Help me fall in love with the A4 again!

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hey everyone,

So I bought an A4 shortly after launch (Mk1) and got sidetracked away from music for a few years. Made the stupid move of going to med school :joy:.

I have quite a few elektron boxes (OT/DN and previously MD/MN) but I can’t ever seem to get what I want out of it.

I know the bass on the MK1 isn’t as strong so I don’t have unrealistic expectations, but I keep on trying to get SH-101 style bass/lead sounds out of it and just can’t. I do understand how subtractive synthesis works but can’t seem to get there in the same way I can with other synths.

It could possibly be the screen, it’s harder to be immediate with something that small, but I don’t want to blame a tool for not getting what I want out of it.

I’ve been thinking about selling it and getting a boutique 101 and the Erica synths bassline as that might do what I want more, but I don’t want to give up on something that lots of people seem to love. Can you give me any advice? Any good sound design tutorials on it specifically?

I’m going to sit down with it this weekend on its own and just go for it and make myself work something out. Hopefully that’ll help!

Been on here for years and you’ve all been so helpful in the past. If you have any thoughts I’d welcome them!

#2

There’s nothing wrong with using other synths if they help you achieve what you want.

Which ones do you get good results from?

4 Likes
#3

I have an A4mk1 and a DB-01. They go really well together. The A4 makes great drum and percussion sounds. You can put the DB-01 back through the A4’s inputs and throw on a bit of delay for some variety. Put some fill variations on the A4, go back and mute a track, flip some trigs. Endless fun, and I still have two tracks on the A4 I haven’t touched yet…

1 Like
#4

I have an A4 MKii and it’s currently for sale for the same reason. I have a bunch of other analog synths including a Matriarch, make noise shared system and a DB-01. If I had to choose between the db-01 and A4 as my only synth, I would for sure choose the db-01. But I’m a one knob per function person when it comes to synths. I really want to love the A4. It’s my fourth time owning one but it never seemed to click.

1 Like
#5

Use every macro.

Hit the parameter lock limit.

Give up a track to make a voice work in 2 voice unison, instead.

Use fills.

Randomize the LFO.

Stop using Filter 1.

Keep OSC levels below 100 for a smoother sound.

21 Likes
#6

It might be easier to get what you want out of a dedicated SH clone, as you’ll have fewer choices to deal with, but is no reason to think you can’t get SH-style sounds out of the A4. The SH-101 has a more limited architecture. Think about what it has and what it doesn’t, and apply that to the A4. Use one oscillator and a sub-oscillator. Only use the low-pass filter. Make sure the filter and amp envelopes are set to the same values (the SH shares a single envelope between the two).

The one thing that might require a little more thought - the SH has only the one oscillator, but it can produce both saw and pulse waves simulataneously via the mixer section. You might need to use one osc for saw, one for pulse.

Other than that, it shouldn’t be too hard. I have often thought that the A4 could sound remarkably like an SH. Simplification and reduction is the trick to getting there.

17 Likes
#7

Have you used a sh101? Because I don’t find it to be any more Bassy than the A4mk1. If you’re listening to recordings, remember that it probably most definitely went thru pushed mic preamps and had the low end boosted in EQ. Are you using a mixer? A cheap A&H can give you enough of a Bass bump.
And what ScotS said too, use the A4 limited to sh101 specs.

4 Likes
#8

Exactly. The SH makes a great bass sound, but it is not big or burly, but rather more precise, simple, effective. This is a perfect bass for articulate, melodic lines or needle-sharp sequences.

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#9

use the second filter in LP and ignore the first filter!

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#10

It could well be as simple as this.

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#11

Peel the plastic screen cover off :slight_smile:

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#12

For me, it really opened up when I started sequencing external gear with it and running the audio back into the A4 for added FX. If you think something like that might work with your workflow then I would recommend giving it a shot.

1 Like
#13

Use it as a superfluous fx box.

Send the input through a voice and use the amplitude modulation feature with an arp.

Build a set of performance macros that make it into an excessive analog heat

The times I usually feel like I love its sound
are when I’ve programmed in a very slowly changing water.
Low rate lfo’s on filters or reverb decay
Very slow arp
Big space, long reverb tails and far off delays
Off beat Lfo’s rising and churning in different patterns.
I’ll just shut the lights off and watch the sky darken.

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#14

This may help you get inspired again.

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#15

I’ve got the AK and the DB-01.

IMO the DB-01 is great for all kind of bass duties and more. It has a great sound, but much less options compared to the AK/A4 and it comes with a distinct sound character out of the box.

An AK/A4 has much more under the hood, than the initial sound patch shows off. The AK/A4 is like a white canvas and it takes some colors and brushes to create a great sound, but it’s very versatile compared to other synths. And this is not considering that the AK/A4 is four independent synths with an Elektron sequencer each :wink:

Examples:

  • Using the HP or Peak part of the multi mode filter with resonance can drive the low end, particularly combined with an envelope.
  • There are a couple of different envelope shapes in the AK/A4. IIRC the default shape for an envelope is linear and that’s not what the early analogue synths had by default. They had exponential shapes. Changing the envelopes to exponential makes a huge difference.
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#16

you‘re the second im this thread with this proposal. What is so bad about the Filter 1?

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#17

A4 has many hidden spots that are easy to overlook.
My own way was to take one subject and work on it until I clearly understand how it works and what to do with it.

Take the AM, for instance: you can use OSC2 PWM to affect OSC1, and get some really interesting effect on sound, especially for bass.

Feedback was a tough one to me. But I have fun with it now. Quite the unpredictable monster, but you can get some screams out of it.

Multimap to transform your A4 into a drum machine is a nice one, too.

I found A4 is a synth that really needs time, but has a lot to offer!

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#18

“I found A4 is a synth that really needs time, but has a lot to offer!”

This is true. But with time, and not rushed time just plenty of time, it starts to really blossom and can give so much that those other synths that more-immediately reward take a step back as the A4 comes to the fore. Stick with it. Mess around.

4 Likes
#19

I like it, but it sounds different. Filter 2 in LP has a more ‘classic synth’ Roland kind of sound. That’s what the OP wants.

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#20

My thoughts exactly. :thup: