Machinedrum and monomachine tandem? need answers!

Spaceheater184 · Post by **Spaceheater184** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:00 pm

SO i have been teetering back and forth, back and forth about gear. I was setup for an acid live show setup, but realizes i could get that sound without all the expensive gear...so I switched to computer based stuff. I didn't like the feeling of it and the tedium of sitting in front of a computer all night to make a shell of a track. I visited grooveboxes once before, when I first started this stuff. I'm thinking of going back to it now. Here's my story:

At first, I thought I really wanted to snag an MC-808 and a yamaha rs7000; two of the best grooveboxes around. They both have decent sampling and good sets of useable sounds. Then I got to poking around on youtube and heard some incredible things coming from a machinedrum/monomachine combo. I really like the idea of making my own synth tones and not using rompler stuff. I've also heard the machinedrum can't be beat as far as flexibility and ease of use. So, here are a few questions I'd like answered by anyone who knows:

Would these two units really be a better solution than a tandem of the two grooveboxes I listed earlier? (Opinions wanted, I know there is no right or wrong answer.)

Is there anyway to sample the way the 808 or rs7000 samples on either the MD or MM?

Are the MM and MD performance worthy machines? (Are they easy to perform with, not just useable as a studio tool?)

Mind you, i'm trying to make techno here. I'll be keeping my x0x around for acid songs/tones I may want to add in there, but for the most part I am sticking to a straight techno theme.

JUGEL · Post by **JUGEL** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:13 pm

Besides MPC's and Elektron boxes ... every other groovebox is a cheap toy to me.

the Monomachine is great for performance ... someonetimes mutes can be a tricky (takes a 2 button push)

xibalba · Post by **xibalba** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:37 pm

I agree with jugel in regards to the machinedrum. I personally could never live with out it, it is by the far the easiest drum machine i have ever used. There is hardly any menu diving and a lot of the tweakable controls are rather easy to get to. Having no experience on the monomachine i can only assume (and we all know where that gets us) that it has the same ease of use as the machinedrum. So if you have the funds (probably well def over 2k USD) then what are you waiting for

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:58 pm

I use both, but do not do techno and do not really listen to it. However, they are great together as long as you like their sound. Also, they are two of the best live performance machine that exist. You can do everything on the fly without stopping. The UW Machinedrum does not sample like a regular sampler... it allows you to trasnfer short samples via Midi from your computer... about 2mb worth only. Are they the better soultion? Well, that depends on what you want to accomplish and what you expect. On paper, the MD and MnM combo has better specs IMHO... but the 808 and 7000 may be more your style. You only know that. Maybe a comination of the two set-ups... like a Machinedrum and a RS7000 would be better to start with?

megawatt · Post by **megawatt** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:43 pm

JSRockit wrote:I use both, but do not do techno and do not really listen to it. However, they are great together as long as you like their sound. Also, they are two of the best live performance machine that exist. You can do everything on the fly without stopping. The UW Machinedrum does not sample like a regular sampler... it allows you to trasnfer short samples via Midi from your computer... about 2mb worth only. Are they the better soultion? Well, that depends on what you want to accomplish and what you expect. On paper, the MD and MnM combo has better specs IMHO... but the 808 and 7000 may be more your style. You only know that. Maybe a comination of the two set-ups... like a Machinedrum and a RS7000 would be better to start with?

I agree with Rocket 100% regarding the Elektrons.

The MC808/909 and Elektron give totally different soundsets as well. I like them both but they are very different - the roland have a ton of inspiring presets and offer a wide spread of classic tones where the mono makes you work for them. For live though - the flow of the elektrons are unmatched.

monomachine/machinedrum combo is the modern/advanced 303/606 combo IMHO

Spaceheater184 · Post by **Spaceheater184** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:52 am

I've heard a lot of really great sounds from the MD and the MM totally impressed me. I really liked the idea of the 808/rs7000 because of their all-in-one designs, but the elektrons look very tempting. If the 808/rs had a VA synth engine, i'd be sold. That's my biggest hangup. I DON'T want to use rompler sounds as the sole tone source, and I really don't want to bring a million rack/desktop synths with me on stage. That's why the MM is so tempting to me.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:57 am

Like megawatt said though...you do have to work for your sounds on the Monomachine. There are a few presets, but ultimately, you will be starting with a raw patch and making your own sound. This is not bad, but it also offers alot more than subtractive synthesis, so you may be unfamiliar with some of the synthesis methods. I still am unfamiliar with some of the synthesis methods on the MnM and I've owned my MnM for about 2 years. However, that doesn't stop me from using those machines and coming up with stuff that I like. Maybe try a Monomachine and RS7000 combo. There is a guy on this forum that makes really good stuff with a RS7000...but I cannot remember his name. Hard decision, just take your time. Beware though...if you buy one and like it, you will buy the other.

Spaceheater184 · Post by **Spaceheater184** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:14 am

That's why I am thinking of just going for both of them right off. I'm aware of how 3 of the synthesis engines work on the mnm and I pretty much KNOW i'll love the MD. I'm gonna stew in it a bit tonight and see.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:16 am

Spaceheater184 wrote:That's why I am thinking of just going for both of them right off. I'm aware of how 3 of the synthesis engines work on the mnm and I pretty much KNOW i'll love the MD. I'm gonna stew in it a bit tonight and see.

Wait, I didn't notice all that other equipment you have... yeah, go for the two elektrons.

megawatt · Post by **megawatt** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:29 am

just wanted to add that I like the Elektrons on their own alone or mixed with other gear.

machvingtsun · Post by **machvingtsun** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:46 am

Id say get a Monomachine and MPC. Monomachine is real versatile lots of synthesis methods, sequencing and use it as effects processor. You could make drum sounds on the Monomachine, sample them with the MPC and sequence with Monomachine or MPC.

Rusty O'Hara · Post by **Rusty O'Hara** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:09 am

Spaceheater184 wrote:Would these two units really be a better solution than a tandem of the two grooveboxes I listed earlier? (Opinions wanted, I know there is no right or wrong answer.)

I think that a MM/MD combo would be quite good. I think teaming two "grooveboxes" like an MC-808 and RS7000 together wouldn't be so crash hot (how can I put it, the sum would not be greater then the individual parts; if that makes sense?) and dealing with Roland/Yamaha/someone else's take on work flow and functionality.

I would also think unless I wanted to get a MD/MM combo; I would probably end up hybrid. (like I did)

Personally I use a RS7000, basically, I don't really use the internal sound engine, more use it for sampling, and driving external synths. Last gig I played was with the RS7000 for drums/samples and Virus for all synth work; I'm now looking at using RS7000 to drive the Virus and a SuperNova for the next gig.

MachineDrum is great; I tend to use it in the studio, it can be great (well, it is) but sometimes we don't gel depending on the style of music I'm writing.

Spaceheater184 wrote:Is there anyway to sample the way the 808 or rs7000 samples on either the MD or MM?

No. AFAIK, no sampling on the MM; and the MD-UW is only 2mb via midi transfer, handy for little hits and making kits; but in no way to be considered a sampler.

Spaceheater184 wrote:Are the MM and MD performance worthy machines? (Are they easy to perform with, not just usable as a studio tool?)

Oh yes. I've got a MD, and limited experience with a MM; but as far as usability and performance ability, they rock. You do have to like the sound of course, but for ease of use and live tweaking (ie: everything on the fly) then yes.

Rusty O'Hara · Post by **Rusty O'Hara** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:14 am

oh, also the MD has "Midi-Machines" (presume the MM does as well???) so you can use it to sequence external hardware as well.

Do you see / feel the need for a sampler?

Spaceheater184 · Post by **Spaceheater184** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:13 am

Here's the thing about sampling...I thought I wanted it but that thought came when I knew I'd be working with rompler stuff in the 808 and rs7000. Now that I know I could be synthesizing all my own tones, it's not that imperative. I might try to land one of those tasty monomachines with the keyboard added on. they seem to be expensive, but then I can ditch my jp8000 and save room in my small studio.

jp8080 · Post by **jp8080** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:28 pm

what i would recommend:

tr909 + sample box (mpc1000, etc.)

within your paramenters:

machinedrum + yamaha sampling groovebox

I would advise you really investigate the monomachine before you buy it. I had one and found it not that great for techno. I'd at least just get the machinedrum first and wait on the monomachine. Keep in mind that the machinedrum can also do non-drum sounds.

Machinedrum and monomachine tandem? need answers!

Machinedrum and monomachine tandem? need answers!

Re: Machinedrum and monomachine tandem? need answers!