1 1/2 years alone with an AnalogKeys

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#19

Funny, that’s how I got mine too, showed up on Craigslist and I jumped on it. Incredible instrument.

Using just the four voices is more like juggling than multitracking: think of the tracks as a kind of platform where you can place any sound at any time. Rather than build layers you swap things around. It’s not easy at first but it has the advantage of keeping the sound clean.

2 Likes
#20

Thank you for the kind words. Mopho is a great synth, maybe a Mopho x4 is in your future?

1 Like
#21

Amazing work! The sounds are delightful and it was very entertaining listening and watching you play!

1 Like
#22

Right now my setup is the mopho/medusa/octatrack - so I probably won’t move to the x4 although I’ve always been tempted. I still like having a few machines around, although I love the idea of having only one synth for everything!

1 Like
#23

Meditations is phenomenal, wonderful job!

And your post is very valuable and inspirational as well, thank you for sharing your insights and learnings.

1 Like
#24

This is very inspiring!

Thinking about doing the same with Digitone

2 Likes
#25

the ones of these i’ve watched so far are all interesting and enjoyable. unexpectedly good stuff. hope it keeps up as long as you’re finding some good fun in it.

1 Like
#26

Everything on your channel is fire. I’ve only been subbed for a couple of weeks but at this point my partner knows what I mean when I walk into the living room grab the remote and say “New Todd just dropped”.

Genuinely inspirational work, thank you for sharing!

5 Likes
#27

Veri nice tracks, you make the A4 shine.

1 Like
#28

Hero.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

1 Like
#29

Stage 1: Discovery of Todd’s youtube channel
Stage 2: Planning out something similar on gear you already have
Stage 3: Waking up at the crack of dawn on a weekend to get a mint AnalogKeys before anyone else is similarly inspired

13 Likes
#30

your work with the A4 is incredible, glad to have stumbled upon them. These tips are also very helpful, i think a lot of them apply to most elektron gear

thanks for sharing this, keep up the good work. i love the youtube channel

2 Likes
#31

It seems like there’s more than 4 voices here :slight_smile:

1 Like
#32

Firstly an impressive acheivement, thanks for sharing it. And inspirational. Maybe even somewhat subversive in this age.

3 Likes
#33

Thank you! A few strategies:

  • Arpeggios take the place of block chords, with one voice. especially with a lot of reverb it makes a sort of harmonic smear. Softer attacks can help too.
  • Spread your harmonies across voices. So, for example the bass plays the C, another track plays a two note sequence on E and B, a third voice leads on G. Together it’s a C maj7 chord with three voices. Clever use of the subosc modes can help here too.
  • a four note chord with a different timbre for each note often sounds bigger and more “polyphonic” than an 8 or 12 voice chord mono-timbral.
  • a few voices that move a lot against each other also sounds like more voices than a thick chord.
  • complex mono synth sounds with lots of rich harmonic stuff often sounds like mini-chords. And having fewer voices competing lets a lot more of that richness through.
  • two voices from one part: break a melody line into two distinct timbres, maybe in a call and response format. It presents as two things but it’s one. Bach does this in his violin suites, jumping quickly between two alternating lines it sounds like two players.
  • I guess the main thing is to go from thinking of “layers of paint” to “articulated elements”, if that makes any sense.
31 Likes
#34

As others have said, this is truly fantastic and I’m thoroughly enjoying exploring your YouTube videos (after having subscribed, of course). I might pause for a minute to watch a few explainers about what the AK actually is/does, as I don’t know the ins and outs of it, never having used (or even seen) one in person. I didn’t even realise it had a sequencer… Not that lacking an understanding of the item itself is a hinderance at all to enjoying the sounds!

2 Likes
#35

We need more of this thread. Excellent tips @psychetropic

3 Likes
#36

Agreed, I think of this often. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#37

Enourmous work, so inspirational, and superb guides. So many people should be encourage to do the same, instead of sharing pictures of small studios packed with gear and without any sounding reference. I love doing projects based on a single instrument. It makes take it to the next level, as you just did. Congratulations.

2 Likes
#38

Very nice jams! “Breaking the tyranny of the bar” :smiley:

1 Like