Hey there. I’m the proud new owner of an Analog Four and a Syntakt and loving them both (ordered a Digitakt yesterday to replace my Akai Force, but I digress). I’ve read the manual and searched this forum but can’t find a definite answer.
My workflow revolves around getting my tracks how I want them and then live jamming by using the mute mode on the Syntakt. It doesn’t seem to be the case on the A4. I have to press FUNC with my left hand and mute the tracks with my right. It really breaks the playability for me as I have to currently get my right hand all the way to the left in time to unmute the ST tracks during a drop etc. Would be great to be able to latch the mute mode like the ST. Failing that I could physically move the ST to the right of the A4 so my right hand is nearer but it’s still not perfect for how I like to perform. Any ideas or tips appreciated if it’s not available functionality on the A4. Thanks!
OMG, I feel like such an idiot. I read the trig mutes bit (clearly not very carefully!) thinking it was just trig mutes, as in muting individual sounds in a pattern. Thanks so much, this has changed everything! it’s still not quite the same as the Syntakt/Digitakt as if you press another button (to go do a filter sweep etc) you leave Mix and then the mutes aren’t available anymore. I bet I’ll trip up on this until I get the muscle memory to remember to press Mix each time I’ve finished tweaking a sound. Thanks!
The more time you spend on the A4 the more natural the workflow will become to you and you’ll stop comparing it to the ST/DT.
The Analogs (Four and Rytm) are wayyy more powerful performance tools than the black box Elektrons… and that’s not always a good thing. I use way less of the Rytm’s Perf tools than I could/should (like Scenes and Perf macros), but I like knowing they are there.
Trig Mutes are ideal because they let you keep all your p-locks and s-locks in place whilst still being able to ‘perform’.
Edit- also make sure you explore the Quick Perf section of the A4. Hold down the button and use the step seq buttons to select the macros you want to affect… that can bring a ton of performance variation/movement into your A4 patterns.
it’s still not quite the same as the Syntakt/Digitakt as if you press another button (to go do a filter sweep etc) you leave Mix and then the mutes aren’t available anymore. I bet I’ll trip up on this until I get the muscle memory to remember to press Mix each time I’ve finished tweaking a sound. Thanks!