Keys VS Four, is Keys worse?

I ended up getting both. Love them both for different reasons. Sound availability is more or less the same. Eight tracks of gooodness.

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I got the AK, sold it. I don’t miss the AK but sometimes I wish I had an A4.
The AK is a weird product, it’s half baked IMO. The small format makes more sense. I think it’s also easier to accept the limitations with the A4. It’s a better groovebox than a wannabe/failed master keyboard controller (midi fail).

I prefer the A4. I actually think the compact size and zen-like state that puts me in, improves the workflow. And I’m a keyboard player.

Oooh! I hadn’t thought until right now of the possibility of sending the note and joy stick information to the A4 and thus have the workflow advantage that is like having 2 AKs(just one of them being portable

Joystick on the Keys is invaluable, plus it has beefier filters… Looks damn good too.

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^ A4 bass vs AK bass

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Keys for life, shits the 2001 monolith in my apartment calling me to whip a bassline and drum track all out, velocity like.

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Damn handsome fellow who started that thread way back when. He talks too much, tho.

:blush:

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I own the Keys and am trying to talk myself out of odering an Analog 4 as well. I like the form factor and the idea of portability. I dislike the idea of the aggro I’ll get after assuring my wife I’ll make a lot less music gear purchases in 2017…

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+1 for the keys and the joystick functionality.

Good luck with that :innocent:

This forum’s transition into a support group for dudes with girlfriends and expensive gear is probably a positive one for our mutual mental health.

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The size of the AK is what ultimately put me off. It isn’t that big either, but it made me realize that I prefer my Elektron gear small and grooveboxy-silly as it sounds, I learn their instruments best in a recliner with headphones, and the AK isn’t quite conducive for that. But beyond that, I found myself wishing for CV inputs (especially with the joystick!) and wasn’t thrilled with the sound, often thinking I’d be better off with four monosynths and an even more flexible sequencer (which is essentially the route I picked). I’ll probably pick up an A4 at some point because I know I didn’t give the AK a fair enough chance, but it isn’t a priority right now.

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I bought it, it’s coming tomorrow, worst case senario i think i can take her in a fist fight :wink:

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So I now have an Analog four to go along with my Keys.

Initial impressions are i love the portability. Ive been tweaking sounds and creating patterns all day. On the other hand the sound selection isn’t quite as handy as the Keys. Though i think the wheel would look a tad out of place on the four :wink:

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You can use the tempo dial for sound selection, so works similarly.

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Double Tap Track gets you quickly to the right menu too

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Thanks for the tips, appreciate it

Not a big deal you get it via overbridge, otherwise inside the box mixing is ok.

Anyway, does anyone have experience or opinions to share?

Yes you absolutely need a very good midi keyboard for sound design if not i would get the KEYS because with the A4 you miss the expressivity and honestly it’s 60% of the Sound. Of course you can program a bit but it’s a pain… and a lose of time. So A4 + Very nice MIDI keyboard (and i mean a very good one with Aftertouch, channel pressure, Modulation and PitchBend + Great feeling with the key quality) or Analog Keys (honestly Size and weight is very nice and price is nearly the same so… and you get real separate outputs)

If you get the A4 without Expressivity in Mind you will sold it second hand as a lot of people i know. And when i show them what’s expressivity mean in term of sound… they usually say : Crap why i sold it :frowning:

After one month with my A4 I already think about a second one, even if I found it can be very expressive with a full and incredibly fast control with only 4 voices. Multi Map is great. Maybe I’ll modify mine for 4 outputs. I prefer independent keyboards.
Super combo with Octatrack.