A4MK1 Arpeggiator Question - Up/Down type sequence

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
1

Apologies, this might be a stupid question, but the A4Mk1 Arp isn’t behaving in the way I expect - I think it’s a feature, not a bug - but I just want to double check I’m not missing something basic. (I’ve done a search on the forums and looked at other posts on the A4 arp, but none I found seem to be the question I have)

I want a three octave ascending then descending arpeggiator, which, if you pressed C1, would play:
C1 > C2 > C3 > C2
And if you then pressed C1 and G1 together (without changing any arp settings) would play:
C1 > G1 > C2 > G2 > C3 > G3 > C3 > G2 > C2 > G1
(or C1 > G1 > C2 > G2 > C3 > G3 > G3 > C3 > G2 > C2 > G1 > C1)

But I can’t seem to get the A4 to do this. My main Q: is this type of arp possible on A4, or not?

Context & Things Already tried
On other synths I’ve used, this has been a fairly common setting for the arpeggiator - called ‘Up+Down’ or something like that (and maybe ‘exclusive/inclusive’ for whether to repeat the highest and lowest notes).
From reading the Manual, I thought it would be ‘CYC’ Mode option set to RNG 3, but I think what that does is play an ascending & descending sequence in one octave, and then repeat that the octave above i.e., for C1 & G1 played is:
C1 > G1 > C1, > C2 > G2 > C2, > C3 > G3 > C3
And for just C1 sounds the same as ‘Up’ i.e., C1 > C2 > C3.

Using Arp ‘Setup’ I can, of course, achieve either of the sequences I want - but exclusively, not able to do both (as I want to be able to hold a C note and get my first desired sequence, and then hold C&G together and get my second desired sequence without changing any settings - only the notes).
So if I create a pattern on Arp Set up using the offsets:
1=0, 2=12, 3=24, 4=12
I get my first desired sequence, but playing 2 notes together makes those 2 notes fit within the those 4 rather than extending the sequence as desired (if that makes sense).
And if I create a pattern on Arp Setup using the offsets:
1=0, 2=7, 3=12, 4=19, 5=24, 6=31, 7=24, 8=19, 9=12, 10=7
I get my desired second sequence, but, obviously, that cannot play my first single note sequence at all.

Am I missing something basic or is this just a type of arp mode that’s not achievable with the A4?

Thanks in advance!

2

this is an amazing question - i have never thought about it in this way, i am merely turning knobs until they sound good with a dog sense of the mathematics and thats it - well done on your excellent question!
i can’t answer it tho…

3

Thanks for the reply and the reassurance it’s not a totally stupid question at least!

Having played around with it a bit more, I think it can’t do what I want it to do - I have had no luck with it anyway - which is strange, as it’s definitely an arp pattern I thought was very basic and standard. I think I had some luck by setting my midi keyboard to push out three notes octaves apart (so you hit C1 and it sends C1+C2+C3, and C1&G1 and it sends C1+G1+C2+G2+C3+G3) and setting the arp RNG to 1 - but still not sure it’s quite right and it’s annoying to have the keyboard set up that way.

I too usually just turn the knobs til their good! Reason this is a specific pattern is cos it’s for an upcoming show where the part is normally played on another synth with an ‘up+dn’ arp setting, but I want to use just the A4 to save space this time - but I can’t get it sounding quite right. Probably only me who’d notice it tho - if no one says anything in the next rehearsal, I’ll just go with the weird approximation I’ve made :slight_smile:

1 Like
4

sounds like you have it all worked out well for the gig!