I’m not good at synthesis or composing or playing instruments, got these two, and i feel stressed about having to master both, i’m having lots of fun with AR at the moment, and sometimes i think that maybe it would be enough with it’s 12 tracks if all i want to do is some kind of techno( which i am), i can use sample to extend the range, i have my favourite VST instrument which covers my sound design needs, so why do i even bother with A4 which is nowhere as fun(at least for now) as AR, and not as immediate(which IS important factor in having fun,haha)…and i can’t plug it into AR and have good levels anyways, and i have no wish to deal with the levels all the time, i’m kind of plug and play guy, just like to make beats and stuff…
SO, shall i stick to these two, or keep only one for now?
I’m sure you can make great stuff with just the AR. The biggest motivation to have two for me would be so you can change drum patterns under the melodic/harmonic stuff
This is a good queston that is relevant to me. I’m waiting on my RYTM to arrive, and the thought of pairing it with an A4 has been on my mind. But hearing everybody’s issues with the RYTM’s input levels, along with the thought of having to deal with all the cables to hook the RYTM and A4 up, dissuades me.
My question for you is how capable are the RYTM’s percussion synth engines? Can you do slides/glides/portamento?
I’m sure the FM and Ring Mod kick drums will open a whole universe to the RYTM’s sonic pallette. But you have to ask yourself how much you’ll miss oscillator sync, and all the extra modulation found on the A4.
I want to hear that the RYTM can produce full sounding tracks on its own; that’d save me a bit of $
I love my A4 to bits, and I intend to get a Rytm later in the year or early next when theres more stock, and the inevitable OS/bug issues get sorted out.
My only issue with the A4 is: why, oh why did they not include individual outs? I wonder if they just wanted to wind people up.
@cadaques : I figure it is cost related, maybe with Overbridge in mind. Most of the others analog synth like Tetr4 have one out, as far as I know so…
@OP : AR + A4 should be a killer combo to play with, take time to know the A4 better. I see some interesting possibilities, even though I don’t own any of the analogs. Basic use :
A4
T1: Bassline
T2 : Lead
T3 : Stabs/SFX
T4 : Pads
AR : Beat + sample layer, synth fills with the remaining tracks…
AR - (drum synthesis, mostly)
A4 - all 4 tracks used for synth duties
Minitaur - bass duty
Other various synths plugged into A4 ext or CV track
OT to mix it all up
The Elektron boxes woud be the last thing on earth I would recommend to anyone who says "i have no wish to deal with the levels all the time, i’m kind of plug and play guy".
Elektron gear is some of the deepest, most complicated gear on the market! If you prefer a VST over the A4, then I honestly think you are continuing down the wrong path by getting any Elektrons. Particularly since you are comparing a VST with an analogue synth. Apples versus oranges.
Why not save a lot of money by not spending it on premium gear, and instead just use a DAW and some choice USB controllers? You can buy a lot of stuff for what one Elektron box costs.
[quote=“” Scannari""] @cadaques : I figure it is cost related, maybe with Overbridge in mind. Most of the others analog synth like Tetr4 have one out, as far as I know so…
i’m not a software guy actually, but i have ONE software instrument which i know well and like to use, because it sounds good and there’s no menu diving or anything like that: Madrona Labs Aalto. I think i’m just overwhelmed by the amount of things i can do, plus, there’s so much menu diving on A4 to design the sound…but yeah, sure, give me your address, i’ll send you everything i own, hehe.
Well, i love AR, and i totally dig the way Elektron boxes work, i just don’t like the menu diving on A4, not at all…
I am not comparing it with any VST, where did you get it? I’ve just said that i have ONE VST instrument which i like to use, i wrote it in reply to another guy but will repeat again: i am not software guy, i never used any DAW, the only software i use is Five12 Numerology for sequencing duties and Madrona Labs Aalto for synth duties. So the question here was kind of rhetorical, to see how people feel about coupling those two boxes, and not if i should stick to DAW and VST…
Yes, i wrote that i prefer to plug instruments in and play with them rather then deal with some quirks which could and should be addressed in firmware in my opinion, especially in such a complicated gear, hehe. For example i can easily plug AR into A4 and play with both, no problems here, so it has nothing to do with complexity of Elektron gear…
I’ve been ITB ever since I got a copy of Computer Music magazine years ago with Fruity Loops 4 or there abouts demo on a CD.
The Rytm is going to be my first bit of hardware and for me it’s going to be enough by itself - FL Studio (and other DAWS) now give you an almost unlimited amount of goodies which means that, for me, it’s endless options mean nothing gets finished.
The videos posted on this forum so far have convinced me the Rthm is enough for me - if I can’t make good Electronica with just that only plus some samples then I might as well jack in my hobby
My goal is to sit down with the Rytm and just have fun jamming - finished tunes I really like can get a bit of tweaking/polishing in a DAW when Overbridge is out.
I think I might buy a cheaper synth next year - maybe the Ultranova or Bass station 2 - but for the next few years I think the Rytm and samples will keep me content.
If I had an A4 though, likely I’d hang onto it for a few years at least.
Oh, and VST which i was comparing this particular analog synth in a way feel much more ‘analog’ then A4, in terms of the interface in particular…
I think i just prefer to have all the controls on one page, or, in hardware world, one to one knob to function ratio. You make it sound like i compare analog sound to VST sound or something, which i don’t.
i’m not a software guy actually, but i have ONE software instrument which i know well and like to use, because it sounds good and there’s no menu diving or anything like that: Madrona Labs Aalto. I think i’m just overwhelmed by the amount of things i can do, plus, there’s so much menu diving on A4 to design the sound…but yeah, sure, give me your address, i’ll send you everything i own, hehe.
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That would be so cool! haha
You feel it would be effortless to do the same on the AR than on a dedicated synth like the A4?
Okey, here’s the kind of music i want to do, nothing more:
I’ve jammed with AR the very first night i got it, and that’ what made me think if i need anything else for this kind of music. There’s no samples involved, and not even all the tracks are used, and still i had enormous amount of fun))
I’m not planning to make any melodic stuff, can use samples for more complex sounds and such, so it feels like it should be enough, but maybe i’m wrong…
here’s the video, it is also in the video thread, but just to give this topic more context…
i’m not a software guy actually, but i have ONE software instrument which i know well and like to use, because it sounds good and there’s no menu diving or anything like that: Madrona Labs Aalto. I think i’m just overwhelmed by the amount of things i can do, plus, there’s so much menu diving on A4 to design the sound…but yeah, sure, give me your address, i’ll send you everything i own, hehe.
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That would be so cool! haha
You feel it would be effortless to do the same on the AR than on a dedicated synth like the A4?
Maybe look at synth like BS2?
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no, i more feel like AR is much more limited in compare with A4, and i actually like it! I can concentrate on making bits instead of diving through the pages on A4 trying to figure out the stuff,hehe. Hell, i could even imagine myself playing with two AR’s, haha, but that’s total overkill again, i just SO love this machine))
