Ensoniq ASR 10

[Lazy Eyes]

Yoyo,

It's ya boy from overseas.... Just wanted to let you know I got an ASR 10 few weeks ago.. And man, that thing is amazing!!

Sound

First off all, the sound is so warm and rich.. Plus it's real gritty..

Workflow

Although it's not an MPC, i think it's pretty easy to work with. Chopping your samples on the ASR is a dream, it's not chopshop but it gives you a real handson mode to work with.. I love it.. There is a few downers to it though... Sampling with the machine is easy... and making a sequence is too.. U can basically make a sketch beat in 10 minutes..

The Sequencer

The sequencer isn't really that nice, it's ok when you record everything in to it live. But editing your seperate steps is a pain... But maybe that's just my lack of experience with the machine.. I haven't found out how to add swing to your sequence ( besides your own human swing ).

FX
And this is what makes the machine amazing IMO, it has some crazy FX, that makes your drums punch, samples warm and makes it just sound amazing....

Anyway, haven't really got through to the bottom of the machine.. But i will post my findings in this topic, as i get furtheron with the ASR.

ASR vs MPC..

I've had both and the sequencer of the MPC is way way better. It's since i had the ASR that i'm starting to admire the sequencer in the MPC The two combined would be a deadly combination in my eyes. But I never fell in love with the MPC, before I had the ASR, i love working on the ASR and just looking at it makes me want to get behind and bang out something quick... Now i need to get my hands on another MPC for the sequencer and that would make a killer set up!

If anyone has any good suggestion, just shoot.. I'd love to hear em from some of the guys that have been working with this tool!

Peace

 

[djjumpinjoe]

I use to love using the ASR .... I wasnt into choppin samples back when i used it so never tried that part but i always thought it had a gr8 and easy to use sequencer ..... I use to make my main pattern then i would copy the pattern to serveral patterns and then erase what i didnt want on the others then i would go into song mode and lay it out ..... I havnt used mine in like 4 years ..... Its just standing in the corner of my room .... lol ........ Enjoy the ASR its a dope machine

 

[Lazy Eyes]

Thanx man, i'm enjoying it.. but the only i haven't really come to understand is the sequencer.. ghehe!! Maybe i should just dig into the sequencer a bit more..

But have you got the faintest idea how you would erase events in a sequence? I'm used to do that on to MPC but don't know how to do it on the ASR... I know how to delete a complete track, but what if you want to delete just the kick or something..

 

[djjumpinjoe]

If i remember correctly u would hold the record button and then hold the key the sound was on .... if thats not it let me know and i will hook mine up and check it out .....

 

[Lazy Eyes]

what u mean? hold the record and then hold the button that the sound was on? was that wil recording your sequence?

so you press:

Edit:Sequence 01

Then: Record, Play ( simultaneously )
Then Record, and the key the sound is under?

 

[Pug]

I usually just got into the event editor and manually delete the note I want out.

 

[djjumpinjoe]

ya thats what i ment ..... if i remember correctly been 4 years

 

[Relic]

I usually just got into the event editor and manually delete the note I want out.

Never had one but that sounds correct for something of that era.

 

[Pug]

It can be confusing if there's a lot going on, or if you put all your drums on one track. So try to seperate each hit on different tracks if you can (by hits I mean snare, kick...)

 

[dj360_iNfInItE1]

I remember my ASR-10. I loved that damned thing. It was crazy but I moved on by necessity in the beginning. I had to sell mine when I moved and that's how I found FL. But anyway, I always like the sequencer. I thought it was pretty fun and easy to use. I just wish I was into chopping back then like I am now. Would have been harder to do but fun at the same time. I rarely ever used an MPC but I would rather use and ASR-10 than an MPC.

 

[Shonsteez]

I read the ASR has phenomenal A/D conversion. Supposed to give real warm sounding samples.

 

[DJ Xsinna]

Yeah, I use both the ASR-10 and MPC 2000XL in my setup. The sequencer on the ASR is trash compared to the MPC. Both machines are apples and oranges though. The ASR is great for keys and really freaking samples. Not good for drums IMO. it's just not natural to bang out your drums on a keyboard. I did it for a long while too! That's the where the beauty of the MPC. those 16 pads!! I do ALL my sequencing through the MPC via ASR-10. ALL the drums are coming from the MPC. I love that setup.

 

[Lazy Eyes]

Yo X, that's exactly the setup i'm going for.. thinking bout buying an MPC60II, a 3000 or a 2000xl for my drums..

 

[DJ Xsinna]

Yo X, that's exactly the setup i'm going for.. thinking bout buying an MPC60II, a 3000 or a 2000xl for my drums..

Dude, you won't regret it. Be sure to cop you some CD Roms for sounds for your ASR (if you haven't already). It reads AKAI & Roland disks as well as Ensoniq CD Roms. You will want to add a scsi zip drive to your set up as well. Both units can read it. I have two different drawers full of zip disks. One is for all my MPC formatted stuff and the other is for all my ASR formatted stuff. Hit me up if you want to know more about all this.

 

[Relic]

Why not the overlooked 2500?

 

[Lazy Eyes]

because i want to keep the drums gritty and the mpc 60 and 3000 have roger linn timing.. those are my favourites

 

[Formant024]

^^^ mpc60mkI...machinelanguage...best timing

 

[God]

My advice is get rid of the ASR-10 and put your money into a software based digital workstation. Value programs like SONAR or Cubase work well with a decent sound card, and you can download a ton of samples for your software sampler and use soft-synth programs. All these will aid in production and sequencing. Plus, the sounds are better. You only limit yourself with the ASR-10.

The power you get with a software based sequencer is unparalleled.

 

[Lazy Eyes]

Thanx God, as much i appreciate all the advice you have given on this board, i read almost all the things you posted. I worked with software bout 3 years and the sounds are not quite as lively as they are from the ASR, you have to put tons of more effort in getting the sound right with software, as with hardware it just bangs straight from the box ( i'm lazy i know.. )

Plus i'm a handson guy, i don't like chopping samples clicking the mouse, and the way you can chop them on the ASR i think is amazing..

I worked with Ableton Live ( which is great and i still use on a regular base ), Cubase SX3 and FL Studio.. But still think that the limitations of hardware put me to the test, as then it's all bout creating and not bout doing all sorts of things, i'm easily distracted.. Plus I still think the sound from an ASR 10 is way better than any software.. And I know that some guys do amazing things with software, it's possible, you got more flexibility.. But i'm behind a computer at work all day.. I want to creep behind the machine and actually feel like i'm making music!!

I got a nice soundcard, Emu 1820M and i just track out the MP and the ASR and add from there, i arrange in software, make adjustments and that's how i've been doing it, i'm thinking bout using the MPC in MIDI thru so you can really combine software and hardware to the fullest..

Just my 2 cents, please leave a reply, i always love to hear your opinion..

 

[Formant024]

^^ just not in sound, mind you, if i was to be into fast producing i would agree but i love to tailor sound and stick
with the "tidious" vintage hardware. Not saying im not using software but when its supposed to be good i take
my time to get there, but hell, im not that industry related because then the first i would purchase would've been
PT (and i still havent lol).

I like any kind of software + mpc though, cant go wrong there especially when doing live sets. Also, unparalleled software i consider not really that necessary ina regards to hiphop...i cant say that i could hear such benefits in hiphop music (more techno or breaks related).