Is anyone using the Analog Four with a band, with guitars, and/or in the genre of rock (rock ‘n’ roll, industrial, indie, doesn’t matter)? I’m curious to know people’s uses of it in these contexts, particularly in how its sound mixes with live guitars, basses, and acoustic drums (note not drum machines) and how people manage playing the Analog Four in live situations.
I’m wanting to get one, and I can see it as a huge plus sitting at home writing and soundscaping with it. It also will be no issue to record guitars and basses over the Analog Four at home either. But my concern is how well this translates to a live situation with tempo changes and variations that come with playing in a live band with guitars and acoustic drums (could be supplemented by drum machines as well). Does the sequencer paradigm still work? Are people able to use the sequencer or do they just play the Analog Four live or both?
I use mine with a band. I had to figure out some stuff.
As long as your drummer can keep time with the machine it works. Haven’t figured out a way to do quick tempo changes, mostly just change between songs.
I haven’t used the A4 in particular with a band, but I have used electronics with a band for many years. Theres basically 2 different ways that you can integrate your electronics.
don’t use sequences and play everything- following the drummers timing.
Find a drummer who can play to a click track and have the drummer follow the sequencer.
I’ve tried to do something in between, by using triggers to set the tempo of a sequencer in realtime. This has pretty much always ended up in failure- (at least for me).
Maybe it’s possible with the right gear and the right setup- but in my experience option 2 (drummer following click) was always easier and sounded better.
My band is live drums + A4, DSI Tempest, Moog Minitaur, OP-1, Minibute and a Roland 606. It’s all slaved to the A4 via midi and CV. Our drummer uses a Midi Solutions Beat Indicator…basically a very very bright blue light that flashes in clock divisions. It helps. When we played our first show we had to rig up a cardboard wedge to “point” the A4 at him so he could follow the Tempo light. That and decent monitors…you should be set. In my experience…unless you’re using the A$ strictly for atmosphere and keys, it’s worth it to clock your drummer to the A4.
I have a Sonuus G2M. Not perfect (only midi channel 1, doesn’t allow to play chords but for A4 it’s not a problem for now) but it allows to play midified machines with a guitar. I never tried to play A4 with it but played Evolver and it was very funny for a guitar player like me.
I know this is not really the subject of this post but if you are of if you have guitar players in your band it could be interesting to allocate the channel 1 of your A4 to cosmic guitar solos.
thanks for the response. do you mind elaborating on what you had to figure out and what solutions you found? is it stuff beyond what people have mentioned or what you said about having the drummer keep in time with the analog four?
how does the sound sit within the band’s mix and live sound?
thanks for the midi solutions beat indicator suggestion. i currently don’t have a band but am busy trying to write and record some songs. so i plan on trying to use the analog four as both atmosphere, live keys, and as a sequencer on different songs. since i’d like to play the songs live eventually, i didn’t want to work myself into a corner or have to reinvent the wheel down the line. thanks for the perspective.
yea, i agree with you that this sounds like the best option for when you need sequences. with DanB’s suggestion of the beat indicator, it seems you could at least give your drummer the choice of a click track, the beat indicator, or just to listen for the sequences.
I think you should give it a try and get your own opinion.
Keep your ears and heart open to question yourself: Is this the way i want to make music? Is this really the vibe i’m after? I know a lot of musicians that hate playing an Instrument to a backing-track or sequenced music. It’s like having a new band member that has no ears, no timing and no feeling for music and the moment. And all other musicians are forced to orientate theirselfes at the most stupid band member (the sequencer/backingtrack/…). This can be the fastest way to destroy a good band.
But there are also people that really like this approach and the possibillities you get. If you don’t know - try it!
Also keep in mind to ask your bandmates if they feel comfortable with the new band member.
yesterday i jammed with a keyboardist and drummer usingg the A4 . i was clocking the arpeggio from the keyboard and processing both keyboard and the snare sound from a simmons electronic drum .
we have been using arpeggios and lfo driven sequences for a while so our drummer is used to follow machines .
with this setup we ended up exploring new musical areas and definitely sounded more “electronic” .
our setup was :
me :analog four , ms10
keys: two DW8000
drum : acoustic drums + simmons analog drums (snare only)
@KrisM-Did you ever follow up on this? Got a Sonuus G2M second hand for super cheap and just used it for the first time with the guy who plays guitar with me; doors weren’t opened, they’ve been blown off the hinges!
