It can do rudimentary FM synthesis using the LFOs, works best modulating a resonant filter… you can kind of get two op by modulating one lfo with the other, the only issue is that there’s a limit to how fast the LFOs go before they begin to alias so it works best in the lower octaves
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Let’s remind that A4 has 2 LFOs that can be locked on pitch which is pretty cool for FM 
So you can go up to 3 operators FM.
There are dedicated envelopes on LFOs (and two destinations, so it offers quite some tools.
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I came across a MK1 on craigslist recently. It was a screaming deal in another state that I will be visiting in a couple weeks. This, of course, led me to research, read the manual, and GAS for something I didn’t previously desire very strongly. Then, of course, the item sold (it was a screaming deal, after all). But now I’m left still wanting a MK1. And now I’m going to have to start one of those “change my mind” threads…
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To a certain point, it’s linear FM but I’m pretty sure it’s not Thru Zero FM
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There are two different destinations for note, one is “pitch” and the other is “frequency”.
I would guess you get both linear and exponential FM.
No clue about through zero FM though.
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Yes, I just meant than even linear FM would be pretty limited as it’s not thru zero FM, you won’t be able to apply a lot of modulation. IF I’m correct. I’ll have to try again the FM capabilities of the A4.
*TZFM means that when the frequency gets “negative” after the modulation is applied, it results to having the positive frequency in opposite phase
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Can (internal) noise be a modulation source?
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No, but you can use its very fast random/s&h LFOs
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Built some hi-hats in a few different ways. A4 only.
[crossposting from current sounds just because this belongs here, too ]
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I have a Random question: Is there a way to adjust the level of the sub oscillators? It seems like something that should be there but I can’t see it
No, unfortunately.
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ok thanks. Only had it a week but so far that’s my only complaint. Totally love everything else about it
Note that you can use OSC2 as the sub though.
Mentioning the obvious, I know. But you don’t always need two active oscillators
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Deeper than Octatrack?
Is it much easier to work with I presume (hope) ?
About the same. Both are easy to do the simple things on, and both are somewhat underwhelming at these simple things. Both really only come into their own when you take the time to learn what they’re capable of, and neither is as hard to learn in this way as their reputations suggest.
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Any pointers on how to achieve these interesting sounding hats?
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Hi there, thanks for asking.
Basically the idea behind most of the sounds in that snippet is generating noise without using the noise generator. This follows the classic approach of carefully detuning a couple of square waves against each other in order to achieve a harmonically very rich tone. On the TR-808 for example 6 oscillators were used to do the same.
Now on the A4 you can’t simply tune that many oscillators independent of each other. But there’s some tricks like square-shaped LFOs at audio rate for tuning to achieve something very similar.
Finally you’ll have to filter out lower frequencies and adjust sharpness with the multimode filters. Hi-pass or bandpass plus a subtle amount of overdrive mostly do a good job for me.
tl:dr
Nerdy me searched the web for original drum machine hi-hat frequencies, grabbed an analyzer and tried get close to that.
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world class nerding! do you sell or make these sounds available in any way?
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Never thought about that could spark any interest… Might possibly happen when I’ll have a little more I’m satisfied with.
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FM!!
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