Elastic Membrane Blog

Analog Rytm Sound Pack: Base Elements Posted on 7 Jul 02:44 , 0 comments

 

Yes, it's another solid sample pack for the Analog Rytm drum machine! If you like your drums powerful, dirty, and raw, then this pack is for you. The Base Elements Sound Pack contains custom samples recorded from the Jomox Airbase 99, MBase 11, MBrane 11, and JaZBase 03 analog percussion synthesizers. Using a combination of analog engines and crunchy, lo-fi 6-bit samples, Jomox machines emulate the TR-909, TR-808, and also go much further into their own sonic territory!

 

 

Jomox drum modules are notorious for their unique, raw, and powerful character. The word is that the owner of Jomox once repaired TR-909 drum machines and got to know them inside and out, so you definitely get the TR-909 sound characterics in their products, with more tweakable parameters than the original machine. Think TR-909 with a twist! And now, with the Base Elements Sound Pack, these renowned sounds are available for use to the sequencer, filters, overdrive, compression, and effects of the Elektron Analog Rytm. An extremely powerful sonic combination! Check it out...  

Analog Rytm: Sample Chains and Slice Calculation Tool Posted on 19 Mar 04:33 , 0 comments

Sample chains are long samples that are made from a "chain" of shorter samples. The samples in the chain are selected by adjusting the start (STA) and end (END) parameters in the SAMPLE page. You can easily scroll through the chain until you find the sample you want to use. 

This is an efficient way to select samples, but another benefit of using sample chains is that you can fit a larger amount of sample data into a project than if you simply used single one-shot samples. The Analog Rytm can load 128 samples per project: if some (or all) of these samples are sample chains, it can multiply the number of sounds readily available. For example, the new Analog Rytm: Acid Sound Pack utilizes sample chains, and therefore contains a total of 567 samples! 

In the SAMPLE page, when you adjust the start (STA) and end (END) points, it can be helpful to know the numerical increments of where a sample begins and ends.

For example, if you have a sample chain with 24 slices (24 samples), then you move the STA and END in increments of 5. (In the Rytm, the STA/END parameters have a range of 120 increments, so 120 / 24 = 5).

In this case, to select the first sample in the chain, move STA to 0 and END to 5; to select the second sample, move STA to 5 and END to 10, and so on...

So, the number of slices in a sample chain (12, 15, 24, 30, 60, 120, etc.) determines the increments of the STA and END parameters. Just divide 120 by the number of slices in the chain to get the numerical increments. Alternatively, Elektronauts Forum user NickD has created an Analog Rytm sample slice calculator that shows these increments for you!

The Analog Rytm: Acid Sound Pack, contains sample chains with a variety of sample slices. The number of slices in a sample chain is shown in the file name. For example, "BD_12_CHAIN" has 12 slices (BD / Kick samples). "BASS_120_CMajSCALE" has 120 slices: 120 Bass samples of individual notes in the C-Major scale in 5 octaves with multiple accent values. (C major is a commonly used key signature with no flat or sharp notes, so it's easy and quick to make melodic bass lines with this chain!)

It's nice using sample chains with similar sounds grouped within them. It makes it fast and easy to create variations in kits or patterns just by scrolling through sounds in the chain. Good luck with it!

 


Depeche Mode vs. Analog Rytm: Vermona DRM1 MKIII Sound Pack Posted on 24 Nov 02:26 , 0 comments

I've been getting excellent feedback from Analog Rytm users who purchased the Vermona DRM1 MKIII Sound Pack. I'm pleased that people are getting great results from it.

I also love hearing tunes that use the pack, because we get to hear the sounds in a variety of musical contexts and genres, which is always a nice surprise. Drums often form the backbone and character of a track, and certainly the Vermona DRM1 MKIII delivers this: the sounds are oozing with unique analog character. 

I've always been a big fan of Depeche Mode, so I was pleased to hear this cover of the song "Wrong" from Franck Superbaby, done all on Elektron gear. On the Analog Rytm, he uses a demo pattern from the Vermona DRM1 MKIII Sound Pack. Waiting to hear "Master and Servant" next! Anyway, sounds great, check it out:

If you make some tunes with an Elastic Membrane sound pack, let me know... I'd love to hear it!

Send a link or sound file to: info@elastic-membrane.com and I'll feature it on the blog or feature it in a upcoming mix, etc.  


Loading Sound Packs and Samples on the Analog Rytm Posted on 28 May 09:38 , 0 comments

Loading sound packs on the Analog Rytm is fairly straightforward. This Elektron video shows step by step instructions on how to do it. 


Analog Mutations: Analog Rytm vs. Vermona DRM1 MKIII Posted on 8 May 15:40 , 0 comments

What happens when you cross-breed two of the finest analog drum machines on the market today? 

An analog mutation, that's what happens. The results of this experiment can be seen in the latest Analog Rytm sound pack: Vermona DRM1 MKIII. Take the pristine analog tones from the Vermona DRM1 MKIII and add them to the power and flexibility of the Elektron Analog Rytm, and you have a recipe for some serious analog punch!

The DRM1 MKIII is an analog drum synthesizer that makes a wide variety of analog synthesized percussive sounds. It can get deep overdriven 808 or 909 style kick drums... punchy, noisy snares and claps... organic toms, congas, clave, rims, snaps... metallic hi-hats from outer space... and lots of other alien noises. It even makes bird chirping sounds! The DRM1 is full of knobs and it can take a fair bit of tweaking to get the sounds you want out of it, but the process is rewarding. 

Now put those sounds into the Elektron Analog Rytm drum machine and you're in a whole different dimension. The Rytm has excellent analog synthesis, and it also shines as a sample player and sample manipulator. It's a very playable machine with a superb sequencer and drum pads. When you load samples into it, you get to process them with real analog filters, overdrive, and compression, bringing a whole new flavor to the samples! 

For the Analog Rytm DRM1 MKIII sound pack, 16 drum kits were carefully crafted from the DRM1 and loaded into the Analog Rytm for further processing and sequencing. Two of the kits were modeled as close as possible to TR-808 sounds doing close A/B comparisons. The DRM1 gets incredibly close to TR-808 sounds (especially the kick) but also has its own unique flavor. In addition there are also kits that approach 909, CR-78, and SP-1200 territory, as well as a host of others.

The pack also has 32 sequenced patterns in a variety of styles, perfect for jamming or as starting points for unique grooves or beats. The kits each have performance and scene modes to tweak and morph the samples in real time, leading to endless sonic surprises! Check the audio demos and explore a world of analog mutations