I’ve been using my Machinedrum again lately. I’m slowly trying to figure out if I like it’s sounds. I certainly like it’s flexibility in synthesis and other quirks.
Anyways… I’ve sequencing externally but using the MD’s compressor just to add some life in to the mix. I remember how confusing the controls are and how the controls seem to defy standards on both other machinedrum sections and on other compressors.
Notice a few things:
Attack, Decay, and Mix are OPPOSITE (in direction) of other similar controls on the machinedrum, and the Attack/Decay controls are opposite (in direction) of every other synthesizer I’ve used.
Attack and Decay have SLOWER rates CCW and FASTER rates CW.
Mix is Wet at CCW and Dry at CW. This is contrary to all FX sends on every MD channel.
Another interesting feature is the HP filter. This means that low-frequency sounds are filtered out and will not trigger the compressor. With traditional compressors the kick drum is often used with a side chain input to create some great pulsing/breathing results yet here we only have a HP filter. Kind of strange, or am I misunderstanding something here?
Regardless, with many different settings I find the compressor sort of weak in general. I had an Analog Rytm for a bit and the compressor + distortion combo blew away the MD!
Have fun.