Incorporating an MD or MnM into a PC sequencer setup?

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:25 pm

I have been getting pretty interested in both of these units lately, particularly the MnM. I realize that half the appeal of these units is the standalone nature of them, and size for live use...
I never play live, and am a PC sequencer devotee, so these would be slave to a PC mainly. But the appeal to me is the idea of being able to travel with it, and not always be stuck in front of the computer, and of course, the sounds!

I am wondering if others have managed to successfully integrated one into their current PC setup and feel they are getting full use out of it?

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:23 pm

Just to be clear, are you looking to use your soft-sequencer to sequence the internal sounds of the elektrons (i.e. use the Elektrons as a sound module)? or are you talking about syncing them to software in order to record them with softsynths and what not? The latter is done quite often, the former is not done that much since the sequencer is a big part of each machines appeal. However, I'm sure if you ask around on a certain elektron-centric site, someone has tried it and accomplished it.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 12:02 am

I guess I mainly meant using the external sequencer in conjunction with the soft-sequencer... (using it as a sound source seems to defeat the whole purpose.)
I wasn't really so concerned with the technical aspects per se (tho I'm curious as to what recording/timing is like in my own situation), just more the usage of one of these from the perspective of someone who is using it in conjunction with a pc setup....

Concept_Control · Post by **Concept_Control** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:09 am

Hey, might have some input here - I've got a MonoMachine and use Ableton, mostly in session mode, for sequencing.

Ableton's to sequence softsynths and my Q, but for the Mono I just sync it with midi clock to Ableton, one or the other as master depending on what I'm up to.
Doing that allows the Mono to rattle along to it's own sequencer, either in song mode if my hands are busy elsewhere, or hands-on in pattern mode, flicking between patterns and cranking those encoders, whilst keeping time with the PC.

To record the Mono, I just set a track to run for the entire performance

garranimal · Post by **garranimal** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:48 pm

I sync the MD to the PC master clock (Cubase). And trigger MD sequence changes using note messages. Using this method I'm kinda bummed the mute settings on the MD can't be recorded/controlled by my sequencer. During audio recording I'll throw in some realtime knob tweaking.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:51 am

both responses, thanks... It seems obvious, but I was just looking for some PC-elektron action from actual users-being able to change sequences via midi would be particularly useful. Now it's just a question of which one...

Concept_Control · Post by **Concept_Control** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:40 pm

garranimal, that's strange you can't send individual track mutes via Midi... I've not got an MD but check out the spec in the back of the manual, the Mono has CC messages for individually muting it's 6 tracks, so maybe there's a way on the MD, I can see that being quite a pain if not!

Slight work around, but using song mode (on the Mono) allows you to program in pattern changes and mutes for each pattern, I'd imagine that's the same as the MD?

Sir Ruff, pick which suits you best - I wish I could afford both beasts, I went for the Mono because working with soft synths is pretty disconnected.
If I bought an MD, I'd always be wishing for the UW, but it's way out of my pay grade! That said I'm slightly envious of the new Mono Mk2's updates, as I scored a Mk1.

To satiate my drumming, I bought a padKontrol to compliment Ableton's drum racks, allowing me to sequence more dancey drums, and add a groovier, hand played rhythm to parts... When the Linndrum 2 comes about I may well invest though

Just my thoughts.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:57 pm

Concept_Control wrote: Sir Ruff, pick which suits you best - I wish I could afford both beasts, I went for the Mono because working with soft synths is pretty disconnected.
If I bought an MD, I'd always be wishing for the UW, but it's way out of my pay grade! That said I'm slightly envious of the new Mono Mk2's updates, as I scored a Mk1.

To satiate my drumming, I bought a padKontrol to compliment Ableton's drum racks, allowing me to sequence more dancey drums, and add a groovier, hand played rhythm to parts... When the Linndrum 2 comes about I may well invest though

Just my thoughts.

cool man... that's good you found a practical way to get your groove on sans the MD. It's taken me a while to catch on to these things, but now that I've been reading and listening, I definitely want to get in there...

Having both kind of seems like the ideal solution/setup, but I'll have to get one before the other-the UW option basically has me sold on the MD for now (that and I already have butt loads of other synths I don't use enough)... Given that I was toying with getting an sp-12 anyways, and that this looks (to an extent) like a modern day 1200, it seems like a win-win situation! (tho now the Linndrum 2's approach has got me strokingg my chin too)

I am just always wary of "stand-alone" gear because I'm afraid of not using half the features when I am already stuck to a PC sequencer. The sequencer element of the MD/MnM looks unique and user-friendly enough tho that I would hope I could add more spontaneous movement to my often static tracks..

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:08 pm

Sir Ruff wrote:
Having both kind of seems like the ideal solution/setup, but I'll have to get one before the other-the UW option basically has me sold on the MD for now (that and I already have butt loads of other synths I don't use enough)... Given that I was toying with getting an sp-12 anyways, and that this looks (to an extent) like a modern day 1200, it seems like a win-win situation! (tho now the Linndrum 2's approach has got me strokingg my chin too)
..

Good choice, but the UW doesn't have the SP1200's old converters or analog filter on the outs...so it sounds alot more digital. Still great though.

swords · Post by **swords** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:28 pm

I've had a mono for about a month now and it's been a 10 out of 10 so far. I'm in love with the sound, its easy to use but not dumb or limited, and its built like a tank. It has thus far been worth every penny i paid for it.

BUT

80% of the appeal of the machine, for me, was removing the computer from the setup. As a high-end sequencer/synth, its just that. But as a sequencing hub and a steering wheel of sorts for your rig it is immensely more valuable. If i were still sequencing from the box and I had that kind of money to blow I'd get something else.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:28 pm

JSRockit wrote:Good choice, but the UW doesn't have the SP1200's old converters or analog filter on the outs...so it sounds alot more digital. Still great though.

No, I realize that (I saw that other thread on here that went into some detail on that, and read a bit more into what it is that actually makes the SP sound the way it does)-BUT, I figure, you throw some sped up sounds in there, pitch them down, and then drop the bit rate a little, you will get an aliasing sound that is close enough to the SP sound.
I just want aliasing-it doesn't have to be the SP brand of aliasing (which is really what I think THAT sound is all about-sometimes people mistakenly call it "ring mod").
Plus obviously (and more importantly) you can do a h**l of a lot more to the samples once they're in there.

swords wrote:I've had a mono for about a month now and it's been a 10 out of 10 so far. I'm in love with the sound, its easy to use but not dumb or limited, and its built like a tank. It has thus far been worth every penny i paid for it.

BUT

80% of the appeal of the machine, for me, was removing the computer from the setup. As a high-end sequencer/synth, its just that. But as a sequencing hub and a steering wheel of sorts for your rig it is immensely more valuable. If i were still sequencing from the box and I had that kind of money to blow I'd get something else.

hmmm, interesting... that's kind of why I'm worried about the incorporation of a standalone sequencer into my PC setup, as I'm SO used to doing everything from cubase. But then that's why I'm aiming more for the MD rather than MnM at this point-aside from simply loving drum machines, the ability to load samples and mangle externally is really what appeals to me (my s612 I practically use on every song)...

Nothing's for set in stone, so I'm glad to hear different opinions.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:36 pm

I don't use Live (yet) but I find the external MIDI clock on a PC quite sloppy next to the Elektrons own internal clock.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:58 pm

Sir Ruff wrote: No, I realize that (I saw that other thread on here that went into some detail on that, and read a bit more into what it is that actually makes the SP sound the way it does)-BUT, I figure, you throw some sped up sounds in there, pitch them down, and then drop the bit rate a little, you will get an aliasing sound that is close enough to the SP sound.
I just want aliasing-it doesn't have to be the SP brand of aliasing (which is really what I think THAT sound is all about-sometimes people mistakenly call it "ring mod").

Well, it does that well. It has sample rate reduction and bit rate reduction ...the bit rate goes down to 1 or 2 bits I believe. Also, when you use the RAM machines with the memory almost full, the samples get very crusty...and you can transfer samples from the RAM machines to the ROM machine if you want to save them. I love it.

Sir Ruff · Post by **Sir Ruff** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:35 pm

JSRockit wrote:and you can transfer samples from the RAM machines to the ROM machine if you want to save them. I love it.

woah... ok, I didn't realize you could move it over. that's very cool-I didn't think you could save anything coming straight into the input unless you recorded it. So that gets around having to otherwise transfer via midi all the time.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:07 pm

Sir Ruff wrote: woah... ok, I didn't realize you could move it over. that's very cool-I didn't think you could save anything coming straight into the input unless you recorded it. So that gets around having to otherwise transfer via midi all the time.

Well, things sound a little different going through the RAM machines...and it is a bit tedious for drum samples and stuff IMHO...so I tend to use the midi style more...but yeah, it is there if you want it.

Incorporating an MD or MnM into a PC sequencer setup?

Incorporating an MD or MnM into a PC sequencer setup?

standalone complex