A4 Performance Macros: Recipes

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

I love the performance macros and am getting deeper into them, so here’s the question:

What recipes have you developed on your A4s?

Sometimes I am making just one sound, chucking on Unison or Poly, and using the A4 as if it wasn’t multi-timbral. In this case, I build the knobs to focus on key “effects” for that sound, with more subtle ones on the top row and extreme changes on the bottom row.

If multiple knobs affect some of the same parameters, such a Filter Frequency, I put them next to each other and those with wildy different parameters I keep apart. This way I have a sort of Matrix that let’s me twist multiple knobs at same time and be sure I’m affecting different aspects.

Also, I know they are performance knobs, but I wish the FX track could have them as LFO destinations…

So tell me, what do you do with your knobs?

Sound samples encouraged!

10 Likes
Isn't the Analog Four the most incredible and deep instrument from Elektron so far?
#2

I’m at the start of a bit of a journey experimenting with using Max/MSP to control the A4 in various different ways.

One of those ways is to piss about with external control of the macros.

I’ll post some examples once I get over the plague.

7 Likes
#3

Adjusting the chorus speed and feedback is really cool.

Listen to A4FMOscOff by Mirador on #SoundCloud

Mostly I just twiddle knobs, sees what sounds cool/different enough and then I plug the parameter into the macro.

I don’t know what I’m doing, I just do it

11 Likes
#4

This is my goto that works on leads, bass, pads:

T1: Filter1 cutoff up
T1: Osc2 level up
T1: filter1 envelope decay up
T1: overdrive up
T1: amp volume down

This increases the “brightness” and intensity of the sound, but the last amp volume down prevents it from getting TOO loud. Note: Osc2 level up assumes that Osc2 is an octave higher, preferably slightly out of tune. That way, with the macro at 0% you’re hearing mostly Osc1, but at 100% you’re hearing a mix of Osc1 and Osc2 that are an octave apart and slightly out of tune.

I also have a few macros I always put on the rightmost encoders (E and J):

T1: delay up
T2: delay up
T3: delay up
T4: delay up
FX: delay feedback up

A great way to just wash the ENTIRE THING in delay. Optionally, if I end up with waaay too much delay, I set up a separate “delay choke” macro:

FX: delay highpass filter down
FX: delay lowpass filter up
FX: delay feedback down (but just slightly)

This lets me go wild with the delay macro, but still keep things under control. I only use this as a panic button to stop the delay, I rarely perform with it. Instead of just lowering the feedback, I also close the delay filter because it’s a cool sound.

The other macro I tend to use on encoder J is a highpass filter on everything:

T1: Filter2 cutoff up
T2: Filter2 cutoff up
T3: Filter2 cutoff up
T4: Filter2 cutoff up

This assumes that the Filter2 is set to highpass mode! It works very well together with the delay macro that I usually put on E (just above J). Since there’s no master filter or anything on the A4, this is what I do instead.

Another fun macro I use a LOT for pads, leads, bass, and even drums, is to make a sound go from playing one continuous note to playing fake 16th notes or 8th notes using an LFO. If you set an LFO like this:

Shape: saw
Destination: filter1 cutoff (and/or amp vol)
Speed: 32
Multiplier: 32 (for 1/8th notes) or 64 (for 1/16th notes), or 128 (for 1/32th notes)
Depth: 0
Mode: Trig

Now, with this LFO setup, you can make a macro that increases the LFO depth. Instant 16th notes even with just one trig in the sequencer!

Those are the ones I tend to make over and over again :slight_smile:

25 Likes
#5

Cool stuff. The chorus is such a great tool getting trippy sounds. Gritty and aggressive when pushed.

3 Likes
#6

With any synth really, most interesting things happen when tweaking two params at the same time.

The A4 goes so far beyond that when tweaking two macros simultaneously.

Sync amount, bend amount and time, detune, PWM, LFO speed and depth (also their mod amount to each other) are my favourites.

Also filters of course.

I often times have some of the same destinations on many macros with different polarities.

3 Likes
#7

Honored by your contribution! Thank you @Eaves

4 Likes
#8

It completely depends on your tastes and sound programming, so style, but whatever makes it moves the patch the most, I would throw into a macro :wink:

Also the most common used live “tweaks” settings on your designed patches in order to make them more accesible would be another recommendation.

2 Likes
#9

Absolutely valid point. The more parameters you’re adjusting and the more in-your-face the macros are, the less repeatable they are.

Meanwhile 4 macros that just effect the filter for each track you can get more frequent milage out of

2 Likes
#10

I really like using the Perfs for changing the tunings of oscillators… I’m into using one Track and a Perf control to get a Minor chord at minimum, Major chord at 12 0’clock and a Sus 4 chord at maximum.

No one has said it, and I’m not sure if it’s obvious or not, but Overbridge is superb for setting these up and giving you an overview of what you’re doing (as well as being 10x faster).

13 Likes
#11

If the depth is high, yes. Dial it back baby.

4 Likes
#12

I like putting Oscillator Sync on the performance page. Since it’s a continuous sweep rather than on/off, you can drastically change the timbre of the sound with one knob. It’s good for getting metallic tones. I think it’s a much better use for sync than the standard Cars “wowow” talking synth gimmick.

5 Likes
#13

Tame your delay feedback with lowering delay volume as you increase feedback reaching 100% feedback an higher.

This was kind of the first an obvious thing to do :sweat_smile:

3 Likes