I recently dropped into the modular world with the Solar 42F from Elta Music. The synth is great, but I wanted to add a groovebox to it to have more options when it comes to live performing. But how to get it synced?
Let's explore how to use the Impulse Machine of the Elektron Analog Rytm MKII as a master clock to sync modular gear. This is a powerful trick that allows you to integrate your drum machine seamlessly with a modular setup without additional converters. In my case, I simply wanted the sequencer of my Solar 42F to play in sync with the Groovebox.
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Elektron Analog Rytm MKII Impulse Machine
The Impulse Machine is a special sound engine inside the Analog Rytm MKII. Instead of generating a typical drum sound, it creates a short, high-energy pulse.
This pulse can be used as a trigger or clock signal for external gear, making it perfect for modular synchronization.
Impulse Machine generates short trigger signals
Can be used as a clock source for external gear
Customizable pulse shape and length
Setting up the Impulse Machine for Analog Rytm modular sync
To configure the Impulse Machine as a clock source, follow these steps.
Select a free pad and assign the Impulse Machine as the sound. This is the downside of this method: you sacrify one of the 8 Analog Rytm sample engines. Make sure to select one of the unshared pads so you have an uninterrupted signal.
Assign the Impuls machine to the pad and adjust the Decay and Level to get a sharp, clean pulse. Depending on your modular gear, you might need to try out different settings to get the best clock signal.
Set the track speed and Program a trig sequence that aligns with your desired clock rate.
Last but not least, make sure to remove the Impuls signal from the main mix by deactivating the pad in the audio routing menu.
Connecting to Modular Gear
Now plug an unbalanced cable into the Audio output of the channel that you've selected for the Impuls signal.
On the other machine, in my case the Solar 42F, plugin the cable to a clock input. On my machine, the internal clock stops working as soon a cable is plugged in.
Press play on the analog rytm to test the setup.
Now you have several options to create interesting sequences.
Use the Analog Rytm’s swing settings to add groove to your modular sequences
Create polyrhythms by programming different impulse patterns
And that’s how you can use the Impulse Machine of the Elektron Analog Rytm MKII as a master clock for your modular system! If you found this useful, don’t forget to leave a comment - maybe you have another great tip to solve this problem.
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