I’ve been using my A4 as an analog drum machine for a set I’m working on and I’m wondering if there’s a way to emulate the retrig functions of pretty much all the other Elektron boxes. Any ideas?
The best solution I’ve come across is to activate the arp at the speed you want to roll, and place very short trigs for the notes that shouldn’t roll. Then any trig long enough to trigger the arp will roll at the arp’s speed (and rythm if you deactivate some of the arp steps!), and the short trigs will just trigger once.
Obviously you lose some precision with the envelopes (you more or less lose the decay and sustain stages), but it works well for very short sounds.
2 Likes
The problem is that you can’t plock arp settings.
I prefer to use lfos on level.
I’ll try to find concerned topic…
3 Likes
Found.
A test I maid only drums, no FX, one bar generative loop. Random retrigs with lfos.
8 Likes
Oh damn. Ok. I’ll have to test that out while I’m at home with the machine in front of me. This could be a work around.
2 Likes
While you can’t p-lock arp settings, you can place a trig that’s short enough to not trigger the arp. If it has a longer decay, then you wind up with a normal sounding trig on those steps, and “rolls” when trigs are long enough to trigger the arp. It’ll only get you one roll speed, unfortunately, so p-locking lfos may be more useful more of the time.
Your example there is excellent, by the way. 
3 Likes
Thanks.
Yeah I’m used to Ot’s arp, plockable, to modulate it with lfos…so I prefer to use it generally with A4.
Combine with Octatrack TRC, it will be generative heaven !
For kick retrigs, lfo on Filter seems better, and for hh/snares lfo on Level.
Square, Saw (inverted ?), square for lfo waveforms…
Using the lfos as retriggering envelopes is genius. If only the main envelopes could cycle…
…sigh… So many little improvements could possible through software updates for this box.
If only an uncompiled version of the os could be released. I’m nearly through my warranty, anyways…
1 Like
Yeah I tried this too I think.
Sounds really good. You should do a video of how you did the lfo tricks… 
1 Like
I have to find the pattern, because I really don’t remember how I did that shit ! 
Actually I just had an Mpc 500 and I’m retrigging it randomly very easily with OT’s arp.
Maybe easier to sample A4 ! 
2 Likes
Hahaha. You’re the worst type of person. Give with one hand, take with the other!
2 Likes
Hehe. I miss lfos on A4. OT and its arp will allways be next to it so wtf ?
I can use OT midi lfos too. Anyway it’s really interesting to work on this on A4.
I detailled some settings in the thread above I think.
More details on demand, later. Try before you ask. 
Haha I’ve already screenshoted the original instructions!
I wasn’t aware the OT Arp was p lockable, which has made me insanely jealous on behalf of my A4
OT 
A4
1 Like
Hi
Trying to make some evolving arpeggios on my A4 MKII, and did find this great trick for Digitakt
I can’t find this function on the A4 MKII, but I might look in the wrong place.
As the sequencers should be the same, is is possible?
thanks
The a4 does not have retrig. Elektron seems to reserve retrig for their drum machines and the arp can be found on their synths. A4 has an arp, no retrig.
1 Like
ok, thanks jefones.
I know about the arp on the A4. Just liked the way he worked the arp on the Digitakt:)