Should I get Geist 2?

#1

I come from a more rock, metal, jazz, classical background but have always dabbled in synths. Know my way around synths, even modular eurorack stuff, for drum sounds, better than hardware drum machines.

So my group switched it up and im now on drum machines and synths part of the time. Live Ive got a pretty usable iPad setup. That includes some emulations of classics like the 808, 909, something DFAMesque, and some added samples Ive made from here and there.

But our idea, going in this direction, was always that we’d build the songs on iPad and then we’d have the midi to use for other layers and such on the desktop.

Working on the first few transferred tracks now. While Ive long had Tremor, Im just now getting really tight with all the modulation aspects, and it is really working out well for me.

Between the above, a Sub Phatty, Monologue, and Mother 32, Im feeling quite a lot of options are covered.

But you know the old GAS…Ive got this electronic role now, and have barely bought anything new.

Real question…
What would Geist add for me that I cant already do?

It looks great and Ive had good experiences all around with fxpansion.

#2

It does sound like GAS, especially as you already feel like you have all you need…
But if you have the spare money, why not?

#3

I own a lot of electronic drum machines and Gheist 2 is the most overly complicated and least usable one in my collection. I also like fxpansion, but I would pass on it if I was given another chance to spend that money.
The pros, it is stable and has a few nice add on kits. The con, it feels really bloated considering its price point. It’s like opening a DAW within a DAW and I already have something similar and smoother with the MPC 2.3 software. For truly electronic drums with a sequencer, I like Microtonic’s sounds/design and Groove Agent’s variety in genres and human feel. Without a sequencer, I love Battery’s overall sound and kits. Hardware, I’m enjoying the tr-8s quite a bit.

#4

[quote=“Jazzyspoon, post:3, topic:945”]
I own a lot of electronic drum machines and Gheist 2 is the most overly complicated and least usable one in my collection. [/quote]

I have no personal experience with it but heard exactly the same before (from Confused Muse IIRC).

Microtonic is among the stuff I always loved the concept of but never got for some reason. Should be perfect for modulation considering the OP.

#6

Very helpful indeed. Thank you. Echoes some of the prior discussions on Gearslutz but much more objectively.

#7

Maybe look into a hardware drum machine with great sequencer. Even if the sounds aren’t awesome, the DrumBrute impact has great tricks up its sleeve even if the drum voices are a limited in palette. It and an iPad w/ good drum software could be great.

#8

Ya. I may. I do love especially portable hardware. Aside from more formal gigs, I just have a musical community of friends and am often invite to come over and jam at a party. Often they say guitar, okay it is my main instrument, but sometimes they don’t specify and I’ve brought the iPad which is loaded with drum machine plugins, a speaker, midi controller. Fun to shake up my more folksy-Americana leaning friends.

I like the iPad for sequencing. One thing I can’t do with a drum machine is sequence. I do not work well with anything totally quantized. And the swing slider is a poor substitute for the array of ways I might swing something. I just need to tap out the groove ya know.

#9

I’m a X0X box freak and a house music junkie…but I totally get it…a lot of modern drum machines have unquantized recording and note nudge, but to do the really human sounding stuff is way easier with a good software sequencer imo.

#10

Yeah, I’ll echo the feeling back to you that to maybe get something to see what it can do for you or to justify getting something when you’re not sure what you’ll use it for is 100% classic GAS.

Nowadays, I tend to automatically think of things like this in the opposite direction:

  1. What do I want to do?
  2. Do I have something that can do that?
  3. If not, what can I get to do that?

More often than not, I hardly ever get past 2, but I also find that I rarely find myself wanting things to a large extent anymore. Or if I do see something and want it, I usually find some way to at least approximate it with what I have already instead.

#11

Ya. Im not trying to suggest it is anything but genre dependent either. I like plenty of music that is quantized, I just dont write it myself 90% of the time.

#12

You should see the effects on 2.4…

#13

Just loaded it up this morning, actually, as I was not aware of this update being for Rens (I thought it was X/live only). Looking forward to rummaging through the updates. :slight_smile:

#14

It’s been a number of years since I’ve used it, but Geist is pretty great for a software drum machine. The sequencer is ok for a software step sequencer, not sure how live triggering works with it. Sound design is fairly flexible for a sample based system, lots of processing options as you have a bunch of layering possibilities. Pretty complex and fiddly though, maybe not the quick intuitive tool you are looking for.

If you are looking for hardware might look into the new Elektron Model:Samples.
The Elektron sequencer is amazing and you can realtime record all the triggering from the velocity sensitivite pads. If it’s like the other Elektron’s it’s unquantized resolution is quite good. Easy to fine tune and edit the results after the fact. Cheap-ish, portable, soon to have a battery pack released for it.

#15

Thanks, ya, spending much more time learning when I have a good handle now on Tremor which can get very close to most sampled sounds, doesnt seem attractive. Ive taken most of the advice here and keeping going with what I have.

#16

I have and love Geist 2 …but I’m afraid it’s near it’s end, hasn’t been updated for a while and it’s definitely not Fxpansion’s priority. I hope I’m wrong cos it’s great software !

#17

I’ve got a shitload of these drum whatever thingies (Geist and Tremor included). ITB I’d suggest to look accusonus Regroover. Brilliant piece of software.
Got a bunch of hardware, too. Yet, just added a decent portion of the EricaSynth Techno System. Fucking brilliant piece of gear. Skip the sampler and instead add the Fusion mixer. Super nice. Also added Hexinverter Mutant Rimshot.

#18

I go with @relic and get a hardware machine, the soon to be released Korg Volca Drum looks superb for the price.

Whats funny is my Mac hardrive packed in about a year ago so I put a SSD in and reinstalled all my software, well I say all… reading this thread has just reminded me that I bought Geist 2 & Tremor and forgot to install them, just goes to show how much I used them.

Drum wise nowadays I tend to put drum samples in Ableton and sequence them with some max for live device, been using the K-devices Stuff lately.