?..I know it comes with a quick start guide, but is there a full manual in the box?
No.
Unfortunately no and I think that all Elektron machines past and future should. And we should be able to purchase these manuals at the Elektron Online Store. The binding on the original manuals are better than what my local print shop can offer.
Perhaps after Elektron does another update or so, they will then offer it for sale in their online shop. Drives me crazy having “addendums” placed even with a tab in my printed-out three hole binder manual as it’s not congruent without making al kinds of notes to “see this part of addendum A,B…”; and I am far from a neat freak and I have an e-reader that’s sole job is to have all my synth’s pdf manuals on there because pdf’s are so easy to search for topics fast.
Elektron really need to improve their documentation. @Moderators please pass this on?!
My job involves a lot of “user experience” work, and a cardinal rule for documentation is to employ technical writers. Don’t just get one of the design team who speaks good English to write the manual! This is a classic mistake. Engineers are too close to their own product to provide helpful documentation for users at all levels.
The A4 is a simpler machine than the OT, so I’ve had less pain in understanding it than with the OT. And I already understand analog synthesis. But the OT manual is daunting for someone who’s never owned an Elektron machine before and/or doesn’t have particular technical aptitudes. Detailed descriptions of functions are not helpful when they don’t convey how you would use them in a musical context. It reads more like the manual for a fishing sonar than for a musical instrument.
Another cardinal rule: supply a printed manual, not just a PDF download. Downloads are great for updates or if you’re buying second hand.
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