A4 wave shape bugs?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hello. I was working on bass section and many times noticed that sound is very different from loop to loop. Then connected it to Ableton and was surprised…

When only one oscillator is playing(osc1 or osc2) everything is OK, wave shape is stable, but when I play two oscillators together the wave shape starts to walk hither and thither in random manner. I don’t believe it is kind of analog specific.

Please, if you have A4 mk1 or mk2 make the same test, it is interesting.

Small video here:

(sorry for the clicks, my ECHO has it sometimes)

BTW I like when it is in normal condition the wave shape is very nice, not that mathematical like in Sylenth.

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#2

When two or more signals/oscs get mixed their frequencies and frequency phases interfere with each other leading to all kind of effects.

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#3

Not really. If sources are same then result must be same, but not changes randomly…

Probably this way Dataline doesn’t use A4 for bass lines, and uses Roland.

Waiting for the answer from support, and if they say it is A feature of A4, then I think about how to change device to something better because I prefer to get sound I need but not random waves :slight_smile:

#4

The two oscillators are obviously playing out of phase.
Does the A4 have an option to reset the phase of the oscillators on keystroke?
Pretty essential feature for bass lines to avoid the phasing issues, particularly when programming 16th and faster notes.
A lot of synths have a toggle or switch to turn on and off, or even an option to select what phase of the oscillators you want them to trigger at

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#5

Seems normal to me…

#6

Presumably the oscillators are completely in tune with each other i.e. no detune?

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#7

Guys, did you see the video I made?
The problem is not that there is interference between two waves and different phases make changes, actually it is a BASE of synthesis. The problem is oscillators are floating on phase without any LFO or PWM. When they playing separately the phases are stable and don’t move around. But when they are playing together some of them or both are shifting randomly. It is not normal.

Nope, there is no option like this. I think by the idea it is the mode by default, but it doesn’t work, because if I play some notes the sound is changing also, without any LFO or modulations.

EDT: there is an option on OSC2 second page

#8

Of course I don’t use detune!

#9

But the sources must not be the same depending on your settings. Analog oscillators are normally free running and not synced together so all kind of interferences can and will happen when two or more oscillators are mixed together.

Check, for example, the following parameter (OSC2 second page, I think):

TRG (Oscillator Retrig): lets the two oscillators start each note in phase with each other. This can give a stronger and more consistent bass punch

You see? There is an option to reset the phases. There are also other parameters which influences the syncing between OSC1 and OSC2.

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#10

also turn off oscillator slop/drift

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#11

Oh, I really missed this setting. Yes there is an option, and it really does the job, it retrigs both of oscillators. But the moving of phases is still there. Going to make short video

#12

I guess I would have no idea what to expect those shapes to look and morph like, but if I listen to it it sounds just like an analog synth…

I know that’s not what you want to hear, so I’ll duck out and leave it to folks that zoom in on waveforms, I just use my ears… And I’m not being rude or anything I’m just being honest…

#13

Thank you very much! Problem is solved, Im happy.

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#14

Please read the article about interference, which I pointed out. Of course you see (in most cases) some movement and not a static waveform, because the signals of both oscillators are influencing each other.

And, yeah, there is also the parameter OSCILLATOR DRIFT in the SOUND menu.

Update: I was a second too late :slight_smile:

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#15

Just to get full of understanding, RTG option doesn’t solve my problem. But OSCILLATOR DRIFT does.
The RTG option is very good in case if you have PWM on your oscillators, then it retrigs the start position of this PW modulation. It is very powerfull feature also, thank you to remind me it.

Yes, I know how it works well :wink:

Anyway, thank you guys for real help. Going to make some crazy stuff now. See you on elektron’s space!