One of the things that frustrates me about Elektron devices, for all I love about them, is the limitation of the pattern. This is helped on devices with Song mode (and many tracks, like Machinedrum), and even better those where the kit isn’t tied to the pattern. I think I’m not alone when I speak of a desire for a marriage of longer-form composition and live modulation … one wants to feel like a “conductor” more than a frantic micro-manager of things that could more easily be pre-written, leaving one free to do other things like play a live rhythm or melody while the track goes on, yet is synthesized live for that extra something. Model Cycles lacks song mode (though pattern chaining is a good-enough replacement), and only has 6 tracks to live mute. The problem is that the kit is tied to the pattern.
I’m eager to try out Megacommand Live once it arrives. Besides supercharging my Machinedrum, the hope is to combine p-locked patterns on Model Cycles with live-sequenced sections that have more length and freedom, sequenced on MCL. (CC input on Cycles doesn’t work the same as p-locking, it “glides”, thus the compromise of using both sequencers.) Let’s say 4 tracks sequenced on the Cycles, 2 on the MCL, no pattern switches means sounds can evolve independently of the song’s progression. I’ve tried Pyramid, but decided it was overkill and am really looking forward to the integration with MD that MCL provides.
Still I was wondering does anyone have their own workflow for breaking out of the pattern on M:C, without an external sequencer? Or do you use an external sequencer? The dream is something that evolves compositionally but doesn’t necessarily “reset” all the sounds every 4 or 8 bars.
I’m with you on this. I come from a more traditional music background of classical piano then rock/punk guitar. I think of songs linearly with different sections, transitions, variations. (I am not saying that I think this is superior or inferior to other styles of music making! Just the way my brain is wired)
But because of this, I find a lack of song mode on any device with a sequencer extremely limiting. It makes a device feel incomplete to me. So far I’ve only completed one song using my Model:Cycles. I ended up copying and pasting the same kit onto 7 different patterns, and then I recorded the whole drum section of the song onto one stereo track into Pro Tools in one take, manually switching patterns. Yes, I could have chained the patterns but I would have felt like a schlub just sitting there for 3 minutes while I waited for the thing to play out lol and the fact that the chains don’t persist once you turn the device off feels self-defeating.
The way I recorded it doesn’t really feel like how the device was intended to be used, but I am happy with the results, so this workflow works for now I suppose.
My biggest gripe of the MC…
Being able to chain sequences and then adjust the parameters while it changes through them without the sounds resetting would be so good.
I agree if we got some kind of performance mode that saved track mutes per pattern and also let you press a track to mute it, the Models boxes wouldn’t really need song mode
they’re plenty performable but need some extra mute functionality for easier pattern chaining and mute flexibility
if we had that I’d be content chaining patterns and using pattern length to build out songs