Elektron Model:Cycles Review - FM Groovebox - SonicLAB Review

Model:Cycles is a six voice FM Groovebox which uses the concept of machines, like many Elektron instruments, with the focus on FM synthesis. The sequencer follows the Elektron concept of parameter locking - which they have pioneered and made extremely usable - with each step (up to 64) being an independent state or snapshot.
Edd Butterworth takes a look for us.

#soniclab #elektron #modelcycles

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[MattGreerMusic]

It's a pretty rad little machine. Though I owned the obviously comparative Digitone, I took a chance on the M:C anyways and have enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. It has its own vibe and character and there's definitely something to be said for an Elektron with so much immediacy. It's a worthy addition to the Elektron line.

[TheSlowGrowth]

I love that the volume knob has a distortion effect on very high settings. Acts as a nice mix glue - much like a very colouring bus compressor.
The reverb I personally find quite lacking. It really needs some modulation to sound better. One way to get around that is to use the LFO for some very slight vibrato on the sounds that go to the reverb. Then it sounds way more lush and less metallic.

[lardosian]

Wow that jam at the outro is wicked!!!

[Steve_]

Love the way that box sounds with the de tuning and harmonizing. Elektron always brings out something solid you can’t go wrong with their sequencer!!!! I wouldn’t call it a center piece but it’s capable of making a full track by itself or being a nice part of your production ensemble!!!

[severeflows]

I just bought mine today, instant love. My favorite elektron box for immediacy, super intuitive

[Gerry_Dorsey_]

Great review/Demo!!! I got my M:C about a month ago and have been playing with it non-stop. FYI you can alter the LFO destination and modulation by holding the LFO button and turing the parameter knob. You can even do this while a sequence is running. Great way to mangle a track and then hit "Reload PTN" to go back to normal. Thanks for telling me you can parameter lock the LFO destination and modulation depth! I had no idea!!! Also thanks for including the velocity pads including how you can tie the velocity to a parameter modulation. I can't tell you how many tutorials i've seen of the M:C that did not include this and it's the selling point for me!

[LlewynDaviesTheThird]

Best review of it I’ve seen to date. Explains very succinctly the limitations

[teatime]

Does it work straight out of the box? Or do you have to run it through a PC?

[yoursaxel]

Great review, thanks a lot! Would love to see a follow up with a small making-of!

[crunchyfrog]

I never bought the Model:Cycles, though it is obviously a nice little machine. I went for the Model:Samples as it's more what I wanted, and it is truly fabulous. I've got the old Akai S3000 as a sampler which I used for years, but obviously they're as clumsy as hell nowadays for manipulating anything (I tend to use it as a DAC for my hifi now).
SO the Model:Samples I bought just to offer something simple to bang stuff together in for ideas. I was wrong, it's much better than that. It's truly wonderful. It's a damned breeze to use, and the sound quality is stellar, which belies it's price.
The onyl quibble I have about this, which applies to a lot of Elektron stuff is that they have hidden menus and it can be weird to try and navigate menus, at times feeling unintuitive.
Which is a shame, because in many other aspects, it's really intuitive.

[spacekid]

Can you control other synths and daws with its sequencer via MIDI (I mean sending MIDI notes not only MIDI clock) like with Electribe 2 and Novation Circuit? Thanks

[TristanBaldi]

Really nice review!!
I own one of these beautiful machines and I'm curious, as I really love your jam, how do you make the sounds retrig on their own at 8:23? It doesn't seem like a chance parameter, really sounds like you had a 128 step progression here... Any tips on that? Thanks very much!

[leftmono]

Shame on me for thinking ‘ohh it’s not Nick’. Great review thanks 😀

[Sunflowrrunner]

I'm a guitarist and bought this as my first synth thing. Originally just wanted a drum machine, but I get absolutely lost in this little box.

[TheFatdust]

if i may bit of advice on the voice track. it is bit on a less exciting side. it would benefit from proper compressor and eq. its very hard for me to follow when is like this. otherwise nice review

[justindrakecroft]

Great demo Ed! The Model Cycles makes some very cool sounds.

[MichaelRohaly]

The sounds on show were much nicer than on other demos.

[jonx]

Nice overview. Can you set the step length to odd time signatures (7/8 etc.) or is it only multiples of 16? I'm trying to figure this out before I buy it.

[LesterHardcastle]

Just ordered today. This is handy. Cheers

[gru_day]

I thought that more settings and tonal possibilities were better, but ... not for me. More instant approah and a simple workflow allow me to focus on the most important thing - having fun with the music. That's why I love my Monologue, POKO! and TD-3. That's why I replaced my Novation Mono Station with this little electron guy. Makeing music is not all about features.