Ableton Forum

What's up everyone! Listen guys, I just got my Tempest and I'm felling a little worried.. First the sounds are somewhat limitting in my opinion, I've been trying to get a decent kick out of this thing and I'm just not impressed , at least for what I'm trying to do. I wonder that if my interest I's flexibility I might just try out the machinedrum. But then again, I have NI Maschine, perhaps I should keep TEMPEST for the true analog sounds ( Which I'm sure I'll get more accustom to ) and just ride it out with what I got?

I would appreciate your honest opinion .

How about actually learning how it works? I'm pretty confident it is more than capable of delivering that decent kick your after.

The Tempest presets are terrible so don't judge it on those alone (if you are).

You need to create the sounds yourself and start to build up a collection of stuff you like. Check this post series for tempest synthesis recipes: http://stimresp.wordpress.com/tempest-recipes/
And check out posts like these at the DSI Forums for info on best way to create kicks: http://dsiforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=2292

Go to the DSI forums to download some of the sounds people are making to get an idea of best synthesis styles for the machine. Everything will need to be processed, especially the kick individually.

The tempest in many cases won't hold your hand, you need to try out layering analog with samples, and learn to use the 5 envelopes, 2 LFO's and 8 mod paths and you will get some amazing sounds you will never get any where else.

The Machinedrum is great but it sounds like what it sounds like. A very nice and often very beautiful digital drum machine. To my ears it is very digital, and can often be very harsh sounding on the ears etc. Also its often minimal digital sounds are no longer the flavour of the month (like they have been the last 10 years). Its an amazing machine but its very different to the Tempest.

The Tempest sound can be very analog but in many cases its not old school analog, it really sounds like future analog which is a good thing imo.

Also wait for the new sound bank to come that was made from the analog sound competition

question for op, what exactly was the sound and kind of music you're going for?

After posting this thread last night I went on the Tempest and started messing around with it, I came up with a pretty solid beat and it really sounds different and very analog which I really liked. I guess you guys are right about learning how to use it well and creating my own sounds. I mean after all the Tempest is a real instrument and it's got it's signature sound which is a good thing IMO. With your comments you guys made put things into perspective; Machinedrum is overpriced sampled drum machine; essentially a NI Maschine without having to be attached to the computer which I already have. I've will keep the Tempest and just really learn the thing. I do everything from Synth Pop to Tech House to Experimental Electro Rock so my feeling is that the Tempest can work for me, but is just a matter of time. Thanks for your help guys.

Drum synths as complex as the Tempest or Machinedrum takes weeks, or even months to learn properly. Take your time, don't give up so soon.

You're absolutely right Tarekith, I just got an urge for opinions because I got a little frustrated and started thinking how much I paid for it so those two together made me doubt it for a minute. But you're absolutely right, I must work on it... I have changed my opinion about it, I think it has great potential.

Thanks for your kind words.

enomusic wrote:Machinedrum is overpriced sampled drum machine.

You couldn't be more wrong.

Tarekith wrote:Drum synths as complex as the Tempest or Machinedrum takes weeks, or even months to learn properly. Take your time, don't give up so soon.

This.

twisted-space wrote:

enomusic wrote:Machinedrum is overpriced sampled drum machine.

You couldn't be more wrong.

And this as well. But the OP has changed his mind and no harm done here, except for the fact that I'd love to get my hands on Tempest and I'm jealous.

LeifonMars wrote:

Tarekith wrote:Drum synths as complex as the Tempest or Machinedrum takes weeks, or even months to learn properly. Take your time, don't give up so soon.

This.

Tempest takes months. But damn does it kill everything else out there...

this is really a no brainer ... Tempest.

No way, Machinedrum!

Both....




Ooops, thought I was on gearslutz for a minute.