I was trying to make multiple patterns within the project to use as different songs, so that didn’t really work out. Was hoping I could use mutes to basically turn on and off different songs.
It’s actually not a voice issue. I forgot what they called it, it’s like a midi note limit.
Only so many events allowed per note, and the limit was tiny.
You can do that though, unless I’m misunderstanding (which is quite likely, please be patient with me :)). In 16 Beats mode each pad contains its own collection of 32 sounds, BPM and slider FX setups both pattern-wide and per-pad. So essentially each Beat can be completely different from the next. While there is a limit on how many Sounds are stored in the Project containing the Beats, you don’t need to have a specific Sound stored to each pad - you can create, copy, paste and tweak each pad’s Sound to your liking within each Beat and bounce between them however you like. And you can change the trigger settings so the Beats will change quantised to the BPM or completely free.
I’ve heard about this, sounds like a drag. The limitations of a quirky OS. Not encountered this issue myself but I haven’t been going crazy with voices.
It’s been SO long since I’ve used a Tempest.
What I was trying to do was maximize how many patterns per project.
I believe each pad can hold a beat, so I was trying to put two or three beats into one beat pad using mutes.
What happens is you run into the midi event limit really fast.
I vaguely remember it being impossible to create two beats into one beat pad.
The limitations on the ol Tempest is ridiculous.
Did they ever find a way to switch projects without stopping everything?
Indeed each pad can hold a beat. That workaround wouldn’t be viable due to the internal MIDI note limitation like you say. Though there are 32 beats per project so you get a lot of them. Sadly switching projects does stop everything as the system has to unload all the data from the previous project and load all the data from the new project. Would be cool if it could perform that task without stopping, though I can’t think of a device where that happens. It kinda feels like the swapping of so much data necessitates a pause, though I’m sure with modern hardware it would be as quick as greased lightning.
F me, I’ve been giving the Tempest a looong good look in the past couple of weeks. Seems inevitable I’ll be getting one at some point.
@trytykee I just liked about a dozen of your Tempest current sounds! You sold yours, right? Can you tell why? Did you mostly use its own sequencer or the OT?
Was also thinking if there is another drum machine as tweakable and flexible as the Tempest? Doesn’t absolutely have to be analog but has to have the weight. (The Rytm was NOT for me, tried it twice.) Maybe an A4 for drums or the Nord Drum 2/3… Already have the Machinedrum and absolutely love it but feel like trying something else for drums for a change at some point.
@Claid Your Tempest soundpack can’t come quick enough! 
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As someone fortunate enough to own both a Tempest and Rytm, I’m interested to know what put you off the Rytm?
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I owned a Rytm a year or so ago and did reluctantly sell it in order to afford other stuff. Personally I prefer the Tempest, which feels like a fluid instrument to me rather than the Rytm which felt more rigid and constrictive. They’re both great and the Rytm (especially Mk1) is more affordable, has better connectivity with computers (Overbridge is awesome) and has user sample uploads, p-locks and lots of little magic spells that make it very special… However I am an MPC rudeboy at heart, and while I no longer find myself producing hip hop, I find the use of expressive, squishy pads with velocity and aftertouch and FX sliders/q-links for recording automation to be the ‘route to my heart’. I don’t feel anything when I program a sequence via step sequencing. But that’s just me!
Then there’s the sound. I like a slightly soft yet rich basic tone, which responds well to outboard processing. Most of all I love a bouncy swing. I find the Tempest again works better for me in these regards. The Tempest has an expressive and juicy sound, I can’t think of a word to explain it other than ‘classy’ though it can get so raw as well. It makes me want to dance. I found the Rytm to be a bit ‘flat’ in the basic tone, and the swing was pretty good but (and maybe this is psychosomatic) but it has no character to it. The Tempest seems to have a mind of its own. In actual fact I was tracking into Ableton Live and the BPM seemed to move away over time. This is not good but to be honest, I kinda like how unpredictable it is. You’re manipulating MIDI with the repeats etc, it’s like experimenting with live electricity. Instability makes things unpredictable and I find that exciting. I’m also used to using warp markers to bring things back to tempo, though I understand how this behaviour would probably piss people off. I heat it behaves better when MIDI synced so need to try that, I had it working standalone.
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I’ve used it solo. I think it is all about its own sequencer as the pads are really awesome. I can’t imagine any better pad for a drum machine. And of course I love its swing…
I sold it yes, I wanted to buy a Macbook Pro but now I don’t know if I want to use Max again… Anyway, next week I’ll probably get another one which comes even with its original box. At some point I thought that I was really underutilizing it. I mean I haven’t really used its oscillators. For me its normal workflow wasn’t that fun. The mod matrix is quite advanced but it wasn’t really intuitive to create some complex patches. I simply like going with the flow without really thinking too much while making music and with the Tempest I didn’t want to play it that much. I could make some beautiful stuff but it was a bit weird that I was kinda bored of it. But then after I sold it and listened to the recordings that I’ve made, I thought that after some boring preparation It would actually be fun, but again without using its real capabilities…
I find the sound design workflow a bit similar to A4 btw.
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Hard to put my finger on it. Mostly I just felt it wasn’t a match for me. I know it sounds blasphemous but I didn’t love the sound of most of the core analog machines. Would’ve wanted more modulation as well I guess. I also felt it is better suited for more hard-hitting styles than what I usually make. I realise samples would’ve been an option but I can use the OT for that.
Actually, what @Claid said of the Rytm feels a lot like what I was feeling when I had it. At the end of the day, Rytm and I just didn’t connect (no Overbridge in my brain I guess).
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This is really important to me, I just love to play with an instrument on its own. If I have to use an external sequencer, it’s just not the same. Been spoiled by Elektron to some degree, I guess.
Really looking forward to more Tempest stuff from you! I like your Pulsar stuff as well but the sheer beauty of the Tempest and ND2 bits just speaks to me.
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The tempest has 16 pads. Which hold 16 beats. You have Bank A and Bank B. That’s 32 sounds per beat. The tempest has a MIDI limitation of “8 event notes” per step. Pym did this because it’s 6 voice machine. Makes no sense to be able to put unlimited midi notes on a single step. Only 6 play at one time. You can put 8 and that gives you the ability to mute pads and have a different line in one beat if say in that instance a line had more midi events on that step then allowed. You can mute to go back and forth.
Probably not what you want to hear. But if you are creative you can easily make two beats on one pattern. Beat 1 can have sounds from Bank A and Beat 2 can have the sounds on Bank B. You’d have to be creative and thoughtful of where to put your steps.
Or both beats can use one sound bank an unmute/mute the pads at will. You just have to plan out your beat.
They made the machine one way. You’d like to use it another. You can either sit and complain about how it won’t work and blah blah blah. Or you can get your thinking cap on. Get creative and make it work.
The true art of an audio engineer.
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Yes, me too. That’s why I couldn’t keep my Nord Drum. I can use the OT to sequence it for sure but it’s not the same. Weird but I just can’t focus on that device.
So with the Tempest you can focus on and dive deep into it but then when there is too much menu diving, I can’t really concentrate on sound itself. That’s why I like analog devices these days. I have the feeling that I’m always an active part of the process. I just like that natural interaction between me and the machine. I didn’t have that with the Kodamo, even though I still think that it is an awesome synth but I don’t miss him. But… Machinedrum…! I’ll definitely buy the UW version at some point. I always miss the MD. I guess MnM would be pretty good as well, but it’s way too expensive. I was hopeful that Syntrx would work for me but there was something missing… so I don’t really miss it. With the Pulsar and Ornament I definitely have that feeling and experience. Or unfortunately with the CL instruments… I’m saying unfortunately, because it’s really a rabbit hole but very fun. Anyway, I see them like toys that I just want to play sometimes. I don’t really like the Patch Point though, I’m more a fan of the DIY side of the CL.
Anyway with the Tempest, it happens if I only use it with its high resonance and feedback. I can record my sequences, then process them, copy paste them, then process them even further. This is my workflow with the Tempest. No menu-diving, just playing the filter and feedback, modulating the filter, playing with the compression and distortion as another sound sources, then maybe adding some sounds/textures from osc in a very subtle way and finally switching the beats by hand… That’s why I thought that I could make it with an A4 as well, but actually because of the pads, I’ll try my chance with the Tempest once again. Yeah sometimes I make a decision too early and then I regret it. It happens quite often 
By the way, I think you’d enjoy the Syntakt and find your own way with it but the Tempest is not really that fun if you want to use it mainly for your drums. But of course, it is my personal opinion. Or maybe you can simply get a ND2 and sequence/modulate it with your MD. So it would be like another machine on your MD but a bit more advanced. ND2 sounds always very inspiring! If I’d find one for about €550, I’ll get and process it with the Pulsar.
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RYTM and A4/AK both do this.
However, it’s not nearly as necessary because the analog Elektron boxes can have 128 patterns, and if you get creative much more.
The OT you have 256 patterns.
I can make whole sets on the Elektrons per project.
I really struggled making 2 tracks on the Tempest per project.
When the RYTM came out I instantly swapped out the Tempest for those reasons specifically.
Plus it offered SO MUCH more as a “drum machine”
The A4/AK is a wicked good drum machine. I often think about swapping out the RYTM for the A4.
However the A4 comes with it’s own quirks in regards to voicing and how to work within that.
I actually feel like the A4 makes superior drum sounds to Tempest and everything sits in the mix like magic.
I haven’t fully dove in to A4 as a drum machine, but I do want to try that for a set, and use the perf macros to really spice it up. Once I do that it will seal the fate of my RYTM.
I have a feeling I will keep the RYTM on drum duties though.
I try to keep my drum machine for basic drum duites, kicks sound like kicks, snares sound like snares so to speak. The RYTM is the best thing I’ve come across for that. Plus all the extras just give it more room to be extra special.
Too bad they dont make a RYTM kind of machine with no pads and instead perf macro knobs like the A4/AK.
That was one thing about the Tempest that was SO FUN, the pads are incredible.
I’m no finger drummer, but the velocity sensitivity and pad size on the Tempest made playing scales and arps crazy cool.
That’s what really draws me back to the Tempest as a polysynth.
If this is beyond basic send/return stuff would you be willing to elaborate on your routing? Sounds interesting!
I think Tempest may be the most I’ve ever spent on one piece of gear. It is weird and occasionally confusing and difficult but I’m very fond of the thing to a point that I struggle to imagine wanting to be rid of it.
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For a couple of reasons I’m not thinking about a Syntakt right now. Primarily because the analog engines are from the Rytm which I didn’t like that much (the DVCO is powerful of course). And yeah, as you may know from my MD jams, I’m using the term ”drums” broadly, so again what you’re saying about the Tempest sounds like it could really click for me. Of course that’s exactly like a GASsy mind always spins it.
The ND2, then. Sigh. I bought one locally for 400€ in December only to find out it was ND1!!! Of course the seller refunded me, cos after I realised it can’t be played chromatically it really wasn’t worth it even for a reduced price (seller offered it for 300€).
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I hadn’t made the connection (That it was John from the DSI forum)
But yeah there was a real concerted effort in the last year of development that really got the machine into a workable state. Made a massive difference.
I can’t imagine selling mine. Was using it this afternoon and had forgotten what a power house it is
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The Tempest is absolutely savage for drums. Check out any Skee Mask release - he uses it on everything. Compro was chock-full of Tempest drums. It’s capable of incredibly expressive and nuanced percussion of all shapes and sizes, with swing that makes your booty shake and performance macros that make even a quick and dirty groove so much fun to play around with. It’s cool if it’s not for you but seriously, for anyone reading who hasn’t used one for drums - you have to try it! The Tempest is like an MPC and a Prophet had a baby, and the kid is the coolest yet most misunderstood creature ever to walk god’s green earth. And the kid doesn’t care, they’re just too cool for that.
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Can you upload your own samples into it ?
No.
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It’s been SO LONG.
I vaguely remember something about using TRS cables for the voice outs.
Something about panning hard left and hard right from Tempest into separate channels on the mixer. One channel having Delay/Verb and the other being dry.
Something about that was an immediate way to do some dubstyle effects.
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