What an awesome deep dive on two fantastic machines! One little note, the A4 has something a little like the "add note" mode of the digitone on the arp page. It doesn't show you the notes, but it lists all the offsets of the voices while a given trig is held. If your fingers have the reach, Tryti's Trig+Yes can be used to preview a chord with one hand while the other adjusts the note offsets with the F, G, and H encoders. It's clunky, but sometimes useful as an alternate way to find that last note for a chord when the single-octave keyboard feels too small.
Ohh, great tip! I'm gonna try that out. It sounds very similar to how you add multiple notes to trigs on the midi tracks on the Digitakt and Digitone. Hehe, Tryti's Trig+Yes :P
As someone that owns the Digitone and has been considering an Analog Four MKII as well, this was very helpful. I even learnt some Digitone functions along the way!
Thank you so much! This was really interesting! As a DN user I found this comparison really helpful even if, like you said, they are two totally different devices.
Very good and very useful video. I have A4 MkIi and DigitoneKeys and this has taught me several new tips and inspired me to use both together. Thanks so much.
looking for a companion to digitakt and love your videos. excited for this one brother cheers anddd youre not only great the the machines but a good teacher and explainer. man the analog four sounds so smooth. bummer its so expensive tbh. thanks for all the videos. sincerely really appreciate them
Thank you very much! Yeah, a used A4 is still pretty expensive. For what it's worth, the Digitakt synergizes better with the Digitone than with the Analog Four, in my opinion. They're small enough that they can be used side-by-side as if they're one big Elektron device, they have pretty much identical workflows, you don't need to change the midi settings as much because the default settings work very well. The A4's workflow is different enough that there's a little disconnect when using the two devices together. For example, saving patterns and projects on the DT+DN uses the same motion (FUNC+YES then FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES), but on the A4 you have to save the kit and pattern separately (YES+KIT, YES+PTN, FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES). Doing these actions at the same time on both devices feels more natural on the DT+DN combo than on the DT+A4 combo. I could go on about the differences in workflow, but this is pretty much the reason I still make more music with the DT+DN combo than the DT+A4 combo :)
@@IvarTryti Thanks for the detailed reply. I was a bit worried the digitone can't make more 'natural' piano sounding patches, but after looking, it just seems like you have to learn fm and it is still one of the best multi timbral beasts out there. i keep wondering if i may end up with one. only gripe i have w the digi teir machines is is that you cant change the reverb+delay settings in the sequencer. if that was possible i think it would blow the machines wide open. midi loopback exists but it is such a pain!
Valuable info. I have a syntakt, love it. I've been looking at the rytm or an a4 cause I wanted a "big" elektron device to compliment the ST but the digitone is looking better and better the more I see/hear it... Ugh, so much to think about, lol... Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your knowlege and experience.
Fun to watch, I’ve had both and miss the Digitones sequencer / note input and arp. @Ivar you’ve missed the Kits and Patterns chapter in the timestamp description. Cheers!
Thanks for this vid. I've long lusted for a DN (and the DT and Syntact and...) but am not in a position to get one, but this taught me a few things about the AK that I do have, that I'd like to try to integrate in to my use. And some limitations it's better to know about ahead of any confusing ill-timed discovery.
like that deep dive into my digitone, to understand more things around that machine, I like these limitations around that 8-polyphone synth... wow thank you for the informations e.g. how to set a chord visualy. That was helpful to me. There are so many things to learn about
Thanks! The A4 is on my never-sell list, even now that I have the Digitone 2. The Digitone 2's new features make it way easier to do everything on just the DN2 itself and not have to add the A4 to the setup, but... There are absolutely tons of sounds to explore on the A4 that you can't on the DN2. The workflow is different enough that you're nudged in different directions than the DN2, especially with the performance macros. That said, it's easier to make complete tracks on the DN2 with the new machines and 16 voices. The A4 is amazing as a standalone groovebox, but you have to be creative to get the most out of only 4 voices.
@@IvarTryti Thanks for the reply. I agree, A4-mk2 is one of my favorite (never-sell) Elektrons, along with Octatrack and Monomachine. Iconic machine can design interesting analog sounds and more starting from a simple sine wave and so on, reminds me of my OB-6. I like the larger format enclosure itself vs. the smaller more compact Elektrons, A4 feels like a workstation. I know the Digitone, Digitakt, Syntakt are space saving but I would like them in a larger desktop form like the Analog Four etc.
Nice. I love the dn, had the A4 but sold it. Now I wish I had given the A4 more time but I could not ‘connect to it’. To much for me but the possibility’s are great
I think so too. I haven't tried combining them yet though, because I always get overwhelmed when imagining using the two together. Both make great sounding drums, but designing drum sounds and programming drum patterns on the Analog Four and Digitone is much more labor intensive than doing so on a Digitakt or Syntakt. That said though, I really should try using them together!
Yeah, a fantastic comparison, thank you! Regarding toggling the ARP on/off for certain trigs on the A4: I think that you can fake this by P-locking some trigs to a short note length. For these short trigs only the first note of the arpeggio will play.
@peterdekkers can you explain a bit more? I'm learning the A4 (via an AK) and haven't yet mastered the ARP, but find tips/tricks a useful (if ass-backward) way in. is the arp argpegiating if only the first note of it plays? Sorry if I'm being slow
@@bentropy hello, yeah, so if you like having the arpeggio going, but you want to turn it off for certain trigs, then you can set a short note length for only those trigs where you don't want the arpeggio. It will then indeed only play the first note of the arpeggio, for those short trigs. On other, longer trigs, it will play out arpeggiated notes for the duration of said trig. Hope that makes sense :)
mk1 saturates INTO the transistor filter..so it will change your filters behavior if you want a more tradition sort of synth sound you turn the knob a bit counter clockwise. the clockwise is a distortion after the filter i think,
just wanted you to know that beat coming off the digitone was doing something inappropriate to my soul, especially when that overdrive it. do you know if thats the same or similar overdrive from the elektron heat? great video!
Haha 😅! I sold the Heat last year so I can't compare the tones, but from what I remember the Digitone doesn't sound like any of the Heat's circuits. I think the closest would be the saturation or enhancement circuits, but on the Digitone you have a one-knob overdrive while on the Heat you have controls for drive amount, dry/wet mix, low and high EQ, envelope follower (that I used as a pseudo compressor all the time). That said, I really like the Digitone's overdrive :D
I like to think that the effective voice count for both is high enough to write songs, if you factor in how complex a voice can be. On Digitone, 4 notes in one voice is possible with Algo 7. On A4, You can do drums on a single track, as a voice can do up to 3 simultaneous drum sounds, for kick, percussion, and snare/hat. And of course with sub osc chords can be up to 4 notes, though the notes you can have are limited. Filter resonance can also serve as additional tones. So yes you must be creative. I think I'd rather combine the two devices or sample their drum sounds and free them up for chromatics and modulated stuff.
Any tutorials put there for making chords with Algo 7 or how you would make a sound on the A4 that serves as 3 drums at the same time? Would really appreciate it!
@@fargoththemoonsugarmaniac I don't think there's any real way on the A4 to make one sound that serves as 3 sounds at the same time, on the same track, except by clever sound design - taking advantage of all the oscilators, filters, noise gen, envs, lfos, fx and ofc PLocks to emulate the sound of e.g. a kick + snare + hat sound all hitting. I'm sure some people have done this and sound locked it into a track with individual drum sounds the resemble the elements of this combined sound. It might sound cool/interesting, but I doubt if it sounds 'natural' or realistic. Maybe @ivartryti will offer his insights/experience/opinion.
Maybe the Digitone, I think. I really like both the A4 and the DN, but the DN is easier to use together with the Digitakt, and that's a really good combo. It's also cheaper, which should be taken into consideration.
@@IvarTryti thanks for replying! indeed looking like both powerful machines. I am trying not to buy new synth, but it's not the easy one :) already having DN, loving it. Instead of DT using sp404 mk2, still learning it.
@@blindeveloper My pleasure, man :) The A4 is a lot of fun, but it takes more effort. Sometimes I just don't want to deal with that. The Digitone is easier to just jump straight into!
@@IvarTryti really appreciate you sharing this experience! Thanks! Also I am super happy that elektron finally find out your talent and sent you syntakt! Thats a big step I think, congrats!
Oh, you're right! I imagine people who watch this video stumbled upon it while doing research on whether they should get a DN or an A4, or that they have one of them and are considering getting the other.
They're labels for a few plugin parameters in FL Studio. I've been playing around with using a midi track to control some mixing/mastering plugins so I don't have to click around as much on a screen. The labels are Input Gain, Ratio, Speed, Makeup Gain, Level Match, Saturation Mix, LMH Mix and Bass EQ. Then on tracks 1 and 2 there's Active and Full Volume. Muting track 1 will bypass the plugins on the master channel, and track 2 will turn off level match so I'm hearing the full volume.
42 min in and you finally made the really necessary and most important point. On the A4, all have Arp or none have Arp. This could have made the video 41 minutes shorter. But I thank you for sharing this deal breaker.
@@TheJKOLP No, it’s per track (as opposed to per sound on the Digitone). A big part of the Elektron workflow is the ability to lock different sounds to steps on the sequencer within a single track. On the Digitone you can lock the arp to be on or off per sound on a single track. On the A4 the arp is controlled per track (for example: tracks 1-3 no arp, track 4 arp enabled etc.).
@@soundsofsamsara That seems like a limitation but not a dealbreaker. It's still an independent arp per track (also ones for CV and FX tracks?). It would be cool if Elektron updated it to per trig/soundlock but there are always limitations with any device. And the A4 is already so deep, so many parameters and features, that it's fairly overwhelming. I wonder how often one really *needs* this amount of flexible arpeggiation/note, even tho yes it sounds cool? I did walk away confused by how Ivar made it sound like there was simply one ARP for all the tracks, rather than at least 4 separate ones...?
i am an analog 4 owner, do love it but I never can make the bass sounds that I want out of it. super clean subby a little liquid and resonant. not anything like a 303 but more minimalist wobbly sounds. im considering the digitone but dont see many people using it just for bass sounds.
I am thinking of switching my MC707 to an Elektron box, looking to use it with my Keystep Pro as the squencer, in terms of Synth Sounds, Drum Sounds, is one better than the other? I like the Analog becuase it has more knobs to tweak, which is what I really want to do. Create a squence, and play with knobs. Any Elektron boxs you would recomend?
Direct jump limitations (or bugs maybe) on A4 did frustrated me! I've started to learn this machine straight with a polyrythmic track creation... And that was not what I've expected from these "jumps".
can you say a bit more about your experience with thei or explain in a bit more detail what you mean, for those of us trying to deepen our understanding of the A4 (and its limitations/necessary workarounds)?
@@bentropy For example: you make a pattern where T1 has 1 page of a sequence (16 notes), T2 has 1 and 1/2 page (16 + 8 notes). So it gives a polyrythm obviously (repeating only after T1 will play 3 times). If you'll Jump then everything will be broken. T1 will play normally but T2 will play with some offset. And it will sound not normal (like two separate tracks that was started individually with some time lag). I've expected that with Jump function everything will be playing "seamless" (as it meant to be). Maybe to prevent any offsets there must be a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern. BTW, my next pattern was in the same conditions! I mean that T1 has 1p, T2 has 1+1/2p scale. Also as I remember: if you press a combo for a next pattern precisely then it's not making an offset. By "Jump" I mean the choice of switching when a sequence "jumps" directly to the next pattern without restart. If it was on 3rd note (at that moment of a key press) then it will continue on 4th note of a next pattern. I think that there is some miss in the code. It can be improved (or I must say "fixed").
"a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern" - I've meant that there will be options: - reswitch a page position to 1st if a Track has not full page length (maintaining a relative note position: calculating the necessary offset) - playing "as is" (like usual Jumpe meaning) with "IF" condition: IF a next pattern has different Track(s) length then their "note switch positions" will be calculated relatively to the core (minimal) page length. If T1 has 1 full page then IF T2-1 has 24 notes and T2-2 (the next pattern) has 22 notes (less than T2-1) then IF "key press" was on 22nd or 23rd note -> T2-2 note position will be set with (-16) notes offset (16 is T1 length). I wish that I could work on A4's firmware! :)
@@KiR_3d thanks for this! I think I follow you, but I probably need to try it for myself. I’ve def been using polyrhythmic sequences, and jump (the kind where it picks up the next sequence on the next step, rather than starting from the first). I’m not sure what the default behavior should be but it would be nice if to gave the used some smart/creative options.
What an awesome deep dive on two fantastic machines!
One little note, the A4 has something a little like the "add note" mode of the digitone on the arp page.
It doesn't show you the notes, but it lists all the offsets of the voices while a given trig is held.
If your fingers have the reach, Tryti's Trig+Yes can be used to preview a chord with one hand while the other adjusts the note offsets with the F, G, and H encoders.
It's clunky, but sometimes useful as an alternate way to find that last note for a chord when the single-octave keyboard feels too small.
Ohh, great tip! I'm gonna try that out. It sounds very similar to how you add multiple notes to trigs on the midi tracks on the Digitakt and Digitone. Hehe, Tryti's Trig+Yes :P
@jaystink can you explain in little more detail what you mean or how you do it, for those of us still learning the A4? thanks!
As someone that owns the Digitone and has been considering an Analog Four MKII as well, this was very helpful. I even learnt some Digitone functions along the way!
Thank you again, Ivar. You really own these machines. I hope elektron is aware.
Thanks a lot, man!
Word!
Thank you so much! This was really interesting! As a DN user I found this comparison really helpful even if, like you said, they are two totally different devices.
Very good and very useful video. I have A4 MkIi and DigitoneKeys and this has taught me several new tips and inspired me to use both together. Thanks so much.
Great Video, I own the A4 for quite some time now, but still learned a couple of tricks from this vid. Thanks!
Thanks for watching, man! Glad you learned some tricks from this video :)
Great detail. Thanks for the time you speit on this!
Thank you so much! Great up load and explanation. There is a lack if any of this type of comparison on the two devices.
looking for a companion to digitakt and love your videos. excited for this one brother cheers
anddd youre not only great the the machines but a good teacher and explainer. man the analog four sounds so smooth. bummer its so expensive tbh. thanks for all the videos. sincerely really appreciate them
Thank you very much! Yeah, a used A4 is still pretty expensive. For what it's worth, the Digitakt synergizes better with the Digitone than with the Analog Four, in my opinion. They're small enough that they can be used side-by-side as if they're one big Elektron device, they have pretty much identical workflows, you don't need to change the midi settings as much because the default settings work very well. The A4's workflow is different enough that there's a little disconnect when using the two devices together. For example, saving patterns and projects on the DT+DN uses the same motion (FUNC+YES then FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES), but on the A4 you have to save the kit and pattern separately (YES+KIT, YES+PTN, FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES). Doing these actions at the same time on both devices feels more natural on the DT+DN combo than on the DT+A4 combo. I could go on about the differences in workflow, but this is pretty much the reason I still make more music with the DT+DN combo than the DT+A4 combo :)
@@IvarTryti Thanks for the detailed reply. I was a bit worried the digitone can't make more 'natural' piano sounding patches, but after looking, it just seems like you have to learn fm and it is still one of the best multi timbral beasts out there. i keep wondering if i may end up with one. only gripe i have w the digi teir machines is is that you cant change the reverb+delay settings in the sequencer. if that was possible i think it would blow the machines wide open. midi loopback exists but it is such a pain!
Amazing video, maybe i’ve lost it but it would be nice a second part comparing the sound synthesis diferences
One creates sounds via FM-synthesis and the other uses subtractive wave synthesis.
Great explanation and tutorial. I learned a lot ! Thanks 👏🙏
Thanks for sharing your skills Ivar, you are a true maestro,
Valuable info. I have a syntakt, love it. I've been looking at the rytm or an a4 cause I wanted a "big" elektron device to compliment the ST but the digitone is looking better and better the more I see/hear it... Ugh, so much to think about, lol... Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your knowlege and experience.
Well done! This "documentary" is very interesting and useful✌🏻
Very helpful video. Thanks.
Fun to watch, I’ve had both and miss the Digitones sequencer / note input and arp. @Ivar you’ve missed the Kits and Patterns chapter in the timestamp description. Cheers!
Glad to hear it! I'm gonna update the timestamps, thanks a lot :)
Thanks for this vid. I've long lusted for a DN (and the DT and Syntact and...) but am not in a position to get one, but this taught me a few things about the AK that I do have, that I'd like to try to integrate in to my use. And some limitations it's better to know about ahead of any confusing ill-timed discovery.
I use both quite a bit, and this was still very informational! Now to practice more.
like that deep dive into my digitone, to understand more things around that machine, I like these limitations around that 8-polyphone synth... wow thank you for the informations e.g. how to set a chord visualy. That was helpful to me. There are so many things to learn about
Your demo track is really pretty. I always love smeary brass type of sound with long release.
Very useful info.....I own both and this would have been very helpful. Still trying to get used to 4A sound. Thank you for a helpful upload.
Great video. Do you think A4 is still worth keeping along with Digitone-2? I am still learning A4 mk2, but
thinking of getting DN2.
Thanks! The A4 is on my never-sell list, even now that I have the Digitone 2. The Digitone 2's new features make it way easier to do everything on just the DN2 itself and not have to add the A4 to the setup, but... There are absolutely tons of sounds to explore on the A4 that you can't on the DN2. The workflow is different enough that you're nudged in different directions than the DN2, especially with the performance macros. That said, it's easier to make complete tracks on the DN2 with the new machines and 16 voices. The A4 is amazing as a standalone groovebox, but you have to be creative to get the most out of only 4 voices.
@@IvarTryti Thanks for the reply. I agree, A4-mk2 is one of my favorite (never-sell) Elektrons, along with Octatrack and Monomachine. Iconic machine can design interesting analog sounds and more starting from a simple sine wave and so on, reminds me of my OB-6. I like the larger format enclosure itself vs. the smaller more compact Elektrons, A4 feels like a workstation. I know the Digitone, Digitakt, Syntakt are space saving but I would like them in a larger desktop form like the Analog Four etc.
This is great ty
Digitone is just tons of fun. Quick and easy and yet so profound.
Nice. I love the dn, had the A4 but sold it. Now I wish I had given the A4 more time but I could not ‘connect to it’. To much for me but the possibility’s are great
Veldig bra gjennomgang!
Tusen takk! :D
Yes, amazing dive indeed! You should be the one who demonstrate Elektron products ;-)
I think these two make up a very good couple!
I think so too. I haven't tried combining them yet though, because I always get overwhelmed when imagining using the two together. Both make great sounding drums, but designing drum sounds and programming drum patterns on the Analog Four and Digitone is much more labor intensive than doing so on a Digitakt or Syntakt. That said though, I really should try using them together!
Yeah, a fantastic comparison, thank you!
Regarding toggling the ARP on/off for certain trigs on the A4: I think that you can fake this by P-locking some trigs to a short note length. For these short trigs only the first note of the arpeggio will play.
Thanks for watching! I haven't used that trick much, gotta try it out more. I think I remember it worked as you explained.
@peterdekkers can you explain a bit more? I'm learning the A4 (via an AK) and haven't yet mastered the ARP, but find tips/tricks a useful (if ass-backward) way in. is the arp argpegiating if only the first note of it plays? Sorry if I'm being slow
@@bentropy hello, yeah, so if you like having the arpeggio going, but you want to turn it off for certain trigs, then you can set a short note length for only those trigs where you don't want the arpeggio. It will then indeed only play the first note of the arpeggio, for those short trigs. On other, longer trigs, it will play out arpeggiated notes for the duration of said trig.
Hope that makes sense :)
@@peterdekkers cool thanks I’ll try it!
mk1 saturates INTO the transistor filter..so it will change your filters behavior if you want a more tradition sort of synth sound you turn the knob a bit counter clockwise. the clockwise is a distortion after the filter i think,
just wanted you to know that beat coming off the digitone was doing something inappropriate to my soul, especially when that overdrive it. do you know if thats the same or similar overdrive from the elektron heat? great video!
Haha 😅! I sold the Heat last year so I can't compare the tones, but from what I remember the Digitone doesn't sound like any of the Heat's circuits. I think the closest would be the saturation or enhancement circuits, but on the Digitone you have a one-knob overdrive while on the Heat you have controls for drive amount, dry/wet mix, low and high EQ, envelope follower (that I used as a pseudo compressor all the time). That said, I really like the Digitone's overdrive :D
@@IvarTryti word. I got a heat that I haven't used yet. Waiting patiently for the day I finally get a digitone. Keep doing yr thing man
@@IvarTryti why did you decide to sell your Heat?
indefinitely like more mk1 ovedrive than mk2 too :-) thanks for this video, VERY valuable content !
Thank you, that's actually very useful ❤️
This was really interesting, thanks for sharing. Out of interest do you share any sound packs you've created for us to purchase?
Thanks for watching! I have my sounds and project files available on Patreon :)
patreon.com/ivartryti
@@IvarTryti Oh wow thanks, I’ll take a look.
I like to think that the effective voice count for both is high enough to write songs, if you factor in how complex a voice can be.
On Digitone, 4 notes in one voice is possible with Algo 7.
On A4, You can do drums on a single track, as a voice can do up to 3 simultaneous drum sounds, for kick, percussion, and snare/hat. And of course with sub osc chords can be up to 4 notes, though the notes you can have are limited. Filter resonance can also serve as additional tones. So yes you must be creative.
I think I'd rather combine the two devices or sample their drum sounds and free them up for chromatics and modulated stuff.
Any tutorials put there for making chords with Algo 7 or how you would make a sound on the A4 that serves as 3 drums at the same time?
Would really appreciate it!
@@fargoththemoonsugarmaniac I don't think there's any real way on the A4 to make one sound that serves as 3 sounds at the same time, on the same track, except by clever sound design - taking advantage of all the oscilators, filters, noise gen, envs, lfos, fx and ofc PLocks to emulate the sound of e.g. a kick + snare + hat sound all hitting. I'm sure some people have done this and sound locked it into a track with individual drum sounds the resemble the elements of this combined sound. It might sound cool/interesting, but I doubt if it sounds 'natural' or realistic. Maybe @ivartryti will offer his insights/experience/opinion.
Thanks for the comparison!
So which one would you keep if you would need to go only with one of them? :)
Maybe the Digitone, I think. I really like both the A4 and the DN, but the DN is easier to use together with the Digitakt, and that's a really good combo. It's also cheaper, which should be taken into consideration.
@@IvarTryti thanks for replying! indeed looking like both powerful machines. I am trying not to buy new synth, but it's not the easy one :) already having DN, loving it. Instead of DT using sp404 mk2, still learning it.
@@blindeveloper My pleasure, man :) The A4 is a lot of fun, but it takes more effort. Sometimes I just don't want to deal with that. The Digitone is easier to just jump straight into!
@@IvarTryti really appreciate you sharing this experience! Thanks!
Also I am super happy that elektron finally find out your talent and sent you syntakt! Thats a big step I think, congrats!
How did you get them for sp cheap?
You didn’t mention that one is analog and the other an FM synth. But that might be obvious to people looking at these devices
Oh, you're right! I imagine people who watch this video stumbled upon it while doing research on whether they should get a DN or an A4, or that they have one of them and are considering getting the other.
Digitone arpeggiator one channel sequencing HACK .. super :)
It's a tedious workaround, but it is at least possible to fake retrigs this way :D
What are the little labels on the Digitone?
They're labels for a few plugin parameters in FL Studio. I've been playing around with using a midi track to control some mixing/mastering plugins so I don't have to click around as much on a screen. The labels are Input Gain, Ratio, Speed, Makeup Gain, Level Match, Saturation Mix, LMH Mix and Bass EQ. Then on tracks 1 and 2 there's Active and Full Volume. Muting track 1 will bypass the plugins on the master channel, and track 2 will turn off level match so I'm hearing the full volume.
The control-all on the Digitone does not affect the sounds from the soundpool for me! Strange
thanks for test , i think Digitone sounds better .
Happy to help! Thanks for watching =)
42 min in and you finally made the really necessary and most important point. On the A4, all have Arp or none have Arp. This could have made the video 41 minutes shorter. But I thank you for sharing this deal breaker.
Glad you found this video useful!
Wow is this right? If I play 4 separate sounds they all share the Arp? That's a big bummer if so
@@TheJKOLP No, it’s per track (as opposed to per sound on the Digitone). A big part of the Elektron workflow is the ability to lock different sounds to steps on the sequencer within a single track. On the Digitone you can lock the arp to be on or off per sound on a single track. On the A4 the arp is controlled per track (for example: tracks 1-3 no arp, track 4 arp enabled etc.).
@@soundsofsamsara thank you! That makes more sense to me now
@@soundsofsamsara That seems like a limitation but not a dealbreaker. It's still an independent arp per track (also ones for CV and FX tracks?). It would be cool if Elektron updated it to per trig/soundlock but there are always limitations with any device. And the A4 is already so deep, so many parameters and features, that it's fairly overwhelming. I wonder how often one really *needs* this amount of flexible arpeggiation/note, even tho yes it sounds cool?
I did walk away confused by how Ivar made it sound like there was simply one ARP for all the tracks, rather than at least 4 separate ones...?
i am an analog 4 owner, do love it but I never can make the bass sounds that I want out of it. super clean subby a little liquid and resonant. not anything like a 303 but more minimalist wobbly sounds. im considering the digitone but dont see many people using it just for bass sounds.
You should def check out the bass tutorial that @IvarTryti made for the a4. I learned a lot from it.
th-cam.com/video/uWGB0TSBLPY/w-d-xo.html
I am thinking of switching my MC707 to an Elektron box, looking to use it with my Keystep Pro as the squencer, in terms of Synth Sounds, Drum Sounds, is one better than the other? I like the Analog becuase it has more knobs to tweak, which is what I really want to do. Create a squence, and play with knobs. Any Elektron boxs you would recomend?
octotrack or rytm
Direct jump limitations (or bugs maybe) on A4 did frustrated me! I've started to learn this machine straight with a polyrythmic track creation... And that was not what I've expected from these "jumps".
can you say a bit more about your experience with thei or explain in a bit more detail what you mean, for those of us trying to deepen our understanding of the A4 (and its limitations/necessary workarounds)?
@@bentropy For example: you make a pattern where T1 has 1 page of a sequence (16 notes), T2 has 1 and 1/2 page (16 + 8 notes). So it gives a polyrythm obviously (repeating only after T1 will play 3 times).
If you'll Jump then everything will be broken. T1 will play normally but T2 will play with some offset. And it will sound not normal (like two separate tracks that was started individually with some time lag).
I've expected that with Jump function everything will be playing "seamless" (as it meant to be).
Maybe to prevent any offsets there must be a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern.
BTW, my next pattern was in the same conditions! I mean that T1 has 1p, T2 has 1+1/2p scale.
Also as I remember: if you press a combo for a next pattern precisely then it's not making an offset.
By "Jump" I mean the choice of switching when a sequence "jumps" directly to the next pattern without restart. If it was on 3rd note (at that moment of a key press) then it will continue on 4th note of a next pattern.
I think that there is some miss in the code. It can be improved (or I must say "fixed").
"a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern" - I've meant that there will be options:
- reswitch a page position to 1st if a Track has not full page length (maintaining a relative note position: calculating the necessary offset)
- playing "as is" (like usual Jumpe meaning) with "IF" condition: IF a next pattern has different Track(s) length then their "note switch positions" will be calculated relatively to the core (minimal) page length.
If T1 has 1 full page then IF T2-1 has 24 notes and T2-2 (the next pattern) has 22 notes (less than T2-1) then IF "key press" was on 22nd or 23rd note -> T2-2 note position will be set with (-16) notes offset (16 is T1 length).
I wish that I could work on A4's firmware! :)
@@bentropy P.S. I don't know workarounds... It will be a "workaround" if my words will be heard by the guy which write code for A4's firmware :)
@@KiR_3d thanks for this! I think I follow you, but I probably need to try it for myself. I’ve def been using polyrhythmic sequences, and jump (the kind where it picks up the next sequence on the next step, rather than starting from the first).
I’m not sure what the default behavior should be but it would be nice if to gave the used some smart/creative options.