I just got an A4 after lusting for one for ages, and I’m about to pull my hair out. I read so many comments on Gearslutz and elsewhere about how puzzling the workflow is on Elektron gear and honestly, I think it’s 95% down to the abysmal product documentation included with the products.
Instead of just logically explaining from step one how to do things, it’s just page after page of features and explanations of what they do. I’m sitting here with the A4 manual just trying to figure out how to start a track or a sound from scratch - why it doesn’t just explain that in the first paragraph of the manual is just really frustrating. Instead it just tells you how to play pre-recorded tracks that comes with the unit (honestly, who cares!) The best way to learn is from the product videos and even better, people on YouTube. But I can’t find a simple “get started” video on the A4.
Is there a quick start guide other than the crap one that comes with the A4, or a good video tutorial someone could point me to? I just want to start from scratch and I can’t figure it out.
Downlaod the pdf and use the search function. Not to sound like a dick but its the easiest way to find stuff.[/quote]
OK embarrassed - didn’t realize there was one! The one for my MachineDrum came in the box - thanks
Downlaod the pdf and use the search function. Not to sound like a dick but its the easiest way to find stuff.[/quote]
OK embarrassed - didn’t realize there was one! The one for my MachineDrum came in the box - thanks[/quote]
It’s just a work around but I find pdf manuals more useful in most cases anyway. Hope it works out.
Downlaod the pdf and use the search function. Not to sound like a dick but its the easiest way to find stuff.[/quote]
OK embarrassed - didn’t realize there was one! The one for my MachineDrum came in the box - thanks[/quote]
It’s just a work around but I find pdf manuals more useful in most cases anyway. Hope it works out. [/quote]
Thanks man - yeah I’m sure it will, the Getting Started manual is useless, the PDF is exactly what I was looking for, I’m stupid for not checking the site. Thanks for helping a clueless newb
I had same feelings when I got the A4. Even after reading pdf. And even now (6 months gone after purchase) I’m not quite comfortable with it. How do you start programming it from scratch? By selecting new empty kit or by selecting new empty pattern (let’s say H1). Or by choosing existing one and then messing with sounds and notes in sequencer? Thanks!
I agree that the manual is not very helpful for a newcomer to Elektron sequencing - but nothing compares to just putting in time to learn it, if you can get beyond that initial frustration, i doubt a manual could ever express everything you need to learn sufficiently succinctly to be readable, but it ought to be better and less like a list of facts with no context
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm0WuPltadM video will not help explain, but it will illustrate what you’re trying to do - it (AF) will make sense eventually, but you have to put the effort in, it is incredibly deep and flexible - don’t let the out of date manual put you off !
Elektron will be loosing potential customers who just get flummoxed by the interface as the pdf is not good for helping newcomers to ‘get in’ -i was nearly one such ‘aborted’ buyer, but i am so glad i got help to demystify it by the ninja Elektron demonstrator in the clip
Either way, but if you want to use an existing spot you just use the clear function to initialise the pattern and the kit (in two separate operations).
I can understand some of the frustration, especially if you want to get something done with the machine quickly…
however, IMO, one of the nicest aspects of Elektron devices is their explorability…
I think it feels very rewarding when you find out some nice special things you can do with them…
Many of the quirks in the machines are there so you can do more complex things…
which are hard to explain to a beginner, as a beginner person is lacking knowledge about the context of some awkward functionality…
like, the kit/pattern relationship and when something is saved or overwritten and what can and can’t be undone and when… I think this is just something you have to learn the hard way, because it is quirky. These things are not iPads.
however, yea… for someone who’s completely new to the machines, a friendly tutorial for learning core functionality could be helpful if done right…
I highly recommend reading the A4 Quick Ref by Neil Ritchie. That quick ref contains helpful diagrams, signal flow, and figures. It may be a good resource to quickly get going for you.
As far as where to start with the A4. I’d just start by playing it and seeing where it takes you (the best part of the Elektron Machines). When I first pulled the A4 out of it’s box I played with the factory patterns, sounds, and macros for a couple of hours just to ‘get to know the a4’.
When programming with A4 I find that making mistakes often results in unexpected musical territory. I’ll start with an empty pattern, live record via the A4 keyboard, move tweak copy paste Trigs, Plock Filters & Envelopes, live record more PLocks, Plock Trig Sounds. The best accidents I’ve had with the A4 is Plocking Percussive Sounds on Trigs with the pattern rolling. An unexpected sound is triggered and often something that I didn’t intend but is musically interesting and fun.
I’m new in A4, too. And I still don’t found the way to start a new song, even not in the manuals.
I want to start in an empty project with no patterns, no sounds (sure, there has to be a raw starting point for a sound). When ever I think: “ok, there it it”, I don’t need long to find that there’s a different sound on one track or a pattern somewhere hidden in a group.
Empty patterns will have no LED lit for them, look at the latter banks E-H
If you don’t like a preset/existing pattern then clear it (Fn+Clear[play]) (any mode except grid record which will clear that track only)
For a new ‘empty’ sound on current track Press Trk+Clear
That should get you going, but the manual will make sense after you have a play and it will make more sense with successive readings
It was the same for me when I got my first Elektron (a Monomachine). I had to read the entire manual, front to back, before I could get things moving on the machine too. Once you ‘get it’ though, you’ll be flying!
Part of the magic in these boxes is continuously realizing that there’s soooo much more that you can do with them, and becoming the mad-scientist trying to bend it to your will!
I agree 100% that the manual should have some sort of explanation on how certain features could be used musically, or at least an explanation of what they are intended for. Also, they should hire a real technical writer, and not just use one of they’re staff who speaks English pretty well. Really, it would be worth the small cost of hiring one!
So great to see that my whining post turned into something positive, thanks all! I totally agree about hiring a writer, so the manual could have step by step instructions about how to do fundamental things on the A4 (or any of their boxes). There are so many features and interactive controls that I don’t find the A4 intuitive at all, it’s almost like you need to have a global understanding of the box before you can do basic stuff.
It would be nice to be able to get into the simple stuff clearly and simply, then build understanding of the deeper functionality and get into the layers over time. I really hope Elektron does a series of tutorial videos for the A4 soon.
Thanks again!
Yeah I kinda think (and I guess a few others in this thread do too) that a really deep, complex $1200 piece of electronic gear should come with clear, decent instructions on how to start using it, but I guess some people prefer masochism over demonstration
Yeah I kinda think (and I guess a few others in this thread do too) that a really deep, complex $1200 piece of electronic gear should come with clear, decent instructions on how to start using it, but I guess some people prefer masochism over demonstration ;-)[/quote]
You are quite right, and seems an attitude creeps in and prevails here at times where certain people have learned yet another “work around” but upon asking “how to do …?”, people either ignore, do not answer, or snarky replies that more or less tell you how THEY had to just do it and learn it by doing it…and we shall as well.
I have been patient and am awaiting what forthcoming O.S. Update entails, but if it ends up remaining odd synth out and unable to at least use basic midi to integrate INTO my hardware synth set-up, it will go up for sale just as it was by person whom I bought it from.
A better manual is absolutely needed…and I am not talking about instructions on analog or otherwise synthesis…yeah, have that covered…also own some great sequencers…the A4 is simply incomplete as the user manual is.
Yeah I kinda think (and I guess a few others in this thread do too) that a really deep, complex $1200 piece of electronic gear should come with clear, decent instructions on how to start using it, but I guess some people prefer masochism over demonstration ;-)[/quote]
are you not an explorer?
