Elektron Parameter Locking Mini-Tutorial

This video is a mini-tutorial on how to use Elektron’s ‘parameter locks’. 

Parameter Locking is Elektron’s name for their approach to step sequencing parameter automation. Parameter locks give you the ability to do per-step parameter changes on your sounds.

18 thoughts on “Elektron Parameter Locking Mini-Tutorial

  1. As much as I love P-locks and random Elektron updates, I don’t care about anything regarding the company UNTIL THEY RELEASE THE PUBLIC BETA OF OVERBRIDGE. I get it, they don’t want to release anything til it’s ready, but they’ve been stringing us along for too long now and I’m starting to feel like they announced the product waaaaaaaay too early. I love my A4, but i bought it after the announcement of overbridge because it seemed to be the perfect hybrid of great live gear and something that could easily integrate into my computer setup, so I’m only getting about half of the functionality that i really wanted out of the product. With that being said, great hardware for live jamming/performance and works amazingly in conjunction with my Tempest.

    1. Sounds like you don’t actually get it.

      Product development is much harder than you imagine. Just be patient.

      They’re not sitting around playing Xbox instead of working.

      1. ^Now I’m imagining that you’re actually Dataline coming here to douse the flames before going off to play Xbox.

        1. PS I’m in marketing and it’s actually irresponsible to announce major product features to an existing line with a release date and then fail to deliver or update the status of the project. It’s allowed them to market and sell products with missing features with the expectation of delivery. It’d be one thing if they actually updated the user base once in a while, but waiting for deadlines to pass and then commenting is not in keeping with a premium brand. Elektron gear isn’t cheap, some of us bought after the announcement of Overbridge so it was actually a key feature in many of our minds rather than a freebie. So, if you have a business, look up “Brand Equity” and you’ll quickly see that follow through is really important to loyal customer bases.

          1. When did they talked about overbridge? One year ago? And they where saying there’s a lot to do still, no?
            Allthough you’re right that they did a lot of advertising and marketing on that.

            But we have to agree that elektron showed we can trust them.
            When they released the +drive, some machines produced before the release had it inside allready!!!(I remember one friend having just to update to be able to load crazy amount of samples in his machinedrum)
            And it was backward compatible.
            With them you pay a price for which you get great machines AND the update/upgrade of that machine in the years to come.

    2. They originally said Q4 2014, we’re nearing the end of only 1 quarter further on. It’s not like it’s all that late.

      When a company says it will be available in a certain quarter, I always assume it will be available at the end of the following quarter.

      Though, I bought my A4 from the initial batch of them, so I bought it on the strengths it had on release, not what they later said it might do at sometime in the future.

  2. I know, I was really hoping my A4 would be able to blend drinks by now. Can’t believe Elektron for wasting my time.

  3. This mini-tutorial is quite lazy. The delay for Overbridge release have been announced clearly on Elektron site. A big video at NAMM displays the Overbridge, and A4 plug-in GUI, so be patient, it will come quickly.

  4. I like my A4…put it through my apogee so not stressing about overbridge though it will be cool when it comes out.

    What I would appreciate is a tutorial, which I never seem to be able to find, about the whole file system. Performance vs song vs pattern vs sound and how easiest to save the sick shit I make. The parameter locks seem super easy to figure out to me. I’m stuck on the saving / loading in the context of how the previously mentioned all fits together. Any suggestions??

      1. I have read the manual. My fist course of action. It’s confusing as shit. Cuckoos videos are cool but they don’t really go into that, or if I’m wrong please let me know. Or if you know please do summarize / share. Most searches come up with videos of cuckoo jamming or the kid programming depeche mode.

  5. an OS X Editor for the Monomachine and Machine Drum would be nice. Oh, and please dont give that poop on “you dont get Elektron philisophy” or “tweakers unite, VST’ers die !”

  6. Man, I’ve wrestled with getting into Elektron stuff but I cant pull the trigger. The workflow just seems SO convoluted and button press / menu driven….
    I guess I’m lazy. I’d hate to drop over a THOUSAND bucks on something I’d dread using.

    1. Until you use it, it might seem that way. Honestly, though, the Elektron workflow is easily one of the BEST I’ve ever used on a piece of hardware. I purchased one of the first MachineDrums made back in early 2001. It was truly eye-opening and a wonderful change compared to the dreadful workflows of other hardware I had.

      You should try it for a few days before making a judgement. You might be pleasantly surprised at how fun and simple it really is to work with their gear…

  7. Those are actually great tips !
    I didn’t know about a few of them (though I read all the manuals a few times) and those are game changers 🙂

    Why did they have to rush through the video, though ?
    They could have made it 3x longer.

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