why is the machine drum better than the korg esx 1

docindo.dorsey · Post by **docindo.dorsey** » Wed May 07, 2008 1:34 am

i will tell you that the esx is good but it is just a sampler and the emx is the synth with sampled parts. the elektron has both. but it doesn't have the tubes to warm up the low end sound. I have the MD UW my roommate has the EMX and i gotta tell you that at this point i have only played with the MD for a couple of days now and my roommate has had the EMX for a few months. His kiks sound better than what im getting out of the MD. That tube makes alll the difference. Also, the EMX has synth parts which are really cool. And yes the MD does have more programming but its not what you use... its how you use it.

Android · Post by **Android** » Wed May 07, 2008 8:52 am

who worries about "line noise" when tracks can get +10db hotter!

ao · Post by ao » Wed May 07, 2008 6:22 pm

Compression is key for kicks out of the MD. I agree that the ESX/EMX really pound out of the box.

docindo.dorsey · Post by **docindo.dorsey** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:48 pm

i just played with the dynamics out of the MD and it def makes a big difference. the mix knob is important. what a great feature. The machine is amazing with the amount of sounds one can create.

I am also learning to save... i have lost at least 3 to 4 kits and patterns.

oh well. more to come.

AK · Post by AK » Thu May 08, 2008 3:43 am

Those kicks on the EMX are samples, they aren't being synthesized. It can make kicks though and quite a few other percussive noises but for the most part the drums are PCM. You can change the pitch but not really much else and the Valve tubes don't really add 'warmth', - at least by my understanding of the word. It's just like a saturation thing, ala Antares Tube.

They do nothing to help make the drums punchy though, if you think they're punchy, it's just down to the post sampling processing Korg did before loading them into the machine.

I'm talking about the EMX1 here btw. I don't own the ESX.

mo's taverne · Post by **mo's taverne** » Thu May 08, 2008 12:34 pm

docindo.dorsey wrote: I am also learning to save... i have lost at least 3 to 4 kits and patterns.

yep, the first thing i did on my new MD a week ago was to learn to save.
for me it was a bit tricky to understand the pattern-kit connection.
Once learned it's a joy to use this beast!

docindo.dorsey · Post by **docindo.dorsey** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:43 pm

so... Mo... how do you save on the ELEKTRON MACHINEDRUM. i keep saving the kits but when i return the patterns are different. maybe you can shed some light on this subject??

mo's taverne · Post by **mo's taverne** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:02 pm

hey docindo

first you have to know that patterns are remembering the kits you've used to programm them (in extended mode!). Then, every pattern you've edited is saved automatically - they're stored in the state of last use. Make sure to not overwrite (change) any pattern you've made and like.

for example: youve made a new pattern A10 using kit7.after playing and and changing kit 7 you've come to the conclusion to save kit7 to kit8. next time you start the md and load the pattern A10 you hear kit 8 playing.

worse: you play pattern A10 with kit7 and make changes to the pattern. after some noodling you say "fck it" the original pattern was better and shut down the MD with the thought " nah, i saved the cool kit 7 so nothing can't be broke". next time you start the MD and enter A10 the not so good "f*cked up" pattern plays and you think "*%"$§"