Machinedrum UW: Probabilistic Sampling, RAM Machines

Probabilistic real-time sampling is possible on the Machinedrum UW through the use of the RAM record machines and a bit of clever setup. Quirks of using the RAM machines are explored, as well as the use of an audio input as a sampling and processing bus for internally generated sounds.
watch • Machinedrum Trig Condi... for a more detailed examination of how probabilistic triggering and generative sequencing can be achieved on the Machinedrum UW
while reviewing the footage around 8:08 I realized that my example with the MIDI machine is most likely always going to be equivalent to using a RAM record machine on a higher numbered track, due to the MIDI loopback latency, and in my specific example the MIDI machine itself is on a higher numbered track as well. These implications did not occur to me while shooting the footage - although I remember being a bit confused when I first set up the probabilistic sampling - now I realize why it wasn't quite doing what I expected
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[@s90210h]

You know this machine better than anyone else I've encountered. Haven't seen a single of your MD videos without learing some DEEP knowledge. Thanks!

[@maxmarco]

hey thanks a lot! making this video I discovered some new things myself! (a few of which I'm still confused about!)

[@fsuchs]

this trick is subtle and offers a whole new world of sonic capabilities... just a bit sad that we lost the external sync... but hey, this is the game! thanks for those in depht videos of yours!

[@WouterHisschemoller]

That's incredible. I knew that there's a lot more to explore and find on the Machinedrum, but I never went this far. I have to view the video again to be able to understand all of it. Thanks!

[@maxmarco]

my pleasure, thank you! it's hard to know where the limits are with Machinedrum - there are only so many LFOs and tracks to work with but the ways things can combine is often very surprising! Even after I made the original Machinedrum generative sequencing video it took me a while to realize that it was also possible to trigger the RAM machines with the same MIDI generator setup, and thus achieve probabilistic sampling

[@Kev-1k]

yesss thank you for posting more machine drum videos

[@maxmarco]

thanks for watching! always have more ideas for machinedrum videos but is fairly challenging for me to produce them since it's still relatively new to me in comparison to the Octatrack - tends to be a fair amount of investigation involved, and then the 'research' usually turns into a jam session :D

[@matthismeyer]

Hey, I've never really played around with sampling on the MD despite having mine for 10 years... For some odd reason the resampling of the main output is really LoFi when I play it back... I mean REALLY low quality. Its as if it has a low pass filter on it... Is that normal?

[@maxmarco]

The RAM machines are not very well documented, but when setting up a simple test and accounting for all factors I'm aware of the only alteration I hear is the rather crunchy conversion to 12-bit - which certainly causes a loss of detail compared to the 24-bit resolution of the synth engines. Perhaps it is down-sampling also but it would take a more technical approach to verify. Watch your levels and make sure you're not clipping the RAM machine while recording, but also make sure you're not recording a very low signal level - either of those problems are pretty easy to encounter since there's no metering of any kind. The quality of the recording is also affected by other factors mentioned briefly in the manual - "Some DSP memory is always reserved for the RAM machines. The memory is shared with the ROM machines so the more memory left for the RAM machines, the higher will the quality of the recording be." "LEN - Defines how long the recording will be. A value of 127 will record for 2 bars. Each parameter value is ¼ of step. If running low on DSP memory, turn this value down." "RATE - Turning this down will lower the quality of the recording." also realize that the recording is always mono and if you are sampling the main outputs with MBAL set to center value you are mixing the stereo main output down into a mono signal, which can cause its own problems

[@matthismeyer]

​@@maxmarco Ah... there is a good chance that my 99% full ROM may be the culprit here. Thanks for that, will give it another try.

[@patrizio7]

Please keep making MD vids, it’s an amazing machine.

[@maxmarco]

I definitely will! always plenty of ideas with this machine, sometimes hard to pick what to focus on!

[@alyeska4226]

This makes me want one even more... would you recommend one model over another? Should I get a MK2?

[@maxmarco]

as far as I understand from least fancy to most fancy - mk1 (non-uw, no sample playback), mk1 UW (can only load samples, can't record samples), mk2 (non-uw, no sampling at all), mk2 uw, and then mk2 uw+ - they are all awesome and fun but I'd go for mk2 uw or mk2 uw+ - the +drive is mainly about convenience and isn't totally necessary, but is very good to have. The non-UW versions are still very capable and fun, but I think the sampling engine on the MDUW is pretty amazing in a really crude sort of way

[@katerynakarbovnycha7817]

Go for Mk2 UW+ if you can find one, and be sure to pair it with TM-1 interface that it was originally bundled with.

[@fsuchs]

UW are sampling MD. Indifferently MK1 or MK2. The only difference lies in the internal Ram capacity (2MB for MK1 and 2.5MB for MK2) and the number of pattern storage.

[@chatolars]

Cool, had one of these...sold it in a moment of weakness, regret it deeply now

[@maxmarco]

it's an amazing machine - very crude but very sophisticated at the same time - I actually borrowed my buddy's Machinedrum several years ago and that's what made me originally decide to get an Octatrack, which has been a very fruitful relationship, but I always enjoyed the special charm of MDUW and had to eventually get my own :)

[@ronsone8373]

You are a elektron genius 🔥🔥

[@RobertMaxwellMediaCorp]

Have you used the Analog Rytm at all? How would you compare its drum synthesis capabilities to the Machinedrum? Better machine overall? I'm looking to get another Elektron box to complement my Digitakt.

[@maxmarco]

I checked out the analog rytm quite a bit before I eventually bought my machinedrum uw - I actually have another video you may find helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5fVgpWkmst1aNU :D I think the Machinedrum offers far greater variety in sound possibilities than the Rytm, but is more idiosyncratic. Overall sound quality is similar to me, certain typical sounds are perhaps easier to achieve on one machine over the other but that's a more complex discussion and I find it difficult to draw firm conclusions there. One of the largest differences in how they sound for me has to do with the reverb, of which I prefer the MD - more lo-fi and crunchy, whereas I think the Rytm is kind of a 'shiny' reverb rytm has edge in performance features and more advanced sequencer, and offers high quality sample playback, but I far prefer overall design and features of Machinedrum UW and find it more interesting and compelling

[@RobertMaxwellMediaCorp]

max marco okay, thanks for the info. I'll check out your other video too. I appreciate what you're doing here, it helps me get an understanding of the workflow on these instruments. Very good content.

[@maxmarco]

thanks a lot! there are a lot of different ways to use these machines and I'm always learning something new

[@katerynakarbovnycha7817]

cool trick, thanks for sharing I presume You're aware of MIDI Control Live thingy that was developed by Justin on elektronauts, right?... Hooked to it, MD can do conditional trigs, different track lengths and much more.

[@maxmarco]

my pleasure! thanks for checking my stuff out! I have been familiar with Mr. Valer's work since before starting my channel - very cool and super clever but I'm generally most interested in and inspired by what is possible with just native functionality. Will link Justin's thread here for anyone else that might read this and gets curious though :) www.elektronauts.com/t/minicommand-resurrection-mclive/27805

[@leomaz9763]

hi, do you know how to save the sample in rom?

[@ukbloke28]

ROM means read-only.

[@indirektdjs]

this fun little ditty made me giggle - it sounds like the brainwaves of a psychopathic murder robot!

[@maxmarco]

just trying to have a bit of friendly conversation with the Machinedrum while it mutters maniacally to itself! :D

[@bradleysmith4409]

Hi Max, have you ever contacted Elektron about this? I imagine that the digitact, new Octatrack etc. have made this question moot.

[@maxmarco]

sorry, not quite sure what you're referring to? do you mean the RAM machine quirk? I've only contacted Elektron for repairs so I don't know what they might say, but from what I've seen Elektron has never been particularly forthcoming about how the internals actually operate on MDUW or OT

[@bradleysmith4409]

@@maxmarco Yep, sorry I wasn't clearer, I'm referring to the RAM machine quirk. One would think that your enthusiasm, and problem solving skills would only be for the mutual good.... AH, business etc.... To this day, my problem with lots of the electronic stuff out there, unlike, say a set of drums, or an electric guitar, they treat them like commodities, as opposed to the musical instruments that they really are... My two cents... and out of fairness, it's SUCH a competitive market- I shouldn't blame them... but I'm an idealist, and musician first. :) Have a great day.....

[@maxmarco]

I totally get you on that as it's also rather difficult for me to be driven by business concerns! I'd be happy to try working with Elektron if they ever reach out to me but my feeling is that if they are aware of what I'm doing they probably have mixed feelings at best - I'm not exactly helping them sell any Analog Rytms for example! hah! Also, my understanding is that many (if not all) of the people that were integral to MDUW/OT design and programming are no longer at Elektron - and from what I can tell they certainly were idealists :) currently I've been of the mind that if we don't see a groundbreaking flagship product in the next 2-3 years we can safely assume we will never see another undiluted example of the original Elektron ethos

[@lambda_calc]

@@maxmarco I'm curious to learn more about the people behind this machine. Have any good links/resources to learn about this?

[@matejmoravec]

subscribed and looking forward for more

[@maxmarco]

thank you! is challenging to pick what to focus on next with MDUW, too many choices!

[@matejmoravec]

@@maxmarco the ambient under the video is made on MD too?

[@maxmarco]

I love to use the MD for ambient but the background music on this was done with Octatrack - I derived it from the project I used to record 'Chance Adaptation' which actually started off kind of as an ambient thing so wanted to re-visit that aspect, I might give it a little more attention and record a proper arrangement of it at some point

[@weisland2807]

regret selling mine.. great tuts!

[@weisland2807]

Then again, i’m sorta fine with it. Super complex machine that can yield fantastic results and unfathomable frustration haha. Sold mine after loosing all my shit due to user error for the second time. Shoulda rtfm hehe

[@maxmarco]

hah! thank you! it's definitely idiosyncratic on many levels, and the manual is rather non-helpful in many respects, although it's certainly a crucial key to the puzzle. Fortunately I haven't lost any work with Machinedrum, but that's because I learned my Elektron lessons on Octatrack first :D

[@djdancealone3419]

Why would they discontinue this?

[@sonnyobrien]

He died

[@NostalgicRuckus]

luvvv!

[@maxmarco]

thanks man!

[@modefreelive]

You are crazy m8! :D

[@maxmarco]

hahaha, thanks! not many machines you can do this kind of stuff with!

[@modefreelive]

@@maxmarco true is my favourite!

[@maxmarco]

I have a tough time making a call between MDUW and Octatrack - I wish I could smash them together and add some CV i/o for good measure! :D

[@modefreelive]

@@maxmarco maybe someday they will do it.

[@maxmarco]

maybe I should make it a video about it... xD

[@granolakitti8521]

We need a mk3

[@alltaken0]

nice

[@maxmarco]

thanks!!

[@SPAZZOID100]

Too complicated.

[@sonnyobrien]

Slow

[@ukbloke28]

For a spazzoid, yes.