KVR Audio

dumbledog · Post by **dumbledog** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:42 pm

I ordered the A4, should be here Friday. It has a 30-day return window so I should be good. Can't demo it unfortunately since there isn't a synth shop in Sacramento worth a damn.

I also spent about fifty bucks on cables. There's a lot of connectivity potential, yikes.

And it looks like I can sequence both the MS-20 and Brute at once for some six voice craziness, which'll be sweet, although I take it you can't actually play them on a keyboard that way without resorting to some weird splitting.

One other question I have... what does the MIDI Out actually do? I understand that you can't sequence out to MIDI so I don't get the point. As it is I'd like to have it control my iPad or a small sample-based drum machine but that seems like a non-starter as it is.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:05 pm

I love my Analog Keys!

Yeah, the screen is a bit too small, but now that I am used to it, I do not need see it much... and there is just nothing like the AK as far as features...

MFXxx · Post by **MFXxx** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:10 pm

dumbledog wrote:
One other question I have... what does the MIDI Out actually do? I understand that you can't sequence out to MIDI so I don't get the point. As it is I'd like to have it control my iPad or a small sample-based drum machine but that seems like a non-starter as it is.

Works great as a midi controller, but oit sounds like you are working predominantly OTB which is great to hear. I think the midi out can be used as a midi trigger fore syncing if using the internal sequencer (not looked at utilising it for much else myself at this time).

dumbledog · Post by **dumbledog** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:21 am

I mean the A4 though. Without keys what is it controlling? Though as a trigger I guess I might be able to use it. I'm not terribly well versed here but I basically just want a drum machine on the iPad to start when I start the A4.

Also where the hell am I going to stash all these wires... feel like I need to go buy a jewelry box or something yikes.

Aural Chaos · Post by **Aural Chaos** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:51 pm

dumbledog wrote:I mean the A4 though. Without keys what is it controlling? Though as a trigger I guess I might be able to use it. I'm not terribly well versed here but I basically just want a drum machine on the iPad to start when I start the A4.

Also where the hell am I going to stash all these wires... feel like I need to go buy a jewelry box or something yikes.

Its sequencer can send clock and start/stop, so you should be good with the iPad ( depending on the app of course).

dumbledog · Post by **dumbledog** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:16 am

Quick update: Ordered it, got here last Friday. I like it but it's gonna be a couple months before I'm really comfortable with it, know the instrument all well, and not accidentally erase stuff because of the wacko workflow.

maschinelf · Post by **maschinelf** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 12:40 pm

I've been wanting to get an analog four for a long time, and I think it's finally time. Only problem is, I never paid much attention to the octatrack before, and now that I checked it out, I can't decide between the two.

I already have a blofeld, nord modular g2, and microbrute, plus a bunch of soft synths including zebra, bazille, synth squad, dune 2, and komplete. Looked at this way, I guess it seems obvious that I should get an octatrack, but on the other hand, bitwig and the ipad can be used for sampling and triggering samples, though probably not as quickly as the OT. Midi sequencing can easily be handled by any of these or the nord modular.

Logically, I think the octatrack might make a little more sense, but my heart says A4 ..

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 1:01 pm

A4 and RYTM user here- yup, takes a while to get with the workflow, but it is pretty fast once you get the hang of it, the only thing that totally sux for me is just the present handling (there are 1000's of new patches to load, but you have to use systx and then find them using a convoluted browser on a tiny screen...Soon we will have 'Overbridge' and it will all be MUCH easier assuming you are working with a Computer (although I love the fact that you don't have to work with a computer, and often just turn my little A4 and RYTM rack on strait in to my X32 desk and record the tune on the X32, no computer needed!

Aural Chaos · Post by **Aural Chaos** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:22 pm

I have the AK and OT. I felt comfortable with the AK pretty quickly- much of it is like any other synth, and the sequencer isn't that hard to get a handle on. The hierarchy of kits, patterns, etc is pretty obtuse, but that's really the most confusing part.

The OT, on the other hand, is confusing and frustrating. I've had it a couple of months, and it's just been a series of baby steps with a lot of head scratching in between. I frequently think of selling it, but plan on preservering for a bit longer, cause I know it is capable of some really cool stuff.

dumbledog · Post by **dumbledog** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:38 pm

I've had my 4 for a bit over a week now, and I'm really havin fun with it. Feel like I've barely scratched the surface as far as what I can do with things like the arpeggiator. It can be a pretty good learning tool for sound design too -- put a 'target' sound on the second track, then try to match it on the first track.

I tried making a song from scratch with nothing but the A4 but honestly the sequencer is atrocious for that since you can't see what you're doing. Much easier to use a DAW to prototype it out, then transfer the parts over. Shame it doesn't support midi input tho.

Aural Chaos · Post by **Aural Chaos** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:42 pm

By "MIDI input " do you mean like if you could import a MIDI file?

dumbledog · Post by **dumbledog** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 7:57 pm

Yeah, basically just send it some midi files over sysex and let it chop them up into patterns or whatever it needs to do to make a song out of them.

Aural Chaos · Post by **Aural Chaos** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:08 pm

Someone over at Elektronauts made something similar for the Rytm.

maschinelf · Post by **maschinelf** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 1:09 pm

Looks like it's gonna be the OT for now, and the A4 later if I can afford/justify it at the time.

OT seems a whole lot more versatile, and less redundant considering the synths I already have. Also, a big part of the reason I've been accumulating more hardware is because I want to move away from the computer at least some of the time. Not that A4 wouldn't be great in that situation, but the OT seems capable of so much more. And, sampling the NMG2 into the OT would make it an ambient dream box. Should also mention that I'm mainly looking to create ambient/experimental music, and the octatrack basically seems perfect for this.

Any thoughts? Any arguments in favor of the A4??

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Mar 16, 2015 2:35 pm

maschinelf wrote:Looks like it's gonna be the OT for now, and the A4 later if I can afford/justify it at the time.

OT seems a whole lot more versatile, and less redundant considering the synths I already have. Also, a big part of the reason I've been accumulating more hardware is because I want to move away from the computer at least some of the time. Not that A4 wouldn't be great in that situation, but the OT seems capable of so much more. And, sampling the NMG2 into the OT would make it an ambient dream box. Should also mention that I'm mainly looking to create ambient/experimental music, and the octatrack basically seems perfect for this.

Any thoughts? Any arguments in favor of the A4??

Well... the A4 will work with Overbridge and the OT will not... so I think it depends somewhat on how much you want to move away from the computer.

Also, the A4 is no slouch for ambient/experimental music.

I have the AK and Rytm

I've ordered an Elektron Analog Four