Hey, I thought it would be fun to take some time and talk about what we all use to make music/sounds/whatever it is we do with it.
Analog Four, Syntakt, Digitakt, Hydrasynth and Opsix are my main boxes for brutal noise and mad sound design ;) I’m still curious about the Machinedrum and have the Anyma Omega on the way. I have some other stuff, but that is more food for sampling than part of this setup.
I’ve really been eyeing the Hydrasynth for its sound design workflow (as an alternative to the Cobalt8 I currently have), how did you find the learning curve on it? Is it fairly menu dive-y, or do the onboard controls give you a clear enough picture as you build on it? My biggest complaint with the Cobalt8 is how little info you can see at any given moment. Powerful synth and sounds great but I don’t know that I love the workflow.
Hey, in my opinion it is awesome to use, there are even some shortcuts to set up the mod matrix even faster (way quicker than on the Microfreak anyway, for example). I have no complains and sometimes I wish I had two ;) Regarding the learning curve, this was done during my first days with the Hydra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmjVUqF75lY
That’s an awesome demo, thanks for sharing! It really is appealing…the polyphonic aftertouch that the keyboard version has is also really exciting to me. The only other instrument I’ve seen with a similar appeal is the Expressive Osmose, which I’m less excited by in terms of sound design workflow.
Recently moved so the setup isn’t perfect yet, but I’m quite content with the instruments themselves! The Keystep Pro sits at the center of everything but I’m a big fan of playful sequencers at the moment, so I often combine it with the Polyend Play or my iPad for sequencing experimentation. The fact that it can do Midi>CV conversion is invaluable to me, opens up a ton of possibilities.
Currently, I have been messing around with:
- Modular Rack (probably not worth going into detail here unless people are curious haha)
- Cobalt8
- Microfreak + MS70 for FX (not setup atm)
- Polyend Play
- Polyend Tracker
- Meris Mercury7 in the fx loop for reverb (special shout out for this as it’s probably my favorite reverb)
The one outlier here is the Polyend Tracker. I really love it but don’t often find myself using it with the rest of my gear and am usually using it as a standalone device. Maybe because I like to do a lot of playful experimentation with the rest of my gear, while my brain is a little more intentional with the Tracker? Curious if anyone here has had a similar experience, or has any ideas for creative ways to implement it!
Elektron Analog Four/Digitone/Digitakt Soma Pulsar 23 Nord Drum 3p 1010music Lemondrop ASM Hydrasynth Desktop Squarp Pyramid Fx: Bastl Thyme / Hologram Microcosm / Mooer Ocean Machine
I’ve already got a couple granular engines in my modular rack but that Lemondrop is hard to ignore. Seems super powerful, especially considering its size! Seems like it can create some really beautiful sounds and textures.
Fun setup! I’m borrowing a Nord Drum from a friend right now and I really dig it.
Syntakt - drum machine, idea generator. The DAW is essential for finished products but I find the Syntakt indispensable for getting things started.
Aodyo Anima Phi - My monosynth workhorse. The flexibility in oscillator types, routing, and modulation gives it a huge variety of sound design potential.
Dreadbox Typhon - Lately more a sound processor for other equipment, but that’s because the effects and filters sound so nice on it.
Microkorg - not the most user friendly instrument but the fundamental sound is great and it’s a bit sentimental to me.
Bastl Microgranny - to be honest, this was a bit of an impulse buy when Bastl had it on sale. Still trying to figure out how best to utilize it. A bit too fiddly to use as a traditional sampler, going to try using it more as an experimental drone box.
GSM E7 - Great sounding poly synth for the bread and butter sounds. Unique stereo modulation.
Volca Nubass - It’s an acid box with a tube, pretty self-evident why it’s cool.
My setup has been in a state of flux lately - the stuff in the second list is kind of on the chopping block at the moment. I just got a Push 3, so if I like it the MPC One will almost certainly be going. Feel free to ask about anything, I love talking about it all!
Things I use constantly:
- Peak (my first synth, still one of my faves)
- Take5 (my absolute favorite)
- Digitakt
- MPC One (mostly for sequencing the non-Elektrons)
- Roland S-1
- Op6
Things I use less often:
- Microfreak
- Typhon
- Roland SH-4d
- Syntakt (DT tends to be more useful in more contexts)
- Korg ER-1
A handful of FX pedals:
- EQD Hizumitas, Boss CE-2w, Digitech Obscura and Polara (all of those usually on the Freak)
- Champion Leccy Skitter (tremolo/reverb)
- Poly Beebo (anything)
- DBA Rooms (reverb)
- Kinotone Ribbons (tape emulation/ modulation)
It all gets recorded into Ableton, where I finish the song. I actually don’t use the FX pedals in finished productions too much, aside from the Microfreak chain - I like having more control in the arrangement phase.
20 years ago, I used a Roland MC303 with an Electrix Warpfactory vocoder… eventually added an Atari 1040ST and a laptop running NI generator 1.5, and I built and used a Paia Fatman synth for a while… now I only use computer, but hate myself twice for the 2 times i got rid of the warpfactory!
Currently all I use is a Neutron + eurorack filters (Doepfer A-106-5 SEM, Doepfer A-124 Wasp, erica synths Black Polivoks VCF, and intellijel Morgasmatron), or a Moog Sub 37. All controlled via Linnstrument.
I also have a bunch of Volcas, a TR-8, Ultranova and a MAM MB-33 Retro that don’t see much use anymore. Noticed I suck at sequencing stuff, so I’m trying to at least get decent at playing synths instead.
