Model:Cycles Tips & Tricks Thread

Elektron Gear Model:Cycles
#114

Since you’ve only had it for a while, my guess is that you’re mistaking the digital clipping at the track output for the distortion function. The signal distorts when you crank the overdrive up, yes, but it’s due to both the distortion effect AND the track level clipping at the output, so you need to turn the track level down to avoid the harshness.

It happened to me, too, at first. I’ve noticed that on the Cycles, you have to be more careful with levels than with e.g. the Digitakt. (I’ve only used the Digitakt, but I assume it might be similar to the Digitone in this respect.) There’s not as much headroom.

I made a comparison with a long bass note with lots of distortion (and track level set to low) and with no distortion, and the difference visible on the Ableton scope is that there’s really nice high harmonics there, so the sound is a lot fatter. Definitely no clipping whatsoever.

3 Likes
#115

Set LFO on DIST, and set DIST to 0, and shape to ENV (or whatever you want) then you can use the Fade parameter as an attack setting if you set it negative. I’ve used this to get rid of the clicky attack on the kick and chord machines. All the clickyness everywhere gets to be a bit much, so I’m very happy I discovered this trick.

In combination with a slow ENV shape you can make a decent classic EP. Sweep on chord = 0 or 1 or 106, slightly higher DIST for some growl.

9 Likes
#116

You can p-lock settings in the LFO Setup menu? I thought it was static…?

1 Like
#117

Damn, I think you’re right. Looks like this trick isn’t as useful then, when you can only have one glide length.

#118

Thanks for prompting me to try this again. I found it a bit finnicky to set up though, and experimented with Pitch and FTUN as destinations to tune in the right envelope. For envelopes that have no sustain but decay only (GATE off) having a slow attack combined with too-fast decay will limit the max height of the envelope. Having found the ‘right’ envelope I then switch the destination to vol/dist.

I will experiment some more but at the moment I’m finding it easier to set up slow attack the other way, E.g. LFO -> ENV then negative depth on VOL/DIST (check LFO Fde is at 0) , also VOL/DIST set low perhaps. Mul x8, Dep -60.0, Vol/Dist 60, LFO SPD 24

2 Likes
#119

For slow attack done with fade, I’ve discovered the easiest way to set this up is avoiding LFO Wave ENV, and using Square instead, with LFO Rst on and (crucially) LFO speed set at 0 so that the LFO does not start to cycle. Combine that with Vol/Dist low or zero, LFO Dest of Vol/Dist (depth say at 50) and LFO Fde at about -30 is a good place to start experimenting

7 Likes
LFO as 2nd envelope
Bug: Volume and dist frozen on one track
#120

Has anyone managed to dial in a sound that’s vaguely like a long ringing electric guitar tone … sort of open twang … maybe like a telecaster ?

Not specifically aiming to emulate a guitar … just something in that zone.

#121

Recently got an M:C and now have a couple of days planned for getting to grips with it. I ambitiously set me as goal to perform a minimalistic, ambient AV show with it next week :smile:

So I knew before hand that it doesn’t have a pattern+kit save structure like the older Elektron gear. From early explorations I’m sensing I might not vibe with that so well. Curious how you folks are working it. Say you have a set of patterns that use the same sounds and form a track together. When playing this live you might manipulate some sound parameters, then switch to another pattern. There will be a jump in those modded parameters, unless you revert to the saved state first. This is especially poignant when having a pattern chain going. At every pattern switch there will be jumps and you might end up with 4 or so patterns all with different sound parameters. I can see a creative use of that but I also like the good old kit way that preserves sounds over multiple patterns.

How are you folks dealing with it? Avoiding such cases altogether? Perhaps found creative uses for it?

#122

FWIW, I have a “tone” version of each percussion machine saved as a preset, as a basis for finding more variations that can be used melodically.

4 Likes
#123

The cycles is my first groovebox/sequencer, so I didn’t even realize I was having this limitation even though I do exactly what you said: I manipulate the sounds but then make sure to reset the pattern back to the saved state before changing patterns.

That would be an AMAZING firmware update to lock a kit to a bank

2 Likes
#124

Don t hold your breath :wink: it s not on model:samples either so really a design choice by elektron.

#125

Seems a fair comment. Nothing else is saved at bank level (?), so they might need to re-architect a lot under the hood, and figure out which button combos to use for save to bank, clear bank etc

2 Likes
#126

I think pattern level was meant. Kit link saved with each pattern like on the bigger boxes.

#127

Just realized that the Control all function works for moving the machines. So you can move all the tracks over one at the same time. This is truly the box that keeps on giving.

7 Likes
#128

Not following this trick? Can you elaborate?

#129

I’ve made some good twang-like sounds with a Chord machine. I’ll share my settings in AM.

2 Likes
#130

Ok so just to follow up on this. I was testing to see if machine locked trigs are affected by this hoping that they wouldn’t be then you could change all the machines on like 5 or 4 tracks with control all. Sadly they are still affected. However it vastly changes the sound, but still keeps it on the Machine locked Machine. So if you have trigs on a 2 and 4 of a track and Machine lock them to snares, you can then change the machine of the track and get different snare sounds. It’s opened up whole new sound designs for me. This thing rules.

1 Like
#131

Ok. I made a good bass guitar type sound:
It was the Tone Machine actually
Pitch -24
Decay 25
Tone: 1
Shape: 72
Shape 38
Contour 52
Vol/Distort 90
Gate on

Playing them sequentially, and it’s a nice rough distorted bass sound.

8 Likes
#132

Anyone got starting point tips for acid-ish basses?

Did a nice droney, ambient-ish gig with it last week (see: Amsterdam, tomorrow dec. 12th: presenting Cycles, a live AV act featuring). Wanna get into techno territory this holiday :slight_smile:

1 Like
#133

Hmm, without a resonant filter it’d be tricky, but give me a couple of days and I’ll see if I can find some tricks :metal:

2 Likes