Korg Forums

Hi there, I'm currently owning an Elektron Machinedrum, but I'm finding it a bit cumbersome to use. I'm thinking an ESX-1 will maybe be a bit more intuitive to use for me.

But the Machinedrum has some features that I like, so I was hoping if you guys could maybe help me out to verify if these features are present in the ESX-1 or not, so thanks in advance!


+From what I've read, the esx only has accent on all tracks, not on individual tracks. Can I however, record velocity automation per track?

+Are the volume and velocity separately controlled on each track?

+I noticed the esx has a keyboard function too. Can I use this to sequence an external synth? If so, up to how many external synths could I sequence next to the sample tracks?

+I know the esx has an audio input. Can I use this to play an incoming signal along with the existing sampler tracks? If so, can I use the FX of the esx on it as well?

+From what i understand, the input is stereo. If the above is possible, could I then use two mono input channels?

+Can each track have its own individual FX chain?

+What is the maximum pattern length?


Thanks a bunch in advance! Any info will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

Lasz

+ The answers to all your questions can be found in the user manual.

+ The user manual can be found with Google.

+ Google can be accessed through the same browser you asked these questions.

Ted3000 wrote:+ The answers to all your questions can be found in the user manual.

+ The user manual can be found with Google.

+ Google can be accessed through the same browser you asked these questions.

I guess you'd rather be a wise-ass than actually help people.

I absolutely don't expect anybody to give me all the answers, but if some people could give me just a few that would be nice.

The manual is about 108 pages long and I'm still not absolutely clear on all points. For instance I've seen in a video someone sequencing an external synth with the esx1 (something I couldn't find in the manual) but I'm not sure if I can still use the internal sample tracks as well. This leads me to believe that the manual maybe isn't as extensive as it should be.

Brand new forum members who show up asking others to do their research for them may experience sarcastic replies. All your answers are in the manual or are general knowledge or discussed in this forum.

Not to answer a question, but you said:

"I've seen in a video someone sequencing an external synth with the esx1 (something I couldn't find in the manual) but I'm not sure if I can still use the internal sample tracks as well."

Well, the ESX has a MIDI out. You can can plug a cable between this port and a synth's MIDI input. And, just like on every device ever made, the note data will in fact be transmitted to any device you hook your ESX to.

There's a drawing of this setup in the manual.

By using a MIDI cable, you have not somehow de-activated the internal sound engine that corresponds to that MIDI channel. So, yes, you can "still use the internal sample tracks as well."

108 pages might be the highest mountain in the world to you, but I suggest climbing it.

Ted, you are on fire tonight.
Lasz, don't take it (too) personally. There is a school of thought on some forums that, though we love to help, we'd love to give you a shovel and teach you to dig the well and not just give you a bucket of water.

You can have the bucket of water but the distribution method isn't negotiable.

Maybe we can all answer 1 question, so nobody feels like they're doing someone else's homework assignment.

+Can each track have its own individual FX chain?

No.

Gee guys, I didn't want to cause any trouble or anything.

Thing is I HAVE looked around a bit on reviews and youtube, but on most things I couldn't get a clear answer. I know it's a bit of a list, but I figured these would be trivial questions for any seasoned ESX1 user, that wouldn't take that much time to answer. So that's why I posted them here.

Off course I didn't expect anyone to have to go look stuff up if they don't know the answer themselves.

User manuals can maybe answer some basic questions, but I don't always find them to be 100% clear on everything. Unless maybe you already own the thing, which I don't.

Lasz wrote:Hi there, I'm currently owning an Elektron Machinedrum, but I'm finding it a bit cumbersome to use. I'm thinking an ESX-1 will maybe be a bit more intuitive to use for me.

But the Machinedrum has some features that I like, so I was hoping if you guys could maybe help me out to verify if these features are present in the ESX-1 or not, so thanks in advance!


+From what I've read, the esx only has accent on all tracks, not on individual tracks. Can I however, record velocity automation per track?

+Are the volume and velocity separately controlled on each track?

+I noticed the esx has a keyboard function too. Can I use this to sequence an external synth? If so, up to how many external synths could I sequence next to the sample tracks?

+I know the esx has an audio input. Can I use this to play an incoming signal along with the existing sampler tracks? If so, can I use the FX of the esx on it as well?

+From what i understand, the input is stereo. If the above is possible, could I then use two mono input channels?

+Can each track have its own individual FX chain?

+What is the maximum pattern length?


Thanks a bunch in advance! Any info will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

Lasz

Each tack can have the global accent "track" switched on or off, so a track doesn't have to respond to the accent values.

The esx-1 does not respond to or transmit velocity.

It has 2 keyboard parts whch transmit/receive on seperate midi channels.

You can route the incoming audio through the fx/filters and gate the it with sequencer steps.

The audio input is on a single stereo 1/4inch jack, so you can't use two mono cables. Besides, the audio input only has 1 sequencer track assigned to it.

Max pattern length is 8 bars.

.....

@ apapdop & sl23: thank you guy so much for all the detailed answers! Pretty much all i needed to know. Thanks a billion!!

One more thing though: when a motion sequence is applied to the level of a track, can you still adjust the relative volume of that track, while keeping the motion sequence?

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Cheers,

Laszlo

.....

@sl23: ah, that's a pity but good to know. THANKS.

Now I guess it's up to me to make up my mind whether those few drawbacks are gonna be a deal-breaker or not. I guess I'll have to go ponder about that for a bit.

Anyway, to those who helped: THANKS. VERY much appreciated!

Lasz.

Just to flesh out the info already here:

-ESX will respond to velocity and--on the Keyboard parts--pitch bending when using an external controller, but it can't record velocity or bending data.

-With 2 mono cables feeding into a TRS connector, I don't see any reason you couldn't have 2 devices feeding into the ESX, then motion sequence Panning to mix between them...actually a pretty cool idea...

-ESX can transmit 3 MIDI channels total: 2 keyboard channels and a "drum" channel (10 by default) shared between the rest of the parts, although the accent part doesn't do anything MIDI-wise

thehighesttree wrote: -With 2 mono cables feeding into a TRS connector, I don't see any reason you couldn't have 2 devices feeding into the ESX, then motion sequence Panning to mix between them...actually a pretty cool idea...

I don't think motion sequencing panning will mix between two mono signals. It'll just pan the whole lot from side to side. You'd have to do it prior to the signals going into the esx-1.