Just got A4 and it sounds amazing, but it was an insanely hard decision to buy it

[acylus]

This is amazing by the way

[johnl]

Very cool idea
Would be happy to hear a recording from anyone who tries it. @MichaalHell

[mashtup]

You’re most welcome - happy to be able to contribute to a great forum, where up to now I’ve just lurked!

[chain25]

Bought a second hand MK2 to accompany my DT and DN. It should be delivered today so I am kinda excited (and maybe also a bit intimidated) …
Thanks for the awesome routing hints, will bookmark them for some day in the future i.e. once I will be done with basic understanding of using the synth.

[DonovanDwyer]

@sabana

if you take away the sequencer you would be left with a synth engine you would never pay £1k for

I would.

[DonovanDwyer]

@MichaalHell

This only applies to MK2 though

It applies to MY mk1 tho
Interesting idea, will definitely try it soon.

@Blasteroid

I used a fast audio-rate sinewave LFO1 on the CV-track, modulated its pitch with LFO2 configured as a one-shot envelope, and also modulated the amplitude of LFO1 with ENV2. Then I routed that from CV-A back into one of the external audio inputs. Massive kicks on the CV-track without using any of the 4 synth tracks

Another brilliant idea!

[LyingDalai]

@DonovanDwyer

@sabana

if you take away the sequencer you would be left with a synth engine you would never pay £1k for

I would.

Indeed, the demo linked by @mashtup clearly shows that the analog engine of A4 is extremely capable, even without the sequencer.

Just got A4 and it sounds amazing, but it was an insanely hard decision to buy it

I’ve got an Analog Keys, like it a lot, but still have a way to go to use it to its full capacity. I think Panu Savolainen’s demo shows how distinctively beautiful it can sound (beauty being in the eye of the beholder and all that considered). [Elektron Analog Keys Demo]

[Schnork]

I can’t really tell, because I’ve never played with an Mk2 myself.
I like the AK, because with its individual outs it’s more flexible than the Mk1, I really like the keybed, it’s actually amongst the best synth and midi controller keyboard I’ve played (I’m not a keyboard player, but I always liked to have a decent keyboard on the desk).
The mod stick is great, you can’t record aftertouch from the keyboard nor the mod stick into the sequencer, it’s more like a ‘performance feature’ in the Elektron world, but I’m making great use of it.
Together with the performance macros, the mod stick is a great way to add variation or transform the sound (subtle or not so).

Obviously the Mk2 has a different (apparently better sounding) overdrive circuit and additional cv capabilities + the quick performance knob.

With individual outs, it’s easy to plug the AK into all sorts of distortion. No cv inputs, though.
So cv modulation is only possible on the Mk2.

AK doubles as master keyboard for me, which not only saves desk space, but also lets me work faster. I never liked having to switch between multiple keyboards, always interrupts the flow for me.

I’m quite happy with it.

Probaply best to test both, the same patches can sound different, especially when they make heavy use of the distortion.

@DonovanDwyer

I would

Same here.

[Blasteroid]

Full disclosure: My idea was only to bring CV-kick and CV-sidechaining together. Credit for those two individual tricks belong to someone else on this forum.

[chain25]

It arrived a cpl of hours ago and been checking it out since. Yes, I think i love it!
Just took me quite some time to find out how to edit chorus, delay and reverb by choosing the FX track first. I guess that just happens when you are coming from DT and DN …

[lesstalkmoredisco]

@chain25

Yes, but this gives the possibility to Plock/sequence the Fx track

[chain25]

Thanks for the hint! So many possibilities to discover!

[ON-OFF-ON]

I’ve had mine for about 5 years and I was deeply in love with it from the moment I received it.

The first jam I was enthralled with the effects and effortlessness in both sequencing and sound design. The magic of how those two elements work together.

That being said … I do agree it’s not a big or hefty sound. It’s a bit delicate and specific, but also extremely versatile. At first I was always trying to drive and push the bass to get more weight, but then when I started using A4 for proper mixed music for releases I realized whoa … you end up cutting out a lot of the bass anyways. Similarly if I try and make things too big with too many gritty harmonics it doesn’t play well in the mix. It just tends to work with the overall sound I’m trying to achieve and is really easy to slot the sounds into a mix.

Definitely you’ve hit the nail right on the head about how people seem to love or hate this wonderful device. It’s not a hammer or how you swing the hammer it’s more like a scalpel that needs a gentle patient hand to wield.