1

Anyone using an AK+A4 combo?
How has your experience been?

I love my A4 and won’t give it up, but as I do so much with it, I’d like to be able to get into poly mode more, and just add more voices in general. Seems like adding an AK-37 is the best solution. Individual stereo track outputs makes it even more enticing, otherwise I’d look into a 2nd A4. Being able to trigger all 6 voices on a Nord Drum 2 via 6 CV outs, and still have 2 CV left for a Slim Phatty or other mono synth is also exciting.

I imagine setting AK as master and A4 as slave, with A4 receiving program change is the best configuration for a would-be Analog Eight?

2

A8 ! fuck yeah! …

I had been thinking about that for a while too … there is one thing I REALLY like to try… which is:

having 2 identical Elektron boxes (MD MM A4 AK ) x2 … and then create sounds, or patches, kits … and while having both machines running, send 1 patch to the other machine!

say on ur AK you have a nice clap, and want the exact same one on your 2nd toy … send sysex, receive sysex … and there ya go …

so far havent had luck with santa bringing me a 2nd A4 … but hey, who knows! …

then also, using the A4 as a 4 poly drum machine (ignoring sound locks for a minute) seems a bit “expensive” … but if I look at my AR (and ignore the sampling capabilities) I must say the A4 often sounds “better” ( often , not always)

2 x A4- — can only dream of drones, from 1 machines reverb into the other reverb … aforementioned sysesex send fuckery … waaaahhhhh … fuck,… did I just talk myself into a 2nd A4 ?

3

Perhaps Overbridge will give us such functionality.

4

[ul]
[li]I’m using this combo and it’s fantastic. Now I have enough voices and there are more advantages. But I never saved anything into C6 so I didn’t try-out soundtransfers. Manytimes making a song in one of them and just jamming on top with the other is nice and as you can prepare a song in both instruments >>> devided into different chains the jam can go into multiple surprising directions You can ofcourse sync all >> so + programchange - so everythig sync’s ( also changing the positions within a song ) .Many combo’s are possible.[/li]
[/ul]
Not to forget the double FX - !!
The A4 - AK make incredible KICKS and percussion possible - I usually make 2 dedicated tracks - for sure 1 for the kick - stil having 6 tracks left to use.
I prefer this combo over a A4 + Rittem because I don’t have to manage samples and the synth-engine is mutch deeper.
There’s many advantages having both and I never get the feeling it’s to mutch of the same thing as the se machines are so verstile.
2 of these machines is a lot to manage life - still my future plans are to have a dedicated analog bass-synth and a second analog synth with VIA CV - Sequencing for eatch instrument. ( maybe a Moog Minitaur or 1 or 2 Boomstars - but I’ like them to have ( BIG ! ) sound - memory banks )
When I had just the A4 I manytimes wanted to add something not having any voices left. Having both takes this stress away.

5

Thanks for chiming in!

The main (non-financial) hesitation I have on the AK is the size with regard to using it for gigs. I hate checking gear as luggage, and am afraid I’ll have to from time to time with AK. I prefer to only write with what I can take to gigs, as it makes the transition to performance smooth.
Buying a 2nd A4 to replace the AK for gigs only seems unreasonably excessive. But from a songwriting perspective, I’m really pining for the AK+A4 combo.
Procuring a Nord Drum just to get back 1 voice on the A4 really opened my mind to how powerful it is to have as many A4 voices at your disposal as you can.

I hadn’t considered the configuration of different chains on each instrument. Imagining 8 voices of poly rhythms now!
As much as I love my Rytm/MnM/A4/ND1 configuration, I can absolutely see how an AK+A4+ND configuration could please me just as well. It would be quite different sonically, but for my deeper music it might just be the best solution.
AK will probably be my next Elektron purchase. It might not be for a while, but it’s good to know it is there for me to grow into at some point.

6

I have been thinking of adding an AK to my A4 but as far as I understand it, they really thus far cannot be fully “polychained”, am I correct on this? All you can do is sync them via midi is what I thought but am open to being corrected on this.

It would be nice if two A4’s or an A4 and AK could be chained so they fully then act as an 8 voice beasty.

7

Sounds like a great feature to request.

8

Yes, unfortunatly they can’t be polychained. And sequences can’t be transferred by midi. Sometimes I’ll record a track on 1 of them ( and as midi is can be transferred realtime ) send midi - out to the other ( while playing ) - to stack 2 different sounds - so to have 2 identic melodies on eatch instrument. - sometimes making a third or a fourth copy ( so it becomes easy to create accords just by transposing notes in the 3 copys around the original melody ).

9

@VOS-

Do you have -2- A4’s or an A4 and an AK? So, how exactly do you have your connections?

10

Hello there…
AK + A4
AK is the master → midi out → midi in A4
AK midiKLOK - send
A4 midiKLOK - recieve
AK ( mostly ) program - change - cc’s send OFF - A4 recieve OFF
A4 notes recieve ( sometimes )
AK transport send - > A4 transport recieve
I only use 1 more machine for the moment - a Korg Electribe - so than.
AK - midi out → A4 midi in - > A4 midi out - > Korg midi in

setting start -stop recieve in the Elektribe.
This way I can control all sequences start - stop from the AK
Depending my needs I’ll cotrol the A4 parameters by the AK - it’s possible to control 5 performance parameters on 2 tracks with 1 encoder.
All this is very easy to set up and is saved per project.
All of this is so easy and quick that I can change settings during a live set if needed - The greatest thing however is that all is saved in the project ( CV -settings included ).

11

Thanks for chiming in!

The main (non-financial) hesitation I have on the AK is the size with regard to using it for gigs. I hate checking gear as luggage, and am afraid I’ll have to from time to time with AK. I prefer to only write with what I can take to gigs, as it makes the transition to performance smooth.
Buying a 2nd A4 to replace the AK for gigs only seems unreasonably excessive. But from a songwriting perspective, I’m really pining for the AK+A4 combo.
Procuring a Nord Drum just to get back 1 voice on the A4 really opened my mind to how powerful it is to have as many A4 voices at your disposal as you can.

I hadn’t considered the configuration of different chains on each instrument. Imagining 8 voices of poly rhythms now!
As much as I love my Rytm/MnM/A4/ND1 configuration, I can absolutely see how an AK+A4+ND configuration could please me just as well. It would be quite different sonically, but for my deeper music it might just be the best solution.
AK will probably be my next Elektron purchase. It might not be for a while, but it’s good to know it is there for me to grow into at some point.[/quote]
If size matters the A4 is more practikal for live-gigs ( if you don’t need a keyboard ). But ones I tried the keyboard I was sold. It’s got a very light toutch witch I love. Mutch more than all socalled semi -weighted keyboards nowadays. maybe good for piano-players but to hard for me - for shure if I wanna play percussive on it. I like this immedeate reaction with almost no resistance and I find it a strange evolution making weighted keyboars for a synths
I noticed getting different results when composing on one of them. Being almost identical instruments this must be because of the interface difference . I have no preference - boh interfaces have advantages. ( A4 is great to take aroud with headphones :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: )