analog arp and drums

I took a little break to play Elden Ring. It made me realize how much time I actually spend making music, now that I haven't uploaded in a while. I gotta thank @VoltageCtrlRtv for the inspiration, his latest Analog Four tracks are really cool and made me want to explore the arpeggiator :)

I used the Digitakt's compressor into MJUC (for color), Phoenix (for color), Maximus (as EQ) and ToTape6 (as saturation and limiter).

Thanks for watching!

Special thanks to my patrons Mattmarque, Lonnie Elliott, johncampbellmusic, Jonnie Muir, Matt Weldon, Donko, Marcus Urruh, Kittythrower, H, Jedilicious, Frédéric Boutellier, Markus, sourskittles, Matthew Higgins, KingDemitri, Ethan Bennis, Jörg Weitzenberg, Roic, Aram Hamper, carelessfounder, Brandon N, Stephen Baker, Filip Kotlář, Clay Nicholson, Galen Menzel, Andrew, Ansley King, Andrew Vargo, Lars van Auerk, Erwann, PiffPaff, Ted Hernandez, Parker Hordon, Michael Wheelaghan, z j b-s, Håkon Anthonsen, Frimann Bjornsson, Marcus Gronberg, Richard Hansen, dataqat, Milan Prokeš, Matt Horizon, Benjamin Wynn, Lorenzo Dal Col, Casey McNamara, VictymOfChanges, James Hamilton, Kirk Kaiser, Max Dunlap, Charlie Mezak, Elovisk, Joseph Azaredo, Tim Suess, Richard, Mark Williams, Nigel Rogers, Thiago Silva, Chad Lawson, Mike Ferron, Mockingquantum, Mike Carter, Ben Eirich, dumbledog, jemmons, Justin Bernard, Bruno, Rory J Corrigan, Ken, Max Henstell, Wojciech Jakóbczyk, Weston Duley, Nuri Benjamin, Sandro Ducceschi, Cyril Harivel, Guillaume Hamard, Edward, pdools, Matt, Pim Soomer, Hiroya Ochiai, tonio, Sean Raya, the_cursor, ezbot, Pacmiam, Dan, D, Robert Traughber, Paul LaMotte, Xavier Shay, Kevin McAbee, Lying Dalai, Kenny Zhao, matthew allred, Christophe FROT, Paul Brogee, Giampaolo Mancini, Steve Marshall, Russell Holzman, JKFPV, Donovan Dwyer, Wes Darling, Howard Anderson, Marcus Jang, Z Ø L T N, Bob Owens, Dylan Paris, Marco Joshua D Asuncion, Chanse Macabre, PlumWrinkles, Joshua Steele, Niels, Jase Vaughan, XC3N, dreamsaremaps, Kade Sullivan, Sebastian Schmidt, Erik Suplicz, and Kevin Berg!

[hrtz]

Finally someone who gets decent sounds out of the A4

[ashleygillespie]

You’re one of my favourite musicians bro, this is quality 🙌🏽

[beatnikcafe]

Imagine if they ever made an Analog 8 with a cross fader! Still this totally proves how limitations spark creativity. Great track!

[jbotea]

Those fills are fucking ridiculous.. I’m convinced you trapped Morgan Simpson in your shiny beat box machine.

[BYAHchase]

😮Dude you are so talented.

Absolutely LOVE your style. We’d have a blast combining my Pérkons HD01 drum synth with some of your gear. Filthy IDM trip hop psychedelic step sequencer madness.

TL;DR:
favorite Elektron device sonically snd why?
And,
If you were pairing two devices as your main set up for composing, finding inspiration and a desire to want to learn more and more about said set up, which two Elektron units best component the other in your opinion and experience?

Have been binging you all week.

Got me *GASing* for an Elektron Unit. Almost bought a Heat MK2 in November but the Oto BOUM was more affordable and sounds great for my style. Still want a Heat, hah. Synergetic saturation.

Currently use an Akai MPC Live2, Erica Synth’s Pėrkons HD01, Eventide H9 Max, and Oto BOUM as my main set up.
Have the usual suspects of a synth nerd - midi keyboards, turntable and mixer for sampling vinyl/ scratching, some Pocket Operators for fun and Tonic kinda slaps, some Bastl Gear (love their stuff), a Novation Circuit tracks i paid nearly nothing for and use it for nearly nothing, too.

Need to sell a drum set or something from my collection and buy an Elektron set up lol. >_>

What you would suggest for ones first piece of Elektron gear if they own a nice sampler/sequencer (not ideal sequencer but I enjoy MPC and it is kind of THE sampler to me….), high end 4 voice drum/drone synth (that can make some filthy bass lines but currently doesn’t support chromatic control over tuning. Hoping next firmware update addresses this. Amazing device for IDM, dub, techno, and anything else aggressive.), a great effects box, and a saturation unit.

I was very close to buying a Modal Argon8 recently then along came a killlerrrr video of you using Digitakt and Digitone that just grabbed me. I want something that’s a decent poly synth or just expands my ability to sequence more melody into my patterns as sometimes I only use my Pėrkons and ET H9 Max/BOUM. Can sometimes leaves me wanting melody in a similar workflow (sequencer programming and knobs)

My MPC is a bit more lo fi and hip hop focused in how I feel when I compose on it.

4 voices would be sufficient in making bass and leads that suit my more moody side, a bit dark and cyberpunkish like some of your music, granted your music smokes mine into oblivion, as my perkons is my drum banger baby and having access to more drum sounds never hurts.
It’s starting to seem like all modern Elektron gear, excluding Heat, can produce some kind of drum sounds in one way or another but maybe I’m incorrect. On the fence hard right now with selection… I’ll buy the argon some other time lol.

Have wanted to try Elektron for so long!
Want something that lets me write sequenced leads/Arps/pads/basslines (I don’t love MPC’s VSTs. I use just samples 90% of the time, sometimes using Bassline, TubeSynth, or hype to layer under samples, though Air Flavor Pro is actually a bangin vinyl sim…) I find inspiring, tactile, not *too* steep to learn tho I’ve watched so many Elektron videos over the last 2 years that I know some tricks already, hah, and sonically/texturally pleasing. I have always liked the overall Elektron sound, but you do it *justice.*

FYI, being able to use the unit to make entire jams with leads, drums, and bass is a great bonus, but again, it’s starting to seem like all Elektron (especially the square boxes) can hold their own as a groovebox, but all in their own style.

Does Digitakt seem redundant in my set up of a sanpler/groovebox snd drum machine? I know it’s also a sampler/groove box/sequencer, but a very unique one.
Are the stock sounds sufficient or will I want to change out sample libraries frequently? I have a ton of .wav samples on my MacBook snd MPC but from what I understand the elektron devices cannot hold as much content as my MPC with a SATA.

I’m unsure if I prefer the sounds of DigiTone’s FM voices or Syntakts array of digital and analog engines. Syntakt and Digitakt seem equally popular within the community, although I find the Tone very intriguing as I haven’t done much FM sound design snd a dedicated box seems a fun way to explore this new territory.

Is it worth it just go for an octotrack for the performance and insane effects style, flexibility, and selection/routing options that would compliment any great groove box and versatile unit like the H9 stomp box.
Even with all the videos over the years, everyone uses things so differently it’s hard to gauge what suits me and no shop within a reasonable drive just to fiddle out of context has Elektron gear on the shelves, sadly. Maybe Nashville, TN (music city, baby), but that’s still a 5 hour drive each way. Can the octotrack hold its own as single instrument, or would you say it’s more of a performance mixer and track sequencing hub within a set up?
Certainly seems one of the more daunting units.

Analog Four looks killer but also insanely daunting like the Octitrack - I had no clue it could do drum synthesis (or sampling?) until today. I have always assumed it a unique and limited, yet very capable analog synth once one catches on to its workflow.

I don’t mind limits but the larger units are a serious investment…. Creativity isn’t born from endless options most of the time… as a ramble to you about what piece of gear you’d recommend I’d try add to my set up for a rounded hardware set up that gives the elektron sequencer magic.

Not interested in Rhytm, dope as it may be. Feel like I could find whatever it is that I’m trying to find in a different device that isn’t so close to my MPC and very expensive.

I don’t need any of them to do drums but I wouldn’t be upset having the option if I get synthesis and drum options, as well.


*Maybe the question should just be, “ what elektron device do you enjoy the most and find the most versatile?”*

My drum synth is banging and MPC is a sampling monster. Just wish it had a linear sequencer instead of those speakers I never use.
I make electronic music, help run a studio for live-tracking bands, and have played the drums for over 20 years, so I own plenty of budget to professional headphones and speakers for any situation at this point; and most of my friends are musically inclined and would tell me to shut those damn speakers off and put on some headphones or plug up to some real speakers or monitors, hah. 😅

Much love and respect to you, brother.

You should be Elektron’s device presenter and a brand ambassador 100%!! They are selling themselves short. Your music is some of freshest shit I have heard in years. Has me feeling so inspired and curious about trying to add a new instrument to my sonic pallet.

You are so very talented, my friend, as well as, insanely proficient, unique, polite, and dedicated to your art.
You move around these machines like it’s nothing, making sounds I’ve never heard from an Elektron performance with gorgeous fidelity and clear direction in your mixes - killer aggression when needed, and as a drummer I love your use of swing. You hit the sweet spot on drum grooves thst always match the sonic pallete. Love your use of the stereo field. Everything just seems to be exactly as it should.
Never too little.
Never too much.
You are phenomenal at not overproducing and letting the music and sounds you’ve selected and shaped be the vibe, just using post to solidly that vibe.
Great consistent vision in your musical style, yet you always have a secret trick to blow our minds. 🎉🎉🎉
You have earned a fan and admirer for life.

Hope this gets seen…. Realized I’m commenting/writing a book on a 10mo old video…

❤❤❤

[heavysystemsinc.]

It's a tad frustrating to not see Elektron reach out to you to show off the Syntakt. You and The Janitor can really rock the ever living fuck out of their boxes. Big ups.

[matthewchidgey]

Brilliant. You are the undisputed King of Analog Four!

[BIGBIGBIG]

Giving me some squarepusher vibes with those chaotic drum sections. Amazing work, love your videos!

[cosmicdefect]

Damn, you really know how to make the A4 wreck house. Excellent stuff.

[Mooncapemusic]

this is inspiring me on how I can use my gear in a live performance way. top notch.

[vm-irkutsk]

Jesus, I didn't know A4 was capable of such enjoyable drums. So, they occupied 2 tracks ? Kick + Snares one track and hats on another?

[xplo]

Man….incredible! You are the master of the A4.

[maarzt]

good one! I think I know enough about the instrument by now to be capable of understanding a bit of what you're doing here. thanks!

[useful_mike]

You music has "movie trailers" all over it. Great stuff yet again.

[gunceaci]

this so good, i was thinking about trading my nord lead 4r with analog 4. now i am crystal clear 😌

[edjwise]

How do you make these drums? Are they on the A4?

[t-sleep]

The drums and filter arp hit so well <3

[Professor-kaoss]

Wow, I absolutely love it, Subscribing and looking forward to going thru your other stuff!

[schlickerz]

As always… this is AMAZING! :)

Now, tell me Ivar, where is your Syntakt? You know, you deserve your pre release unit too!

[mooseymoose]

Nice vibe! Oh yeah, finally sold the OT, lol! It was a journey for sure, but now I am going to recycle it into a really expensive acoustic guitar. Weee!