Ielectribe vs ims-20

Luife · Post by **Luife** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:14 am

Hi everyone,
Im a dj and now i wanna try something new like make some music,
I was checking the ielectribe and the ims-20 and they seem to be alike .

Can anyone tell me whats the diference between booth, wich one should i buy.

Thank u

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:30 am

iMS-20 is far more powerful. It's a full synth with semi-modular routing.

hazabikit · Post by **hazabikit** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:48 pm

IMO the iMS-20 app has a much steeper learning curve, especially if you're new to synthesizers.

It's easier to pick up the basics of the iElectribe app and start making interesting sounds.

Luife · Post by **Luife** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 11:29 pm

Thank u guys,

Do u think that for house music is better rebirth or the ielectribe can do the same as well

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 9:08 am

iMS20 is closer to rebirth but really they are both different things.
iElectribe is cool for weird techno stuff and perhaps more traditional analog drum machine sounds.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:41 am

Regarding Rebirth on the iPad; there is a very similar app called TechnoBox2, that does the same as Rebirth, In my opinion TechnoBox2 is better, due to a friendlier user interface.

gregorjolly · Post by **gregorjolly** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:37 pm

@Luife - I am a new user of both the iElectribe and iMS-20 (bought them both

)

The main difference, in my novice opinion, is that the iElectribe lets you create tunes/sounds in a song up to but no longer than 64 beats (4 blocks of 16). It's a much much simpler interface and is great for playing around to get ideas and cool sounds you like. Tinkering.
The iMS-20 on the other hand, is a much bigger beast and lets you create complete songs (16 blocks of 16 beats). Yes, the interface is complex - however, once you break it down into the 4 main components, (Synth, Drums, Mixer, Song/Ptn) after a few hours playing it's easy to pick up the basics. I'm sure it takes a lifetime to master though.
Either way both are great apps, to summarize:
iElectribe = Short, simpler, tinkering
iMS-20 = Full On, Powerful Tune maker. (I use this the most, by far)

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:24 pm

gregorjolly wrote:The iElectribe lets you create tunes/sounds in a song up to but no longer than 64 beats (4 blocks of 16).

...

The iMS-20 on the other hand, is a much bigger beast and lets you create complete songs (16 blocks of 16 beats).

I agree somewhat about 'making full songs' because iMS20 has synth parts as well as drum parts, whereas the iElectribe is a bit more rhythm orientated.

But from my experience with real electribes: I would hope there is a song mode where you can string patterns together. Or at the very least you have to consider that it can switch in realtime between patterns fairly seemlessly, which can be used to build up songs and also great for live performance in a similar manner (does iMS20 do this too?)

gregorjolly · Post by **gregorjolly** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:48 pm

@X-Trade : Nope (and unless I am missing something totally obvious) You cannot string patterns together to make a larger song using iElectribe. This is the reason I downloaded iMS-20 (downloaded iElectribe first)... I wanted to make songs from start to finish.. not just a 'portion' or single pattern...
The iMS-20 allows you to do this.. as in 'song' view each white switch (which represents 4 beats) allows you to assign a pattern to it. Building up the patterns you make and assigning to white switches allows you to build up a timeline of larger song.
I'm sure you could use the iElectribe in a live performance - guess you'd have to be a) pretty good b) confident. But if you want to make a 4 minute dance track from start to finish and say share on SoundCloud - then only the iMS-20 is going to suffice.

iElectribe has: 4 synths, 1 HH Closed, 1 HH Open, 1 Cymbal, 1 Clap Snare.
all of which can be tweaked obviously using Effects/Oscillator/Amp etc..

iMS-20 has: 1 Synth, 6 drum parts, Mixer, Timeline builder. (any one of the 6 drums can be substituted for a synth) Plus near limitless tweaking/configuring of each sound and many other tools - Keyboard/Kaoss pads etc.

If I had to choose 1, it'd be the iMS-20.

Comokanu · Post by **Comokanu** » Tue May 31, 2011 8:04 pm

It's possible to string patterns together on iElectribe. Just touch the 'pattern set' button then assign patterns to each step by touching a step, then selecting a pattern from a song. Then all you do is touch different steps to play different assigned patterns.

808Zen · Post by **808Zen** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:01 pm

I've been jamming live with the DJs at my brother's club with both apps. It's a nice change from the typical congo drum thing. You can't go wrong with either one, you just have to learn how to use them correctly and find your groove. Once you do, it's a blast.

With the iElectribe I'm usually muting/un-muting the instruments and tweaking the knobs to change up the pattern and give it an organic flow.

If I'm using the iMS-20 those Kaoss pads just rock, with the right sounds you can slap off the rhythm/bass and just tweak using the Kaoss pads. And if you're really in the zone, the DJ can drop his set for a bit and let you solo, that's really fun when it's on. But I leave that up to the DJ

cuz sometimes, you think you're in the zone and your just sucking tail pipe, lol.

Honestly, get both and learn how to play them, totally worth it IMHO.

* I've also got Re-Birth for the iPad, but I haven't got my head wrapped around it yet. Plus the interface is full or really, really small buttons, so going "live" might take a little bit of practice.

inaheartbeat · Post by **inaheartbeat** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:08 pm

I have both apps and far prefer iMS-20. The learning curve is big especially if you have not used synths extensively before. The single greatest thing to me about iMS-20 is the KAOSS pads. As soon as you know how to set them up right a whole world opens up for you. Here is a little bit of what to do to open you up to some cool possibilities, especially for doing live work with a DJ...

I assume you will have a pattern/song you are working on. If not, then just create a simple 16 bar tune by selecting the keyboard controller from the main page and hitting the play and record buttons and start playing. You now have a melody to work with in your pattern.

Close up the keyboard controller and you will see the main synth page. Pull down to get to the sequencer section which is hidden up top and looks terrifying if you have never used this program before. Don't fear!

You will see four buttons that can select one of four things to control. One of them is "Parameter." Select the button for Parameter.

You will see for each step a set of knobs and then channel A, B, and C. If you select the push button under the Channel A, B, or C label then you will see a menu of choices that you can choose from to assign a parameter to be controlled. For example, I set parameter for channel A to be low pass cutoff. I set parameter B to be low pass peak (which is really resonance).

Now select the Kaoss pad controller by selecting the button at the top of the screen labeled "Kaoss Pad" under Controllers.

On the left Kaoss pad select the Settings button. You will see a variety of choices for X and Y. One is Param 1 which is what you assigned to Channel A in the sequencer. One is Param 2 which is what you assigned to Channel B in the sequencer. This is the magic!!! I put Param 1 on X and Param 2 on Y and close the box up.

Your Kaoss pads now control low pass resonance and cutoff and you can do it in real time to your pattern or whatever you want to play.

Now....for more magic....go to the right side Kaoss pad. Select the scale button. You have a nice variety of scales that you can use on the pad and you can also specify the key. The keys are weirdly shown for a keyboard player but they are ok. B flat for example is shown as A sharp. Select what you want. Go for major or minor pentatonic for example cause they are easy to jam with in real time.

Now start your song going and play with the pads. Your sequence plays but if you hit the right side keypad it adds/substitutes notes in your sequence. In addition, the gate parameter changes the duration which is fun to play with. Let your left hand go wild on the left pad to filter at will.

Remember, you can use the Param settings on the Kaoss pad along with the sequencer selections to make that left pad super flexible. Try putting low pass filter cutoff on the X and high pass filter cutoff on the Y axis. Now you can do bandpass sweeps, lowpass sweeps, highpass sweeps. All good fun.

I love the iMS-20 program so much I bought an MS-20 controller on eBay and hooked it up to my iPad. It makes it much easier to use but you don't have to use it. I was using it on a plane the other day and had a lot of people crowded around wondering what the hell I was doing lol.

Mystic38 · Post by **Mystic38** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 1:51 pm

in summary...

IMO the iMS20 is worth more than twice what it costs... iElectribe is not worth half what it costs..