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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