Hello everybody!
I am struggling to find an accurate pitch-note value diagram for ROM machines. Ive already seen the chart that was an updated gweep version.
For some reason, my ROM machines are not corresponding to the values on any chart ive seen. Ive also learned that the 3-ticks per semitone is not necessarily accurate…but what is?! Which steps become 2 ticks per semitone? I’m confused!
My 0 pitch starts at G, not C like it is supposed to be apparently.
No LFO’s or other pitch modulating parameters are active…I just can’t figure this out. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Hi,
You may want to contact Elektron directly, it’s likely that they can provide this information more routinely than users can, however that’s not to say someone doesn’t already know so hopefully someone else can chime in with some info for you.
It might also be smart to ask this question in an existing machinedrum specific topic, not because it isn’t valid to ask in the form of your own topic, but just to get more exposure as some of the people who subscribe to specific topics, don’t always browse new threads on the main page but may still get notifications regarding a topic to which they’re subscribed.
This Machinedrum love topic is pretty active (on and off), so that might be a reasonable place to also ask for this information.
I do think that you can get this information from elektron, but unfortunately, I don’t have anything else to add to it. Good luck though.
What sample(s) are you testing this with?
And is the C it’s “supposed to be” the samples known pitch or your expected pitch of ROM machine?
The ROM machines don’t transpose precisely, there’s some drift at extremes. I saw a nice chart a while ago, I’ll see if I can dig it up.
1 Like
I’m currently testing it with ROM machine 19-ABAS,
And my references are from the only two sources online I could find regarding ROM machine pitches,
This chart, which indicates 0 at C3
And another source that suggests 0 is A4, neither of which are correct for me. I suppose if I have to, I can manually map out the proper notes if there isn’t a definitive list out there already.
Thanks!
Thank you! I may have to contact them, although judging by what’s written in the manual, I’m not sure if they have any updated material regarding the ROM machines.
Is the ROM machine part of the unofficial firmware? Sorry, I’m a little behind lol.
Yep, I did a factory reset when I first got the unit and it appears that’s part of the original ROM samples
this was the chart i found interesting, this human used a sine wave tuned to C to reference,
i don’t know what the OG pitch of ABAS ROM is. using any sample in any sampler as a reference and expecting it to be perfectly pitched is dodgy ground.
i don;t think the ROM machines can be viewed or used as rock solid melody makers. 
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/rom-machine-tuning-scale-is-weird-update-maybe
1 Like
This was very helpful, thank you! I suppose it may just be a lost cause to expect perfect intonation from the ROM machines, rats!
I can certainly go back to using the TRX BD or similar for melodic lines, I just wanted to mix it up a bit and enjoyed the sound of the ROM machines…
Also, I tried mapping out notes myself using a basic strobe tuner…some are close, in-tune, and others are just too sharp or flat. But I suppose this is a known thing. oh well…
For ROM machines, don’t think of 0 as a specific note. Simply think of it as the root note of the sample, whatever that root note is, all dependent on the sample itself.
With that, I can confirm that each semitone is 3 ticks up or down. From root at 0, if the sample is a C3 sine wave, 6 is D3, -6 is A#2, 36 and -36 are an octave up and down respectively.