Analog four mk2 Envelopes

lipoo · 2023-01-10T19:24:15.437Z

Hello , im interested in how r u using a4 envelopes ?
mostyl Im using em for overdrive & f1&f2 and pitch . Im making techno ( industrial) and would be nice to know more creative ways to use envelopes for powerful sound design
Peace

Kraus · 2023-01-10T20:56:29.637Z

I use them for pulsewidth of the oscillators, and changing the relative levels of the oscillators. Also one of the envelopes can control one of the LFOs, so eg. the rate of an LFO can evolve over the course of a note.

Something I have tried recently is controlling oscillator sync amount, which can result in some interesting glitchy behaviour, especially with sync mode set to “Metal”.

It’s a good idea to explore all the different shapes of the envelopes, there’s a lot of fun to be had there.

lipoo · 2023-01-10T21:27:16.007Z

Nice ! Im also using env on sync amount and sometimes its sounds amazing 🪩 thanks for answer!

Kraus · 2023-01-10T21:35:05.889Z

Trick learned from @garf

Isn't the Analog Four the most incredible and deep instrument from Elektron so far? Analog Keys/Four

i’ve been messing around with Metal sync and have found some of the areas where it becomes interesting. it sounds great at certain settings, sort of like a superfast crossfader-sync, zipping quickly between the ‘live’ osc (osc2, volume 100) and its controller (osc1, silent)…

(Details of the patch are shared later in that thread)

lipoo · 2023-01-10T21:43:51.131Z

Can u explain what means env len ? How it works ? As I tested its not working like a usual length

Kraus · 2023-01-10T23:25:16.683Z

I’m a bit confused by that parameter too. I think it’s like a “hold”, meaning even if your trig length is super short, the envelope will hold for the time set as “Len”.

anguslocke · 2023-01-11T02:32:52.324Z

ya iirc it’s this. The envelope “on” period is the length parameter or the trig length, whichever is shorter.

anguslocke · 2023-01-11T02:43:54.973Z

an out-there envelope+LFO use: key tracked modulation

Any workarounds for missing Key Track Mod source? Analog Keys/Four

put it to use in this track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JTDJ5AgO9Q With the idea I posed above: With TRIG mode LFO you could make a parameter track cyclically with the keyboard (e.g. some parameter hits a minimum and a maximum as you play a scale). Never seen that done before, could give like a prepared piano kind of vibe (where some notes are automatically “broken”) Listen closely to the lead that goes through the whole track. I love the dynamics/expression of it, all without velo…

could be very cool for techno, subtle evolving variation

anguslocke · 2023-01-11T02:49:39.220Z

you mentioned you already modulate filter freqs a lot, but one special case I particularly like: pretty high resonance in both, fine tuned frequency and mod depths, for an almost formant-like vocal-ish tone

B_LD · 2023-01-11T07:10:38.469Z

Just trying to understand this ominous EnvF Gate parameter, too. Actually it’s bound to steps and relative to BPM, too. Independent of a step’s defined note/trig length you can shorten or expand the gate time aka hold time of a trig (the part without release, I guess).

I found some useful information in this thread: The Elektron documentation thread - #321 by Schnork

Edit: After trying out a few things, I’d say that the parameter affects the speed/duration of the envelope’s attack and decay – but if you set a very slow decay it doesn’t override that. It just stops decaying before reaching the end in case the EnvF Gate Len is set to end quicker.

2nd Edit: It’s actually even more simple. LEN sets the gate time in sequencer steps (or fractions) to determine how long the modulation through the envelope affects the sound. No changes to the actual envelope speed, duration or whatsoever. – Just took me some time to wrap my head around this.

garf · 2023-01-11T13:42:19.382Z

I think the manual’s definition is ok, it just needs a small addition about the value being in steps (manual quoted with addition in bold)

LEN (Gate length) makes it possible to choose another gate length (measured in steps, to a max of 128) than whatever trigged the envelope.

B_LD · 2023-01-11T14:14:14.669Z

Well… maybe. Taking the whole lot of confusion around this very neat functionality into consideration I’d say it could be a little more use-case oriented or illustrative so to say.

But then again this applies to a lot of technical docs.

garf · 2023-01-11T14:36:12.340Z

I agree! Lots of areas where use cases would be good - but that’s not the Elektron docs style.

B_LD · 2023-01-11T14:51:15.102Z

garf:

not the Elektron docs style

Not exactly true. Just look at the whole section around the different oscillators or envelope shapes. There’s a lot more than just pure technicalities in there.

But anyway, just glad I found a way to explain it to myself and make good use of it. It’s quite unique to have a feature like this.