No choke groups for hi hats?

Elektron Gear Syntakt
#1

Hi all!

Using the Syntakt here, I cannot find a way to create a “choke group” so this will allow me to choke a Open Hi Hats with a Closed one. I am really surprise that such a basic and common feature is missing.

Is there a way to do this? Did I missed that in the manual? (cannot find it)

Thanks!

====== * UPDATE * ======

Hi everyone, first thanks to all of you for your suggestions. It really helped.

So I figured it out: I send a modulation wheel assigned to the Decay, which was configured in the Sound Menu for the Hihats. (like suggested by a few of you)

But, since I play “pads” from the DrumRack in Ableton, I had to built my own MaxFoxLive device so a single hit could send the desired amount of Modulation.

Note_Modwheel.amxd (13.5 KB)

Note_ModWheel
Note_ModWheel1162×512 60.2 KB

I’ve attached the MaxForLive device for those interested.

The end result is cool: I have a “closed” , a “few semi-open” and a “full-open” hi-hats. Which go beyond what I’ve expected. Now the hi-hats are really organic… and I saved a track slot for an other instruments…

Now, I’ll go back to my “Template”… I have so much Idea that poped out since yesterday!

Thanks again everyone! Nice people here by the way!

PS: I use the Syntakt as a “Drum sound module” and the sounds are triggered via Midi from Ableton.

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#2

Use sound locks or p-locks.

4 Likes
#3

The easiest way to do this on the Elektron boxes is to add another trig to cut the sound on the same track. So after your hats you can add a 2nd trig and use micro-timing to get the cutoff where you want it. To use micro-timing, you hold a trig and use the left and right arrows to tweak the timing.

Note that you’ll want to tweak this 2nd trig with some p-locks, so it sounds like a closed hat. To add p-locks, you hold a trig and turn one of the encoders, and the graphics for that param with be shaded. You can clear a p-lock by holding a trig and clicking the corresponding encoder.

It’s more complicated to setup, but once you start using trig-conditions, and p-locks you’ll start to see that the Elektron approach can do a lot of different things.

Hope this helps

5 Likes
#4

Thanks Gino,

But I should have mentionned that I use the Syntakt as a Drum Sound Engine only, triggered by DAW (Ableton). I am not using P-Locks or triggers condition.

1 Like
#5

To be honest, choke groups are pretty fundamental feature that Elektron should implement in Syntakt, especially for the use case that you’re describing.

4 Likes
#6

I agree. I thought I missread the user manual. But no… this feature is not there. :frowning:

#7

I think the most straightforward way to get open and closed hats (using the same sound) is to use the Trig Mod keys (13-16). Trig Mod A [FUNC + 15] is set to decay as a default, and you can set 2 or 3 (or 4) different decay lengths for the different keys to input.

4 Likes
#8

(Just waiting for everyone to pile on and tell you that Elektron boxes are performance sequencers and you shouldn’t expect that feature).

4 Likes
#10

haha! Well, so far, people are great here. Way better than some other sites.
Anyway, I kinda know that I don’t use like it might have been designed for.
So I think I will receive mostly answers about using it the “Elektron Way”.

Still surprise though they don’t have implemented this so far. Since overbridge exists, it makes sense that they should have added this.

2 Likes
#11

(I was missing choke groups at first, but really not anymore.)

2 Likes
#12

Just record the hat sounds and do it your DAW then?

2 Likes
#13

Oh! That sounds amazing… if I can trigger the Trig mod from the DAW… that might do the job! I’ll try that!

#14

Yep that is what I am doing:

  • a pass for the “closed”
  • a pass for the “open”
  • then, paste the “closed” over the “open” on the same track.
  • Then do some fades in/out to remove the “clicks” I get.

As you see, this far from efficient. :wink:

1 Like
#15

This attitude of expecting one company to produce tools and features just because others do, for for some weird “it’s 2022” reason boggles my mind.

If all the instruments were the same, why wouldn’t anyone buy brand X or Y? Most of us buy Elektron because they differ from other company’s offerings.

Expecting a product to be the same as its competitor seems … exhausting. You’re resigning yourself to constant disappointment.

1 Like
#16

The trig mods are great for inputting the hats in one pass on the machine, but I don’t think they’re currently exposed to MIDI.

If you’re using a DAW, and it’s for hats, there’s the Sound Setup menu that exposes up to 4 parameters each to AT, PB, MW, and BC MIDI commands. These would allow you to “parameter lock” 2 midi tracks in your DAW, each sent to the same Syntakt track.

That is, your MW setting could have longer decay plus a few other settings on the sound, then one MIDI track in DAW is pointed to track 12 at 0 MW, and the other to track 12 at 127 MW. Granted, it’s a little in the weeds for a workaround, but you can save the hat “sound” with those settings intact at least…

4 Likes
#17

I understand your point and kinda of agree to some degree.

But, for me, and I am not speaking for anyone else, I think that some features, regardless if they are implemented by other compagny or not, should be there. And “choke” groups are one of them.

Imagine that Elektron never had implemented the “Level” feature. per sound… would you have requested it or would you have restrain yourself just to respect their choice? Okay I admit this example is pretty obvious, but for me, the Choke group is pretty obvious too.

1 Like
#18

That’s a great idea too. Thanks again! SInce I am using an Ableton Drum Rack, I think I can trigger some MW with the note itself. That could work, and it will free up a sound engine too! :slight_smile:

1 Like
#19

You can do it with the TRIG LEN setting, maybe? Set the AMP to the ADSR and set it to NOTE for the Decay, then dial in your OH sound with the release you want. Changing the note length can give it a chopped sound.

Also, maybe try messing with the VEL, MW, and BC macro controls and AMP settings.

1 Like
#20

…if u’d use a digitone, u could run it’s voice steal option… :wink:

really strange that the simplicity of choke groups is not a standard option in all elektron instruments since day one…

especially given the fact that this voice steal thing on the tone can create such a huge advantage from that simple disadvantage, it’s plain lack of voicecount…

no matter what all kinds of trig tricks and conditions can do…

1 Like
#21

That’s an other great Idea. Thanks!