workstation to go with Electribes ?

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Sat May 07, 2011 9:18 pm

Hi. I am looking for suggestions for a hardware synthesizer keyboard workstation to add to my Electribe set up. It must have the following:- 1)Pattern based recording.-like the Electribes. 2)Can record filter/motion sweeps- also like the Electribes. 3)Not too expensive. 4) Sampling not important.- ESX will be doing this 4) Plenty of useful analogue type dance/electro sounds. Thanks in advance.

sauce · Post by **sauce** » Mon May 09, 2011 2:02 pm

I have always wanted to try the Alesis Fusion as an Electribe counterpart. It has the specs you want, but I have heard from some that the OS was buggy. I know there were more than one OS, though, and I don't know if the later version addressed any of these issues. Regardless, the performance potential looks very impressive. I should have jumped when they were selling new for under $500; now they have gone up.

http://www.alesis.com/fusion6hd

Of course, for something cheaper and smaller, the modulation sequence on the original MS2000 was awesome!

http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/ms2000.php

Novation Supernova 2:

http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/novation_supernovaii/

Yamaha an1x:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/an1x.php

Roland JP8000:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/jp8000.php

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Mon May 09, 2011 7:19 pm

Thanks for taking the time. I don't think though that any of them have a pattern sequencer- or a sequencer at all in some cases. The alesis fusion has a linear sequencer. Cheers

chad9477 · Post by **chad9477** » Tue May 10, 2011 3:55 pm

At the risk of floating an obvious idea, have you considered just getting an EMX and connecting a MIDI keyboard to it?

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Tue May 10, 2011 7:27 pm

I already have an EMX and an ESX. I was hoping to have some lush polyphonic morphing pad like sounds with some curling interwoven arpeggios in the background with the Electribes supplying the madness all over the top of it... sort of thing

Dr Feelgood · Post by **Dr Feelgood** » Tue May 10, 2011 9:00 pm

The Korg Microstation is an awesome companion to any of the electribes, it won't break your bank account either.

P-E · Post by **P-E** » Wed May 11, 2011 12:08 am

I already have an EMX and an ESX. I was hoping to have some lush polyphonic morphing pad like sounds with some curling interwoven arpeggios in the background with the Electribes supplying the madness all over the top of it... sort of thing

Can't you just get a polyphonic synth with effects (Blofeld, etc.) and sequence it from the Electribe?

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:22 pm

The Microstation also has a linear sequencer. I want to be able to mix/ change patterns independently of one another with each unit doing their own thing. Cheers

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:45 pm

There are few workstations with a truly pattern based sequencing system like you ask for.

However, most of korg's workstations do feature a sequencer feature called 'RPPR' - Realtime Pattern Play/Record. RPPR allows you to assign a loop or oneshot phrase (either quantised to play on the correct beat, or played immediately) to a key.

So for example you can have bass intro on D, bass verse on Eb, bass chorus on F, drums intro on Gb, drums verse on G, etc etc. Pretty neat and great for live performance.

robosardine · Post by **robosardine** » Wed May 11, 2011 11:24 pm

I used to have a Korg Triton with the RPPR but I did not like it. In fact I had actually bought the thing from a shop after carefully listening to demo's, patches, effects etc and stupidly assumed that it had a pattern sequencer..