MD SPS I MKII - Doubts

Elektron Gear Machinedrum
#1

Hi guys,

I had around 6/7 years the first model of the MD.

I’m now waiting for the SPS I MKII to arrive. :slight_smile:

I have some questions that I can’t seem to find out on the web (nor reading the Manual).

1 - Is there any parameter randomiser vst or standalone application software capable of randomising the MD parameters? I really look forward to this as I like to have a lot of different starting points to tweak at my own taste.

2 - Is there any MAX Device able to control the MD parameters / automations directly from the DAW (In this case Ableton)?

3 - Concerning Sysex…Are we able to “trade” patches with other MD models?
For example, a guy using the UW version is able to send me a kit / sound he’s doing - in case is not loaded a user wave sample but a tweaked synthesis drum?
Am I able to buy/download more kits/patches to my MD SPS I MKII? If so, where?

Hope you’re all doing fine!

Thank you in advance :+1:
www.pedrogoya.com

#2

Just one more thing.

Let’s pretend I’m doing a simple 4/4 beat. Kick / Hat / Snare.

Let’s say the snare hits the 4th and the 8th step.

Can I put the 8th step snare a little off-tempo? Shifting it to something like 7.5th step?

You now what I mean…I want to humanize it a little so it doesn’t get too “robotic”.

I know that I can apply a swing to an whole track but I would like to do something similar to this if possible.

Let me know :slight_smile:

#3

No you can’t, other than the 64 steps, the mkii sequencer is exactly the same as the mki. You can fake this by using swing on just the snare track.

#4

In the UW version is possible that?

#5

No the UW sequencer is exactly the same.

#6

Thank you!

Concerning the other questions…no one?

#7

haven’t tried it myself. might be what you’re looking for

http://www.maxforlive.com/library/device/2021/machinedrum-love

more here

http://maxforlive.com/library/index.php?by=any&q=machinedrum

#8

If you have an iPad and Lemur, MK7 on the E-U forum created a cool MD randomizer patch: http://www.elektron-users.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=615&Itemid=30

You will probably find a lot more MD related info there as well, as there were years of discussion about it before the black boxes came out. You’ll also find SysEx patches and templates there.

As for M4L, there are a few templates. Haven’t used them myself: http://www.maxforlive.com/library/index.php?by=any&q=Machinedrum

I think the Octatrack can do what you are talking about with microtiming. I’m starting to do a lot of experimenting with song mode and the tempo multipliers on the MD to try and achieve more variation. The results are awesome, but it can be painstaking work-I’ve had to bust out a calculator a few times to keep everything in tempo.

#9

Concerning the point 3 (as all the other questions were pretty cleared answered for me)

Is this a Yes/No issue?

Are we able to send new patches onto the MD SPSI MKII?

If so, can I transfer this soundpack (for example) to my MD? In Elektron’s website it says its a pack for the UW version only. This means that this pack is basically samples and not synthesis methods banks?

Thanks a lot for the kind responses!

#10

Both the Mk II and the Mk II UW will be compatible for synthesized patches as long as you’re not trying to load UW samples onto the Mk II. I’m not sure about the Mk I. There is a button labeled “Classic/Extended” on the Mk II and Mk II UW. Maybe if you run in classic mode you can load patches from the Mk I. Give it a go. You will soon find out

#11

The sound packs for the UW version on the elektron site won’t load on a Mk II as they are mostly all sampled material. Best way to get new patches is to just get stuck in. It’s really quite easy to come up with great sounding stuff just by messing about. :+1:

#12

The classic/extended button is on the MKI as well. Other than the 64 steps, they are functionally identical.

#13

With the UW, you can also use samples with a little silence at the start, for off the grid performance. :slight_smile:

#14

Regarding off-grid snares. You can always achieve this by using swing, lfos or samples or combination of these. Microtiming is overrated. Even Roger Linn saying that “…if the note dynamics and swing are right, then the groove works best when the notes are played at exactly the perfect time slots.” http://www.attackmagazine.com/features/roger-linn-swing-groove-magic-mpc-timing/

#15
  1. Yes there are a few Max for Live devices that will let you assign MIDI CC’s to macro knobs and control them from within Live.
  2. I believe so. See no reason as to why that shouldn’t work. :slight_smile:
#16

Thank you all once again for the kind answers.

Ive been messing and reading out the manual in the last 2 days and I can say I basically got it all very easily.

I just didnt quite got 2 things properly:

1- When applying swing it is by default selected to all sounds on the pattern. When pressing swing I have the hability to choose ALL or the sound I want to add the swing. If I choose a sound it still aplies swing to everything :confused: the only workaround this was actually deleting the "swing steps - that are lighten up in the step grid) in every single track!! This was actually a big pain in the ass to do. This way I just left the swing to the hats and all the rest was in place.

Is this really the best workarounc to add swing just to a certain sound? Help me out guys :slight_smile:

2- I was looking for this on the manual but didnt found a thing…probably because its not possible to do.

I understood I can save kits - which contains max 16 sounds. But can’t I save an individual sound?

Lets pretend I like the kickdrum on kit 1, snare from kit 2, claps from kit 3…and so on. How do I create a new kit with those sounds (if saving sounds isnt possible).
Im really struggling to understand what should I do to save a sound selection in a newer kit. Was I clear?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Nice forum peepz! :slight_smile:

#17
  1. That’s the only way to do it.
  2. [EDIT: I was wrong there is a way (below), sorry]
#18

well. for problem 1, the thing is your only placing the trigs that will have the global swing setting applied to them. not individual swing settings for each track. just one swing setting, and you choose the trigs each channel or all will be affected.

if you find deleting them a pain, since it is, just try holding the scale key (the one next to the 16th trig) and press clear. or copy and paste for that matter. if you dont know this function youll soon love it. thats scale+play to clear.

for problem 2, on the other hand, out of step sequence mode, use function + play (copy) to copy the current track. load your new kit and paste it on the channel you want. copy and paste functions are native to all the elektron sequencers. it will save you a lot of hassle when you realise theyre there. :slight_smile:

#19

You build a new kit from sounds in other kits by using copy/paste in the kit build menu. There are two different forms of copy/paste and I can not remember the button sequence and all the differences. One copies and pastes everything about the “machine” and the other only copies some info.

#20

Woah, can’t believe this whole time I had no idea I could copy paste machine like that. That’s a fucking revaluation. Thanks guys!