---- Elektron User Topic -----

[Alume]

That price though. How hard would it to diy that?

I wanted to make a fader thing for the volumes of my rytm.

What would be my best bet? Buy a midi thing or build something like that?

[terryfalafel]

That price though. How hard would it to diy that?

I wanted to make a fader thing for the volumes of my rytm.

What would be my best bet? Buy a midi thing or build something like that?

Do you have any experience of electronics or audio DIY?

Electrically speaking it might be quite straightforward, but there's a microprocessor in there and it's coding that which is a steep learning curve.

For DIY of anything like this, basing it on the UCAPPS Midibox project is the best option. Unless you want the experience of building something from the ground upwards of course, but it's a months / years kind of project, not something you can do in a few evenings.

All the Midibox stuff is little modules which you can put together to do different things. To have an 8 button plus 8 fader control box should be quite straightforward.

http://www.ucapps.de/

But there's still some coding work involved to make your custom box do what you want it to do, and you still need to get to grips with component ordering, soldering etc which all takes time and patience unless you already have experience.

I would never want to put anyone off DIY - it's really satisfying to make music on something you built yourself. But the time it takes, plus the expense, plus the frustration if and when things don't work first time actually suddenly makes €230 for a factory built box look pretty cheap.

[Lost to the Void]

Yeah, its nicely made and fits the form of the octa. I'm not bad with electronics but doing it myself wouldn't be that much of a saving, especially factoring in time.

[Alume]

Thanks for the words, i get that it wont be a walk in de park etc.

Though at my faculty we have some laser cutters and cnc drill/mill. We got the machines and i know how to ise most of them.


I am an industrial designer by trade so I dont mind taking up a challenge.

As for the code i got some arduino experience and know that as a noob its mostly pasting and trail and error

[terryfalafel]

Fair play man, with that kind of experience then it could be a really nice and satisfying project to try.

Basing it on Arduino looks like a great idea. Seems there are already some Arduino MIDI controller projects floating about online. I always forget about Arduino in these kind of conversations, but it fits the bill perfectly.

[Alume]

Hey man do you mind if i send uou a pm?

Id like to talk about it a bit more.

[kirkwoodwest]

Fair play man, with that kind of experience then it could be a really nice and satisfying project to try.

Basing it on Arduino looks like a great idea. Seems there are already some Arduino MIDI controller projects floating about online. I always forget about Arduino in these kind of conversations, but it fits the bill perfectly.

There is definitely alot of arduino midi projects online. Including the source code for the octakontrol... its such a simple controller though once you get into it you'll start coming up with a lot of other possibilities. Specifically look at the resources on instructables.

I will say The OctaKontrol is very well priced for what you get... I love the formfactor... for me it is missing an extra 8 set of buttons for mutes. 8Tracks/8Midi - So i'm looking at other options, either building my own system or getting a (kenton usb midi converter and novation launch kontrol xl(similar price as octakontrol )

[Lost to the Void]

All 8 buttons work as mutes

[juxtpose]

got the rytm
Cant complain, I personally dont get the whole 909, 808 craze, its been its done
Best thing Im getting from the rytm is LFO'd toms with distortion and other effects, great wide range of sounds

[kirkwoodwest]

All 8 buttons work as mutes

yes. 8 for the tracks. then you'd have to shift for the 8 midi.

[Lost to the Void]

yeah probably, not a problem for me as the midi tracks are driving other synths that run in to the desk which I can mute by channel, but I can see that as a minor convenience if you can`t do that.

[kirkwoodwest]

yeah probably, not a problem for me as the midi tracks are driving other synths that run in to the desk which I can mute by channel, but I can see that as a minor convenience if you can`t do that.

really good point...

I guess, I like to mute at the midi source, i think there is a lot of creative stuff that can happen doing it that way, improvisation wise. I think it would be cool if you could mute the sampler part in the same way.

[yentz]

yeah probably, not a problem for me as the midi tracks are driving other synths that run in to the desk...

Have you had any luck with doing more than 4 program changes per bank which can be executed by using different parts?
I am using a midiprocessor to map a Controller to program Change which works ok'ish but not perfect.
Also sending midi CC does work but not as relieable as I would like it to.
I am wondering as the machinedrum allowed p-locking program Change and sending midi cc worked way better for me than with the octatrack.

[Lost to the Void]

yeah probably, not a problem for me as the midi tracks are driving other synths that run in to the desk...

Have you had any luck with doing more than 4 program changes per bank which can be executed by using different parts?
I am using a midiprocessor to map a Controller to program Change which works ok'ish but not perfect.
Also sending midi CC does work but not as relieable as I would like it to.
I am wondering as the machinedrum allowed p-locking program Change and sending midi cc worked way better for me than with the octatrack.

I don't use program changes, I push buttons and do it all by hand.

[Alume]

Quick question:

I want to split the outputs of the rytm without getting the 30 euro splitter Elektron ( https://www.elektron.se/accessories/aud ... cable-kit/) is making.

Does it matter id the male jack is stereo?

I'm between these two:

http://www.bax-shop.nl/jack-jack/stagg- ... cificaties

http://www.bax-shop.nl/jack-kabels/stag ... cificaties

[seanocean]

using a4 and octatrack here. best advice i ever got was "RTFM, no really." going step by step through the tutorials in the back of the octatrack manual was definitely needed.

but my experience is that if you've banged on a machine drum and you've banged on an MPC, you're going to notice a hybrid of the 2 in the octatrack. those who never owned an MPC will dispute this but it's pretty true all the way through.

I'm still poking at the a4 and it's just starting to make noises that i like. so i'll get back to this thread.

[Alume]

youtu.be/NA5APBlyi3I

[Alume]

Pretty cool if you're a bit boder this evening.


youtu.be/LDZz5WULvS8

[Markus Wolf]

I just picked up a second hand A4. So far so good.Im reading the manual, for me this was so deep I need to read the manual I wouldnt be able to figure it out otherwise. Im glad to see there are other Elektron users on the board. Maybe the RTYM next. Looking for a drum machine but need something versatile sound wise not just vanilla. This has been my issue in my mind anyways in regards to the TR8 (which ive heard is fantastic). I want something where I can create a wider range of Kicks and not be tied down to any kind of fixed kick sounds. So im gonna research wont happen for a bit but RTYM maybe........

[Alume]

Be aware, researching Elektron is already to deep into the purchasing procedure.