Oh, “groove tower”…

The “MIDI Pile”

My altar to G.A.S.

What version are we on now ?

• V 1.0 used a Behringer mixer’s Alt 3/4 bus as an FX/routing Bus
• V 2.0 moved a SwitchBlade rack mixer/router to bring MIDI control of this routing, with a single stereo FX-insert/Sampling-cue assignable to one source at a time (via Program Changes)
• V 3.0 used a Fostex MIDI Mixer to combine both MIDI Control of Mixing with the assignment of (m)any signal(s) into a stereo FX/sampling buss

Well, I’m still on the Fostex, so let’s call this V3.5 !

The drum machine has been upgraded; replacing the Korg Electribe ESX with

(my birthday present to myself)

an Elektron Analog RYTM, an AMAZING drum machine/groovebox, which has some interesting legs up over the big-tube Korg Electribe ESX (which I love, but outgrew).

the RYTM allows

• each of 12 drum voices to have a unique voice. Each one can play a sample, some can play different “machines,” or types of analog synthesis (with an array of digitally-controlled analog percussion circuits inside)..
• each drum part’s track to have different lengths/time-signatures for poly-rhythmic NONSENSE
• copy/clear/paste patterns freely without stopping to save
• mute of parts carries across patch/pattern changes, making for more fluid build-UPs and break-DOWNs

…this new level of sequencing with “the Elektron way” has a pretty steep learning curve, but it’s very intuitive and highly conducive to strong, uninterrupted flow.

also, it looks fantastic in the dark !

Makes me think of replacing the Volca’s with some kind of “groove-synth”…which has got me lusting after the Elektron OctaTrack.