save sound : FUNC + (SONG MODE)

‘s

DESIGN & LAYOUT:

save project : FUNC + (SETTINGS)

ACTITECT.COM

SAVES
temp save : FUNC + YES
ELEKTRON SYNTAKT revert to saved state : FUNC + NO
CHEATSHEET
revert parameter page : [ PARAM ] + NO
v 1.00 F I ND MO R E A T D A V EM E CH . LI V E
revert sound : TRK + TRACK + NO

grid recording mode : REC delay page : FUNC + [ FLTR ]

live recording mode : REC + PLAY reverb page : FUNC + [ AMP ]

PAGES
MODES

step recording mode : REC + STOP master pages : FUNC + [ LFO ], [ LFO ]
toggle step rec mode type : REC + STOP, STOP scale menu : FUNC + PAGE
quick mute mode : FUNC machine menu: SYN, SYN
mute mode : FUNC + BANK routing menu: FUNC + (EFFECTS)
toggle mute mode type : FUNC + BANK, BANK
chromatic mode : FUNC + TRK
select modifier 1 - 4 : FUNC + TRIG 13 - 16
song mode : (SONG MODE)
selected modifier setup : FUNC + UP / DOWN

M.*
GRID RECORDING MODE

parameter lock : TRIG + PARAMS * MODIFIERS

add lock trig : FUNC + TRIG

select a different audio/midi track : TRK + TRACK fill : HOLD PAGE

shift sequence left/right : FUNC + LEFT / RIGHT cue fill : YES + PAGE

OTHER
clear trig’s parameter locks : TRIG + PLAY latch fill : HOLD PAGE + YES **

retrig menu : TRIG + UP / DOWN control all : TRK + PARAMS

microtime trig : TRIG + LEFT / RIGHT revert to pre-control all : NO ( WHILE STILL HOLDING TRK )

preview trig : TRIG + YES nudge tempo : LEFT / RIGHT

sound lock: TRIG + LEVEL change octave range * : UP / DOWN

keyboard menu : FUNC + TRK {HOLD}
LIVE RECORDING MODE
randomize page parameters : [ PARAM ] + YES
erase locks on playhead position : HOLD NO + PRESS ENCODER * * ( IN CHROMATIC MODE ) ** ( RELEASE PAGE BEFORE YES )

exit live recording mode : PLAY

PLOCKS parameter locks MOD modifiers buttons
* ( WHILE SEQUENCER PLAYS ) TRACK audio track buttons SOUND all parameter
STEP RECORDING MODE TRIG an actual trigger settings from the
[SYN], [FLTR], [AMP],
LEGEND

you enter into

the sequencer [LFO] pages
add rest : NO
NOTE TRIG red trig that [ PARAM ] the [trig], [syn], [fltr],
change active step : LEFT / RIGHT triggers sounds [amp] and [lfo] pages
show keyboard : FUNC LOCK TRIG yellow trig that PARAMS the encoders
only triggers controlling
enter trig with hold length : FUNC + YES + NOTE TRIG plocks, not sounds the parameters
 © DAVE MECH’S ELEKTRON SYNTAKT CHEATSHEET — WWW.DAVEMECH.LIVE — DESIGN & LAYOUT: ACTITECT.COM
you can copy and paste basically anything. FUNC + REC = copy, FUNC + STOP = paste. LOW FREQUENCY BREATHING ROOM: BASE/WIDTH FILTER (digital machines): remove low freq on
holding certain buttons, like a [ PARAM ] page, or TRIGS in the sequencer plus REC / STOP non-bass sounds wherever possible — DELAY & REVERB: use fb/input hp filter to carve away
works as well. lows to prevent muddiness — LFO: PSEUDO SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION: speed: = fine tune to fit
TIPS & TRICKS

S.D.
into groove — mult: 8 or 16 (bpm) — dest: amp — vol or base of B/W filter — wave: exp — mode:
in scale mode pressing PAGE adds pages to the sequence length. pressing a TRIG sets the
one depth: -20 to -127 — on trig page turn LFO.T off. now lock it to on in the sequencer on the
sequence length within an active page.
same steps where the kick is triggered. use lock trigs for this if a step doesn’t contain a note
to copy/paste a track’s sound + sequence to another track > copy/paste both separately. trig. PARAMETER LOCKS: in case the LFO’s are already in use. lock amp vol or base of B/W filter
on the steps where the kick is triggered.
you can copy basically anything from one project to another.
ENHANCING KICK MACHINES: LFO: dest: tune — wave: exponential mode: one — depth: 1-25
pattern mutes ( purple ) are saved with a pattern.
( depending on sample and lfo speed ) — FILTER: mode: hp ( situational: eq2 / eq3 ) —
change LOCK TRIGS to NOTE TRIGS by pressing them. change NOTE TRIGS to LOCK freq: 15-40 reso: 5-64 ( don’t overdo it ) — env depth: 1-35 — attack: 0 — decay: 1-2
WORK
FLOW

TRIGS by FUNC + pressing them. [ PLOCKS are kept in both cases. ]

you can perform most sequencer actions on multiple trigs simultaneously. utilize the FX block’s sequencer to parameter lock FX block parameters and delay and reverb
parameters.

FX BLOCK
sending a sub heavy sound together with sounds like a lead, noise, or a cymbal through the
randomize [ PARAM ] pages.
FX block with its overdrive set to a high setting, will distort the sounds in beautiful ways.
CONTROL ALL probability: PROB parameter on the [ TRIG ] page.
the FX block can be set up to be used like many different types of FX apart from delay, reverb
shift track’s sequence to left or right. and overdrive.
copy/paste a pattern’s sequence to a pattern with different sounds. PSEUDO SIDE-CHAIN COMP: route any signal to the FX block except the side-chain source.. Use
during a session, set a goal to create multiple patterns where for each pattern the FX block the inverted AMP envelope. Add trigs to the FX block’s sequencer on the same steps for the in-
has a different prominent role. Like pushing all audio tracks except the kick (or including the tended ducking to occur. Increase the attack and set hold / decay to taste. Increasing the depth
will increase the pumping effect.
WRITERS

kick) through it with high overdrive and heavy modulations.

BLOCK

select a machine on a track and set a timer to 10 minutes. Every 10 minutes create a different PHASER: select the dual notch filter type on the FX block’s filter page. Set the frequency to
sound with just that machine. Bonus points if you use a machine for something completely taste (start with 64 for example). Then modulate the filter frequency with one of the LFO’s. Set
different than its intended use. After an hour, select a new machine. Rinse repeat. the resonance to taste from subtle to a more obvious phaser effect.
CHORUS: Set the delay time between 1.25 and 1.50. Turn on ping pong and width and feedback
to taste. Use an LFO to modulate the delay time with a depth between 0 and 0.50 depending
because Syntakt has 12 tracks it lends itself well to layer sounds rather than using all tracks on the set delay time. Set speed to taste. Play with the delay time, lfo depth and speed to

IDEAS & TIPS

for unique sounds. Especially layering digital machines with analog machines can work create more dissonant chorus effects or delay/chorus effect. Start with very small changes.
wonders to create big kicks, leads, basses and more.
SOUND DESIGN

RESONATOR: Set the delay time to its lowest setting, HPF = 0, LPF = 127, Feedback = 60. Select
try to use machines for completely different sounds than their intended use to get out of the noise machine on an analog audio track. Set SDEP, STIM, and ATK to 0, DEC = 4. Create a
the default sound pallet. sequence on that audio track, copy it and paste that into the FX block’s sequencer (make sure
modulate the ratio of the ‘TONE’ machine with an LFO to get stepless (smooth) ratio the amp ENV depth is set to 0). Now plock various delay times on the trigs in the FX block’s
changes. sequence to create a melody or rhythmic warbles. Then start playing with the noise machine’s
parameters to create various resonator effects.
some analog kick machines are great for bass.
use the two LFO’s to enhance hihat and cymbal sounds to get them to more interesting places. TO CALCULATE SYNCED LFO SPEEDS IN NOTE LENGTH: 20 16 Hz
30 33 Hz
you can use the sound pool to sound lock different machine types in a single audio track’s multiply SPEED by MULT. if the product is > 128, divide
40 66 Hz
it by 128. this results in note lengths below a whole

FILTER CUTOFF
sequence.
LFO

50 132 Hz
note. if the product is < 128, divide 128 by the product. 60 264 Hz

FREQUENCY
this results in note lengths above a whole note.

ESTIMATES
use multiple (analog) Dual VCO machines or multiple (digital) tone/swarm machines to create 70 528 Hz
chords. E.g. when using Dual VCO machines: Set one machine’s Tune to 0 and Detune to 3 (to 80 1056 Hz
EXAMPLE 1 : EXAMPLE 2:
& TIPS

90 2112 Hz
IDEAS

create a minor third interval). Then use another Dual VCO machine and set the Tune to 7 and MULT 64 * SPEED 32 = MULT 2 * SPEED 4 =
100 4224 Hz
2048 / 128 = 16. 8. 128 / 8 = 16.
Detune to -7 (or spice it up by setting Detune to something different to create a 7th, 9th, 13th a single LFO cycle a single LFO cycle 110 8448 Hz
etc, chord). This will sound like a minor chord. takes 1/16th note. takes 16 whole notes. 120 16896 Hz