Correct Tuning of Rytm

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

Hi,
I played a bit around with the tuning of the Rytm and startet with the Kick. There I get on BD Hard and Classic the following Tunes:
+1 is a C# + 1 ct
+8 is a E + 1 ct
+17 is a Ab -2 ct
+30 is a D -1 ct

(I didnt try out the negative values)

So every step on the Tuning knob is roughly a quarter Note, but sadly only roughly and not exactly. FM has a different tuning.

Id like to tune my kit exactly, but most notes are out of tune. Is it possible to correct that? There might also be fluctuations with other rytm models, maybe you can look up, what tunings you have on your rytm. If they are all exactly calibrated, maybe someone has measured it and wrote down a tuning scale for all the drums.

Cheers,
Goat

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How to, Guide, Reference, Cheat Sheet, Tips, Tricks
Rytm tuning v1 vs v2
Rytm LFO-BD tune
#2

No fix for this. Don’t see any logic in how it currently works either.

As well as the tuning in the synth page…there is also a Note parameter on the Note page?

Create a support ticket and let them know.

#3

Hi Naboo,
thanks for the tipp, but there is no note page on the rytm, only on the A4. but the Rytm has a chromatic mode instead.

I will ask Simon about it. Could you maybe look at some tunings of your rytm, if you get the same result as I get on mine. Maybe there are different calibrations.

Greetings,
Goat

#4

Apologies, the TRIG page. The NOT (note) parameter.

I did try before and had a similar experience. I don’t recall the NOT parameter moving in semitones either.

#5

http://www.elektronauts.com/t/bass-and-chromatic-pitch/6363

#6

:wink: what is correct - especially when you consider pitch sweeping, noise, transients etc !?!
.
yeah, this is electronic, but are we expecting too much; chromatic concert pitch kicks !
.
happy to hear an example to convince me it’s a reasonable case for oversight
.
having said that I really do wish the tuning was 14bit like the Analog Four for most other stuff
.
ps: the note page (as per A4) on AR is labelled Trig

#7

Not at all! If you use 2 layers for a kick. One sub layer and another with transients and/or pitch sweep etc etc. The sub layer in particular benefits most from correct tuning. Even simple electronic Tom/conga/bongo type sounds are far better when tuned to the correct key/pitch.

The Jomox Mbase 11 is great at this because even when the pitch sweeps, it does so over the octave. You can watch it on a tuner/analyser…predominately on one note.

With the RYTM though, even when resorting to analysing the pitch through a tuner, it is still difficult to fine tune to the exact pitch.

#8

Hi Naboo,
found it, thanks, but unfortunately, the tuning of my rytm is off. When I play a C# with the tuning at 0 and then go up one octave (Not +12) Im at a C -40 ct, an not at a C#. I created a support ticked, lets see what simon says. I might have to warm it for two hours and make a new calibration like suggested in the other thread. Does anybody know if this helps?

And avantronica: yes tuning is important, not only for the kick but for the whole kit. When You layer analog and a sample that are out of tune, you loose punch. If your kit is not playing in the same key as the song, it sounds off, and an untuned kick is just fighting with the bass.

There is a very good tutorial up on how to do it and why it is essential:

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/index.php/tutorials/fundamentals/fundamental-10-drums-programming-2

If there is no solution for the rytm, I will need to find a position thats in tune, sample it and then tune the sample to the right key of the song, but this is not what I would expect from a 1600 Euros machine.

Greetings,
Goat

#9

I’m so tired of seeing this lament thrown around about the Rytm.

You can use LFOs to fine tune. Use the ramp wave set to HLF, set start phase to 64, and now you have a stable offset you can apply to your tuning (or anything for that matter).

If you need precision tuning of a drum machine, you probably need to stick with something digital, maybe check out a Machinedrum. But really… use your ears, not a tuner! When you use your tools for what they can do rather than worry over what they can’t, you will find more use for them.

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#10

Hi Panelist,
thanks for the tipp before falling asleep :wink: didnt know that others have been complaining about this in the past. referenzing a tuner is just a way to quantify what the tune is and if this a normal behaviour. yea I know if it would be perfect, it would be boring and this is why I favour analog gear over digital. and no, i wont return my rytm, I promise :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Goat

#11

Give this man a medal!

I’ve tried to get a finetune for certain AR params for a long time now. Much obliged sir

Cheers

#12

Simon was very quick with a response (Elektron has really a great support). Here is what he says:

The voice circuitry does not track that across a chromatic well due to how it is constructed. It’s a lot more challenging for the type of synthesis used in the Rytm to make it playable as a synth-type sound.

However, for static sounds you should be able to find an approximative tuning using both the chromatic scaling and the TUN parameter. It’s a bit tricky, but it can be done. In worst cases you can use an LFO to offset the tuning, that gives a constant value by having it at near-0 speeds.

We’re working on improving the tuning and calibration of the analog circuitry however, so hopefully this will be less of an issue soon.

#13

Cheers for letting us know.

#14

Hi Folks,
so I played around with the tunings and found the following solution. You can Tune the Rytm pitch perfect. Here is a detailed explanation how you do it:

Initial Setting:
Trig Not = 0
Synth Tun = 0

LFO Dst = Tun
LFO SPD = 0
LFO Wav = Square
LFO MOD = Half

You control the tune just with the LFO Dep. As you can finetune this in cents on the Rytm (not via midi of Overbridge), you can set the amount very precisely. To check the tune put all Sweep, Snap etc. parameters to 0 and the Decay to maximum.

Bildschirmfoto_2016_02_15_um_22_17_24.png691Ă—272 29.1 KB

Put a Tuner behind the Overbridge Plugin. If the tuner doesnt get the right tune, put an EQ inbetween and filter out all the overtones, so that you just hear the fundamental.

If you got the note, decrease the decay again and bring the snap, pitch etc. right back in.

I made a Table for my Rythm, where I can find the right Tunings. This might not be the same parameters as on your rytm (because its analog) but it should be in the same range. Mostly half a note up is an increase of depth around +2. The BT is very unstable and difficult to tune. CH, OH and CY can’t be tuned, but you can set up a High Pass Filter (2-pole), set the Frequency to 99 and the Res to lets say 40, and choose the Filter Freq as the destination for the LFO. Then you can imitate a tune of the Hihats and Cymbals a little bit. The CY has a high tick thats tuned to an A8.

So here is the LFO setting (in this example for a BD on an A:


and here is the Tuning Table for my Rytm:

Bildschirmfoto_2016_02_15_um_22_09_11.png910Ă—450 88.1 KB

If Elektron would make the Tun-Parameter of the Synth also be able to increase and decrease in cents, then it would be possible to finetune it without the waste of an lfo. This would be great!

And now you ask, how should I tune my Kit. Well all Instruments of the Kit should be tuned in the same scale as the song. Most producers choose the following harmonic tuning:

Kick: 1st or 5th Note of the scale (in A min: A or E)
Snare: 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th Note of the Scale (in A min: A, B, C, D, E, G)
HiHat: 7th note of the scale (in Amin: G)
Percussion: 7th, 9th or 11th note of the scale (in Amin: B, D, G)

The Idea is that you create a chord system with your drums. Just play around with it :slight_smile:

Have Fun,
Goat

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#15

big ups for sharing your findings! I’m sure alot of people will benefit from this data.

#16

That’s a great way to tune the oscillators to any tuning. I’m skeptical about the benefits of conformity to a particular scale. Someone once said the keyboard was the worst thing to happen to synthesisers. Confirming to scale excludes the possibility of most key changes within a song…

#17

This is a great tip. Thanks!

#18

Hope that Help

3 Likes
#19

great stuff! ill try that out and report, if the values match my rytm as well

1 Like
#20

As they make tracking better in the latest firmware I guess… but they told me as all machine are analog it should slightly be different between each hardware but not that much so…

I hope what I done is not useless :stuck_out_tongue: cheers
it’s done either with a spectrum and Melodyne for the analysis starting in higher notes to lower notes.

Vermona Kick Lancet or Jomox mbase 11 or