Electribe MX as a synth sound module

[Gambrel]

I realize this post is old, but perhaps this info will be helpful to somebody else facing the same question. Perhaps if the OP didn't go with the electribe after this, the info may be good for him if he's thinking about it in the future.

I'm sure he was talking about the EMX. Just thought I'd add that there is a sampler version, although that would probably be more suited mainly to loops and drum samples. It would give him 2 slots for monophonic parts based on samples, though. If he has one midi controller and it's monophonic, and he's not intending on sequencing synth parts, then perhaps that would work, and it would be pretty flexible in terms of sounds it could produce. I will say that I'd take the ESX over a monotribe any day of the week. The monotribe is great for a light hobbyist (I consider myself a hobbyist as well as a amateur and I find it to be way too limited even with midi implementation). I actually had a KO-Pro like the OP had and eventually sold it because I found it too limited - great sounds but no way to edit the sounds. Great fun, but when it came to trying to do something precise it wasn't great. If I came across one cheap enough, I'd get it though.

If somebody is looking for true analog, that Volca series of groove boxes looks pretty sweet - especially the drum machine and bass synth. I am considering buying all three myself, but the synths seem to be too limited. I would have at least expected a real ASDR on the polyphonic synth. Now that I've thought about it a little those seem a little too limited. I for instance have a DSI mopho, which I'd take over the bass synth any day of the week. If you are looking to play monophonic parts, one part at a time, look at the Mopho - I love mine.

Okay, now that's out of the way, I'll discuss the EMX. One, the drum sounds are good. Yes, you don't synthesize them out of nothing, but they are a great sound set. The controls for them have been more than adequate. If you need more for your drums than what the electribe offers, go with a dedicated drum machine. When it comes to the basic ones in the same price range, I would have to say that for me personally an ESX would be the only thing to compete, due to the great built in effects in both electribe models. The biggest deal breaker here is not having the ability to sample your own sounds (with the emx). I find that I haven't made a track yet where I needed anything for my percussion section the EMX didn't offer. In fact, it's what I use for almost every drum section in my setup. So, despite the fact it's PCM, there is a ton of flexibility. The only thing I wish it had more of is more acoustic style sounds.

One final note on the drums - This takes up an effects slot, but it is possible to apply and low pass or high pass filter to the drums - there are filters built into the effects section. The only difference between that and the filter section for the synth parts is that you don't have an EG INT or drive. I find this filter perfectly adaquate. If you really want a ton of sweet filters, get a dedicated filter box and use the second set of outputs. I know if I ever see a sherman filterbank at a reasonable price, that's right where it's going.

On to the synth section:

First off, A microkorg has way more flexibility than the synths built into this box, that's for sure. I wouldn't say that a microkorg is the end all be all of flexibility, but it does give you a ton of control over the sounds, and while there are synths out there that do better, in it's price range there are few that can beat it (of course going by second hand prices). I also have an Akai Miniak. Full size keys, up to 8 part multitimbrality and 8 voices of polyphony, it can do a bit more. To me that's the only thing in it's price range that can touch the microkorg, and if you are just playing one monophonic part at a time, the microkorg should suffice. It gives you a ton of controls, all of which are easier to access than the Miniaks. If you think it's limited, you obviously haven't delved into the matrix editor.

Second, the Electribe is a good 5 part multitimbral, monophonic synth. I don't use it so much for synth sounds now that I own a ton of other devices. It was the main piece of equipment in my setup for quite some time. That combined with a KO-Pro rocked for a beginner setup. One thing I will say is that it sucks it gives you kind of screwy envelope controls. However, for a lot of sounds, they are adequate. Sometimes it would be nice to have a sustain function for the high attack envelope type. Basically it gives you a percussive type attack with a release that can be extended out, and a sustain, where attack is controlled by the EG int function and I don't have it right next to me, but I believe release is controlled by EG time. It does give you a bit of flexibility as far as the sound architecture - for instance cross mod, ring mod, VPM, OSC sync, etc. However many of these functions are more limited than on a dedicated synthesizer. But there are more ways to generate sounds on this than a dedicated synthesizer, so it's a trade off. Having ASDR would be nicer than some of the limited versions of synthesis, but for a beginner this is a pretty great start. I learned a ton about synthesis using the EMX. On to the LFO. Yes there is only on LFO. It does work for a lot of things though, and I like that it at least has sample and hold for a modulation source. The fact that you can sync it to BPM is nice, and it is useful. If I had designed this however, I'd give it OSC2 as a mod source and OSC 1 pitch as a destination, allowing for some limited FM capability. Yes I know that it has VPM which is Korg's version of it, but I like the sounds I get out my other synths that have this basic capability. Once again though there are trade offs. Having all of this stuff in one box limits what each of those things have in terms of flexibility. It also kind of makes up for some of it's shortfalls with allowing you to sequence pretty much everything on it with Motion sequence or through CC's. The effect section also is really useful, and can make it seem like you get a bit more than you'd expect out of the box. I also have to say that using the a little Gain from the vacuum tubes adds a decent amount of grit to your signal, so long as you have decent tubes (I'd replace the factory tubes), and so long as you don't add a ton of accent on your accented parts it sounds good. One thing I'll say too is that I sold my Kaossilator Pro. I didn't sell my electribe. While it's mostly relegated to drum duty and basic synthesis, to me it is still a major component and formerly the heart of my studio. Look, if you want something that can do a bit more, sell your KO-Pro and buy a radias instead. IF you are not planning on using it for it's drums, I'd look at an akai miniak. I really would hate using my miniak for drums. If you want easy editability and only want to play one part at a time go, and perhaps the occasional use of polyphony, go with a microkorg. Hate the mini keys, go with a Miniak or MS2000, or for that matter a Roland JP-8000.

One final point to make here, then I'm done. If you work at it, you can produce music in about any style with this box. It is limited, but sometimes those limitations can cause you to be more creative than you would be otherwise. It's a great sounding box, and it gives you a lot of ways to create. For somebody whose looking to use a KO-Pro as a midi controller, I don't think I could recommend anything better. I imagine I still have things to learn about it even after several years, and new sounds to discover. It certainly is far more flexible than a KO-Pro, and if you wanted to start moving in a more serious direction, I would say this is a great next step.