Getting more tracks out of the A4

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hey i’m looking to know what you suggest I do with my A4.
I’m in love with the thing, but I feel VERY limited by the four tracks.

I’m guessing there must be a bunch of different ways to ‘‘burn’’ tracks from the A4 to another machine so i can clear the track and add another to the beat. The octa seems to perfect for this, but it’s out of my budget at the moment, and seems a little overkill if all i really need is a midi synced looper. Any cheap alternatives?

I thought of the SP404 or the MPC(500/2000), or even just using overbridge with ableton. But I’d like to know what your experience is, especially considering i haven’t seen any videos of people doing this with the workflow im looking for.

The really important thing here is that the workflow needs to be very simple, for live work. So the transition of the same sounds being played on and off the A4 needs to be seemless (i cant ‘‘stop’’ the music, etc). The ideal would be :
i build a beat on the A4, fill up all four tracks, transfer them to something else, (seperetaly idealy, or all stereo mixdown) , then, without interrupting the music, mute them off the A4 and start playback on the other machine. So i now have the same beat playing back, and 4 more tracks to play with.

if there are some alternatives to the octa that dont meet ALL these above standards, let me know still, id like to be aware of what all the options are. and let me know if i need to be more clear.

thanks

#2

It controls my Modular and some other stuff around like some sequencing duties:

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#3

I typically use one track for all of my percussion needs. Or you could sample your one shots. Or get an AK/AR and rock the ultimate electron analog experience

A MDUW/OT compliments the A4 perfectly

#4

Sounds like you are after a looper

I use a KP3 for this function, can get them cheap in the 2nd hand market

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#5

I had KP3, interestesting but PITA to load and save samples.
I had RC 505, up to 5 stereo loops, easy and efficient looper. RC 202, 2 stereo tracks, same features.

I have Octatrack, perfect couple with A4. Save for it !

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#6

The Roland Scooper might be exactly what you want. I got one on sale.

You can send it a clock from a CV out and sync the looper recording. 10 seconds of recording that will stay synced tight.

You can do some scatter stuff, which I don’t really enjoy much but for break beats kinda works, but you can also do some nice sounding low or high pass filtering. All via CV.

2 Likes
#7

I’ve used a MIDI-synced EHX 2880 looper for sampled drum loops (from a Korg EMX, but I should try it with the A4 as well) and it’s really handy alongside the A4: essentially like a digital 4-track recorder.

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#8

EHX 45000 is better. RC 505 has effects and other nice features.

#9

The 45000 looks nice - are there many other practical differences and/or improvements than the SD card and longer recording times? All the controls look identical or similar.

#10

The 45000 has one stereo mixdown track, so you have 6 tracks I think. Check 2880 vs 45000.

#11

Yeah, 2880 has a stereo mixdown track too.

#12

Don’t know if you want to wait to find out but the Digitakt might be up to this task…

#13

Ok. One major difference on 45000 is the ability to switch directly to another patch of loops with program changes, for intro, break, etc…
Anyway I preferred the specs of Rc 505, especially for different loop lengths.

@Open_Mike if DT can be used as a simple looper, with the ability to record 8 tracks on the fly, switching with a midi foot controller while playing, I’d be finally interested…

#14

The Pigtronix Infinity Looper has been a very stable, dependable MIDI-sync’d (and more importantly, record sync quantized!) stereo looper for me.

2 Likes
#15

With the information given thus far it’s not out of the picture yet… But I don’t know, hope seems bleak for undisclosed features around these parts, like why wouldn’t they call it a looper. But it can sample, which could be a loop, and there is midi in, so…???

#16

I can’t see “looper” in Elektron Octatrack’s page. :wink:
It can be a great looper with realtime slicing, remix…I’d like another OT only for that if nothing better that a RC 505 looper comes out.

#17

That sounds incredibly useful! I’m happy with the 2880 for now, but thanks for the information.

1 Like
#18

Hey, You said you use one track for percussion. I know what you’re talking about, and saw it on a tutorial one time, but do you mind telling me how to load percussion into that menu that comes up when you press the level putton and hold down a pattern button? I’ve been searching this site everywhere and was about to post a thread. Thanks if you have the time.

#19

You mean the sound pool? If so, then you go through the sound browser and select a few tracks push right(I think) and then select “load to sound pool” to access it then hold a sequencer trig and twist the level button. Good luck!

#20

Yeah, thanks! I finally figured it out, its under sound manager, in the sound menu. I was thinking this would help out the OP too, because it’s one of the main ways you can get more tracks out of the A4/Keys!

1 Like