As I am at the glimpse of getting more accustomed with both of these two machines, I am wondering how others are using MD and MNM. These two devices are so deep and modular in themselves that I cannot decide whether I want to use a fixed setup within them or keep them fluid.
I see the biggest advantage of having a fixed set of machines within a workflow that can be trained and that is open for good quality improvisation at some point (Which is what I am aiming for in the long run). Likewise a complex instrument, where muscle-memory can come in quite handy at some point.
On the other hand another advantage of these devices is their modularity. Everything can be routed, triggered, muted or whatsoever within the existing system. This allows for deep patches that can create wonderful sounds with the downside of tricky usability. I often find myself upon deep patches which are super nice, but only have a small sweet-spot.
For convience my definite Setup, within the both devices looks like the following (at the moment)
Machinedrum:
- 8x Drum/Rhythm tracks, consisting usually of my most used sounds, with routing options into single mixer channels or into MNM-IN
- 1x MISC (usually Lead or Bass)
- 1x IN A; 1x IN B (MNM C and D routed in)
- 1x CTR-ALL
- 1x CTR-GB, 1x CTR-RE
- 1x RAM R1, 1x RAM P1 (for internal and external live sampling)
Monomachine:
- 1x Bass Synthesis
- 1x Pad Synthesis
- 1x Lead Synthesis
- 1x Drum Synthesis
- 1x FX for internal sounds feeding from E F BUS
- 1x FX for external sounds feeding from IN A/B
I know I could make myself comfortable and have a ‘Jamming’ Snapshot and a ‘Experimental’ Snapshot, but in the end, if I am using either of these I miss the advantages of the other.
Thus, for inspirational reasons I would like to ask how other users have either one, or both, of these machines setted up.