A4 as Drum Machine/ Dual A4 Live Setup

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

So, just a short background info moment: I’ve been using hardware to make live cuts of dance music for about 6-7 years. I’ve fallen hard for my A4 and when I had to liquidate my studio recently I kept only the A4. I’ve been loving just using the A4 and Patterning on my iPad for jams. But the I don’t quite get on with the iPad for live use.

Circumstances will allow me to add another ~1K (USD) box to my setup. And I can probably add a few bits and bobs like a mixer and a few FX. I’ve been thinking over a few options and have considered the Octa, trying an Electribe Sampler again (had one and I just never got around to using it much, but loved my ESX to pieces, first piece of gear and all…).

I’ve tried making quite a few tunes with just the A4 and came to love it as a percussion instrument. And I’ve been fantasizing about the possibility of a dual A4 setup. Do people think this is viable? I like the idea of the 4 track limitation and using sound locks and all else the A4 offers…or doesn’t to come up with some great dance grooves. I worry though that things will sound…I dunno…weird if I’m using two of the same synth for most of my music. As I alluded to I’ve got budget to add some external FX (probably distortion/saturation I’m thinking would be most useful for tone shaping and changing flavors).

I feel like in the end I’ll end up wanting to add sampling into this mix. For percussion at the least. I’ve got my iPad and can integrate it well enough to the setup. I could possibly get an interface with some outputs to let it multi task a little bit.

I’m a little drunk and just spit balling here…I’m just curious if anyone has any thoughts. I prefer a really minimal setup. I’d don’t mind a reasonable pile of “set and forget equipment”, but as far as what I have to pay attention to when jamming, I want it to not be much and synergize well. I’ve explored the A4 quite a bit, but there is so much I’ve haven’t at the same time.

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#3

I have a4 and keys. To justify having both you have to really dig the sound as you are essentially doubling up the sound. Its a trade off getting two of the same vs two different machines. Having said that I have no regrets as very few synths offer the functionality these offer in terms of tracks, cv, fx, sequencer. Its kind of a nice luxury that most people would probably question as you can also invest that grand into variety instead of functionality.

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#4

@bradleyallen Yes. Either of the samplers make the most all around sense. Love me some ER-1 sounds though : ) I had a really mint MKII some years ago and kind of regret selling it. I think its more than likely I’ll go this way.

@Cosmic The doubling of the sound is certainly one of my top concerns as I can only really justify one maybe two major music purchases a year. And well I could get an A4, try the dual setup and sell it if I don’t like it. That is really going to cut into the little free time I have for music–I hate the buy sell cycles of hardware!

I have a computer and can use it well enough to make music, though because of a wrist injury I try not to use the computer much.

I think at the end of the day this is, perhaps, a pipe dream. The Electribe Sampler is all around the logical best choice.

#5

It depends on how dedicated and committed you want to be to the elektron workflow and so forth - because IMO the boxes definitely reward such a thing. This is not the case for a lot of gear, but it is very applicable to elektron stuff. A well experienced person is going to be able to do much, much more than someone who just picked one up. It also rewards creative thinking, i.e. workarounds, etc. - which is a key concept because plenty of people cant be bothered to do that, and I dont blame them. The idea is: how much potential does it hold for you if it was possible for you to “master” the device to some degree? I think the answer to that is very conditional - its going to depend on a lot of variables: the type of music you make, the type of person you are, the goals you have set for yourself, etc.

Like you, I simply have to have sampling and also be able to use a number of different samples - in general some very long ones (up to a minute or more) - simply because of the type of music I want to make. I chose to keep it in the family and go with an OT, which honestly is a big compromise in a number of other areas (which have been discussed at great length elsewhere), because I feel like the elektron workflow clicks with me in such a way that the compromises are ultimately beneficial in the long run. That wont be true for everyone. Some people will benefit much more from a varied setup, or adding some modular, or just software or whatever. Its also not a guarantee that any given choice will actually turn out to be the best, but as you say sometimes you have to experiment and just try out what seems best at the time - then revisit the plan later once you have observed more of the results.

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#6

a question you might ask yourself: is there something about the a4’s architecture that allows you to do things live in real time that you could not do with sampled percussion hits and loops you create with it? for example, do your sounds depend heavily on a plocked effects track, on evolving arps, on probability-based trigs? do your live performances?

or could you do other, equally interesting things with sampled versions of them, slicing, stacking, resampling, resequencing, remixing them using the OT’s features?

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#7

Hmm… Percussion, distortion FX, samples, electron sequencer, loves the Analog Four, has around $1000…

You sound like someone in desperate need of an Analog Rytm!

#8

i agree, think you’re actually looking for the Rytm.

#9

Thanks guys. Yea I would love a RYTM. I just dont want to end up regretting not having more advanced sampling. This is all theoretical at the moment as I wont have money for anything for quite a while.