Alternative to the Rytm?

Elektron Gear
#1

I’m looking to sell my Machinedrum and picking up another drum machine. I don’t dig the sound overall after a year+ of having it. I already have the OT/MM/A4 and I love the Elektron workflow. I had been looking at a Rytm as it has pretty much everything I’d want in a drum machine, however, the lack of MIDI Out is a bit of an issue. I tend to program beats on the hardware, then record the MIDI to my computer so I can do some edits, then go back and sequence the hardware with my DAW. I know it sounds kind of silly, but it also allows my bandmate (who lives 2 hours away) edit beats and send them back to me.

I also have a few other requirements:

  • Must have an onboard sequencer that can do per pattern length/time and microtiming.
  • Needs songmode
  • Needs to be able to save and recall presets.
  • It doesn’t NEED to be analog, but I have more than enough drum samples and digital VSTs that analog would be nice.
  • Conditional trigs (or whatever they might be called elsewhere) would be dope.

I know I’m basically describing the Rytm, but that lack of MIDI (or CV even) is kind of a pain in the ass. I could theoretically program the Rytm with my OT, but then I miss the p-locks and it kind of defeats the purpose of the Rytm in general.

With all that said, anyone have any good suggestions I might not have thought of?

#2

record your track in Ableton, and then have Ableton convert the audio to Midi so that you can send to your bandmate. Sequence RYTM from the edited Midi file over OB.

You might have to draw your P-Lock automation in Ableton

#3

Don’t use Ableton. Use FL. But the same concept still applies. Problem is that I’d have to record each track separately for that to work.

#4

Is OB not enabled for FL?

#5

It is. I guess I could multitrack it, right? It just seems more trouble than it’s worth for a $1000 machine.

#6

I mean- it is what it is. I’m merely trying to brainstorm a workaround to the machine’s limitations to accomplish what you need the outcome to be.

If you want analog percussion and midi sequencing, I believe the Tempest has some midi sequencing abilities(albeit, I think just one voice from what I’ve read

#7

Fair enough. I appreciate your ideas. They’re not bad ideas by any means, just not ideal.

#8

i would imagine the Jomox Alpha Base would be of interest.

has their own parameter sequencing tracks although not sure re/ conditional trigs.

also: the Pioneer Toraiz sp-16. Sounds awesome.

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#9

How about adding a drum synth like the Nord Drum 2 to your OT’s midi sequencer, then?

It does everything you want besides conditional trigs, which you’ll only get in A4, AR, DT, or another midi sequencer (squarp pyramid, maybe?)

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#10

Rytm’s impulse machines do trigger CV gear.
In fact, an 8+ track CV trigger to MIDI converter would allow you to use the Rytm to sequence MIDI. Something akin to the Alesis Trigger IO, or the new DDrum DDTi (rebadged Trigger IO) will do the job. Or a pair of Roland TM-2s, if found for the right price.

5 Likes
#11

That seems like a perfect solution.

#12

I was going to say that. Good idea