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WTB MPC Live, Synthstrom Deluge sorted

schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
edited March 2019 in Studio & Rec £
Let me know if you’re thinking of moving yours on.
Feedback Thread: https://goo.gl/bquaSD
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Comments

  • Just out of curiosity, have you previously used either an Mpc Live or Octatrack? I have both, but it’s slow learning. Not enough time or energy. I love the different approaches and couldn’t choose one over the other.
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  • schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
    edited March 2019
    Just out of curiosity, have you previously used either an Mpc Live or Octatrack? I have both, but it’s slow learning. Not enough time or energy. I love the different approaches and couldn’t choose one over the other.
    I haven’t actually, but I’m looking for a way to occasionally work out of the box - even though I have a tonne of great vsts like omnisphere and Komplete 11. I have an Electribe 2 on the the way but Ive now decided to look for something more high end.

    I wish I could afford both the octatrack and Live, but I’m forced to choose between the two. Which one do you find the most inspiring? Are you using the latest octatrack?
    Feedback Thread: https://goo.gl/bquaSD
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  • ArtsutanovArtsutanov Frets: 61
    edited March 2019
    @schrodinger1612 ;;;

    I've just got the OT MkII. But previously (years ago) had a dual MK1 setup. Although I never got anywhere close to understanding them before i sold them.

    I've had the Live since they were 1st released (1st batch pre-order) but i've only got round to using it in the last few weeks.

    Currently as it stands, with my limited knowledge of both machines, i'm more into the MPC Live. Just feels more familiar for what i'm trying to do at present. That said, i'm only doing the familiar things as a more direct way to try learn the MPC.

    But i also got the OT to help me break out of the standard way in which i work. When i had the OT's previously i always came up with unexpected & unusual things, even with my limited understanding. 

    When i think about musical ideas my mind tends to think more about the possibilities of the OT. I'm really excited about trying to create some Generative stuff, with the conditional trigs. But at this moment in life in need to be able to get on & make music. The MPC is definitely easier on the brain.

    Are you aware of the OT tracks being Monophonic?

    Edit: I've spent a few hrs this evening with the OT. I managed to find my way back to a previous level of familiarity. At this moment i pretty much know that for me to use the OT in a standard track building format would be a complete waste of its abilities. It just begs to be experimented with. Literally, 1 sound can be mangled to f**k. There are videos that show whole compositions made with just 1 sound.

    And as i type this & play with the OT's crossfader i'm looking over at the MPC and wondering if i really do want to work in a more traditional/standard way.

    Ultimately i will keep both. The ground covered by both is staggering & the possibilities really are endless. My goals & desires change all the time, so i'm well covered here.

    Let me know if you have any questions. Tell me what kind of music you're looking at making.

    If you want, i'd be happy to talk on the phone. I find it hard to express thoughts in writing regarding these 2 machines.







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  • schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
    edited March 2019
    @Artsutanov ;;I am aware of the tracks being monophonic; that should t be too much of an issue. I too want to just get down and make music, and feel the MPC might be a little more streamlined for that purpose, but I work mainly with atmospheric sounds, drones, textures etc.; would you agree that the octatrack allows more possibilities in this regard? If so, I’m willing to sacrifice the immediacy of the MPC to learn the Octatrack inside out. I read somewhere that the Live doesn’t allow you to record automation of fx parameters in real-time, is this correct? 
    Feedback Thread: https://goo.gl/bquaSD
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    edited March 2019
    Get a Deluge instead: https://synthstrom.com/product/deluge/

    The OT II is a beast of a machine (I have one and most of the Elektron boxes) but if it is your first machine of this type then you will have a very, very steep learning curve.

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  • schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
    edited March 2019
    octatonic said:
    Get a Deluge instead: https://synthstrom.com/product/deluge/

    The OT II is a beast of a machine (I have one and most of the Elektron boxes) but if it is your first machine of this type then you will have a very, very steep learning curve.

    Thanks for complicating matters (j/k) I’ll check that out, but tbh I’m willing to sacrifice ease of use for greater depth. It would be nice to still be discovering new things 5 years down the line with the OT. Plus with complex gear I generally try to master its most basic elements anyway before moving onto its more intricate functions. *fast forward 1 year; schrodinger is in tears and angrily throws his unit out of the window before proceeding to beat it repeatedly on the front lawn with a broken tree branch while neighbours look on in concern
    Feedback Thread: https://goo.gl/bquaSD
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  • ArtsutanovArtsutanov Frets: 61
    edited March 2019
     I read somewhere that the Live doesn’t allow you to record automation of fx parameters in real-time, is this correct? 
    No that's not correct. I've just tried this specifically to answer your question. 

    You can record fx automation but i don't think you can edit the automation at present.

    I don't necessarily think the OT would be better suited for atmospheric, drones, textures based music. Because It really comes down to workflow & how you might approach making your tracks. When i use atmospheres & textures i like to be able to play around with layering them in realtime. The Live is better suited in that scenario because the tracks can be poly & you can try layering loads of different sounds randomly in realtime. With the OT tracks being monophonic each time you press a button you cut off the previous sound triggered on that track. You have other tracks to use, but you'll have to keep switching between tracks. 

    For me, the Live is better for composition & the OT is better for sound design & exploration. 

    This video might help.





    You mentioned that it would be nice to still be discovering things in 5 years time. The thing i wonder, in regards to the OT is that you might just end up noodling endlessly. Tracks might end up sounding very OT specific. There are so many interesting possibilities but i think you'd need to be disciplined in how you'd use them, otherwise all that glitch madness might end up on everything you do. 

    It's a really tough call to make. But you'll never really know what you might be missing if you don't try the OT. It's 1 thing to hear OT demos, it's another to actually use one.


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  • schrodinger1612schrodinger1612 Frets: 390
    edited March 2019
    I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days and you’re right - the lack of polyphony on the octatrack will be a hinderance considering the genre I’m working in. I initially thought I could work around it. I see the octa more as an accompaniment to a daw setup, with the Live more as a stand-alone unit. However, I’ve also been looking into octatonic’s suggestion of a Synthstrom Deluge, and that is now looking an attractive option also. I think I’d be happy with either but I’m in no rush to buy.
    Feedback Thread: https://goo.gl/bquaSD
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  • I think you've made the right decision.

    The Deluge seems to be a great instrument. But my prediction is that you'll get the Live, eventually.


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  • davedavedavedave Frets: 114
    Deluge looks ace. After seeing the Polyend Seq for sale I looked further into that and picked one up off eBay last week. Best synthy thing I’ve acquired yet and zero learning curve. 

    I’m a single channel amp loving technophobe and it’s been a doddle to get to grips with. 

    You can set poly chords on the Seq per track or you can use individual tracks for each voice and have more control over note placement. It does get me wondering what it’d be like pairing it with the Rev2 desktop but that’s usually the sort of thinking that gets me in trouble. 

    Dave. 
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  • ArtsutanovArtsutanov Frets: 61
    edited October 2019
    Just a brief update on this thread.

    I recently sold my Mpc Live. It really was an amazing machine in many ways, but in the end I found the sample manipulation capabilities lacking and boring to use. I also really disliked the FX. The recent OS update with Standalone  Automation might have made it a little more interesting to work with but i was ok letting it go. I’ve now bought a Digitakt, to work alongside my Octatrack and I couldn’t be happier with that combo. Traditionally I’ve been happy with a linear sequencing environment (DAW then Standalone) but it seems I couldn’t break out of 25 year old habits. The Elektron sequencers have radically altered that workflow and my desire to make new (to me) and interesting music.
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  • Just a brief update on this thread.

    I recently sold my Mpc Live. It really was an amazing machine in many ways, but in the end I found the sampling capabilities lacking and boring to use. I also really disliked the FX. The recent OS update with Standalone  Automation might have made it a little more interesting to work with but i was ok letting it go. I’ve now bought a Digitakt, to work alongside my Octatrack and I couldn’t be happier with that combo. Traditionally I’ve been happy with a linear sequencing environment (DAW then Standalone) but it seems I couldn’t break out of 25 year old habits. The Elektron sequencers have radically altered that workflow and my desire to make new (to me) and interesting music.
    Sorry for hijacking thread But how are you finding the Digitakt? @Artsutanov ;so tempted to pull the trigger but also like the look of the 1010 blackbox
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  • ArtsutanovArtsutanov Frets: 61
    edited October 2019
    Due to reorganising I’ve had the Digitakt boxed up for a while, but i’m still really keen to get back on it. I’ve really enjoyed the explorative nature of Elektron gear. I just end up with interesting and unplanned results. And for me that is key at this stage in my life. I’ve not used the blackbox, but heard it’s really good. But I still think it probably suits more traditional ways of doing things.

    Have a look through this Blackbox thread on Elektronauts: https://www.elektronauts.com/t/1010music-blackbox/86718
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  • Due to reorganising I’ve had the Digitakt boxed up for a while, but i’m still really keen to get back on it. I’ve really enjoyed the explorative nature of Elektron gear. I just end up with interesting and unplanned results. And for me that is key at this stage in my life. I’ve not used the blackbox, but heard it’s really good. But I still think it probably suits more traditional ways of doing things.

    Have a look through this Blackbox thread on Elektronauts: https://www.elektronauts.com/t/1010music-blackbox/86718
    Thanks for your response @Artsutanov I'll take a look at that. it's toss up between the Digitakt, Blackbox and now the Teenage Engineering OP-1, the Digitakt scares me a little but I'm really liking the unlimited possibilities.  
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  • Things get complicated now you've added the OP-1 into the mix. I've owned 3 Op-1s & i loved them to bits, but i simply wasn't productive on them. The limited sequencing aspects are a pain in the arse, but the Tape aspect is really fun.
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  • StrangefanStrangefan Frets: 5845
    Things get complicated now you've added the OP-1 into the mix. I've owned 3 Op-1s & i loved them to bits, but i simply wasn't productive on them. The limited sequencing aspects are a pain in the arse, but the Tape aspect is really fun.
    Plus they really have no warm sounds , it's all so brash no good for sound scapes......miss mine now tho :(
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