In a way, yes. You can use Parameter-Locks on each individual Trig, incl. Oscillator Tuning (and that is true for all Elektron Devices iirc).
However, you can’t (to my Knowledge) define a custom Scale (11 Tet, etc.). You would have to manually adjust each Note that differs from 12-Tet and then copy&paste it.
Which Synths did you find in your Research that allow for User-defined Scales?
there’s maybe some scope within the MultiMap mode - in essence you can have something very different happen on each key - best review the pdf for examples
it’s not trivial to configure, but it’s conceptually very powerful - more-so on the analog keys because of its simpler access, but also doable with the A4 directly and fully doable using an external keyboard
never tried what you are suggesting, but in terms of flexibility it might be an option
you might be able to do it with twelve custom sounds and then apply those sounds transposed through teh octaves
Yes, its possible but unless you’re really into meticulously editing every trig on your sequences elektron-way (some people are, most are not) I highly recommend a Korg minilogue instead - entirely different instrument, but let’s not fool anyone on this: microtuning was never implemented on elektron instruments.
yes, this is also possible. Challenging, but very good.
Edit: I’ve read your other topic which includes details about your band’s setup and I really think you don’t want the complexity of A4 multimap in there. Go for Minilogue and enjoy music instead of programming.
yes using 12 custom pre-made sounds is certainly an option. it can be rewarding to get really deatailed in soundcrafting each sound independently, and having a limitation of 12 could be ok for me. i will definitely consider this as a viable option.
i will look into the multi-mapping thing too, and the analogue keys; thanks for that.
the idea of perameter locking every single note would just be so gruelling and limiting though. not fun.
the korg minilogue xd is the only one i know of. i bet there are more though; thats the next research project🫥
The bass station 2 and the prologue are also worth looking at for micro tuning capabilities depending on how many voices you need. I like my prologue 16 a lot.
Didn’t someone post microtonal music done with A4?
Digitone II can be microtonal with the Keytracking paramter, which can be applied to OSC pitches, Filter Filter frequency, Comb Filter frequency and so forth.
Also Korg Monologue and, with the firmware update, original Minilogue. And Novation Peak/Summit, and Erica DB-01. Those are probably most of the currently/recently in-production ones that allow you to program full-range microtunings on-device (except Bass Station: MTS only. Also DB-01 range might be limited, not sure.)
If you’re ok with only importing tunings via MTS, then you can go with most DSI/Sequential stuff, or Hydrasynth. If you only need ≤12-note/octave-repeating, there’s some other options too like a few grooveboxes and Roland synths (Dirtywave M8, OP-XY, MPC 4000, MC-707, MC-307, Jupiter-X, Jupiter-Xm…), although check the available range of retuning on these since that can vary and prevent even some ≤12-note/octave-repeating scales.
Also, you can find a big list of older synths with various microtuning capabilities up through around the year 2000 at http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com/
amazingly long lists of microtunable synths on these links, but going through them, there arent a huge amount of viable options which tick my boxes: kind of a relief to have that so easily narrowed down tbh!)
amazingly its leading me back to square one, being the minilogue xd. analogue, polyphonic, still in production, not crazy expensive, and not getting into the world of modular synths, which im not ready for yet.
yes the prologue sounds lush but it has no sequencer and needs to be programmed via computer, and yes i the bassstation is making me drool and poo myself so it has to be next on the list after the monologue xd
If you really want to go with the A4 you might be able to get this and play it with a midi keyboard, then send CV into the A4. No idea if that would work though and it’s pricey.
Do you want to achieve specific alternate tunings or just do some weird stuff? Because there may be some tricky ways to do the latter such as turning down the oscillators, putting the VCFs into self oscillation and adjusting the keyboard tracking to a non-standard amount to play the filters.
Another possible workaround, with a controller that has a pitchbend strip like the keystep, you could figure out your scale and mark the pitchbend strip where the different offsets are and then actually learn to play it that way. Difficult but could lead to interesting results.
thanks @dragonaut , its great to consider this. it came up before in my research but i forgot about it. i feel like i dont understand it all tbh, but yes it seems it could do the job.
to answer your question, no its not just making random weirdness for me at all. i love to explore microtuning in a really precise and intentional way.
i love the textures and harmonic resonace you can get when you combine notes, and microtuning really effects this. it also effects the body and mind really powerfully, and i want to use that carefully. i mean making concious choices about what its doing.
Cool yeah I didn’t mean random per-se but just that if you use a self-oscillating filter and have the keytracking at 50%, one octave of pitches will evenly span 2 octaves of keyboard keys, which I guess is a quarter tone scale. And different tracking amounts would give you other different possibilities. But you can’t program in say a specific indian scale or something like you can on the minilogue.
Slightly off-topic, Peak (and presumably Summit, same DNA) have really flexible microtuning that seems to be a well-kept secret.
More on Peak microtuning
There are 16 alternate tuning tables, so 16 different alternate tunings you can have available, and you can tune every note of the keyboard to whatever you want: the same pitch, reversed pitch order, microtuned pitches specified to 1/255th of a semitone … anything. It’s like tuning a big harp by hand, there are no restrictions on what pitch any midi note will play. (The manual says you can also import Scala tunings, using the online Novation Components editor … I’ve never tried that.)
