...Ok but what about the Analog Four? Is it still competitive with the newer generation of elektron?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
21

The A|4|Rmk1 design (and form factor) is great.
You could go with the mk1, they are so cheap on the second hand market it’s criminal.

Now, sequencer wise, the A4 got it all (and more with trig mute, slide, accent…). The arp can be random but the Digitone arp can’t…

Let’s say you’re a guitarist and I tell you, you can get chorus, delay, reverb (with infinite mode), filter (=wah) and a sequencer to program the FX changes for your songs, you would not be surprised at a $500 asking price.

Let’s say you’re a modular guy and I tell you, you can get a sequencer with 4 VCs freely assignable with arp, p-locking, LFOs for $500… that would seem cheap. On top of that, you also get FXs and an FX sequencer and filters… even cheaper.

and now, you have an analog synth engine on top of that and a pretty deep one at that…

Now, the A4 raw sound is not exactly the most enticing compared to say my Rev2 or even a simple Minitaur but… it’s a crazy good drum machine, great for FX patches and pads, bass and everything in between. It needs work though. Well, you can use patches made by very good sound designers, nothing wrong with that! my Rev2, Minitaur, Digitone can’t sound like the A4, the A4 has its own color and only you can tell if you like it or not.

I’ll never sell mine that I can tell you!

14 Likes
22

Not a surprise … I’ve seen a couple of postings on this forum, where IMO the artists had more classical synth sounds and use of the machines in mind and didn’t get this from the A4. The A4 has it’s own character and that is definitely not Moog, Sequencial, Oberheim, ARP, Roland, Yamaha etc. and vice versa.

Only if the sound and handling of an instrument get’s us, what we expect, need, and/or makes us having fun, the instrument will be inspiring.

2 Likes
23

I got my A4 after having gotten the OT – the A4 has always been the kindest experience for me.

Amazing sounds, amazing workflow, amazing layout. Eventually bought an additional A4, which enables me to create exactly the kind of sound I like.

I’d love them to be smaller, but now having a ST, which is pure beauty, I do appreciate the A4’s size more than before.

24

…a4 is already a classic…and u won’t find any other truu analog but digitally controlled synth like this ever again…simple as that.
it’s just breathtaking, how accurately this instrument is jumping from one trig to the next, totally switching/dialing in totally other truu analog sounds of all sorts of classic and way beyond timbres…not to mention, it’s also THE rytm killer…beats/percussions/stacks/basslines/synthclassics/weird free radicals…all ready to jump in and out and morph in realtime…u name it…it’s all in there…

in my case, it’s by now the very last truu analog machine i ever gonna have in use…
all others i got rid of again at some point…while a4’s unique concept remains a timeless one…
and elektron won’t design such a thing ever again…

8 Likes
25

Yeah, the sequencer is a gimmick, too.

3 Likes
26

A4/AK also was updated over the years and it’s still a capable analog synth groovebox with fx and cv track (sequence and modulate fx and cv). A good synth is a good synth, so…
You have a pretty capable synth engine with 2 waveshaping oscs, flexible noise gen, different env shapes (some of them are super snappy), 2 filters, two audio rate lfos for some fm, it can do AM and the feedback oscillator (which takes the audio after filter 1 and feeds it back) is great. You can sequence patterns (Multimap), jump between patterns (restart from step 1 or continue the next step), it can process external signals…
You can set up macros (the ten encoders become macros) from all tracks and even rename them. I always liked that. Macro 1, Macro 2 etc. doesn’t tell you much…
Macros are per kit so you can go crazy without the need of a note pad…

I don’t use my AK as much these days, but it can also process two synths mono (or one stereo synth) and has a pretty cool cv sequencer. Great for developing ideas with modular gear. It does note sequencing, envelopes, lfos and the individual outs can be used as fm modulators for modular.

A4Mk2 also has cv inputs.

And the AK has the joystick.

Some users find it thin or weak sounding. Similar to other Elektrons from that era, the starting point (in this case the raw oscillator sound) gives you the possibilities to go in all sorts of directions. If you’re AMing and FMing the shit out of it, modulating all kinds of stuff and run that through effects, a more timid source is an advantage.

It can do beefy basses and cutting leads, but you also have to dial those in…

I don’t like how newer Elektrons have sounds basically coupled with patterns, the kits/part system is much more flexible. You can set up how many patterns will use the same kit and then seamlessly change between them.
Patterns are saved independently from kits, track settings are individually saved and of course sounds are. You can also reload only the pattern, only the kit, only the track…

It’s arguably more flexible, if that’s a workflow for you, you’ll have to find out.

9 Likes
27

I love mine. Ever owned a Rytm, if so, what are your thoughts?

28

…rytm is the only elektron device, i never had in use…

29

Rytm and A4 compliment each other perfectly imho. Similar sequencer features and structure (although no note slide on Rytm, you’ll have to p-lock the machine tuning parameter and use parameter slide), the Rytm has massive low end without effort, the master distortion is pretty crunchy and the compressor fits in nicely.
Rytm drums are more classic drum machine oriented (sample playback and audio rate lfos can push it in all sorts of directions) while A4 happily does wonky weird fm drums and percs.

Both are synths, so depends how you dial stuff in, but in general that’s how I feel about them.

3 Likes
30

Same here. Been craving one for a long while though, but have an A4 mk2, ST, DN & DT already, so not entirely sure it’s needed. I would have to sacrifice another box or two to get it (DN & ST), but trying to work out if there’s any benefit. I use what I already have a lot at the moment. Just can’t shift the AR urge though!

31

People fall in love with all kinds of synths for various reasons… usually the one they put the most hours of work into. Sounds like you got a bad case of gas my friend

4 Likes
32

For sure. It comes & goes.

1 Like
33

VERY different

34

I think all Elektron gear from the last 10 years compliment each other, it’s just a matter of shaping the sounds to fit the mix. The sequencer is clearly the common link between them all. I’ve had great results with AR + A4, but I also had amazing results with A4 + DN, or just AR on its own.

3 Likes
35

It would probably be unnecessary, unless you feel the urge for live performance modes and controls - this is where the flagship units excel.

1 Like
36

I’m currently thinking if I should sell my A4 mk1 in favor of an OT (my long time crush), but I feel like A4 is a beast I’m not capable of understand… YET! and I’ll miss A4 to feed the OT.

So my point is it’s just hard to fully (use|understand|work) and in my opinion this is people’s main problem, as it’s hard to know exactly how to find those sweetspots or just the machine mechanics people give up; it feels like you’re taking a very long path to nowhere, and that’s frustrating.

Despite that, if you’re brave enough A4 is competitive as fuck and it should be feared like the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog.

image

3 Likes
37

No, not hard, but it asks for some experience, creativity and time spent with this versatile synth-engine.

Having some sweet-spot synths, I can tell that a Moog, a Sequential, or an Oberheim have timbres, which many musicians have loved for decades and it’s quite hard to dial in a boring or horrible sound.

IMO the A4 is like a bright white canvas and provides a rich tool-set of colors and brushes, we have to understand and to use. IMO it’s init-patch is very boring and uninspiring. It’s on us to fill the canvas from ground up and accept that the A4 was never intended to copy the heros of the 70ies or 80ies.

6 Likes
38

And it’s less about sweet spots than motion, IMO. While it’s perfectly playable with your hands, with many of LFOs and envelopes, plocks give it a whole other level compared to this shiny 70’s synths. Not the same use, I’d say. More groovebox oriented analog synth, hence the fact that it shines as a drum box.

11 Likes
39

Absolutely. I´d expand that to all Elektron boxes (never played with the Sidstation, though, can´t say anything about it). They work all work well together, they can all compliment each other nicely.

1 Like
40

For me it was a long path to somewhere full of sweet spots.

3 Likes