Sequencers - MM vs MD, What's the Difference?

Elektron Gear
#1

Expecting my MD tomorrow and i was hoping someone could explain the differences between the 2 machines in terms of sequencing abilities

or

Point me in the direction of a previous post if it’s already been covered

cheers

#2

Not much from an internal perspective?

MachineDrum has 16 tracks, of which each track can have an internal machine, or a midi machine.

MonoMachine has 12 tracks, 6 internal machines, 6 midi machines.

Edit: All 12 tracks can be used for MIDI sequencing if required. (Thanks @PeterHanes)

#3

would you say one was better at midi sequencing than the other or is that basically the same as well?

#4

The same midi machine in both… maybe the MM has more functionality via Arps etc.

MD: More options/tracks. No difference in access to a Machine/Track whether internal or midi.
MM: Theres a Midi button to switch between internal and midi tracks.

PS: I haven’t owned a MM in ~3 years now, so off the top of my head.

#5

cool thanks for the info

#6

Would it hurt to read the respective manuals?

Or let us know whether you have particular requirements for MIDI sequencing?

In my view the MM has distinct advantages for note entry in both GRID and LIVE Recording modes. It also has a quick STEP Recording mode.

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#7

[quote=“si101, post:5, topic:28077, full:true”]
cool thanks for the info[/quote]

Sure… bear in mind I don’t have a clue what I’m talking about.

[quote=“PeterHanes, post:6, topic:28077”]
Would it hurt to read the respective manuals?[/quote]

Shhh… hush now with the crazy talk :wink:

#8

not at all and i plan to, was just trying to get some other perspectives before i have a chance to play with the MD. i’m already fairly comfortable with my MM (after reading the manual) and i wasn’t looking for a definitive answer.

#9

All 12 tracks can be used for MIDI sequencing if required.

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#10

Duly noted, thank you :slight_smile:

Note to self… RTFM

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#11

good to know, cheers

#12

Come rusty and the rest of the old heads, stop nerding and fucking about and out :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:, Just plain speak

The monomachine sequencer allows you to input notes from a mini keyboard and change pitch/notes quickly
The md does not
The mono has a sequencer in a sequencer - with the strange arp
Md does not
The monomachine has trig less trigs - just sequencer triggers, coloured green, which don’t have pitch information
Md can not
Mono can sequence chords or poly
Md can not
The mono is far more advanced on the seq

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#13

thanks orwell, i now have my MD (and manual) so i am finding out how it works compared to the MM :sunglasses:

#14

Hey, you know me :wink:

@si101: Ignore me, Orwell knows what he’s talking about.

#15

The Machinedrum can be a bit more fun for Midi sequencing if you’re wanting to address a lot of MIDI CC values over the course of a sequence with parameter locking. You get six P-lockable CC values instead of 4 on the Monomachine, and you can parameter lock the CC number as well as its value, so on one step you can address CC 77 and the next step address CC 52.

This also means that it’s really easy to screw things up if you’re just grabbing knobs and twisting them because even a little nudge can change the CC number when you’re trying to change the value knob next to it.

It also means that it’s a bit easier to just grab a synth module like the DSI Evolver and pair it with the MD with less setup (you don’t need to configure things in the global menu). And if you have an MD-UW it’s great for sequencing and sampling the synths at the same time. (And for common control messages, MD also gives you access to aftertouch).

I thought the MD had a ‘CTR-MID’ machine that was like CTR-AL for manipulating values across multiple midi machines but I can’t find it in the manual… Maybe it was a trick I saw about how to use CTR-8P?

Monomachine is better overall, but the Machinedrum has some peculiarities that can be fun.

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