I like the idea of the Analog Keys evolving… I don’t know if this is a good business strategy. But for creators like me it’d be friggin PERFECT!
The AK is my favourite allrounder. It’d be so cool if it could grow, now that Overbridge is more or less done.
Oh … that’s quite a simple trick … with a bit of tweaking of this and that …
This said, it’s not the same thing than using a special formant filter. So please don’t expect to get your synth talking … 
Here we go… as a start you have to:
- use both filters
- use both resonances
- combine different EGs, LFOS, or at least different EG sensitivities/directions (polarities) on the filters
Some background in short that might be helpful.
Formants (or vowels) are built by separated frequency bands that are boosted and have a special characteristic w.r.t. audio level, position, and distance inbetween (it compares to a view of hills and valleys). Those characterisics define an “A”, or an “E”, or an “U” etc. A true human vowel has three or more of those bands … but we only have two filter resonances in the A4 to immitate this.
General approach:
Raise the resonances of both filters. Put the resonance peaks via cutoff setting for he LP and the MSF some distance appart (for a beginning use the HP in low cutoff position or the “resonance” mode of the second filter) and twiddle the cutoff of one. You should soon get some vowel like response. Now tweak both to a sweet spot.
You can also animate the filters with the EGs or LFOs. Best is to use two different modulation sources with different settings. This gives more flexibility and control. You can also experiment with EGs that are providing “positive” polarity for the first filter and “negative” for the second. This can be set that the two resonances move near to each other and gain distance later (like a pendulum), or to generate a crossover. There are unlimited options with two filters and the modulation capabilities of the A4.
Ah, I forgot the grit. Try the various feedback, AM, synch and distortion settings in various combinations. There is a lot to discover. The grit will not be as harsh or angry as generated by a digital waveshaper, but gritty enough. I love those sounds :D.
Hope I was not confusing too much and my post was a little help and starting point. 
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never thought i’d read one of the single most all round versatile and rewarding synths/boxes ever being described as ‘useless’ - each to their own, but useless it ain’t
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don’t get me wrong, if the A4 could even just dial up some VS waves e.g. it would be excellent, I just don’t see this happening … so we go out and buy an evolver or something else
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perhaps the fact that the analog rytm does samples means that the ‘analog’ tag need not be taken too definitively, maybe there’s a slim chance
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I thought the noise upgrade in the OB release was the best bit about it tbh …
Exactly. That is why further evolution of this part would be awesome.
I think the addition of digital OSC would be an excellent idea.
With all the affordable new analog synths on the market today i think this would set the A4 ahead of the competition for a while.
4 voices poly analog with sequencer , Overbridge and digi OSC !
Yes the raw sound aint no sem
but theres finesse needed with all the other options
At which point if you cant make it sound great, then its just a debate about who or what is useless. 
I think the addition of digital OSC would be an excellent idea.
This is unlikely to happen, adding an extra oscillator would really be CPU intensive.
But, if the sequencer could send midi data, it would be easy to connect an external digital synth (like a waldorf with wavetables!) and get its sound process by the A4. It would even be more powerful than having an internal digitial osc.
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I wish that too but given the workload on OB this will not happen. Meanwhile a Braids-module from MI could serve as a good starting-point
Doesn’t have to be anything fancy…just something to replace the noise oscillator and add some flava 
I know that Cuckoo did a really old video about FM synthesis on the A4 MKI but is wave table synthesis possible like that done on the Waldorf Blofeld and Access Virus? I know that the A4 is technically a 4 voice analog/digital synth but would be neat to see if some tweaks can let it do these types of synthesis!
No. Impossible
Completely different architecture.
You need a digital synth for starters
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Ah I see ok. Well I tried an Access Virus TI2 today and did not care for it the interface is not as clear to me as the Elektron Workflow. Same for the Nord Lead A1.
The Waldorf Blofeld is great though and affordable so thinking of that for wave table and Tastychips for granular synthesis.
Mmm…never heard anyone prefer Blofeld interface over virus, or particularly nord a1.
But each to their own
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well after trying all the elektron makes sense to me as weird as that is.
I was not crazy on how scattered the interface was on the nord or the virus. The desktop model is better but for the price not worth it and you can get a software VST for the Virus anyways. I do like the Blofield Rocket dead simple design.
I dream that Elektron comes out with a wave table and granular synthesis engine in a future model. They have a great FM synth in the new Digitone, analog with A4 and great sampler in the Digitakt and OT.
Huh?
Sorry none of that makes sense 
The AK’s form factor is probably my favorite of any keyboard. Three octaves, a joystick, leds for each key, aftertouch, one-button midi control, stero audio ins, and the integrated sequencer controls.
I wish someone would come out with an FM/wavetable/sampling synth built like an AK.
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