Do you use your analog four as an effects processor? Favorite tricks?
p-lock the FX track! Especially the pan parameter.
This is great if you are sending a drum machine with just one stereo analog out (Roland boutique, electribe)
Send the kick hard panned into one input, and then center panned in the A4. Send everything else, hard panned, into the other input, and p-lock pan and fx to make those sounds more stereo on a per step basis.
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I often use the A4 in combination with a Blofeld. The Blofeld is awesome but has horrible effects, the A4 has such a beautiful Reverb and Delay.
I love the ping pong delay effect.
It’s also interesting to mix the digital sound with a analog signal from the A4.
I have a modular that I usually run through the A4. The A4 has no problem with the higher output level of a eurorack and it’s the perfect sequencer able to send four control voltages out.
The thing that makes it really unique is the powerful sequencer in combination with the dedicated track for FX parameter locks, modulation’s…
Pretty simple but kind of cool: Send a signal into the A4. Set two parameter locks with different delay time settings. Use a parameter glide for a smooth change. It’s basically the same as change the delay time in real-time, but with the sequencer it can be used in a very precise way. The effect is a change in pitch of the feedback in the delay. Depending if you raise or lower the Delay time, the pitch will exponentially go up or down. With the right waveforms it can sound like a plucked string. This trick works with all delays, but the A4 sequencer allows a very precise usage of this effect. I send the signal into a OT where i layer it with a sample, add mor fx and record the results.
The there is a thing I call the “chrome” effect. Set the Delay feedback very high, Send amount between middle and max, then reduce the delay time until it sounds like a vibrating metallic pipe that was hit against another pipe.
Again the trick is to use it in combination with the sequencer and if possible a OT or something similar.
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kari, thank you for your response
I am familiar with the chrome effect you are talking about! The DT is capable, although fine tuning is hard.
Is the A4 able to take instrument level signals? (a guitar?)
For more context, I am thinking of trading an AH for the A4mki
@AdamJay , Great idea with the hard panning.
I think I would be mostly interested in using the A4 for leads and basses and using the external inputs for my digitakt, which i could effect with the A4 if i wanted.
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If my analog heat is processing something else at the time, I’ll put audio from an iPad synth or a teenage engineering pocket operator into one of the inputs. My pro tip would be to turn the volume all the way down in Ext in menu and then go into one of the synth tracks, select “InR” or “InL” as the Wav parameter of oscillator 1, turn the amp release to infinite and the sustain to max, and now your signal is going through the filters, and overdrive with full plockability. you can also use the envelopes and lfos to modulate whatever you want…it’s fun. you can do it on multiple tracks, one for the inL, one for inR, and just hard pan them on the amp page. You can also get really wacky by cascading the voices together using the “neighbor” wave type in oscillator 2. Put a signal into track 1 and then use neighbor on tracks 2, 3, and 4, turn down track level on all but the 4th track and all of a sudden you have a crazy mono filter bank with tons of modulation. enjoy!
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I love using the a4 as a dub machine, filters and delay synced to ableton, like here:
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I just tried, passive guitar straight in A4 MkI : it works if you use a track with Input L/R as osc, adding overdrive.
I prefer AH overdrives, but you can sequence filter and other parameters so A4 is interesting to for that purpose. I’d recommend a preamp before and / or a cab simulator after.
You can use 2 tracks to mimic AH, eventually 4 tracks with Nei : track 1 goes thru track 2, track 3 goes thru track 4, adding 2 filters and overdrive. Track consuming, but efficient !
EDIT : mentioned by @helloliamdaly above while I was writing. 
I think @darenager has an interesting point of view concerning AH vs A4, from what I read before. 
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Send feedback(cue1, cue2) or feedback delay drones from MD(as multiple crazy osc) to the A4 inputs, vol R and L set to zero, put some trigs, going to Lfo Page, set destination A to Vol L, B to Vol R, Mode Trig, use Lfo fade as Simple envelope with short release, experiment with speed, multiple, run arpeggiator - it will be retrig, many possibilities, u can experiment with internal feedback delay, in this situation lfo destination will be Delay Vol, use sequencer tips
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When using this method, do you have access to the Send FX of the Track or only the FILTERS, AMP, ENV and LFO’s?
It replaces an oscillator, so you have access to everything but parameters related to oscillators (pitch, tune, PWM, etc…)
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Thanks sezare56 for the fast reply.
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Actually you can use use these parameters on the other osc in order to modulate External Input with AM. Set your other osc to Ground or Level 0.
Interesting results. 
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Test with 8 strings guitar straight in A4 !
Only guitar + A4 as an fx.
Osc 1 = Input L, Osc 2 = Ground (no osc).
Set AM1 on, so Osc 2 can modulate Input L (as a square wave ring modulator).
AM1 (Osc1 AM) engages Amplitude Modulation on Oscillator 1, which means that its signal is switched on/off (multiplied) by the pulse wave of Oscillator 2. This introduces new harmonics with frequencies being the sum and difference frequencies of the harmonics of the two oscillators. The result is related to ring modulation and can give metallic, hollow, or disharmonic sound qualities. Note that the waveform and pulse width of Oscillator 2 also affects the result, even if that oscillator is not heard
I also used arp, filter keytrack, lfo on filter, PWM…
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Has anyone used the external input as a sync source for the second oscillator? It looks like it could be used kind of like the Moogerfooger Freqbox or the Dreadbox Omikron.
Nasty man
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That is super dope!
Your idea has me intrigued. Do you think it’s possible to set up (using two tracks) a p-lockable stereo filter distortion along the lines of the RML Jekyll n Hyde?
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Honestly the A4 (or Keys in my case) is an amazing sound processor (both classic effects, p-lock effects and/or dynamic filter bank) and an amazing synth overall.
It is the keyboard that gave sense to the last years analog reissue of the industry in my opinion. Just consider that it’s not that easy to make it sound at its best and this is probably the main reason for its relatively cheap 2nd hand price, I don’t think it will stay cheap forever btw.
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Not only is it possible, but there’s a step-by-step description in the manual - look for setup example “Analog Four as a filter bank”.
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But would it be comparable sound-quality wise?
I guess A4 inspired Analog Heat!
What is the sound source in your audio example?
With A4 you can chain 2 tracks per channel : 4 filters and 2 overdrives per channel, I guess you can get close results, probably better, wider range.
Overdrive is particular (MKI user).
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