Working with loops will change your life. I wish someone had set me up with that when I started. There is no theory – either its sounds right or the note is sour. The other part that bedroom guitarists may miss out on is timing. Once you try recording layers of music you realize how precise you need to be. But I will sit hour two hours trying to get a simple riff correct. I don’t mind. For some reason when I am building loops it doesn’t feel like ‘practicing’.
A loop pedal that has a sync and midi transport would be nice. In the end I am happy with Ableton Live + a midi gamepad converted to a stomp box.
Yeah I looked the o_C 1u, but I feel like I can do everything I want with Audulus and that I would be just acquiring something because it looks cool instead of being grateful for what I already have. I decided to just focus my time in this community and ride the wave we are on. This year has been a blast, thanks so much all of you!
I added Nearness from Thailand (took a while). I wanted to save some hp so I am using this stereo field sum, which is also nice for spreading drums out.
I have the Analog 4 Mk1 clocking mBrane, which clocks Audulus through the ES-8. Audulus is setup with the Multichannel CV Recorder, which is synced, so Everything is running nice and tight. Since I can run overbridge, Ableton syncs the transport with the A4. Then there is a refitted usb game controller into a set of footswitches in a box that I have mapped to Ableton’s record button, stop, undo, etc.
Some people were making a 2hp version as well, and some other variations. Another advantage is that I have a stereo filter, so I was wanting to have some stereo voices but I was eating up my PICO Mult. This way, I can just skip the mult step.
I am also very happy to have the Taiko in there. I feel like it grounds the case. I quickly get rhythms out of it, it responds really well to modulations, has a filter/eq/vca/two voices (noise+oscillator) with variable enveloping. The choke is great for opening room for a heavy kick, and the accent input adds a lot.
The A4 has a great hands on feel, with a full analog signal path, cv sequencing, and four complete voices of its own, as well as 2 channel inputs with effects sends.
Then the iPad with the ES-8 running Audulus is a really great way to learn how modular works without needing a large case. It’s main function seems to be as a routing master section.
I don’t feel much a desire for more gear, or flashy modules. I would like a sampler though. Nothing has quite caught my eye in eurorack, but at some point in the future I might look for a used digitakt.
That makes sense, I’ll try that. Making a feedback loop with the bp and lp into a kick is also nice. I am not very knowledgable on why people choose filters with different dB settings.
@futureaztec Thanks for sharing the Nearness module. That’s a super handy solution. I think I may download their github files and try to put one together myself!
I just wanted to hammer home a point. @robertsyrett advised me to look into the Analog Four mk1, and I have already mentioned how satisfied I am. I just ran into a good overview of the unit. The product overview is actually for the Analog Keys, but it is basically the same, the Analog Four is just a desktop version without the onboard keyboard.
I know getting into this game can be overwhelming, and you can end up needing all kinds of kit just to get your other stuff running. If you are acquiring hardware and trying to figure out how to get everything working together nicely, but you don’t want to be continually looking for the next piece of gear, consider the video below in terms of what elektron can offer that covers so many bases.
I fitted the last piece in the puzzle. The WMD MSCL (found a used one). I was thinking about putting a Disting in there but the SC compressor would have required that I put the signal through a ADC>DAC cycle. With the MSCL in there, everything remains completely analog. Nothing wrong with digital, I just didn’t want to do any conversions at that point in the chain.
So far, creating drums, spreading them out into a stereo field with Nearness, then running it through the stereo MMF, and finally dropping it all into the MSCL has been really good. Dinky’s Taiko is now a whole other beast.
I will just need to look into the Strom Mobile at some point and then everything will be fully off grid.
Gaz Williams mentioned a cable coming out that will allow one to power the elektron Analog 4 using a usb battery. I might not need the Strom Mobile, as I believe the power supply in the Lunchbox is also battery friendly.
The product is not available yet but I imagine it will be soon on their site.
Apparently after years of crowdfunding, the Ripcord USB to DC power cable is now for sale on their site. So you can use a battery pack to power your synth anywhere.
Kim Bjørn brought an interesting small setup along to the Danskmodular meet-up last Saturday. It included the Mi.1e, a bluetooth MIDI to CV adapter that connects wirelessly to an iPad, enabling it to operate, via its own iOS app, as a sequencer, LFO, MIDI to CV interface and more.
I wish I had spare hp.
