Analog Keys Feature Requests

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hi,

I think this could be a thread where we compile some feature requests for the AK.

I’m playing with my AK since yesterday and there are some things that I’m missing or would like to see (This is my first Elektron machine, so there might be some workarounds I don’t know) :

  • Ability to record Joystick movements into the sequencer
  • Ability to map the Joystick in performance mode
  • Ability to use the Joystick Pitchbend/Modwheel/Breath Controller in the CV Track - no pitchbend for CV, that’s a bummer!
  • Parameter locks for multiple trigs - you hold down various trigs and lock the parameters for all of them - like in Ableton Push
  • some kind of reset/snapshots in performance mode, e.g. you turn various encoders and then click on one of them (maybe with a button combination - function + click on encoder) and the parameters all reset to zero…

I think there will be some more requests coming…

A new polyphony mode for keyboard player
#2

Someone mentioned this in the Rytm forum, but I’ve always wanted it on all step sequencers:

Probabilities for trigs (e.g. can program a 43% chance that a trig will trig each time the pattern runs).

Also,

Pattern Direction playback patterns forwards, backwards, random, pendulum etc

#3

+1 for both of those! Great ideas! :slight_smile:

#4

Another thing I just thought of would be (and I know that some may consider this cheating a bit) having the ability to choose a key and scale that the whole keyboard adheres to. Accidentals could be forced to be the next note down (or up) in the scale, and jamming would be super easy and sound great every time. :slight_smile:
Hope that made sense. I’ve had a lot of coffee.

1 Like
#5

It does do force to scale under note setup, but not sure if key input is ‘quantised’ to this or whether it is only for playback.

Another request from me - Output ARP over midi, especially as this is being marketed as a midi controller keyboard. I don’t need sequencing over midi but I do need ARP.

#6

Sounds like what I’m after. Anyone care to test that? Also, what are the scale options then I wonder? I’ll have to read the f*ing manual and see what’s listed. Thanks drxcm! :slight_smile:

#7

Hello this is my first post on this forum.

I don’t own yet a analog keys but i ordered it.

I think they should let the AK and the A4 be polychained to an 8 polyvoices/8tracks beast.

Also i agree the joystick should be recorded in the pattern.

Other than that it looks perfect to me.

#8

Sustain, sustain sustain SUSTAIN PEDAL!!!

As I said in another thread, not having the option of a sustain in a poly synth is like a hammond without a volume pedal only justifying it because the general volume could work.

Even the cheap microkorg has it. If you put a sustain, I am in!

#9

The A4 and AK having same O.S., it already established the CV/outs are only just that. So, that seems to have been a hardware/design choice by Elektron. Does not the AK have a dedicated ‘Hold’ button? You probably just need to use a performance controller set-up with just one knob for sustain on the fly.

#10

+1 for most of your suggestions :slight_smile:

Another idea is to be able to keyboard track the frequency of the LFO speed chromatically. I’d use it for tonal FM style mods all the time :slight_smile:

#11

+1 this would allow for some reasonably flexible FM synthesis with multiple operators (though this could be a new machine post the analog frenzy).

#12

I would like a couple more exotic LFO shapes

another thing I’d like that my Alpha Juno has , being able to scale envelope lengths with one knob. It just ‘compresses’ the whole envelope more and more. It’s really useful

I’d REALLY love if the envelopes not only let you control the time, but the level as well.

#13

Don’t know if I overlooked something, but it strikes me that there is no simple “next pattern” function?

I find it hard to read from the LEDs which pattern is currently active. The difference between lit and half-lit isn’t very obvious. So it usually takes me just those 1-2 seconds longer to find which pattern is currently playing (either on the small screen or via the lit LED) then press the respective button to queue the next pattern.

So couldn’t a “next/previous pattern” function (and I’m not talking about chaining) be implemented by, say, pressing the respective [bank button] and the [left/right] buttons?

For example, I’m playing pattern A03. I press [bank group A] + [right] and pattern A04 will be queued (or changed directly to, depending on the pattern mode, of course). If I press [bank group B] + [right], however, pattern B01 will be queued.

I believe a live performance machine should have such a function. Any thoughts? Let me know if that function exists and I just didn’t find it yet!

#14

+1. I’d like to add that arp and sequencing over MIDI would be stellar.

#15

+1000! Probabilities for trigs

+1 Pattern Direction

+1 Output ARP over midi

#16

So the transpose function is actually pretty dumb? I play and [hold] a chord/arpeggio and can’t transpose it. Well I guess I can use the sequencer like a chord memory/advanced arp to be able to transpose stuff? But again, that’s not “the performance advantage”.

#17

Joystick HOLD

Hitting HOLD while joystick is in a desired position will hold that position upon letting go. Release options for hitting HOLD again, as with keys, or release upon touching joystick again… also as with the keys.

#18

If i understand you correctly, this seems to work for me.

I can hold a chord to activate an arp. I can then either continue to hold the keys down manually and then hit TRANPOSE, and while still manually holding the chord, hit keys to transpose at will.

Likewise i can play a chord and hit the [HOLD] button to hold the keys for me, then hit [TRANSPOSE] or even transpose lock, and transpose at will.

#19

Cool! I did find that I have to activate [KBD transpose] by pressing [function] + [hold]. Now I can transpose arpeggios, too! But please explain how you transpose non-arpeggio chords. Or are you referring to chords that play via the sequencer?

#20

I was referring to a strictly arpeggiated chord. If I want to transpose a chord, that’s not being arpeggiated, I simply play a different chord. Speaking in real time of course. If you lock a chord into the sequencer, it seems that transpose should work. I’ll play around with it tonight.

Try grid record mode > hold trig and place a chord > then while the sequencer is running try to transpose it…