_____ _           _        _ _
 | ____| | ___  ___| |_ _ __(_) |__   ___
 |  _| | |/ _ \/ __| __| '__| | '_ \ / _ \
 | |___| |  __/ (__| |_| |  | | |_) |  __/
 |_____|_|\___|\___|\__|_|  |_|_.__/ \___|
           _____ ____       _
          | ____|  _ \     / |
          |  _| | |_) |____| |
          | |___|  _ <_____| |
          |_____|_| \_\    |_|

Some tips 'n' hint that are (less clear) in the manual.


o==========o
| CONTENTS |
o==========o

Introduction

A. Wipe data of pattern

B. Copy/replace part ("instrument")

C. Set favourites

D. General remarks

X. References





Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Korg Electribe ER-1 has two types of drum sounds (or instruments or parts): PCM samples and "analogue" modelled ones (somewhat like the classic Roland TR-909). Be it that there are no fixed settings for the analogue instruments like on the 808 or the 909. Most analogue drum computers feature distinct instruments like kick, snare, to etc. One can alter certain instrument parameters on those machines like tone and decay (808).

The analogue instruments on the ER-1 need to be set up from scratch! So they are not labelled as kick, snare etc. but simply as part 1 to 4. On the one hand this results in very adjustable instruments. On the other hand it can be a little intimidating and difficult to find the right kick or snare that you'll like. The following parameters set up an analogue instrument [2]:

   * Waveform:
     - sinusoidal
     - triangular
   * Pitch of the wave, no coarse and fine, range is from 20 Hz to 12 kHz (!)
   * Modulation of the pitch (from 0.1 Hz to 5 kHz):
     - A/D only envelope
     - A/D + LFO'd noise
     - random
     - triangular LFO
     - pulse LFO
     - sawtooth/inverted sawtooth LFO (depending on + or - mod. int.)
   * Modulation intensity (negative values result in inverted EG etc.)
   * Modulation of pulse- or envelope width
   * Decay
   * Volume
   * EQ (low boost), resulting in distortion if set past 90%

There is no filter. The generation of a snappy snare drum might have benefited from having one (w/ resonance). The downside of the ER-1 (and other cheap analogue like drum machines like the MFB 503) is that the snare is not very impressive. However, the classic trick of overlaying the snare w/ a clap can be used. And there is an ER-1 specific feature that is used by some to make the snare more snappy: the ring modulator.

An instrument on the ER-1 is called a "part". A drum sequence is called a "pattern".





A. Wipe data of pattern
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do for each part (i.e. instrument), including accent:

1. Select a part.

2. Press shift + 'clear part' and 'clear part' again (w/o shift).

3. Done.

Remarks:
- What will be wiped is: motion data (delay and parameter) and sequencer data.

- The instruments settings/parameters will not be wiped.






B. Copy/replace part (instrument)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Select pattern and part (i.e. instrument) that you want to replace.

2. Press shift + copy part.

3. Go to the pattern with the source instrument (and select it).

4. Press copy part for the 2nd time.

5. Done.

Remarks:
- All instrument's parameters, motion data (for both delay and one instrument parameter) and the sequence (!) will be copied over. So you'll have to reprogram its sequence.

- When one copies data from type 'PCM' (e.g. hi-hat) to type 'synthesizer' (e.g. bass drum) or vice versa then of course the instrument settings can't be copied (only motion and sequencer data).





C. Set favourites
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can set your favourite patterns under the 1 to 16 keys.

1. Press 'shift + pattern set'.

2. Select favourite pattern (you may listen to it but don't forget to stop it afterwards).

3. Press write'. The display echoes "Pst" depending on the followed procedure.

4. Done.





D. General remarks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- A motion sequence can be set for each instrument individually but only for ONE (1!) parameter (e.g. pitch OR decay, not both).

- Delay is set for the whole pattern, not for an instrument separately.

- Distortion: turn low boost past 90%.




E. Snappy snare
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trick: use the ring modulator. Remark: part number 2 seems "only" to be the modifier/modulator because setting its volume to 0 does not influence the sound when ring mod is activated. If nr. 2 is used as the "main" snare it doesn't work. Set volume of your ring modulated snare w/ the level knob of part nr. 1.

First set a reasonable sounding snare on part nr. 1. For instance a short burst of (white) noise (pitch lowest, mod dept maximal, mod speed 0, mod type noise, decay ~11 o' clock, level does not have to be max, low boost ~12 o' clock).

Now use part 2 as the ring modulator. Set wave to triangular, its pitch between 10 and 11 o' clock and low boost to distortion. Applying modulation does not seem have a big effect so set mod depth to 0 (mod speed and depth don't matter that way). Set decay to your liking.

However, one might try to let the snare have an "onset" of a high note somewhat like a hit on the ring of the snare drum (i.e. a metallicy attack). This effect might dampen the noise of the snare and may sound to loud. Set mod type to triangular, mod depth to ~11 0' clock (i.e. -1) and mod speed ~3 o' clock. Let the sequencer play the ring modulated snare. There needs to be a tiny little bit of a rise (or fall?) of the pitch from a saw or triangle wave (see Wiki about ring modulation [3]). Turn mod speed up until the onset some distortion can be heard. Then very, very slowly turn mod speed up until the "oscillation" of the distortion disappears and a metallic sound can be heard. Now turn decay down until the metallic part of the sound is short enough.



F. Metallic sound
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remark [3]: ring modulation can make something sound "metallic". Set main part (i.e. nr. 1) to a basic sine wave (pitch 10 or 11 o' clock; no modulation; lots of low boost). Now set the pitch of modulator (i.e. part nr. 2) to ~11 o' clock with out any modulation. Add some low boost. Depending on the pitch and decay setting it sounds a bit like a bell.




X. References
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] Korg ER-1 Editor and Librarian for Windows and Macintosh:
    www.squest.com/Products/MidiQuest11/Instruments/KorgER-1/index.html

[2] Detailed specifications:
    www.polynominal.com/Korg-electribe-er1

[3] Wiki about ring modulation:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_modulation