Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

- ask away
asheepfromspace
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:19 pm

Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by asheepfromspace »

Hi folks

Im currently on Ableton and love it and i probably wont ever switch. However the idea of having a Groovebox that can is able of making a track from start to end, has made me decide to get one

But which one to get? Ive see the Rythm wolf, but to me it seems that its only kick - snare - hihat and bassline. What about the new Electribe 2? There are so many and thought it would be better to ask people here firt

Im producing house (deep/tech-ish), but also a lot of experimental stuff like 2-step and a bit of hiphop. So would love to have one that have more accoustic/natural sounds too..

What would you recommend? Ill will eventullay record it into Ableton but wants a machine where i can (almost) make an entire track or at least alot of it

Thank you very much - and sorry for my bad grammar

-ASFS
asheepfromspace
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:19 pm

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by asheepfromspace »

I need an analog machine to make music on. My only criterias are that it needs to be able to make an ebire tafj doesnt need a bunch other gear apart from a laptop and maybe a few other things. So that i can bring it with me when im travelling.

Ive looked at Akai Rythm Wolf and Elektron? But to me it seems like you need an additional synth for these (which its totally cool with me)
User avatar
tone-def
mnml maxi
mnml maxi
Posts: 3822
Joined: Sun May 27, 2007 12:05 am
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by tone-def »

Ableton Push would be a better investment. Groove boxes can be fun but most of them are very limited and make production more complicated. I got a Korg EMX gathering dust.
maks
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:27 pm

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by maks »

with the power and flexibility of software nothing out there compares!! but a groove box is just fun, inspiring and if analog even more so. I would not rely on a groove box solely but together its tasty business. Because of little fluctuations in sync, and naturally the sequencers breath differently ,any beat/groove with the 2 just comes alive, jumps out. Anything can be done in software these days with a laptop, true, but its the immediacy and the "sound" adding extra dimension thats just awesome. and ableton can be setup to capture everything quite easily. Unfortunely id have to say, its gonna take a large investment for a smily return, not the cheaper, better to save up and get something that isn't a one trick pony. An elektron, DSI Tempest or the like, personally my vote on Tempest, as its easiest to integrate and doubles up as a full synth too
User avatar
blizt
mnml maxi
mnml maxi
Posts: 914
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:08 pm

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by blizt »

maks wrote:with the power and flexibility of software nothing out there compares!! but a groove box is just fun, inspiring and if analog even more so. I would not rely on a groove box solely but together its tasty business. Because of little fluctuations in sync, and naturally the sequencers breath differently ,any beat/groove with the 2 just comes alive, jumps out. Anything can be done in software these days with a laptop, true, but its the immediacy and the "sound" adding extra dimension thats just awesome. and ableton can be setup to capture everything quite easily. Unfortunely id have to say, its gonna take a large investment for a smily return, not the cheaper, better to save up and get something that isn't a one trick pony. An elektron, DSI Tempest or the like, personally my vote on Tempest, as its easiest to integrate and doubles up as a full synth too
This is Dapayk on the new Electribe. Probably the best demo so far. IIRC he said on the elektron forums that we has using it mainly as a sketchpad, probably because he has better sounding tools. I don't think it sounds bad but I don't think it sounds pro neither compared to a Jomox 999 for example. After owning the ER-1 and ESX I say it sounds like a 500 euro elecrtibe :lol:

Some Perlon artists or guys like Reboot where using these machines years ago just FYI. Magda still has one ESX in her studio too.

maks
mnml newbie
mnml newbie
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:27 pm

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by maks »

blizt wrote:
Some Perlon artists or guys like Reboot where using these machines years ago just FYI. Magda still has one ESX in her studio too.

electribes are very cool, new one is nice! but can't help to think, its basically a vst with knobs, might as well stay in the box, if I'm gonna complicate my setup with external boxes then its really gotta add something unique with a quirky analog soul..i think the upcoming korg e sampler is more interesting

but tools are tools, and all tools can work if ya work it :)
User avatar
John Clees
mnml admn
mnml admn
Posts: 7708
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 4:21 am
Location: walk the e[art]h : detroit-metro.
Contact:

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by John Clees »

you could probably get a used MPC 1000 for under $500, where you'll have space to upload samples as well. Not sure if that's a feature with the YouTube video above. I had one and sold it, and i miss approaching writing music in a different way using that sampler. Im considering buying it again.

Very valid points as far as functionality verse the benefit of using the tools of the individual machine. There's a huge market that I think is targeting a younger audience with these grooveboxes that range between 2 to 300. Well fun I'm sure, to me they're slightly expensive toys. Personally I think it's more tactful to spend a few hundred more but also get more and not have a unit that's worth about a hundred dollars after you take it out of the box.

Let us know what you come up. Hope you find the piece your looking for.

ps. A buddy of mine was also in the market for a drum machine and ended up getting a Roland (sp- i think) 404. Which is also lightweight and couldn't be easily used to take field samples and run on batteries. It really just depends on the budget you're working with and the goal or need that you're trying to fill with the machine.
AK
mnml maxi
mnml maxi
Posts: 1973
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:01 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: Which synth/groovebox/whatever for all round production?

Post by AK »

Funny that, I'm considering the MPC1000 myself. Mainly to get away from sequencing where I'm sat at my screen. I also spend a lot of time away from home and my home pc is a desktop, something like the MPC is sounding the best option.

I've had grooveboxes, from Electribes ( 3 of them ) Machinedrum, an old RM1x, synth/sequencer workstations and whilst they're ok for ideas, they've never been enough for me on their own. Analog sounds and drums are easy to come by in the form of samples. A good solid source of a sample library which is well archived and sorted into an organised directory, a few well chosen and learned synths and efx and a way of sequencing it all is, in my book, a much better way to be working.

You could build up a good source library, make sounds, phrases, loops, patterns etc on anything and get something like the MPC and dump stuff into that and have a 'groovebox' of sorts. Well for me, this is the most attractive method that I can think of at the moment.
Post Reply