Hey, I will be a first-time Elektron buyer. I’m figuring out whether to go for the Analog Rytm or the Analog Four.
Either one would suit my needs to begin with, but am leaning more towards the Rytm as it gets me totally away from the PC since it has sampling, drum machine, synth, The Four doesn’t have sampling and I don’t want to go in to deep, deep synthesis for drums (at the moment).
So, my main queation is, how does the CHROMATIC MODE on the Analog Rytm work for making synths etc?
Obviously on the Four, if all the note values are set at “0” the notes are mapped and you know exactly what notes are being played… It’s a keyboard…
The Rytm on the other hand is a DRUM synth/machine- no keyboard. If I used a midi keyboard, would C note correspond with the C on my keyboard, and how would I know it really is a C???
The reason I ask is I have an Electribe ER-1 and since it’s a drum synth, there’s no way of knowing what notes you’re playing/making.
Chromatic mode plays the drum sound or sample, at the pitch you set it at, in chromatic intervals. You have no guarantee it is in concert pitch unless you check that your drum sound or sample is pitched to C. Samples can loop so you can provide longer synth textures, whereas all drum sounds have no sustain so you can only work with the decay the particular drum sound has (cymbals and cowbell work best for this.)
As a sampler and drum machine, it is great. As a full on in-tune synth to play with other synths, not so much unless you just play by ear.
WARNING: Via the pads, Chromatic synth goes badly out of tune the higher or lower you go in pitch. Elektron has been aware of it since the units release but has not addressed it. I cannot confirm it happens via MIDI. I should be able…I want to be able to, I really do…it’s just too damned fun a machine to go connecting wires and shit.
Pretty much as I thought. Since I’d rather have a great synth, this makes my choice easier. Analog Four it is! Drums can be done on the AF and the computer for now.
Thanks a lot for the help!
Yeah, chromatic mode is like a keyboard, twelve pads = keys
I’m here because I’m doing the lot on this, and I wanted to mention the plastic kick drum which is an awesome bass synth, just take out all the sweep and you’re left with a very nice tone for bass.
Only thing I bring in are chord samples, but I could do those in the rytm using cowbell, rimshot, dual vco or (probably) plastic kick