Elektron-Users

Thanks so much everyone!

@Psykisk
+1 to what Stiiiiiiive said, that's useful for any MD machine! May be the best I can do with my limited gear. Haven't had a chance to try it yet...though I wonder if because GND-SN is a fundamental sine it won't produce any overtones?? Just a guess

@Previewlounge
Extra thanks for checking the numbers. I remember that LFO technique you mention from the Tips & Tricks and figured I'd explore it once I actually knew the ball-park pitch values...now I've got something to start with

dubathonic wrote:

I'm curious mainly because of GND-SN's ability to make basslines...for me at least, low notes are difficult to tune by ear.

It's difficult for most people but my tip is to try a few pairs of headphones for better results. I have some ATH-M50s and it is dramatically easier to hear whether something very low is tuned right. You can also use distortion as mentioned but the headphones trick works for me.

PS: then take them right off because mixing on headphones is a bit tricky

interesting that the GND SN octave is found by incrementing 16 steps ...
q: what do 16 and 12 have in common?
both are divisible by 4.

so, divide a "usual" octave (12 semitones) division by 4, the result is 3 (semitones);
divide the Elektron Machinedrum octave division of 16 by 4, = 4 (increments).

in theory, this would mean that every 4 increments of the PTCH parameter will increase by a minor 3rd = 3 semitones.

the theory seems to work:
"true" notes are also found every four steps:

PTCH parameter of 8 = B
PTCH parameter of 12 = D
PTCH parameter of 16 = F
PTCH parameter of 20 = Ab
and then the octave at PTCH 24 (8 + 16) = B

to continue:
PTCH 28 = D
PTCH 32 = F
PTCH 36 = Ab
PTCH 40 (octave; 24 + 16 = 40) = B

just to mention: PTCH 36 (Ab) and PTCH 40 ( B ) are sounding a few cents lower than the actual "true" pitch. these could be candidates for the "static LFO" trick to raise them slightly.

something else interesting to mention about notes higher in the octave - the ear's natural perception of higher octave notes is to perceive them (very slightly) higher than their true pitch.

So... the notes of B, D, F, and Ab are immediately available.
if they were notes of a B scale:
B (tonic). b3, b5, 6th

or notes of a D scale: 6th, D (tonic), b3, b5
essentially the same degrees found on different notes, like a four-note diminished scale.

I missed the memo...
What's the static LFO trick?

digital_steve wrote:
I missed the memo...
What's the static LFO trick?
I think Previewlounge means that you can achieve greater than one knob-step resolution by using LFO-depth to affect Pitch of the GND-SIN machine. By using just a little bit of LFO-depth you can access pitches between the knob-steps and therefore 'finetune' the GND-SIN machine. I think...

I've made my own "midi notes to MD pitch CC converter" in max for live if anyone is interested? It will play the last 4 tracks on the MD as a four voice synth, using the pitch-table mentioned earlier in this thread. Most pitch friendly MD synth are in there.
I also made monophonic verion.
It doesn't use the LFO trick though.

Want?

@Previewlounge

AWESOME. Muchas muchas gracias. This should be a page in anyone's tricks collection.


Toni wrote:
digital_steve wrote:
I missed the memo...
What's the static LFO trick?
I think Previewlounge means that you can achieve greater than one knob-step resolution by using LFO-depth to affect Pitch of the GND-SIN machine. By using just a little bit of LFO-depth you can access pitches between the knob-steps and therefore 'finetune' the GND-SIN machine. I think...

@Digital_Steve

Toni's got it. It wasn't from a Tips document, my mistake. I was remembering what Previewlounge laid out in this thread more than a year ago, here's what he wrote then (though he was talking about tuning ROM samples, not the GND-SN):

previewlounge wrote:
how about the Static Lfo Fine Tune technique ...

use the Rom track's Lfo
speed set to zero
'type' set to 'free'

left wave shape: Triangle
right wave shape: Exponential Tweak

use deepness and waveshape Mix parameters to achieve fine tuning upwards.

or, conversely make the left wave shape to be Exponential Tweak, and the right wave shape to be Triangle.

works a treat!

gives about 36 precise articulations of fine-tuning between each semitone for the Rom machines.

dubathonic wrote:This should be a page in anyone's tricks collection.

Hear, hear, all the way!

Thanks for all that info people.