Hi Guys, I am on the verge of buying my first machine and being a complete novice to musical production, I have just a couple of questions I hope somebody could answer please.
Am I better to start off with Justin’s machine and learn it inside out and really work all of its parameters before I buy another one? Or is it best to buy two or three at the same time as I don’t really know if just one machine could produce one piece of music?
Also as I love artists like I:Cube, Biosphere and Morgan Geist (specifically Ambient/Dub/Intelligent Techno), I was wondering which electron machines would be useful for this genre i.e. Those which produce very ambient/melodic sounds?
DO you have experience in sound synthesis (maybe some experience in VST, DAW is yours and good level)
Do you have experience in MIXING ?
Is your setup will be oriented to Studio, Live, Both ?
On a DAW do you synthesis your sounds INSTRUMENTS AND DRUMS ? or do you go more on sample tweaking because maybe you feel better with sample, loop, recorded material ?
OK so i would say
Start with Analog RYTM because you can made a whole track with it and you can start to deal with Sound Synthesis, Layering Sound Design and Sample capabilities, Beat making, Rhythm, Groove, … (But anyway you need a computer to update, send sample, prepare sample so … you know it’s USB)
THEN when you understand the Elektron structure, i would go for Analog Four and put a foot in the gigantic area of Sound Synthesis
and THEN Octatrack…
For Elektron the beast is something to understand so maybe if you are a beginner i’m not sure to advise you to BUY the Dark Trinity at once because Structures are similar but not exactly the same. You have Mixing, Sound Synthesis to learn and that’s something. You have MIDI and AUDIO to understand, EFFECTS so there’s a lot to cover.
Of course if you have the money, the english well understanding (maybe it’s your first language) and you have time go to the THREE OF IT and learn by similar STEPS don’t go too FAST and keep the OT for the END !
Don’t forget to take pleasure and never stop to make music. There’s a scientific things in it but it should not suck your musician blood. TRY TO KEEP YOUR BALANCE ! as knowledge in all the audio aspects can be very time and money consuming
HAVE FUN !!!
As a beginner, I definitely suggest that you start with one instrument and learn it thoroughly. Your learning curve will be easier and, if it doesn’t work out, you’ll have less investment to write off.
Each of the Elektron instruments can potentially make full tracks on its own. I strongly suggest that you try listening to videos and audio demos of each of the instruments to determine which might suit you best.
Although the Analog Rytm may well be the best single Elektron instrument, I am joing to suggest that you check out the Monomachine, which is definitely more oriented to ambient and melodic sounds than the AR and includes a variety of interesting synthesis machines. Many people have made complete tracks on the MM. It will also be somewhat cheaper than an AR.
I’m going to throw in this homemade video by Elektron pioneer and forum member Nils as a little example of what impressed me about it before I bought one:
As a beginner, I definitely suggest that you start with one instrument and learn it thoroughly. Your learning curve will be easier and, if it doesn’t work out, you’ll have less investment to write off.
Each of the Elektron instruments can potentially make full tracks on its own. I strongly suggest that you try listening to videos and audio demos of each of the instruments to determine which might suit you best.
Although the Analog Rytm may well be the best single Elektron instrument, I am joing to suggest that you check out the Monomachine, which is definitely more oriented to ambient and melodic sounds than the AR and includes a variety of interesting synthesis machines. Many people have made complete tracks on the MM. It will also be somewhat cheaper than an AR.
I’m going to throw in this homemade video by Elektron pioneer and forum member Nils as a little example of what impressed me about it before I bought one:
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I want Nils’ Mission Control studio desk… Monomachine looks great too.
Sorry to Peter and Callofthevoid… but i must write i disagree.
SURE it’s less expansive but to make some “I:Cube, Biosphere and Morgan Geist (specifically Ambient/Dub/Intelligent Techno)”
I honestly don’t going on Monomachine. I really think Sound Synthesis is something to cover slowly and not at first when you starting because you take more time than pleasure. That’s why there’s so much of sample/presets expansions to buy, because it take long time to learn… and people want to go faster, or take pleasure directly and make music not science. As i against really to buy this presets expansion unless to learn in a reverse engineering technique. I really recommend simple synthesis model + sample to start in Electronic Music Production. (and don’t forget to buy a second hand computer or use yours only to prepare sample and transfer it + update your machine)
For i:cube and Morgan Geist you can get this kind of sound more fastly with Analog RYTM and for Biosphere i advise the Octatrack as it’s long evolved texture in some way as basis starting materials but as a beginner i can’t advise to start on OT
it’s better to learn drum synthesis model and how to use filter, LFO and effect + import instrument and effected sample to mess in the music you’re after.
AND then, dig deeper in Sound Synthesis with Monomachine or Analog Four.
it’s not a full track it’s more experiment and mess in. But Dataline is a kind of master in the Elektron boxes it’s shaw my point.
There seems to be a healthy variety of opinions, so I’ll throw in my own (I use A4/OT/RYTM):
Definitely start with one machine first, and learn it thoroughly. My vote for doing ambient goes to A4, which was my gateway drug to the Elektron world. Its “traditional” subtractive synthesis is really versatile in creating both rhythmic and melodic sounds, and the effects are great. I would suggest to at least compare it with Monomachine, when making your decision.
RYTM is a great machine as well. Very much both instant pleasure and deep tweaking possibilities with its machines. Lots of great FM sounds there. However, if I had to choose just one machine to be my only synthesizer, it would be A4 for its basic synthesis engine.
OT is of course a beast of its own. Very capable to do almost anything, and can definitely be used as a stand-alone instrument. To me the sampler is a complementary device in the setup, but for many people it’s the primary instrument. Regarding ambient genre, I’m not very satisfied on its delay/reverb effects, compared to A4.
Each of the machines CAN be used as a stand-alone instrument, but the amount of tracks may soon become limiting. Once you get familiar with the workflow, getting the next box becomes reeeally tempting. Just something to be aware of…
I agree with you here on the difference between the delay/reverb effects of the OT and the A4. The analog series seems to have better delay and reverb.
In regards to the OP, pick one machine and learn it, take a year or more to master it before expanding. Don’t make the mistake of getting too much gear at once as it will make learning difficult and thus your enjoyment of making music will diminish.
I learned the AR, got the A4, then got the OT without mastering the A4, now I’m confused with how to best implement all three boxes in my set up and am focusing on one or two machines at a time, thus limiting my capabilities. Don’t make the same mistake.
Maybe I am very-very old school, but having in mind making “ambient-melodic” music I would go for a polyphonic synth and I would focus on melodies, chords, chordprogressions, and long evolving pads etc.
IMHO “long evolving pads” is not the focus of any of the electron boxes. You can do it - somehow - nevertheless.
I use Elektrons for beat and monophonic melody pattern and very accentuated rhythmicaly. This is where these boxes realy shine and are not matched by other gear. But maybe … I am only too lazy to think out of the box
I would say, the most melodic Elektrons are the A4, the AK and the Monomachine. You can do rhythm too, easily. If you connect a keyboard via midi you can directly play and record melodies to the sequencer. Very convenient. Well, all of the Elektrons I know have a “chromatic” play mode too, also the AR (using the pads)!
I started with an Octatrack using the sampler as beat machine for looping and one-shot samples and controlling external synths with the eight midi tracks. This was a micro-studio-setup from the beginning. Later I completed this setup with the AK and AR, which is now a beat & melody mini-studio within the studio … and I love it
