Spectralis vs. A4

[acemonvw]

Well...

The fact that you reluctantly sold your other analog gear might make you think twice about selling the spectralis. I feel like everyone sees it and thinks that it's one of the coolest pieces of gear out there, but they're afraid to go out and buy one at the price point. You already have one, so are past that. I think you can just as easily tweak the spectralis like you can any analog gear, it's just all about understanding how to get to each parameter and as quickly as possible. Patching an MS-20 isn't the simplest thing either and that's a pretty highly sought after synth...

My advice when you're stuck not knowing what to make on the spectralis is clear out some junk songs you don't really like anymore and starting fresh. Isolate one oscillator to a filter, make a 16 note sequence, repeat it and just start screwing around with the Time Linearity Modulation (TLM), make sequencer lines for altering the VCO pitch, shape, etc. And just dive in. Maybe you've got all of that down, if you do, I think you'll have fun, if you don't and want help, I'd be happy to explain in greater detail all the steps involved, but you can start making something complex fairly easily.

The last point is this. Let's say you foolishly buy the A4 with your refund... If you love it so much and you want to get rid of your speckie, you'll end up getting at least $1,000 for it. Also, if the A4 is just a cool novelty and you realize you don't care that much for what it adds, you can always resell it. The nice thing about many synths is that they retain their value initially. Also used gear can be bought and sold for similar prices, so you're not out anything more than a "renting fee." You'll have gained the knowledge of the device, learned that you don't need it, and you won't be out a spectralis as well. If you can afford, at that point, both of them... then you can start doing some cool stuff with a really nice and impressive sequencer (spectralis) and a unique analog synth (A4).

Of course, if you just cannot afford it, you know your financial situation far better than any of us do (hopefully).

Good luck

[breitt]

I'm with you, Ace. I DO need to dive further into the Speckie to fully realize its full potential, but I often don't feel like diving much further than I already have. Just trying to get my head around how to actually use the 'TGRP' settings on the ASynth is enough by itself to cut short a night of intended menu-diving.
Nevertheless, the Speckie stays no matter what, and hey, if I want to screw up my credit all over again to get the A4, I'll do it.

[acemonvw]

So hang in there breitt.

This weekend I planned on making one or a few tutorials on the spectralis. I already have three on youtube right now, but they go through things really quickly other than the one I'll link at the bottom.

Needless to say, I will make one that helps you go through trigger groups and setting them up, might make this easier for you... I'll post again when I've made it.

Watch on youtube.com

[acemonvw]

Just trying to get my head around how to actually use the 'TGRP' settings on the ASynth is enough by itself to cut short a night of intended menu-diving.

Watch on youtube.com

Hopefully this helps you figure out the trigger groups! Good luck, and be sure to check out my other tutorials in this playlist!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMYDu3T27nAjJkSwJ1I7WeFaWA8eu1M9k

[breitt]

VERY nice of you to do that, Ace! Thank you so much. You definitely helped me understand the "Parts" submenu of the Trigger Groups a lot better than I could have ever done on my own. I'm still at the middle of your tutuorial and it's very beneficial already.

[acemonvw]

Glad it was of some help! I realize that the video isn't perfect and I ended up stumbling through the points... But it was the best I could do for the weekend! Made 5 videos in all:

Song and patterns
Part select
Sequence editing
Saving and initializing patterns
Trigger groups

Anyway, I'm glad it helped, hopefully it makes working with the machine a little easier for you. Reading through the manual can be daunting, that's for sure!!! Good luck and definitely drop me a line of you need help. You can also post on the spectralis forum. I have a thread there dedicating to people asking what tutorials I should make, feel free to chime in there or here.

Take care

[acemonvw]

breitt, have you made any progress or decision?

I just picked up an EMX1SD... Can't say it's anywhere near as good as the Spectralis (Of course, haven't had it long enough to really get in to it). Now having owned an MC-909, an MC-808, an EMX, I think the Spectralis is by far the best, in terms of sound and general usability. Of course, one thing I really like about the spectralis is that it's song based, not pattern based... meaning that a song loads with 32 patterns in it, makes it easy to chain patterns together. Of course, you could have 32 patterns each being a separate song in the spectralis. Anyway, I find navigating this way to be way easier than other grooveboxes. I know some people set up 10 patterns in a row to be a song, and you can make a song by just muting different parts and some people do it that way, and do it well.

I haven't tried the Elektron gear, so how they're set up is unfamiliar to me. I haven't tried the RM1X or RS7000... But I think they are more similar to the Spectralis.

I guess having mostly learned synthesis using the spectralis and learning grooveboxes using the spectralis, I am quite biased because it's been with me the longest and the way it works is just 'right' by default. That said, I'm quite happy with it!

[breitt]

I am able to follow the Elektron flow quite smoothly, and certain rudimentary elements of the Spectralis also feel natural and intuitive. ~~~babbling```<snipped

I should clarify that I, as yet, have not begun to add any Elektron gear back into my arsenal, and if and when I do, We may possibly be looking at used SPS-1 just to give the Spectralis drums the kick in the a*s they need. After that, an A4 would make a nice gift idea. Just in time for my birthday.

[acemonvw]

Perhaps, besides the added online tutorials, you should check out the Quickstart Guide I made. might help you with the workflow (or it might not).

Check it out!

http://www.forum.radikaltechnologies.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2929

[breitt]

Thanks, Ace!