ELEKTRON ANALOG FOUR PATCHES

Elektron Analog four Patches - my opinion

The Elektron Analog Four is a very unique concept for a synthesizer. I feel its main advantage isn't necessarily the engine itself and its capabilities, but rather the way we manage the oscillators. For me, it's an extension of the Monomachine concept, with the difference that we're dealing with analog oscillators rather than digital sound-generating engines.

Four tracks, each with a different sound, allowing us to layer them (at the expense of polyphony), and mix them. When creating this soundbank, I didn't use these features—I focused on a single track, wanting to maintain the highest possible polyphony. I saved everything as kits because I wanted to preserve the effects settings, which I consider an essential part of sound design.

The way effects are managed is also unique to the Analog 4. It's been a while since I've encountered a situation where effects had their own dedicated LFO section. The synthesizer itself doesn't have a classic modulation matrix, but a total of four LFOs (two for sound, two for effects), three envelopes, and two filters are onboard, offering quite a range of synthesis possibilities. Add to this the various types of oscillator synchronization and interesting sub-oscillator options (which can play the same note an octave lower or play in harmony with the played note).

The sound of the oscillators and filters themselves isn't particularly impressive, although the ability to use two filters offers some interesting possibilities. The "overdrive" function is disappointing, producing a rather uninteresting effect without any compelling sonic artifacts.

I missed a more extensive modulation matrix – each LFO can only have two parameters assigned, which often proves to be a significant limitation, requiring compromise when creating sounds. Interestingly, with the small, digital Mininova, I felt I had a much wider sonic scope to explore, and this is evident in that sound bank. The analog sound source is certainly an advantage here, but the full range of modulation options for the resulting sound is somewhat lacking.

The sequencer and parameter lock capabilities are definitely a major strength of this instrument. I haven't used this feature, and it's probably what gives the synthesizer its true creative potential.