The Elektron documentation thread

Elektron Gear
#402

Digitone manual section 10.10.6 COPY, PASTE AND CLEAR OPERATIONS is ambiguous, in my opinion, about what FUNC-PLAY will do in different RECORD MODEs.

You can copy the active pattern to another location in the same bank or another bank. You can not be in GRID RECORDING mode if you want to perform a pattern copy operation. Copy the pattern by pressing [FUNC] + [RECORD]. Select another pattern, and then press [FUNC] + [STOP] to paste the copied pattern to this location. Press [FUNC] + [PLAY] to clear all the trigs in the current pattern.

The paragraph begins by explaining the pattern COPY operation, then ends by explaining the pattern trig CLEAR operation. In the middle, it says you cannot be in GRID RECORDING mode to perform the COPY operation. Does this also mean you cannot be in GRID recording mode to perform the CLEAR operation? Inversely/conversely, does this mean that FUNC-PLAY will perform the PATTERN TRIG CLEAR while in GRID RECORDING MODE, but won’t do so while in other recording modes?

The next paragraph could help clear things up, but doesn’t particularly help me:

Individual sequencer tracks can be copied, pasted and cleared in the same way as patterns. GRID RECORDING mode must be active to perform these operations.

Personally, I’d prefer that FUNC-PLAY didn’t behave differently depending on which REC MODE I’m in, and I’d be happy to clear pattern data by going into the pattern menu only (10.7.3 CLEAR) — but presenting this more clearly in the manual might help eliminate confusion and frustration. (If it is explained elsewhere in the manual, happy to go read it.)

#403

Page 82 of the manual (shortcuts) is clearer.

image

But TBH, I had the same confusion when I got my model:cycles (which follows the same pattern) and as a result I made up a big crib-sheet of everything to do with copy/paste/clear. Now I can do without it (just).

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#404

Indeed, thanks.

This reminds me that I ran into the same frustration/confusion with my first :3lektron: device, the Model:Samples, and put it aside too… so maybe this style of sequencing (clearing patterns rather than tracks in LIVE REC) isn’t for me.

#405

I’d love to see some basic blurb/sentence describing the abstract “inspiration behind” or “philosophy” or “character” of each of the Syntakt machines, in the Appendix A or intro or somewhere. I haven’t found such a thing in the Quick Start or User Guide yet…? The names & icons help, but I like the dreamy language :3lektron: sometimes uses to describe these sorts of things…

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#406

This is one of those things that I really would like to add to the manual. It is on my to-do list, but it’s a low priority so no promises. But thanks for the suggestion :slight_smile:

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#407

Reposting from where I initially misplaced it.

Here’s another mention for multiple manuals being wrong about CHNG/CH.LEN. I mean, I’m sure it’s been mentioned before, but maybe not…

Pg 45 of the Rytm manual and page (something else) of the Syntakt manual both claim that setting CHNG or CH.LEN will affect when a pattern changes to the next pattern in Chain Mode (and manual mode). It works just as described in manual mode, but doesn’t work in Chain Mode. This has been discussed many times in several threads, so I assume the issue has been raised in the manuals threads… but it’s so confusing and annoying, and so suprirrisng that it’s still mis-described in the Syntakt manual, that I feel compelled to write about it. I’ve also raised a support ticket. In Chain Mode, the LEN/M.LEN parameter controls the change length.

I think it’s a bug, actually… I’m sure Elektron intend for it to work as described (because that would make more sense). However, it’s been a bug across multiple devices, seemingly for multiple OS releases, so I presume there’s significant reason it’s not fixed technically. So the manuals should change. I presume both the Digis and maybe the Models have the same error.

Rytm pg 45:

chng_lies_in_rytm_manual
chng_lies_in_rytm_manual982×402 61.4 KB

Syntakt:

chlen_lies_in_syntakt_manual
chlen_lies_in_syntakt_manual1072×574 134 KB

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Master hardware midi sequencer for live use? recommendations?
#408

this may have been mentioned before, but i would really like it if the elektron manuals included more sound design details or walkthroughs.

it would be cool if they made videos like cenk used to, detailing specific techniques that work well with particular boxes for the official elektron channel as well. macprovideo’s analog four sound design videos are incredibly useful, and oscillator sink/ivar tryti’s step-by-step breakdowns. i would like something along those lines that i could read in further detail. something like an in-depth look at practical uses for dual amplitude modulation between the 2 oscillators on the a4, or musical methods for feedback routing. there are some examples, but i think it could be very inspiring to have more creative ideas laid out maybe

the 3 manuals that originally came with the casio cz-101 even went into some detail about how to achieve certain sounds and little “tips n tricks” detailing the eccentricities of the instrument

im thinkin it would be neat if they wrote these sections in more musical terms, like curtis roads in microsound or something like that

i hear the access virus documentation is very useful for general synthesis sound design ideas. i guess what im after is something like the tips and tricks thread here for individual elektron boxes

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#409

I’m pretty sure that model:cycles behaves as per the text you highlighted. I know I’ve made patterns that change after 1 and a half repeats, and I’m pretty sure I chained those.

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#410

Hi,
am i stupid or this excerpt from Syntakt manual makes no sense:

14.4.3 SEND TO DEL/REV

Use this option to customize which of the 12 tracks + the Delay effect that sends audio to the effects (Delay, Reverb). Use the [TRIG 1–12] keys and the [FLTR] key to activate/deactivate send from each track and effect. Green keys signal send to the effects. Red keys signal do not send to the effects.

Syntakt 1.00 : bug reports
#411

The Delay has a reverb send that you can block

You haven’t said exactly what you don’t understand, but i’m guessing that is it - it means you can disable sends even if a pattern contains sends - it can also be configured to be pattern level or global

so a kick could be dry on every pattern at the toggle of that option

#412

I was actually reading that a couple of days ago thinking “I may just be stupid” lol. After reading it a couple more times, it really doesn’t make sense.

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#413

A little clarification may help ...

Use this option to customize which of the 12 tracks (along with the Delay’s own send to Reverb) sends audio to the effects (Delay, Reverb).

Use the [TRIG 1–12] keys and the [FLTR/Delay] key to activate/deactivate sends from each track (and the delay).

Green keys indicate active sends to the effects. Red keys signal no send to the effects.

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#414

Alright, my apologies, now its clear for me. I guess the confusion came from my brain being fixated on sending audio to FX Analog Block instead of the actual meaning of the text. To be honest this concept of routing audio to main/del+reverb just comes out of nowhere, and without any use case its hard to rechannel brain in an instant to comprehend this text.

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Syntakt 1.00 : bug reports
#415

That’s a great feature and thanks for explaining that.

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#416

I’m sorry if thats wrong place but in bug report topic it got buried underneath everything else and this inconsistency its driving my obsessive brain nuts.

Anyone knows if the switching metronome on/off using key combo is different on Syntakt than on Digitone by design or that a bug? The behaviour is exactly reversed:
1.syntakt - [func] + SHORT press [ptn] to turn on metronome without entering metronome menu
2.digitone - [func] + LONG press [ptn] to turn on metronome without entering metronome menu

#417

Thanks for bringing it up. It is already on my radar and will be fixed in the next versions of the relevant manuals. These length settings are difficult enough without me messing up the manuals, sorry about that…

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#418

I hear you and agree with you that this kind of information is missing from our total output of information. Not sure that all of these things should be in the manuals, but it is useful stuff nonetheless.

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#419

Thanks for queueing up the work.

I’m actually a bit sad. I’d rather the engineers + designers could arrange to have CHNG/CH.LEN behave the same way in manual and Chain modes, as the current manuals describe. I think it makes sense. I have heard via Customer Support that the current behaviour is by design, so it makes sense the manuals get updated.

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#420

Probably a topic for a different thread, but I can’t imagine why elektron engineers/designers would want different behaviours from a pattern change entered manually, versus done in a pattern chain.

#421

Agreed, but they do. At least, they do according to the Support email I got.

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