machinedrum but still wanna one try one out.

i might check for that sample cd.

if anyone in here does have the sampling option for it, let us know what you think.

DFENS wrote:
if anyone in here does have the sampling option for it, let us know what you think.

There is no sampling... you load short samples into the machine via midi. No audio sampling ala the MPC.

u can load samples via midi in the SPS-1?? i thought u couldnt use your own samples.... only the second model can handle your own samples...

nobody panic:

sps-1 = no custom samples
sps-1uw = 2 megs to load your own samples, using midi sample dump.

neither one has 'sampling' in the sense of using audio input to create your sample. just to be confusing, sps-1uw, has 'ram sampling' which is more like a realtime looping tool.

^^^^
thx again, i was confuzoid about the half-assed sampling ting. it doesnt have record inputs then.

DFENS wrote:^^^^
thx again, i was confuzoid about the half-assed sampling ting. it doesnt have record inputs then.

No, but it can do things that the MPC is not capable of.

yep, for sure.

they are completely different ..

offtopic/re your sig:

I just heard the other day that David Lynch is into Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying. Pretty weird huh.