Coming SOON--Elektron "Analog 4"
 

Has anyone heard sound/track samples of this new affordable beast from Elektron yet? This first website has the sound samples and is one of few places taking pre-orders as well: http://bangbang-nyc.com/shop/elektro...g-synthesizer/

Elektron is quite known for their pretty cool dramatic videos for introducing a new product. Years ago, I owned a Saab 600 Classic (not the USA General Motors time-frame and their kiss of death)--you have to love those Swedish innovators!
Here's the short of 6 minute mini-movie they released recently for the "Analog Four" and it is pretty trippy. Although I do not own any of their previous stuff because am quite covered in drum machine dept, I DO plan on getting the Alnalog Four and posting here if anyone else knows more about or has been beta-testing for them. Here's the trippy video and certainly turn the volume up and maybe hide the kiddies lest they have nightmares:D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X7MlbfQJK8

Sound demos are great! For some reason it inspires me to get one and attempt to reproduce the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange. :)

Yes. When you watch the teaser trailor, it brought about George Orwell's "1984" or Wm. S. Burroughes book "Naked Lunch" in which a very trippy movie was made of.
Dec 3, 2012 they are shipping. What I have learned to my dismay is fact that even though each of the four fully analog (VCO,VCF,VCA), two osc each with two subs, dual filters, with the HP being digital as well as the sequencer end of things---they remain "multi-timberal monophonic". That may sound oxymoronic but glad I found this out by digging a bit deeper inside a few people's brains because it IS NOT polyphonic, although Elektron is pondering that may happen in "future O.S. updates". Each voice is incredibly fat and analog and the only WAY more than one note can be stacked of the four fat osc's is when they overlay each other within the strata of the sequencer.
With that said, it *seems* this is similar to what I ALREADY have with DSI Mono Evolver Keyboard and Desktop Evolver polychained, without the digital half wavetable osc's. I dare say the Evolver is a bit more versatile because with two Evolvers as aformentioned, on my Mono Evolver Keyboard whilst Desktop Evolver polychained and "slaved", I can isolate/turn off sum of the 4 digital osc's and have duophonic 4 analog DCO's/VCF/VCA-PER each of two voices, and coupled with sequencer or arp, easily come-up with same sounds as demo, but when 4 digital osc's are unleashed, it's a total wash!
Safe to say that a largely sharp pin ~POPPED~ my GAS and lust for the Analog Four. Also found that the Analog Four's sequencer at this point cannot drive external gear....FAIL!
So may I retract and state if Elektron were to have spent their money hiring real musicians instead of the apparent "DJ market", rather than on a really cool and dramtic marketing video, they would have had the musician asking same questions and implimented these desired things to be truely innovative. I am not saying this box would not serve some great music niche in someone's set-up rather; just how many more "groove boxes" need to be reinvented? The same thing applies to fact there's more new midi controller keyboards released EACH year rather than manufacturers truely doing something innovative like expounding upon 'Additive Synthesis" or "Physical Modeling Synthesis", for example. Thankfully, we have Access and Waldorf, whom both **must have** some things new on their dungeon slabs that upon stormy nights with each crack of lightening, we could imagine hearing a sinister cry into the electrofied air, "IT's ALIVE"!!!! How's THAT for DRAMA!!? This post and rant also proves one never should get all that excited until peeling back the skin and seeing what may lay beneath, not to mention what THEY circumnavigate by NOT stating! Kind of akin to video game makers spending oodles of $$ of the exterior graphics on their retail box before the code for game is even made, only to find out as a consumer the game may not exactly suck, but there's others whom have produced MUCH better ones, albeit similar, yet a mile away! By the way, I could not find these answers listed anywhere in Elektron's own specs of product. It was only through posting questions, of which they were incredibly fast in popping my GAS bubble several times with! Nothing like the answer given, "PERHAPS in a FUTURE O.S. UPDATE"!!! Back to what I am cooking in my virae and evolvers!

That is one scary ad...those Swedish are wierd ....I know I'm married to one ; )

I DO love "weird"! The Swedish Vodka commercial played here in USA with the techno music, dogs racing whilst donned with futuristic outer gear all in middle of Nevada Salt Flats, with the Swedes all dressed futuristic in kind of like the way they are in "Rocky Horror Picture Show" when doing "The Time Warp" dance number....it's pretty cool and I do not even drink, but wished advertising were more innovative like that. Yes, weird can be quite cool!

You just need to get an DSI Evolver Keyboard:D

Here's an example of use of DSI Evolver only to be just as trippy, from Doc Trippler http://www.trippler.net/files/mp3/nostromo1.mp3

I am actually having a "change of heart" towards this capable beast after a rather comprehensive video/youtube review and demo by Sonic and two of the massive brains behind Elektron. It's not polyphonic **yet** but seems pretty liekly it will be in in probably near future O.S. update. Their philosophy is to not release anything in still-beta rather, prefer kinks ironed out to keep customers satisfied. Each inquiry I have made to them they have personally answered back in no less than 24 hours!
LISTEN TO THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqj2FDawNVk
"Elektron Analog Four can generate sounds without using traditional oscillators or note sequencing. In this example, all the sounds are created only by feedback paths and resonating filters together with intricate lfo modulations. The amplifier section is triggered by a note-on and that is why the sequencer is running. Note, at 19:33 the sequencer is being stopped and the release phase of the amplifier envelope was still active while uploading this video."
This video/audio as well as some communication with Elektron is what's changed my opinion and that's what critical thinking is all about--remaining open-minded to possibilities and outside the 'box'.
There's a revolutionary movement of completing "the circle" in that real analog is making a comeback and NAMM should be very interesting to see if other manufacturers are going to let themselves become road-kill in re-packaging the same old-same old (roland,yamaha) and (at least korg has been releasing capable software versions of their classic gear, to incl. analog reproductions), or be beaten down by seemingly "small players" whom choose to innovate rather than play it safe. Heck, even MOOG has announced a brand new analog for NAMM that's in response to arturia's minibrute!!!
These are interesting time
s because hardware manufacturers ALSO have to be realistic and contend with the minions of software synths being released constantly.
EVEN Wolfgang Palm of PPG fame and original Waldorf incarnation has released two different PPG WaveGenerator for iPad synths and can be seen in this video where Wolfgand Palm demonstates this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7jHQU9PAps and sharing this because he is just as infamous in synthesis history as Bob Moog is (and rest his soul). Am mentioning/sharing these innovations because in order for Access to remain competitive, (not so much relavant, as that would not be true), competition is steep out there now with technology allowing more and more at a much lower price such as how solid state drives are coming down in price and SDHC memory less than a dollar a gigabite.
Would love to hear feedback on demonstration videos and thoughts about direction Access may take without all the negativity and grumblings about virus control, please!
We are literally moving "back to the future" in newfound interest in hybrid digital/analog and all out analog, while at same time applications with never before visual/physical interfaces and some like Dave Smith of DSI has been ahead in this field with the Evolver series. Cannot tell you how blown away into new sonic territories since now having two DSI Mono Evolver Keyboards, with each having one DSI Desktop Evolver polychained to make each duophonic yet sounding small in no fashion whatsoever! For the ambient/ethereal soundscapes am putting together, this along with the Virus has been a new adventure each time sitting down or standing to play. These new offerings to open vast new possibilities in synthesis indeed make 2013 very cool time to be twiddling knobs! Now, if I could just have my jet-pack or transporter pod, please?!:D

Virus Ti,Analog4, Monomachine...
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxftKY2m-44

An example of the Virus Ti, electron Analog 4, and Monomachine having midi sex.