#49

I love mine! It’s my first elektron device, as far as I know it does have a different mindset needed than the other boxes, but I live for pad-based samplers and really love how barebones the synthesis is.

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#50

The AR is a weird one for me. I have a Mk1, and every now and again I’ll realise I haven’t used it in a while. So I’ll set it up and spend some time getting reacquainted with it, and I’ll remember how much potential it has, and how little there is like it once you roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.

The scene and performance modes alone have phenomenal depth and potential - I don’t like the pads one bit for playing, but for performance mode I think they work really well.

The sound palette, especially in the wake of the various updates, is very difficult to find fault with - I think if you have a synthesized drum sound in mind, the AR is probably capable of making it. It’s not as immediate as machines with dedicated per-voice controls, but you trade that for depth.

And of course the sequencer is exceptional - the TR-REC system and p-locks combine very nicely in a drum machine context.

But then it’ll fade back into not really being used, and the cycle continues. I’m not sure why this is, but I suspect it’s a combination of interface fatigue - and maybe the Mk2 screen is a good upgrade there - and the Rytm tending to do better (for me) as a solo instrument. Once I start to bring other gear into the equation, I often have a hard time getting the Rytm to sit nicely - I find it has a tendency to dominate the sound. If I pair it with the Analog Four, it can be a real struggle.

It’s not hooked up to a computer very often, so I wish it had an SD interface for samples, and I also wish the external inputs could be routed to the effects, so you could plug in a decent mono for a nice self-contained combo. But these are shortcomings I knew about going in, so I can’t complain - I just think they might help the Rytm find a more consistent place in my lineup.

So it’s hard for me to get a handle on, really. I’d definitely recommend it as a deep, flexible and great-sounding drum machine, but at the same time I seem to have difficulties using it as more than a solo workout instrument (which I do enjoy). I don’t think I’ll ever sell it, but I do occasionally wonder what I could have bought instead. It’s… complicated.

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#51

Hands down my fav drum machine. I used to have a Machinedrum, which I miss. I love having a large library of drum machine samples in it, makes it almost unstoppable. It’s not for all but it’s def for me.

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#52

i have tried rytm mk1 to eurorack via expert sleepers fh-2. it works. although elektron seems to indicate it doesn’t it also transmit note value as well as note length and velocity which can all be parameter locked. the trig conditions apply to midi also and you can use the pads and the mute function.

#53

tiny tip that applies to more than the Rytm and may well be repeated above. This week I discovered deep, clean bass can easily be created and tuned by applying a resonant high pass filter (especially to BD and BT). It cleans up the low-lows and adds a peak at the frequency you want the bass to hit.

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#54

This is actually a thing people often do with high pass filters on synths to get extra bass, especially for synths like the MS-20 which have a high pass and low pass in series.

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#55

Yes! I discovered that on my ms-20, which prompted me to try it on the rytm :slight_smile:

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#56

Some things I really like about it. A couple bummers - you can’t sample in stereo sounds. You can’t change the swing amount via MIDI. Seems like both of those could be fixed with software updates.

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#57

I’m not so sure about that since the tracks are not really stereo… at least not until it reaches the amp stage? For instance, the filter is not stereo, and the samples must pass through that.

I would love to swing via MIDI though (especially to sync swing amongst various Elektrons… and also the ability to change patterns instantly.

#58

Yeah, you might be right on the stereo internal routing. Maybe I’m the only one, but there is MIDI control over so many elements but not the swing. That would make it much easier to sync with other tracks when I’m doing hybrid DJ and modular sets.

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#59

Updated version of the RYTM MkII out today with a new color scheme: https://www.elektron.se/products/analog-rytm-mkii/

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#60

I’ve seen a lot of uh, discourse about the updates this morning. I’m of the mind that this is them quietly doing a hardware refresh to address the physical defects some users (including myself) have experienced. I like the grey on mine, though!

#61

lol black again. oh well

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#62

I was thinking how great this box is, lament selling mine. The new video series made me realise I completely forgot about the Dual VCO, or that it was even released. I can only imagine resampling a few VCO pads doing chords and then laying that up as a sample. Seems so flexible. I too love the small box factor of the og’s but Q. perf is a godsend as far as the Rytm is concerned. Pressurised pad performance isn’t really my jam personally, so the Mkii wins on that front. But it really is such a fly, fun box, it sounds seriously good to my ears.

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#63

To get that pseudoprobable sequencing modular is so good at it was a bit deflating to have to always set up the trig conditions.

The Trig Probability update is an absolute blessing.

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#64

PSA: Overbridge has gotten actually really good. If you tried in the past and didnt like it, like I did, I recommend having another go. https://youtu.be/1nARsLMLsK8 skip to 10:47

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#65

Yeah they really did deliver on that.

#66

had both rytm mk1 and mk2. mk2 is the greatest box. if I could only keep one thing, it would be the rytm. you can make so much out of it and have so much control.

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#67

A random thought I have on the Mk2, I’d really like to turn down the brightness of the pad lights. I’ve ended up putting it under a lamp so it reduces the glare a little. Does it look like this might be covered a little with the new black ones I wonder?

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#68

i’ve requested this feature with elektron too