Electribe 2 Appreciation Thread

Malfunkt · Post by **Malfunkt** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 7:44 am

Well, I got inspired to put a thread like this together knowing that while there is room for criticism of the Electribe 2, I thought it would be good to put a dedicated thread together for what you love about the new unit and how it has helped inspire new music.

Its not that this thread needs to be just gushing praise, but the general tone is to discuss its strengths and positive points.

For my own early-appreciation of the new Electribe, I'm going to discuss some of the gear I currently own for comparison. If you have had similar experience using such gear, it can provide a reference point.

Also, I'm not even close to a fan-boy, as I have come close a couple times to packing it up and returning it the store. So the strengths of the unit, really have saved its hide and I'm starting to really like it. I discuss this further down if you want to skip to it.

Background

So, I'm almost two weeks into owning the Electribe 2. Prior to this, I've been using synths since the late '90s, with my first Groovebox being a Roland MC-303. From real analogs, FM synthesizers, vintage samplers, physical modelling, romplers, and virtual analogs - I've been around.

To the Present

At some point I kinda just fazed out of working on music,worked too much, took up mixed martial arts and played too many games.

Having been through a total culture burn out as of recent, and going through a sort of 'realization' that I still may have a ton a time ahead of me - and I having no delusions of grandeur other than pure enjoyment, I have flung myself into music.

About a year ago I purchased a NI Maschine Studio. I have had my ups and downs, and I have hit many walls only to find away around them and change my approach. I have become increasingly more comfortably with the Maschine, and lack audio tracks or a more linear sequencer doesn't bother me anymore. To me, Maschine is a total instrument, and you play its scenes (patterns) drumming them much like everything else you enter into the unit. Native Instruments has updated it quite a bit with the last update adding scale input (similar to the Electribe,but less powerful in some ways).

So far, I have to hand it to Maschine. It is just really really fast. It is so quick copying notes,copying patterns, copying, cutting and pasting pretty much anything. And this is all from the hardware side of things. Sonically, Maschine is solid. Resampling and pitching samples on it - I haven't heard something with this much crunch to it since owning an Ensoniq ASR-10. Maschine, of course can load up any Native Instrument plugin (as well as AU/VST) you own, and having Monark, Razor and the veritable Massive (which it comes with), I can say I am totally pleased.

I also have a Monomachine, which has had some minor damage, but still works very well. The pots on older Elektron units I've never been a fan of but thankfully there are parameter locks. It has some really powerful workflow features, excellent MIDI implementation, a full song mode, and of course is capable of much weirdness and with some work, really good sounds.

So Why The Electribe (It's Strengths)

Now even though Maschine (especially the Studio) can be used without even looking at the computer. I still have a bit of a barrier (call it laziness or computer burn-out) setting up my laptop, and connecting audio card and Maschine together. Its not a huge deal, but after working on my computer all day, I just want to get away from it. I'm also not keen on buying another computer just for music, and I don't have that kinda space in a condo.

I've had this same issue for years and years. And so I have been looking for the ideal 'groovebox' - whatever that may be. Something that I can play and use anywhere.

For me the Electribe has some stiff competition. Not only does it need to contend with my Maschine, but also experience using Elektron hardware as well as sequencers like the Yamaha RS7000. Also, I had an iPad 3 running Gadget - which is very cool, but my iPad 3 was underpowered, and for whatever reason (perhaps the fact that its a tablet) I just end up browsing the web and not working on music.

So, in anticipation of the new Electribe, downgraded my Maschine Studio to a MKII (fine for me as it is more compact for DJing use), and sold my iPad.

Out of the blue - I get offered a Monomachine for an insane price - practically it was gifted to me.

Its my second time owning one, and I could honestly say, I probably could just live with the Monomachine. But I already had my heart set on the new Electribe. I had also ordered it and put a down payment.

So it arrives, and I'm totally stoked.

This quickly turns to some disappointment and surprise of some missing functions. Thankfully, version 1.03 provides some useful shortcuts. But still, there are odd little things that are missing (stuff you can read about in many other threads).

In the last week I have seriously contemplated returning the Electribe at least twice. I was going just get my money back, get an new iPad Air 2, load up Gadget and attach it to my Yamaha P150 and be done with it.

In the course of a few days I decided I'd spend each evening dedicated to either my Maschine, Monomachine and Electribe.

The Maschine, no complaints, I took my laptop to the library, hooked up my MkII and sound card. Great experience.

Monomachine, contested with its fiddly pots, but always blown away by the many modulation and routing possibilities. Also, each track has its own dedicated delay engine. Sound quality is quite good too, digital but of its own domain - it has a certain character.

So finally, I get around to the Electribe. My approach is starting to evolve in how I use it. To me, I treat each part like a very expressive monosynth. The filter section is incredible. They handily beat the Monomachine in this area, and sound better than many softsynths. If you've taken the journey using virtual analogs from the last 15 years, this sounds definitely leading-edge. The Electribe has very strong oscillators, that I've been finding are so expressive. Add modulation, detuning, and motion sequencing and it comes alive.

All of the components, architecture and inherent limitations of a synth, lend itself to a certain character. One thing Korg got right is the sound quality. The signal-to-noise ratio and overall quality of the DAC is very good. I've listened to it through my Sennheiser HD650s and my friends Focal monitors - the entire dynamic range of the Electribe is solid.

I'll add more of what I like about Electribe later. But right now, I'm enjoying the sounds of its main synth oscillators.

ElectribeNut · Post by **ElectribeNut** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:35 am

I also began making music on a MC 303, damn I miss it.

I do love the fact of exporting to ableton sets. This is the best part of the electribe for me and also the main selling point. I also like all the different waveforms/samples they provide. All the sounds are great when they don't click or clip. It's hard to think about a positive when they connect to the negative aspects of this unit. Being battery powered has been a great plus though and a time saver.

The price has a great entry point as well, $399. Can't really beat that as well for what it is.

apapdop · Post by **apapdop** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:45 am

The versatility of it is a real strong point for me. I originally wanted to use it as a self contained do-it-all tool and record its audio into my ipad. This worked, but the all-too-often mentioned shortcomings and foibles started rearing their heads. Seeing as my ipad was hooked up to it via audio, i thought to connect them up via USB and voila, all my favourite apps sync to it at a stroke. And you can route THEIR audio into the Electribe's synth engine not just using one part, but as many as you want. This is a master stroke in my opinion.

The sound engine is fantastic, yes it can pop and click at the drop of a hat and it's easy to run into note stealing well before you think it should happen, but even so, it just sounds gooooood. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing it through a set of speakers, but it sounds great through decent headphones.

For me, despite all it's faults, it's still my toy of choice right now and frankly there just aren't enough hours in the day for me to try out all the things i want to do with it. Let's hope it will only get better with time eh?

wasstof · Post by **wasstof** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:54 am

This Electribe is my First Groovebox....
I've done a bit of DJing using Pioneer CD Decks, mostly housey/breakbeaty stuff but always wanted to bring something a bit more to my sets.
When I saw the first demo's I thought "That could be the thing I'm after!", so far I'm LOVING the workflow and the sound quality, and the learning curve is not as steep(for me) as I expected!
Yes, it's NOT perfect but for the price I'm VERY Happy! Hoping for a few fixes in the updates but this is the appreciation thread!
Now, when is the Sampler gonna get to see the light of day...
Just think, 2 CDJs an E2 and an E2 sampler into a 4 channel mixer with its Own Kaoss pad...

256K · Post by **256K** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:50 pm

Last night i was in bed next to my sleeping girlfriend playing around on the electribe thinking: oh man im just having the hardest time learning how to create something good on an electribe. Totally taking forgranted the fact i was in bed with something that was the nect best thing i own to a daw.

My point is that if nothing else, the electribe portability is a huge thumbs up. Although i need to get me a nice set of rechargeables.

Also the sound is spectacular. And the sounds and default patterns still sound way better than what im writing so i know im still in the learning curve. My confort zone is telling me to sell it, get a push or a set of monitor speakers but instead im going to really to to break my creative workflow box and figure out my own way of using sequencers.

Speaking of which anyone got any interesting videos about principles of composing music using grooveboxes like the e2? Maybe that could kindof shift my way of viewing it into the right angle and then i'll be able to flow smoothly.

I like this thread. Its hard to get caught with the negative. Nice to have a positive thread

Discore · Post by **Discore** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:22 pm

I'm still waiting for mine to arrive but I have high hopes for the unit. I started making music with the Electribe EMX and I loved it despite it's lack of several things. I went on to Software and I'm happy till now but I always wanted another hardware machine were I am able to create music just sitting in my band's practice room without a PC. Since I'm working with Ableton I think it will be perfect as a sketchbook for writing ideas and edit it later in Ableton. I think it's predestined for this task as it has everything on board for your ideas (drums, poly synth). I can add effects as I wish in the DAW.

BTW: I think there has been a thread like this already.

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... &start=135

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 4:58 pm

256K wrote:Last night i was in bed next to my sleeping girlfriend playing around on the electribe thinking: oh man im just having the hardest time learning how to create something good on an electribe. Totally taking forgranted the fact i was in bed with something that was the nect best thing i own to a daw.

Your girl or the electribe?

Joking aside, yes there are some great points about this new electribe.. Obviously the sound quality is what everyone, from day one, has been talking about. You can sketch ideas VERY quickly. Its also quite versatile, if you're a bit creative.

But here's something that I really like about it that I've not heard anyone yet mention: you can dig into the menus, save, adjust global and pattern parameters, all WHILE the electribe is playing. Remember the old electribes? You could never do this. I remember this would annoy me because I'd be doing live improv and couldn't save whenever I wanted; I'd have to stop everything if I really wanted to do this.

And yes the audio in feature is amazing!

There are still features I haven't delved into fully - ableton export, event recording, pattern sets - but all in good time, all in good time.

256K · Post by **256K** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 5:48 pm

roblabs wrote:
Your girl or the electribe?

pretty sure my DAW can do a lot more than my girlfriend... hahaha (Just don't tell her i said that)

d2ba · Post by **d2ba** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 7:13 pm

For me the Electribe 2 is all about the patterns that came with it.
Im a terrible musician ---I can process these patterns, strip things out --put the patterns through analog filters and delays and come up with something original.

Second best thing is sound quality is superb compared to EMX1
Love the machine

256K · Post by **256K** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 2:31 am

i think i figured out a way to use the electribe in my life sets, basically use it the way other DJs ive seen use maschine live.. mostly for percussion and little bleeps and blops to be overlaid on the current DJ set running....

Could probably set it to midi slave and send the traktor output clock to it and then just come up with a bunch of different sounds i would like to implement and play them live and record them (with metronome off) of course... add some effects, play wth filters....etc.

Not really taking the e2 to its full potential but for now i guess that's how im going to be looking at it more.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:42 am

One of my favorite things about the new electribe is that it's geared more for performing your music to capture it, versus programming it. Obviously there are some editing features, but honestly they take longer to use for me anyway, it's easier to just erase the part and try playing it again. This is mostly how I've always created music, so I appreciate that the electribe encourages this workflow.

I find I come up with a lot more organic sounding patterns, and it lets me focus on the over interaction between the synth parameters and the notes sequencing them. Combining the two to create grooves and ideas in ways I probably wouldn't have if I was creating sounds first, and then trying to find ways to program sequences with them.

And it's fast and dead easy to use too, which never hurts.

I appreciated the EMX1 for what it could do, and was impressed by it's capabilities for such a simple device (compared to say Elektron stuff). But for some reason it never resonated with me the way the new electribe does.

Oh, and it looks a lot better too, the EMX and ESX I always found visually cluttered looking.