The New Electribes

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:06 pm

roblabs wrote:This is straight up the first piece of korg gear that I've been this psyched about. The last thing I was this excited about was the minibrute, but even then I did not follow news and info this religiously and fanatically.

I have the EA1, ES1, and the ielectribe, but whats funny is I've mainly used the ea and es for sequencing other gear only. But something about the redesigned work flow on this new tribe has me very interested in it.

(Also, what a shame for the first time they removed the MIDI THRU, but at least they compensated somewhat with the sync jacks)

I had the Brute for a while. it was a beast, loved it. I hadn't thought about the midi through, good point but for me at least i think i'm going to use it as a stand alone anyway (Famous last words)

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Mon Nov 03, 2014 7:37 pm

meatballfulton wrote:There was also a QC issue with some early models off the production line being unable to hold a dance floor.

Maybe you could recommend some inserts that might help ?

hoolak · Post by **hoolak** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:32 am

Japanese Amazon says release date is 8th November >http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/aw/d/B00NCWC ... mp_s_a_1_4

Ooer

Glitchcraft · Post by **Glitchcraft** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 3:44 pm

Long time Electribe user here I have owned and used every one extensively and still use my EMX to sequence my synths and drum machines. I had to register because I am excited and disappointed at the same time with the new ones. The main issue I have with them is 4 bar movements. I use the ESX to crank the pitch way down on samples and sift through the sample for artifacts and have long pitched down samples that drone on in the background and the with 4 bars that is out the window to be able to do that on the new one without changing patterns. It seems like this could be easily enough implemented in a update just make the 1 2 3 4 buttons flash to indicate its on bar 5 6 7 or 8. Also I am really hoping you can stream samples from the card like the Octatrack or SP404 as that would solve the issue with the unchanged memory that it has.
Next thing up is some sort of micro timing to slide around notes. That would make them truly be able to create very interesting patterns. Also a way to switch off quantinazation would give you a very realistic feeling to the drums like my Tempest has. These are all essential things that would bring them alive and really to the next level in my opinion.

Ted3000 · Post by **Ted3000** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 5:50 pm

Is 8 bars really the magic number?

If the old EMX had 16 bar patterns and the new electribe had 8 bars, would there still be complaining, or would people say "good, now we have 8 - the best number of bars."

Looking at the new layout, it's clear Korg is going for streamlined easy simplicity - as few buttons and controls as they could get away with. As little text on the panel as possible.

If 90% of people compose 1, 2 and 4-bar patterns, it makes sense from a GUI standpoint to trim it to 4. Then you don't need another 4 buttons on that compact panel. And your programming is faster. And there are no complex hidden functions and less menu-diving. No matter how many bars are on the new electribe, there could always be more.

Having 8 or 16 or 32 bars gets increasingly further away from the concept of loop-based composition. You start to bleed into linear multi-tracking. That's not what grooveboxes do.

You can always halve your tempo - 120 becomes 60, and program notes at double resolution. Bar-legnth and note resolution are interchangable concepts when tempo comes into play.

You can also program an 8-bar phrase across 2 patterns. There's a million workarounds, and the tradeoff is simplicity.

Compare the crowded, tiny-knob, text-heavy panel of the EMX to the new electribe and you'll see why 4 bars is part of the concept, not a cheap-out.

Tom 62 · Post by **Tom 62** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:08 pm

Ted3000 wrote:Compare the crowded, tiny-knob, text-heavy panel of the EMX to the new electribe and you'll see why 4 bars is part of the concept, not a cheap-out.

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:11 pm

I think i agree with that thinking. If you have other external sequencers anyway, the new tribe can be midi controlled from one of those. I'm now of the school that is happy with the 4 bar idea. 8, i could do that too but somehow i think the 4 bar thing will suit these new units. I had concerns, questions & all that but i just dumped them all because i want to get one & see what i can do with what Korg provide & not try & make this machine the same as anything else.
Another way of putting that is that i don't care any more, i just like the look of the new tribes.

Glitchcraft · Post by **Glitchcraft** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:19 pm

On the EMX that would be fine but as I've said on the ESX it's essential for how I work my samples. Why go backwards and make it 4? Where are all these people that want just 4 bars it seems like plenty of others posting on the net that want 8 bars. How did the 8 bars make the old Electribes not work as well? You can always drop it to 4 if that's all you need but if you need to sift thru and play long samples you can't without chopping and making 2 patterns that breaks the sound up and may not sound right transitioning. Try it on your ESX and you will see what I mean. So yes 8 is what I am used to and one of the main reasons I still use my ESX after all these years after getting a Octatrack is the ESX has 8 bars and the Octatrack has only 4. So I guess yes 8 is the magic number we are all accustomed to and it does not complicate but gives more options in you composition.

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:41 pm

Yes it's good to think about this. You would think that the obvious preference would be the option to cut eight down to four if you wanted. Having said that- I rarely used all eight in many patterns... but there was a lingering doubt in my head that I ought to be- and so would occassionally try. At least now I can stop thinking about it and concentrate on using the four. I'm not too unhappy about it.
When I think about it - some of my best musical moments can come from say a monotribe- and even then having some of the eight steps (never mind measures) shut off on the active step thing and looping away.
Having said that as well- the sounds of the new electribes seem a bit less harsh than before- so if you were trying some trancy type stuff you would want it a bit longer as you add subtle changes etc.
Could you not try the pitched down samples at half tempo- before you go looking through them- a bit like Mistabishi on the demo?

Glitchcraft · Post by **Glitchcraft** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:59 pm

For playback of long ambient drone samples I make on my modular to use I find that transitioning between patterns with long samples give you a break in the sound just like everyone is talking about with the pattern changes on the new one. Long motion sequenced samples with effects on them are really hard to get right when chaining patterns together try it and see. If people have this new school of only 4 bars why was everyone begging DSI to make the Tempest do 8 bars and they did on the update? If you want less use less but don't take away the option of having more to use if needed.

JulNC · Post by **JulNC** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:33 pm

Hi all.
So no definite answer regarding sequencing of external synths on different MIDI channels? After reading the "manual" several times nothing makes it obvious that the new Electribe will be able to sequence outboard gear.
I would buy this new Electribe for the sequencer alone if it could be the brain of my studio or live rig!
I have watched the Sonic State video with Mista and the Korg rep who mentionned something vague about MIDI IN for each part, but nothing regarding actual sequencing on separate channels via MIDI OUT...

JulNC · Post by **JulNC** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:34 pm

EDIT: deleted 'cause double post, sorry!

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:34 pm

I was saying earlier in this thread that i view the new models are a different animal rather than a next step in the evolution of electribes. I used an esx1 for humdreds of tunes & i always used all 8 measures because they made longer phrases possible so i can totally get with why people are questioning this.
If i wanted a next-step tribe or an improved esx1 like say, an esx2 then i would be critisizing the hell out of the new tribe but as it goes these are deffo a new animal imo & not an extention of the last model.
I got rid of my esx1 about 8 months ago & i havn't been messing with synths & beats ever since, a time out for me. I'm now ready to get back into it & i intend to start with the emx2.
I've had an emx1, an esx1 & an ea1 so with the new tribe there has to be a level of acceptance of what this animal is & i can get with that. Away with the previous models for me & into something new.
I'm happy with what's coming & it's possible that some of the concerns people have might be fixed in the final model i suppose.

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:40 pm

JulNC wrote:Hi all.
So no definite answer regarding sequencing of external synths on different MIDI channels? After reading the "manual" several times nothing makes it obvious that the new Electribe will be able to sequence outboard gear.
I would buy this new Electribe for the sequencer alone if it could be the brain of my studio or live rig!
I have watched the Sonic State video with Mista and the Korg rep who mentionned something vague about MIDI IN for each part, but nothing regarding actual sequencing on separate channels via MIDI OUT...

Good point, the manual seems short so far. It'd be the first tribe to not sequence out on different channels.

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:48 pm

Good points, DrHoo. You can almost think of this as a lateral move for the electribes, similar to what korg did with the mini kp and kaossilator 2 units. Almost a reimagining of the electribe...

Also glitchcraft: you mentioned switching off quantization. That would be cool, and its something definitely possible. Korg already did this with the Volca Keys with flux mode. Maybe its already implemented on the new electribe? If not, hope for a firmware update...