Yatao and I proudly present Machinedrum OS X.05 (MDX).
The updated firmware introduces a new class of machine called Neighbor FX (NFX) which includes a Compressor, Envelope + Ringmod and Universal Comb Filters. We’ve also eliminated latency and jitter for incoming MIDI note/CC messages and provided fixes for user reported issues.
Most importantly, this update coincides with the release of MegaCommand Live 4.0.
The two firmwares are developed in parallel. The expanded SYSEX implementation in X.05 introduces a new editing mode beyond Classic and Extended, termed Enhanced mode.
Enhanced mode allows a MIDI device such as the MegaCommand (MC) to be fully controlled using the MD’s GUI. Working together, the MD and MC form the modern sequencer enhancement for the Elektron Machinedrum.
Amazing, truly. Saving hardware setup songs as it was daw session, all the modern sequencer features from the OT we all wanted with amazing new automation possibilities like physical output re-routing locks and master effects atomation, a full blown 16 voice polyphonic chromatically tuned synthesizer with graphically edified oscillator waveforms… and a sequencer controlled audio routing resampling effectmachine that can metamorphe from setup to setup on a per step, if your track is short enough, basis? Nuts. Who knew our silver haired grandpa could run so fast.
The MC deserves a proper aluminium enclosure, with the same formfactor as the Elektrons, and I’m not a great fan of the stepped encoders i got. For menu browsing sure its fine, although each “tick” on the encoder not necesserily always registers single clicks ont the software. For adjusting faders or sound parameters I much prefer analog pots, and a few dedicated pots/buttons would make for a really cool midicontroller to use with MC for ease of access.
Bet one could fit something like a Expert Sleepers/MidiPal/Gal/Midibox in the same box for stable midi clock source and other cool midi effects and utilities. Adding a few more buttons and analog faders on the MC for dedicated functions and functions you might want to control often with parameters on other pages… and parameter cc status send command like on the Octatrack to update motorized controllers to their current status, so these are synced to the track/slot/row/column progression through the project.
Rambling on here… but that’s what kids do when they’re excited. Woop
Made this quick one yesterday after [redacted] said the FWs were going live.
Majority of my recent “current sounds” posts are jams feat NFX machines.
More to come!
No NFX or big tricks on show here, but note via MCL it’s one pattern all programmed from MD, tracks at various step lengths, mild use of microtiming/conditional trigs and the fact i’m on mk1 and can now seamlessly utilise pattern length of upto 64 steps.
The devs really done outdid themselves.
If you haven’t i really recommend you try and acquire an MC and install MCL 4.00.
Amazing augmentation for this 20 year old machine.
That’s really awesome, more than anything else in my humble opinion. The subtle audible jitter that was there when the MD was receiving external clock seems to have gone now, just tested with Rhythm Echo added to a track and can’t hear any bitcrusher-like artifacts.
