Yes, I agree.
But that still doesn’t mean they are going to put ANY resources into rewriting the OS of the AK/A4 to make the sequencer send MIDI. As nice as that might be.
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Oh, right… well that’s made a depressing day even worse. So how do you know this, do you work for the company or have insider knowledge or something?
I really don’t think there’s any need to start attacking people individually.
This guy’s opinion, or the way he writes sentences, has nothing to do with this thread.
Once again, have a little respect for people. Build a community. Or be an asshole flamer - up to you.
The thread is pretty straight forward. Just add something to it, as opposed to acting destructive.
OK, I know, let’s use Elektron’s forum to claim that they are deliberately crippling their products in order to make more money. Cause that would be ever so respectful.
Oh, and this sounds productive- since Simon stopped short of stating that it was impossible to add MIDI to the AK’s sequencer, that must mean they are holding back on giving us this feature, and all we need to do is pester them enough and they’ll get off their lazy asses and give it to us- after all, we paid them money, we deserve it!!!
Uh, ok. Well how about I listen to you? What have you got to say on the subject of the thread?
You read my mind… But it’s like some people don’t want to understand… they read and hear what they want to see… i tried to explain to keep them from ending up frustrated…or dissapointed …or to keep them from being frustrated - but that’s not apprecaited,
I tought that the response off Elektron would help them but no…
Some ask for insightful comments but when I trie to give them, putting ineffort and time, well you can read the reactions for yourself
an the I get a little bit pissed, I should know better… 
OK, cool, got that one.
Anything else to add, or any reasoning behind your sarcasm?
I mean, it’s good to get it all out at once so that you don’t end up having to repeat yourself over and over saying the same thing.
That way we can all move on…
I mean, this is a valid thread. Someone is asking if there would potentially be any MIDI SEQ out in the future.
Then there are some people speculating.
Then there is an open ended response from a company spokesperson.
Then there are a bunch of cliche hacks who try to bend the actual thread back to the idea that people who want more from their machines are somehow lazy, entitled, delusional, cringe worthy dreamers.
Yawn.
It’s getting stupidly predicable in here.
Oh, so we are moving on?
That’s progress. Maybe you can work some of your community building magic in the several Overbridge threads!
What “endless diatribes”? What are you on about?
[quote="“Zymos”"]
Oh, so we are moving on?
That’s progress. Maybe you can work some of your community building magic in the several Overbridge threads![/quote]
I’m quite lucky in that I don’t really care about people’s gripes about their machines, or Overbridge, or whatever. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
I think criticism is extremely valuable, and I live with that in my job, receiving it from my clients. If someone takes the time to reflect on my services then that means that they are invested in my company.
It’s stupid to try and figure our someone’s personality from a post on the internet, really, so I refrain from getting personal to the best of my ability.
I look at people posting how they feel about something here, and I don’t feel the need to cut them down if we don’t see eye to eye.
So on that note, I think I am doing alright in that regard.
I look at the threads about Overbridge and people getting frustrated at the time it is taking to release it and, from the perspective of someone who works in marketing departments, all that is to me is a fucking win for Elektron.
When people don’t complain about something being delayed, that you have hyped up all over the internet, and which is to be honest a pretty kick ass piece of software development, that’s when you would be worried as a company.
People whinging about it not being finished yet means highly engaged customers. I guess we see it from different points of view.
But in my line of work - project management and events management - if someone was whinging about how they are finding it hard to wait until they can use my services on a project, that would be absolutely fine by me.
Likewise if customers are complaining about the delay in finalizing a line up for a festival that I am running, that also is a good thing.
There ain’t ever gonna be no f’ing MIDI sequencing from the black analog boxes!!! Mkaaaayy, there I said it!!
You’re an optimistic bunch here aren’t you? Have a little faith in Elektron’s customer service.
Elektron’s modus operandi has for years been to release a device and then add and improve features for it with regular os updates hasn’t it? So you buy an Elektron machine aware and accepting of what it does when you get it but with half an eye on the likely improvements it’s going to get in the future, yes?
So surely you can see how some Analog owners might be “disappointed” that external midi sequencing hasn’t yet been added to it despite it being possible and really useful and Elektron being fully aware that “everyone wants it”?[/quote]
Not really. Here’s their published FAQ. It’s pretty clear. Also, note the period after the word no. They don’t have a comma and then use qualifiers like the words however or but. Again, fairly clear.
[color=inherit]Does the Analog Four have dedicated MIDI sequencer tracks?
No. Instead it features a dedicated CV/Gate track, controlling the two dual CV/Gate outputs.
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Thanks, I know what the FAQ says. It doesn’t change the point I made though does it?
Fair enough - time will tell
As I’m all out of popcorn, I may as well chime in…
Let’s speculate (as that seems to be the popular practice here) that Elektron is indeed crippling some products in order to maintain viability of other products and make the company more successful.
Now, let’s also take a moment and step outside our own perspectives, leave our private (and sometimes also very public) feature wish lists in our pockets and look at what that would actually mean from an objective point of view…
Follow the “crippling hardware X to sell more hardware Y” argument to its logical conclusion. This would mean that if Elektron did not cripple the A4 & AR, and gave it all the midi sequence features we think we want, then these other machines would lose viability, yes? Well that’s unfortunate.
Now flip it. If Analog Rytms and Analog Fours without external midi sequencing (as they were designed to be) translates to longer product life cycles for Machinedrums, Monomachines, and Octatracks… well, that’s a very good thing. Those are (objectively) very powerful, capable, and unique instruments. Each one may not be best for you, or I, but they are each themselves the very best instruments for many many people. Continued support of those products is important for the legions of users who find them crucial in their quests for creative expression. Having them still available for new generations of musicians to discover is quite valuable.
That’s one way of looking at it, albeit probably not a popular view.
Let’s also look at how the crippling hardware argument extends into making Elektron a successful, viable, independent designer and manufacturer of electronic instruments in an industry that is seeing larger mergers and acquisitions than ever before.
So, a user really wants to sequence their Blofeld an their Virus TI with an Elektron sequencer. They have an AR and an A4, so no dice for external midi sequencing. Hmmmm, they really love Elektron sequencers so time to add a third. Let’s say it’s an Octatrack. Great now the midi is covered, the user also gets sampling and a host of other features, they are getting what they pay for (as they always do with Elektron products), he/she is continuing to support a company that actively supports all of the products they have ever manufactured, and this makes the company more successful.
Extrapolate this experience over multiple users, and this success can express itself in a myriad of ways…
Perhaps Elektron employees get 8 extra hours of vacation time a year. Great, they’ve earned it. Perhaps the design team can hire another skilled employee in the creation of an entirely new, and possibly revolutionary product. Awesome, I think it is safe to say that many people would support that. Or perhaps this is the kind of strategy that is required in a competitive field of business to simply stay afloat. Maybe without this strategy, someone gets laid off, or some employees have to wait a few days extra to receive their paychecks (this is a reality in many small businesses), or worse.
My point is this:
The whole “Elektron is crippling their hardware to get us to buy more of their products” argument is generally said with such disdain for the practice. But, assuming that this is actually the practice at hand, there are externalities so far beyond the scope of an outsiders understanding, that this argument is ultimately a moot point.
Elektron is going to do what Elektron is going to do.
You can vote with your dollars.
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Adam thank you for your intelligent and helpful post. It’s refreshing.
Based on multiple previous examples, Elektron builds in possible features that can be unlocked in the future with further R&D or, to be more cynical, when unlocking those features no longer cannibalize sales of supplementary products.
This is why people speculate that a possible EXT MIDI sequencer is a potential in the future.
No doubt, it would actually add to my personal user flow with the AK, as the AK would become the central hub for all synths in my studio. Creatively, the impact would be massive, and would lead to more use of the AK as a central sound source and controller, as opposed to the last link in the MIDI chain.
The ambiguous reply from an Elektron representative in this thread neither confirms nor denies this possibility, and “I assure you” (lol) that if the answer is a firm no then, if the company is chiming in, they will usually be quite definitive.
So I guess there’s hope 
What I suggested earlier, which no one has really talked to, is even if there is no intentional crippling of features, the positive spin off of reducing certain features which are picked up in other items in the product line will certainly not have gone unnoticed.
I would suggest that awareness of this makes its way into the development stage where features are selected and deselected according to a matrix of build quality, usability, aesthetics, and price point.
As I also said, I don’t mind that, I work in marketing - not always - and I understand the need for balance in regards to making people happy while maximizing financial return.
But, for me, that changes the relationship slightly between customer and supplier where a slight edge of good will gets lost. I’m fine with that too. As you said, I show my support with my cash and I am a very happy customer.
In the genre of music I make, having a slight sonic point of difference is a massive help. Not many people I know use Elektron gears as they’ve been put off by the quantized steps of the MD in the past or by the lack of sonic balls in the OT, and they also find the work flow too rigid. I’m fine by that - whenever they ask for a good drum machine to buy I never suggest the RYTM and always suggest the Tempest 
Anyway, I appreciate this style of communication. You’re right - it is all speculation - and that’s fine by me.
Now, after a juicy 2 hours of morning vinyasa and two flat whites to top it off, I’m off to patch the Yamaha CS50 into the Neve and then to a reamped tube pre to sample stems into the 404sx (which, incidentally, has sprung into life since I’ve been sequencing it with the OT, using velocity, super tight sequencing, note nudgability, and arps to full effect)
And that’s what life is really all about.
Curiously, I find this lack of midi challenging…in a very good way. It forces to explore new roads and try different things… refreshing. Be different.
You’re an optimistic bunch here aren’t you? Have a little faith in Elektron’s customer service.[/quote]
After they release Overbridge, the last thing people are going to want to see on the analog boxes is yet another pile of updates not related to adding new synthesis machines (like the ring mod kick drum).
After Overbridge, I sure as hell don’t want to see something as boring as a MIDI sequencer - I already have a crap-load of those. Sorry, just being blunt here.
I used to make tunes with an EHX looper and a guitar and synths - I’m totally down with adapting.
The truth is, Elektron machines always surprise me as to their capabilities and yield more and more depth.
So I agree with you - it’s good to adapt.
I also think MIDI SEQ out functionality would lift the AK to a central position for me and for people with work flows and studios like mine.
For me, work flow is critical to creativity and spontaneity. I’m too old now to spend too much time setting things up. I’d rather spend my time fucking with an audio signal than entering duplicate MIDI notes on separate black boxes.
HOWEVER, I am extremely excited by Overbridge. If I can send all MIDI data from the AK to DAW then the next step for me will be to make the DAW a gateway MIDI hub, sending that MIDI information to the rest of my kit.
If that is possible then this will be a massive win for me, and for anyone in this thread seeking MIDI SEQ out functionality from the AK as a studio leader synth, if you use a computer.
Bloody exciting times!