I currently own OT and a MM. I like experimental music, IDM, so I got the two that I decided were the best for experimenting with sounds. I’m thinking of getting either one of the A4 or AR next, I’m not sure if I want to get AR to make beat creation smoother, or if I want to try deeper analog synthesis with A4. I’m not a big fan of monomachine as pads or ambient sound (I haven’t done enough research yet), and I’m drawn to the silky sound of A4, but AR is hard to dismiss.
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Welcome 
If you’re into synthesis, A4 is much fun! And not only for silkiness. Not that great for pads though, more like 4 powerful mono with voice stealing. You have to be ok with the 4 voice limitation and constantly finding ways to overcome this. I love it, personally. Way more than the MM.
It can also do interesting drums, or OT feeder ^^
AR offers to mangle samples with synthesis, it’s offering less possibilities than A4 but resampling opens the infinity door.
It can sound brutal, thanks to the analog compressor.
It makes drums very immediate.
Maybe consider Syntakt that do nice drums too, but offers more possibilities on the synthesis side. Bass are I credible! Both analog and digital engines. A solid machine, IMO.
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If you’re into pads and ambient, A4 is indeed capable of some luscious pads.
However, if you’re into ambient, I encourage you to think about whether 4-note polyphony is actually enough for you. Are you fairly minimal about chords, or do you like those big extended 9th/11th chords with deep bass sub-octaves?
Also, give some consideration to whather you’ll enjoy the bureaucratic overhead of configuring it for polyphony when you need it, and dealing with how the voice stealing works.
I do love the A4, but I find myself using it most fluidly and joyfully when I treat it as a pile of four monosynths. I have other synths that are fantastic for pads and don’t have the same limitations.
You can certainly do beautiful ambient stuff within those limitations, though.. If your tastes are more minimal like this, it may still be a good fit for you.
I will say, having similar interests to you, I ultimately ended up having both of these machines.
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Imho MM is one of the best device ever for pads and ambient. You can easily stake 24 notes, 6xchorus, 6xtapedelays. It is much superior to A4 in that regard. Meanwhile it lacks in classic and usable drum sounds (you can do strange fm percussion, sophie, etc) so the perfect companion is MD or AR.
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I don’t want to auto promote me, but if you want listen to this track, from 16:30 to 20:30 it is only MM (with Strymon reverb). I think it is very suitable for ambient and pads.
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For experimentalism the Rytm is far better than the A4, as it follows the Elektron tradition of having different machines per track and you can abuse them to get great sounds. The fixed architecture of the A4 is its big limitation for me as each track is exactly the same structure. It gets a bit boring and I don’t find it as immediate to make interesting sounds with. You can make all sorts of sounds on the Rytm, not just drums. And the sample playback adds an extra layer of potential. It’s a happy accident lover’s best friend.
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Don’t you use Sound locks?
I found it really opens the machine, it’s a good way to overcome the 4 tracks limitations and get crazy tracks.
Together with trig conditions, it can lead to a wide variety of ever-changing sounds out of one track.
Direct Jump can also be a good way to add crazy variations (and introduce happy accidents)
I also dig the Chorus metallic tones with high feedback.
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…i’m biased…my answer will always be…a4.
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You need to explore it more. That “fixed architecture” is one of the most open-ended, flexible, powerful, interesting synth voices available. It’s waaaay more flexible than the Rytm Machines.
You’re right that it isn’t “quick”. Just slow down.
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Or try to master the part you don’t.
There are so many things one can just ignore (“I’ll see that later”) that become solid arrows to your bow once you’ve explored them sufficiently to know their impact.
Understanding how AM works on A4 (together with PWM or ENV on PW and the different Sync types), what’s going on when Sync amount breaks halfways, plocking Slide parameter when using pitch slide, toggling osc retrig, using vibrato at high speeds: the OSC2 second menu has plenty of options that are easily overlooked.
Noise options are also nice to modulate.
BTW modulations can go to pitch-tracking FM, so they have to be tried on every parameter with every speed and shape before you think you’ve exhausted every aspect ^^
Add Velocity-driven macros to actually play your sound (make sure you get a decent keyboard besides it. I’m good with a Keystep 37).
Even CV out back in Audio In can get you crazy timbres, and a 5th voice.
Recently I’ve try to recreate/emulate some of my favorite Roland S-1 patches, and found plenty of gorgeous analog sounds. Saw LFO on filter with some Fade in + Phase set to half for instance, was a joy, together with a bit of delay.
So if we’re back at looking for
between AR and A4, my pick would be A4 certainly, plenty of options to investigate will get you busy for years.
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Mine too., even tho’ I LOVE the Rytm.
I liked how your post serves as a guide to what to learn. There’s a lot there I’ve yet to try.
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laughs in samples
seriously though… I need to get A4 too…
There‘s been a lot of probably useful hints in this thread:
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Meanwhile on the Rytm:
Plus tons more tips and ideas in Rytm tips and tricks - #194 by taro
Both of these machines are plenty deep for an experimental mind at play.
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I find the housekeeping overhead of sound locks too much to deal with. Having to remember if the sound in the pool has also been saved in the +drive is really annoying. Ditto when forgetting the track sound isn’t saved anywhere and I change it by accident… Also had a lot of issues with crazy uncomfortable hyper/subsonic glitches when the patch changes per step. (These points count for Rytm as well.)
See, I would have preferred the classic ‘Elektron style’ of specific machines with limited purpose over 4x identical Swiss army knife synths with more parameters than I can ever use, while still managing some glaring omissions. For me the generalist slant of the synth engine makes it an endless trawl through very bland timbres 'til something close but not quite like the cup of tea sound I was after comes out. Rytm is the same when you use it straight, but push the machines to the edges and they get really interesting; plus being able to change the machine while keeping settings can get something fun and unexpected going on very quickly.
I’m a slow person by nature. But when it comes to music there’s a lot to be said for quickly getting something going and not boring myself to tears doing what nowadays constitutes an elective hobby.
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I thought only the Cycles had that.
Not referring to p-locks.
I own both. The A4 is currently in my closet… going to sell it. The AR is definitely the most fun drum machine I’ve ever owned, so that’s what I’d recommend. The AR can do some basic analog mono synthesis too if you really want.
The A4 is great at a lot of things but ultimately it felt too fiddly and menu divey for my tastes. I don’t feel inspired to go deep with the A4 the way I do with other synths.
The AR looks similar on the outside, but in practice it has way less menu diving and more immediate (and limited) sound design.
Last comment about the A4 - the sound is pretty divisive. I personally think it takes a lot of work to make it sound good. A lot of folks call it “thin”, and I’d agree. I think the sweet spots can be a little hard to find sometimes. It’s not a box you fire up and immediately get good patches out of.
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totally agree, way better as four monosynths. it’s definitely capable of beautiful poly, but it’s way more fun as four separate tracks
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Ok, well, it seems we view the instruments differently and have different workflows. I’ve never found the Four a trawl and I make most sounds from scratch most of the time. I find it quite pleasant to use and can usually get where I want quickly enough. I enjoy doing sound design in general, tho’.
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