Buy 2 Electribes or just one?

neotechtonics · Post by **neotechtonics** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:38 am

I never use song mode because I am of the philosophy that hardware and especially the electribes are a beast to be tamed live. Something instilled in me from me mentor who introduced me to the world of hardware music production while I was in Austria. Also part of the reason why I shun software. He was all about keeping the music live, letting it evolve organically on its own course. No presets, no rehearsal and usually no recording, just live jamming in the moment. The electribe series were born for this! And this is why my EMX will always be my favorite item of gear

There is a big difference between witnessing a sunset and looking at a photo of one.

roblabs · Post by **roblabs** » Thu Jun 28, 2012 5:39 pm

Amen, brother!

Feelgood · Post by **Feelgood** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:54 am

Personally, I would get another Tribe to add to what you have already, an EMX or an ESX or one of the older tribes; really you can't go wrong with any of them. All of these machines work extremely well together and are marvelously designed to compliment one another.

Headphones · Post by **Headphones** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:45 am

You can use a electribe all by itself, but you're missing out on alot of fun when you don't have another to add with it. I'm planning to get them all, because they're just so much fun and easy to use. I'll probably score the ESX last, because I'm a bit nostalgic for the 1st gen electribes, but I'm for now picking up the mk2's, so I can eventually compare the 1's and 2's. I lost my EM-1 and now wish I hadn't, because those haven't been easy to find or as cheap, but it will be something I'll save up for one of these days.

Sorry I got a little carried away there, but yeah, the more the merrier when it comes to Electribes.

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 10:34 am

Ha Ha!- All of them including the mk 2's- now that would be something! We've probably all thought about it- now you are actually going to do it What's that-8 isn't it? What fun- quite mind boggling. How many Kaoss pad's with that lot

Headphones · Post by **Headphones** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:41 am

Yeah, if I started adding in the Kaoss pads, that'd get a bit overkill, since there's like the kp1, kp2, kp3, the kp minis, and the rest of them. I'd definately add 2 or 3, or probably some Moogerfoogers.

And I wasn't really counting on 9, but yeah, if that's what it is, then I'm going to need a biiiig table, and enough audio/midi cables, and probably a midi splitter to bring it all together. I've thought about making the EMX/ESX the masters, and any of the mk1's or mk2's slaved up to them. Or maybe mix and match mk1 & mk2's together, but not entirely slaved to the main EMX/ESX's, but brought together with a dj mixer, and just dropping in/out grooves from 2-5 channels by mixing them at the right moment.

If I ever get around to this grand project, then I'm sure I'll take some pictures to prove it, and better yet, some video, and show how they all work together.

I saw on youtube somebody threw a big tb303 bbq, where all these 303's were connected and it sounds like it'd be almost like that, but with just electribes instead, and there's more variety with the electribes, even when they do decent versions of a tb303, but have their own sound to them as well.

Anyway, that's how I imagine it's going to be if I can locate them all.

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:03 pm

No hold on wait a minute- this is madness- there is no way on this earth that you could have 8 or 9 all under some decent control with some Kaoss pads in the on top. I would say that an ESX & EMX with a Kaoss pad each and- maybe- one between them at the end of the mix would realistically be enough for most people to make the most amazing sounds. I would give this some serious thought before spending your money.

djcactus · Post by **djcactus** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:13 am

well the thing about the kaoss pads is that it isn't necessary to acquire all of them. I can see getting the classic, maybe the mini's or the new versions of mini, and the k pro and kp3 (or their plus counterparts)

Other then that I wouldn't really compare the sound differences like the electribe.

Though id suspect that the next year or so new electribes should be announced. The MMT modeling engine seen in the EMX and Radias seems similar to the king korgs new XMT modeling engine.

Headphones · Post by **Headphones** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:19 am

(Shrug). To each their own. I'm a collector, and I see value in the electribes. It's maybe a waste to buy them all to you, but to me, it's just endless possibilities, but you could easily mix/match them all to the EMX/ESX as the masters, and slave the rest. If most mk1's are about $100-250, and most mk2's about $200-250, the ever elusive EM-1 will be about $200-350(I refuse to pay top dollar on that one, but if I see a good deal on a EM-1 anywhere, I'm grabbing it!). Trust me, this wouldn't be a cheap route by any means, but it can be done on a budget if one is patient enough. Sometimes people on eBay sell 2 electribes together, or Guitar Center wants to sell one for cheap. (I once picked up a er-1 mk1 for $100). I've noticed lately the electribes have been going up in price, so it's just a matter of waiting/looking for the right bargain on the right unit. I've got my er-1 mk2 and EMX, but plenty of time to buy more later. Going to be awhile, but if any place will allow me to make payments, then cool. If I've got to plop a paycheck to grab a few, I'll see how I feel about it at the time.

Kaoss pads aren't my main concern at the moment, but eventually I see the need to get 2 or 3 of those as well.

djcactus · Post by **djcactus** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:35 am

The electribes are different from one another, where as the kaoss products are very similar from model to model. This is what I was expressing, you may spend your hard earned cash on whatever your hearts desire, I was merely suggesting that shelling out for every kaoss product might not be the best bang for buck.

ps I like the electribes, though right now i've been eye-balling a couple of esx-sd's on craigslist. I want the sampler model, I have the synths filled out in other places and would love to sample some of my other hardware to make a live sets sound a little more robust.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:05 pm

I'm very tempted myself by the ESX, having just picked up the EMX second hand. But I'm a little put off by what seems to be some quite annoying limitations in the ESX, so I'm going to be using the Roland SP-606 for the time being (which, of course, has its own limitations).

The ESX looks very cool, nevertheless, so I might still buy it.

TRAUMA · Post by **TRAUMA** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:33 am

I own both the EMX(old model) and a KP3 and they're GREAT together but I still plan on picking up an ESX one day when I have the money and find a deal. From what I've seen the ESX is a sampling monster which is what I'm missing from the puzzle. The EMX is the best piece of electronic equipment I've owned as far as a drum machine/sequencer kinda thing and the KP3 is one HELL of an effects processor. The only thing missing is a great sampler. I really regret letting go of my ES-1 because it was easy to sample with and I got it for cheap.

DrHoo · Post by **DrHoo** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:24 pm

Just seen this thread today. I used to have an emx1 & then i bought the esx. After a while i found myself doing everything on the esx & i sold the blue one.

This was quite a long time ago now & in the early days of my learning process. In retrospect i think an emx1 would compliment my esx now very well but not for its internal sounds so much. More as a slave to the esx via midi & to control other external synths. I'm talking home studio of course, install style.
That's not to say the emx's internal sounds wouldn't be useful too, there are some awesome voices in there & its motion sequencing can produce wild results, i remember it well.
Right now i have the esx1 controlling 3 (Sometimes 4) external syntesizers at a time. Add to that the intenal sounds from the esx & there's a lot of possibilities.
Thing is, if i added the emx1 as well, not only will it talk with the esx perfectly but i'll get 5 more midi out channels plus 5 electribe keyboards at once !! Boom 10 voice minimum whammy !
I just wish i had some spare cash to buy a brand new emx. I think that the electribes are the best hardware sequencers. I'm not just saying it lightly, the damn things are easy to get a grasp of & they don't change, you just get to know them & they stay that way. That kind of limitation is the best kind of environment for creativity !

Nuff said.

Andrew Greaves · Post by **Andrew Greaves** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 12:37 pm

I use an ER1 EA1 together. A benefit over using just 1 machine, is that you can set each unit to different pattern lengths, using the amount of measures to a pattern.

For instance the ER set to 4 measures and the EA set to 3, will ensure a randomising of the synth's note position within beat pattern.

This is great for live improvising, with beats (ER) and bass (EA). So, instead of the usual repeated bass line/riff groove pattern thing, you can achieve subtle movement between the 2 machines. The bass plays the right notes, in time, but the bass pattern picks up from a different place within the drum pattern each time around; kind of like playing with a musician who varies things a little. Result; groovy but less predictable/boring.

I also find the delays on the ER/EA's are simpler to use live than the more multi-functional ESX ones. Separate controls for each machine helps keep things simple too.