What’s the difference between looking through samples and kits stored with various sound sculpted parameters applied? No disrespect. I just wonder. I mean my struthi has hundreds of slots for voices. Which I like. My brute doesn’t. Which is fine but a little disheartening.
I’m stoked that the AR has memories for drum kits because I can set it and forget it. But I don’t need to limited to just one.
^^^ This
my only complaint about the OT is that I want more tracks and more inputs :)[/quote]
May’be two DPS-1s are in order?
–snip—[/quote]
truth be told, I will probably end up with an AR for a couple reasons
one, I don’t play live gigs or anything, it’s all a hobby for me…I play in my home studio
two, it will give me a beat making machine that falls in like with my other elektron gear
I actually started with the OT and did everything on that, I then added the A4…both can be used for drum parts but inevitably, I find myself running out of tracks…I want all 4 of my A4 tracks to go to the synth (not dedicated percussion)…I want all my OT tracks for sampling/mangling the sound coming in. I am currently using half my OT midi tracks to sequence the Volca Beats for percussion and the Volca can only go so far. I use one midi track just as a through to the A4 so I can record/sequence to it since my midi KB is plugged into the OT…and believe it or not, I still use a midi track to sequence the Volca Bass…I guess 4 tracks on the A4 isn’t enough for me heheh…I kind of dig the Volca Bass sound too
My only issue when adding the AR will be the OT input limit, I already use A and B for the A4, C for the VolcaBass and D for the VolcaBeats…there might be a cause for stereo in from the AR (don’t know at this point)
You could use the inputs of the A4 for the Volcas…
You could use the inputs of the A4 for the Volcas…[/quote]
Yes, I’ve done that actually but I lose some features that I have when going straight into the OT. In addition, if you decide to use something other than just effects on the A4 for the inputs you will burn a track. It still may be something I end up doing though…will have to wait for the AR to see. The good thing is I would still be able to sample any inputs on the A4 in the OT.
A lot of times this is the scenario: Wow I need a great snare for this song, let’s find one. 15 minutes later I still haven’t found one. If I had a Rytm I’d make one instead of looking through samples or presets. And I’d make it fit. This is really difficult when I’m starting out with a sample because so much identity is already in the sample. I’d much rather start sculpting an analog Rytm.
Good point. I do like the idea of the rytm being it’s own instrument.
A lot of times this is the scenario: Wow I need a great snare for this song, let’s find one. 15 minutes later I still haven’t found one. If I had a Rytm I’d make one instead of looking through samples or presets. And I’d make it fit. This is really difficult when I’m starting out with a sample because so much identity is already in the sample. I’d much rather start sculpting an analog Rytm.[/quote]
I’m in the same boat, other than I’m not a pro like Cuckoo 
I am mostly designing every sound from scratch and/or mangling a sample on the OT. Sample chains are cool for some stuff but I find myself spending too much time trying to find exactly what I’m looking for…then I end up taking something close and tweaking it on the OT to try to get a little closer (still doesn’t get me exactly what I want)…I am also using the Volca Beats which has some nice points but the range starts to run out pretty quick
…enter the Rytm…already has a familiar Elektron workflow, allows me to create the exact sound I am looking for and go (and even tweak it on the fly)…in addition, it doesn’t burn tracks on my OT or my A4
…I bit the bullet and pre-ordered
This is something to think about, you can own multiple elektron boxes but you don’t necessarily have to use ALL the features at once!
The great thing (for me) about having the A4 & OT & OP-1 is that there is plenty of crossover in features and functions but still each unit has it’s own signature sound and clear strengths.
Sometimes I like the sound of claps and hats coming from a 909 kit loaded in the drum sequencer on the OP-1. Sometimes I like the classic drum machine sounds and will just load higher quality samples into the OT. With the A4 you can get really freaky and make them from scratch, or load up a preset and have surgical control over the synthesis parameters.
AR for me is enticing because of the pads + sequencer integration as well as the analog compression + distortion. Also the ability to be able to sculpt sounds on the A4, prepare the samples on the OT, and then play them live with the RYTM will be heaps of fun. I was very close to buying an MPC but now I don’t have to learn another company’s way of thinking/UI/workflow 
Although the RYTM is shipping this month, I know by the time distributors have stock to fulfill preorders it might be mid to late april. I’m hoping Elektron is sitting on a bunch of RYTMs but just ironing out the OS for launch. EIther way the A4&OT will keep me cozy til then
I’ve had my OT for a couple of years and have enjoyed it, and learned a LOT about how it works. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with it though as its workflow requires a lot of memorization, which is not the case with any other Elektron box.
The AR looks like a lot of fun, and I am considering (seriously for the first time) to sell my OT.
When using the OT I have found:
Many times when I record some samples, they are how I want them to be, and I don’t want to mangle them much at all.
When I start in the OT to create something completely different with some samples, I spend 4 or 5 times longer to create a track. Not due to difficulty of use necessarily , but this has been clearly true by my observation over time.
The OT has such limited outputs, when I record my samples the ‘life’ is baked in, and as I change them they no longer breathe. For example 2 or 3 or 4 tracks that interact via compression or other outboard gear have a constantly changing sound as I change them and they interact. Once inside the OT, I lose the ability to route the tracks.
When I look at my OT now, I see two main features that I will miss:
1- Sample mangling.
2- live set recording/playback playability.
When I look at the AR I see what I miss about the OT :
1- Multiple outs, so I can have my sound interaction and outboard gear alive and breathing as I modify.
2- A classic machine language that is fast to interact with, where my tracks are created in the moment and my inspiration is fresh the whole time.
One does not replace the other of course. The AR is ‘only’ a drum machine and some form of sampling is a really great tool.
Personally:
I will pair my OP1 and AR.
The OP1 can cover 90% of what I need to do sampling wise and DAW wise for creating ‘songs’, but it struggles with multiple outs like the OT.
Instead of sampling bits into the OT for separation, and being locked again with limited outputs, I believe I would be better off supplementing drum duty on the OP1 with and AR, which will let me get more out of the beats with multiple outs, and variety with its playability features.
I don’t know if I will sell my OT, but it seems like a shame to have this amazing machine, that I am more and more (unfortunately) only using for its basic features. (post FX and some scene manipulation (mostly pitch sweeps)).
hmm…
I wouldn’t sell the OT, I mean what if Elektron releases an update that allows direct usb transferring samples from the OT to the RYTM? That would be spectacular if that was possible without a computer.
^^^ This, I want my A4/OT/and soon to be AR all to talk to each other and be able to pull files back and forth, etc etc…
I agree about the OT being the less elektron machine in the way the other 3 are (and I got them all)
for me the OT´s real strength is live sampling/resampling/messing with audio but for straight sample playback and filtering it´s too cumbersome and I think it´s not the best tool for it
the AR seems to cover this territory quite easy and also got synthesis, wich I found much more convenient for my workflow than just sampling
my idea is to eventually get the AR for a similar setup (coupled with the A4) and leave the OT for a more (much more) experimental live act taking audio directly from modulars
+1
I know, it’s about fun, GAS, whatever, and I also have 3 elektrons, but I’m going to reduce my live setup to 1.
It depends if you’re making music alone or not, but I’m sure that just an OT would still be sufficient in a solo setup, given some practice & clever setup.
Either way, it’s gonna be fun. Don’t think so much, press play on any device, be it elektron or not.
This might be off topic… but alas
I have been doing some reesarch into old samplers to try and uncover some of the inspiration behind Elektron’s products. The SP-12/1200 definitely reminds me a lot of the OT workflow for beatmaking. So after watching this I tried making some 70-90 bpm beats with the triggers in sample slot mode/chromatically and it has been a real joy.
You have a lot of the emu/SP style functionality with the step sequencer triggers encoders crossfader etc on the OT
simple, sound synthesis, the OT is not a synthesizer…it depends on the type of music you are making too…I generally layer all sorts of things built from the ground up…an OT isn’t going to work for that…not to mention I run out of tracks really quickly on the OT for what I’m doing…the more I can free up the OT to do what it does best, sample/mangle/sequence the better…obviously, this may not apply to certain live scenarios…on occasion I use only 1 or 2 tracks on the OT or even none, just me and couple other people on good ole fashioned guitars and drums plugged straight into amps with no effects
Some people see the OT as a sampler, where they have to choose samples, and sequence them.
Other see the OT as a really creative machine.
I create most of my samples, and push them into the OT. And this is where the magic begins, i’m using all the power of the OT to transform, mix, add effects, resamples…possibilities are endless to my opinion. I make deep and ambient music, and this is a great machine for that.
Moreover, since i’ve got my octatrack (and A4), i don’t user an external mixer anymore ! I like that !
yeah, it is definitely my favorite machine
I still run my output audio into a mixer but only because that’s where my monitors are plugged in, I could technically go straight into my monitors from the OT
for me personally, the A4/AR/OT combo will take care of most of my needs…with the ability to sequence/sample gear from the OT and A4 (will cover me for midi and cv)
A lot of times this is the scenario: Wow I need a great snare for this song, let’s find one. 15 minutes later I still haven’t found one. If I had a Rytm I’d make one instead of looking through samples or presets. And I’d make it fit. This is really difficult when I’m starting out with a sample because so much identity is already in the sample. I’d much rather start sculpting an analog Rytm.[/quote]
It may seem like a lot of work but you are free to create and find sounds before resorting to the prefab samples. I made a bunch of quality recordings of hardware sounds back in the early 2000s that have become well organized over the years and still sound great as raw samples. May’be I’m too optimistic and believe in things that have too many routes but I still record sounds found during writing or off a track that shines in a certain moment. I ALSO try different recording technics and processes to make the original sound more unique.
No one wants to sound the same as everyone else or like they go around ripping-off peoples handwork so it’s not like that these days.
Lately, I have been creating sounds in the box that are selected through the latest wave of organization coming with Maschine, Live, plug-ins, etc… you can really find them, redesign them, and make a lot of great hits with that which you may already have in your toolkit before resorting to sample-pack $#!%. Some might not like that but all this organization we have helps me find the sounds, design the individual hits, make a sample chain kit, work-it!
If you already have an A4, then you have analogue covered. You can make drums sounds with the A4 all day (yes, good enough for drums) and sample into the OT, as others have said. Or, if you just want to play samples (without extreme mangling) then you could also buy something much less expensive than an OT for that duty (which you could still fuck with by running it through and triggering it with the A4). You may not be getting all those crazy sample mangling features, but if you’re like me, you won’t miss them (and the ‘beat repeat’ thing is really getting played out / over used).
You had an OT and sold it, which to me says it wasn’t your cup of tea.
No matter what, you can always resell your Elektron gear. No problem there, ever!
From how I see people using the gear, the OT will inspire lots of random, glitchy, chopping. Where something else (like an A4) will force you to be more intentional. Some people may find one machine preferable for the loop “jamming” ability, and others may find something else preferable for more hands on synthesis programming. Really, it’s a question of how you like to work. Personally, I can spend all night just making complex layered synths on the MNM!
even though I could technically craft drum sounds on my A4, I prefer to use all those tracks for other things and I miss things like a compressor…right now I have external gear going into the OT for drums and on that track I pretty much always use the compressor
The AR will free up that track on my OT and free up my A4 for other synth duties.
Per the original subject matter, I think people can get by with an A4 and AR just fine, however, to put it simply…an AR is not going to replace an OT. They are different machines geared towards different tasks. I say this only looking at the feature list and videos of the AR since I don’t have one in hand.