Got my first Octatrack this year (MK2) but I’ve been a little slow at adopting it into my creative routine…probably the only gear I’ve ever bought that I didn’t immediately take to. Though I am slowly acclimating to the possibilities and power of this mean machine, as I daily ingest a pretty long playlist of tutorials.
Other recent acquisitions were much more to my comfort zone— Hydrasynth 49 is probably my all-time favorite so far. I can get lost for hours noodling and designing sounds on this expressive powerhouse.
Also upgraded my computer from an 2018 i7 Mac Mini to a M1 Pro Macbook Pro and picked up a few new softsynths; Opsix, Wavestate and Gforce OB-E .. Love all three, but OB-E is a new favorite and a match made in heaven with Hydrasynth’s poly-A.
It’s hella nice having plenty of DSP headroom with the M1 Pro. The only somewhat weak point in my setup is my interface (MOTU Ultralite) doesn’t play well with low buffer settings, so the only thing I have my eye on for Q4 2022 or 2023 is a new low latency interface, Antelope Zen series or perhaps an RME.
2022: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2022)
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- KVRAF
- 20702 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
Elektron can be tough at first. Once you get your head around it, though, all the other Elektron's will come to you pretty easily.
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- KVRer
- 24 posts since 16 Mar, 2019
I started with MD UW+ last year, so that helped whet my appetite for Elektron’s design language. MD and A4 didn’t prepare me for OT as much as I might have hoped though, as they’re both relatively immediate and basic. OT demands much more from you even get sound out of it, so it’s going to take a while to memorize all the prep work and build up muscle memory.Uncle E wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 5:06 am Elektron can be tough at first. Once you get your head around it, though, all the other Elektron's will come to you pretty easily.
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- KVRAF
- 13124 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
Yep! I got one of the very first batches of the OT (when firmware was still in beta) and though I've used it more than almost any other piece of gear, I'm still learning new tricks!ZenEagle wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:13 amOT demands much more from you even get sound out of it, so it’s going to take a while to memorize all the prep work and build up muscle memory.
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- KVRAF
- 13124 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
I made a short video with the Pulsar-23 last night. I only posted it to twitter, since it's just a short clip.
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
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- KVRAF
- 20702 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
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- addled muppet weed
- 111257 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
must resist!justin3am wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:07 pm I made a short video with the Pulsar-23 last night. I only posted it to twitter, since it's just a short clip.
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
im not supposed to be interested in drum machines
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- KVRAF
- 8487 posts since 29 Sep, 2010 from Maui
Did you happen to look at the price? I think it's pretty easy to resist.vurt wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:14 pmmust resist!justin3am wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:07 pm I made a short video with the Pulsar-23 last night. I only posted it to twitter, since it's just a short clip.
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
im not supposed to be interested in drum machines
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- addled muppet weed
- 111257 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
nope? expensive then? 
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WatchTheGuitar WatchTheGuitar https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=440193 - KVRAF
- 13256 posts since 30 Apr, 2019
I’m happy for drums with the Rytm, but that does look like lunatic fun tbf
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- addled muppet weed
- 111257 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
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- KVRAF
- 20702 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
Do Aura or Nektarine have sample kits? If so, this would make for a great one (hint, hint).justin3am wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:07 pm I made a short video with the Pulsar-23 last night. I only posted it to twitter, since it's just a short clip.
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
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- KVRAF
- 13124 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
I can neither confirm nor deny...Uncle E wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 12:03 amDo Aura or Nektarine have sample kits? If so, this would make for a great one (hint, hint).justin3am wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:07 pm I made a short video with the Pulsar-23 last night. I only posted it to twitter, since it's just a short clip.
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... ImHh_qZ3iQ
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- KVRAF
- 13124 posts since 7 May, 2006 from Southern California
I'd compare the Pulsar to my Shared System in a lot of way. Expensive? Yes. But it invites playing in ways that I can't replicate with anything else. I don't usually gel with a piece of equipment this quickly. Normally, I spend a lot of time in a kind of analysis mode before I even decide that I like something. Pulsar has been immediately compelling. I was supposed to do some work lat night but during a break, I was talking about some patching ideas with a friend and... -I couldn't help myself- I had to go try it out. I regret not doing that work now but that kind of feeling is what I want from a instrument.
Here is another quick clip, a little more gridded this time:
https://twitter.com/justin3am/status/15 ... Ml85K2M-gA
It's funny, because doing something simple like getting the kick and snare on alternating beats is actually kinda challenging. But it gives you a lot of different angles from which to approach that challenge. I think the problem solving/critical thinking required, is what makes it so inspiring.