This page is read from MIDI Instrument Definitions, a Python library used in the author's other projects, in which every number is traced to a document its maker published. Its source is on GitHub.

Elektron Syntakt MIDI implementation

The MIDI implementation of the Elektron Syntakt: what it answers to, and the 107 controls it offers, on firmware 1.42.

At a glance

Firmware: This page describes firmware 1.42.
MIDI channel: Any one of 1 to 16.
Parts: Track, 12 of them: each on a MIDI channel of its own, taking notes and controls, with 1 voice each.
FX Track: on a MIDI channel of its own, taking controls.
Voices: Each part's own, under Parts.
Note range: 0 to 84: C-1 to C6, counting middle C as C4.
Velocity: Sent and received.
Aftertouch: Not recorded.
Pitch bend: Not recorded.
Program change: Received and sent, with 128 presets.
MIDI clock: Sent and received.
Start and stop: Sent and received.
Control change: 107 controls, in the tables below, 4 of them with a fine half on a second controller number.
NRPN: Supported. 88 of the controls below have one.
System exclusive: Supported.

Controls

In the order the definition gives them, by part and group. Under each control is the name a program calls it by, once pymidiinstrumentdefs.load("elektron/syntakt") has loaded them.

Track

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Mute `track_mute`	94	229 MSB 1, LSB 101	0-127
Track level `track_level`	95	228 MSB 1, LSB 100	0-127

Trig

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Note `trig_note`	3	384 MSB 3, LSB 0	0-127
Velocity `trig_velocity`	4	385 MSB 3, LSB 1	0-127
Length `trig_length`	5	386 MSB 3, LSB 2	0-127
Filter Trig `trig_filter_trig`	13		0-127
LFO Trig `trig_lfo_trig`	14		0-127
Portamento Time `trig_portamento_time`	9	391 MSB 3, LSB 7	0-127
Portamento On/Off `trig_portamento_on_off`	65	392 MSB 3, LSB 8	0-127

Source

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Data entry knob A `source_data_entry_knob_a`	17	129 MSB 1, LSB 1	0-127
Data entry knob B `source_data_entry_knob_b`	18	130 MSB 1, LSB 2	0-127
Data entry knob C `source_data_entry_knob_c`	19	131 MSB 1, LSB 3	0-127
Data entry knob D `source_data_entry_knob_d`	20	132 MSB 1, LSB 4	0-127
Data entry knob E `source_data_entry_knob_e`	21	133 MSB 1, LSB 5	0-127
Data entry knob F `source_data_entry_knob_f`	22	134 MSB 1, LSB 6	0-127
Data entry knob G `source_data_entry_knob_g`	23	135 MSB 1, LSB 7	0-127
Data entry knob H `source_data_entry_knob_h`	24	136 MSB 1, LSB 8	0-127

Filter

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Filter Frequency `filter_frequency`	74	148 MSB 1, LSB 20	0-127
Resonance `filter_resonance`	75	149 MSB 1, LSB 21	0-127
Filter Type `filter_type`	76	150 MSB 1, LSB 22	0-127
Attack Time `filter_attack_time`	70	144 MSB 1, LSB 16	0-127
Decay Time `filter_decay_time`	71	145 MSB 1, LSB 17	0-127
Sustain Level `filter_sustain_level`	72	146 MSB 1, LSB 18	0-127
Release Time `filter_release_time`	73	147 MSB 1, LSB 19	0-127
Env. Depth `filter_env_depth`	77	151 MSB 1, LSB 23	0-127
Env. Delay `filter_env_delay`	78	180 MSB 1, LSB 52	0-127
Base `filter_base`	26	178 MSB 1, LSB 50	0-127
Width `filter_width`	27	179 MSB 1, LSB 51	0-127

Amp

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Attack Time `amp_attack_time`	79	176 MSB 1, LSB 48	0-127
Hold Time `amp_hold_time`	80	153 MSB 1, LSB 25	0-127
Decay Time `amp_decay_time`	81	154 MSB 1, LSB 26	0-127
Sustain Level `amp_sustain_level`	82	177 MSB 1, LSB 49	0-127
Release Time `amp_release_time`	83	152 MSB 1, LSB 24	0-127
Delay Send `amp_delay_send`	84	156 MSB 1, LSB 28	0-127
Reverb Send `amp_reverb_send`	85	157 MSB 1, LSB 29	0-127
Pan `amp_pan`	10	158 MSB 1, LSB 30	0-127
Volume `amp_volume`	7	159 MSB 1, LSB 31	0-127

LFO 1

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Speed `lfo_1_speed`	102 fine 60	160 MSB 1, LSB 32	0-16383
Multiplier `lfo_1_multiplier`	103	161 MSB 1, LSB 33	0-127
Fade In/Out `lfo_1_fade_in_out`	104	162 MSB 1, LSB 34	0-127
Destination `lfo_1_destination`	105	163 MSB 1, LSB 35	0-127
Waveform `lfo_1_waveform`	106	164 MSB 1, LSB 36	0-127
Start Phase `lfo_1_start_phase`	107	165 MSB 1, LSB 37	0-127
Trig Mode `lfo_1_trig_mode`	108	166 MSB 1, LSB 38	0-127
Depth `lfo_1_depth`	109 fine 61	167 MSB 1, LSB 39	0-16383

LFO 2

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Speed `lfo_2_speed`	112 fine 62	168 MSB 1, LSB 40	0-16383
Multiplier `lfo_2_multiplier`	113	169 MSB 1, LSB 41	0-127
Fade In/Out `lfo_2_fade_in_out`	114	170 MSB 1, LSB 42	0-127
Destination `lfo_2_destination`	115	171 MSB 1, LSB 43	0-127
Waveform `lfo_2_waveform`	116	172 MSB 1, LSB 44	0-127
Start Phase `lfo_2_start_phase`	117	173 MSB 1, LSB 45	0-127
Trig Mode `lfo_2_trig_mode`	118	174 MSB 1, LSB 46	0-127
Depth `lfo_2_depth`	119 fine 63	175 MSB 1, LSB 47	0-16383

CC val

Control	CC	Values
VAL1 `val1`	70	0-127
VAL2 `val2`	71	0-127
VAL3 `val3`	72	0-127
VAL4 `val4`	73	0-127
VAL5 `val5`	74	0-127
VAL6 `val6`	75	0-127
VAL7 `val7`	76	0-127
VAL8 `val8`	77	0-127

Misc

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Pattern Mute `pattern_mute`	110	232 MSB 1, LSB 104	0-127
Sustain `sustain`	64		0-127
Sostenuto `sostenuto`	66		0-127

FX track

Delay

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Delay Time `delay_time`	21	256 MSB 2, LSB 0	0-127
Pingpong `delay_pingpong`	22	257 MSB 2, LSB 1	0-127
Stereo Width `delay_stereo_width`	23	258 MSB 2, LSB 2	0-127
Feedback `delay_feedback`	24	259 MSB 2, LSB 3	0-127
Highpass Filter `delay_highpass_filter`	25	260 MSB 2, LSB 4	0-127
Lowpass Filter `delay_lowpass_filter`	26	261 MSB 2, LSB 5	0-127
Reverb Send `delay_reverb_send`	27	262 MSB 2, LSB 6	0-127
Mix Volume `delay_mix_volume`	28	263 MSB 2, LSB 7	0-127

Reverb

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Predelay `reverb_predelay`	29	264 MSB 2, LSB 8	0-127
Decay Time `reverb_decay_time`	30	265 MSB 2, LSB 9	0-127
Shelving Freq `reverb_shelving_freq`	31	266 MSB 2, LSB 10	0-127
Shelving Gain `reverb_shelving_gain`	89	267 MSB 2, LSB 11	0-127
Highpass Filter `reverb_highpass_filter`	90	268 MSB 2, LSB 12	0-127
Lowpass Filter `reverb_lowpass_filter`	91	269 MSB 2, LSB 13	0-127
Mix Volume `reverb_mix_volume`	92	271 MSB 2, LSB 15	0-127

External in mixer

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Input LR `external_in_input_lr`	16	286 MSB 2, LSB 30	0-127
Input Balance `external_in_input_balance`	17	288 MSB 2, LSB 32	0-127
Input Delay Send `external_in_input_delay_send`	18	289 MSB 2, LSB 33	0-127
Input Reverb Send `external_in_input_reverb_send`	19	291 MSB 2, LSB 35	0-127
Input FX Routing `external_in_input_fx_routing`	20	294 MSB 2, LSB 38	0-127

SYN

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Drive `fx_syn_drive`	15	157 MSB 1, LSB 29	0-127

Filter (FX track)

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Filter Frequency `fx_filter_frequency`	70	148 MSB 1, LSB 20	0-127
Resonance `fx_filter_resonance`	71	149 MSB 1, LSB 21	0-127
Filter Type `fx_filter_type`	72	150 MSB 1, LSB 22	0-127
Attack Time `fx_filter_attack_time`	75		0-127
Decay Time `fx_filter_decay_time`	76		0-127
Sustain Level `fx_filter_sustain_level`	77		0-127
Release Time `fx_filter_release_time`	78		0-127
Env. Depth `fx_filter_env_depth`	73		0-127
Env. Delay `fx_filter_env_delay`	74		0-127
Filter Pan `fx_filter_pan`	93		0-127

Amp (FX track)

Control	CC	NRPN	Values
Attack Time `fx_amp_attack_time`	79	152 MSB 1, LSB 24	0-127
Hold Time `fx_amp_hold_time`	80	153 MSB 1, LSB 25	0-127
Decay Time `fx_amp_decay_time`	81	154 MSB 1, LSB 26	0-127
Sustain Level `fx_amp_sustain_level`	82	155 MSB 1, LSB 27	0-127
Release Time `fx_amp_release_time`	83	156 MSB 1, LSB 28	0-127
Delay Send `fx_amp_delay_send`	84	158 MSB 1, LSB 30	0-127
Reverb Send `fx_amp_reverb_send`	85	159 MSB 1, LSB 31	0-127
Pan `fx_amp_pan`	10	160 MSB 1, LSB 32	0-127
Volume `fx_amp_volume`	7	161 MSB 1, LSB 33	0-127
Env. Depth `fx_amp_env_depth`	86	162 MSB 1, LSB 34	0-127
Mode `fx_amp_mode`	87	163 MSB 1, LSB 35	0-127
Env. Reset `fx_amp_env_reset`	88	164 MSB 1, LSB 36	0-127

Where these facts come from

Source documents

Syntakt User Manual, OS 1.42, dated 24 September 2026, its user manual, read on 1 October 2026 (the file read).
Syntakt OS Release Notes - Elektron, through OS 1.42, dated 1 October 2026, its release notes, read on 1 October 2026 (the file read).

How they were read

User manual (126pp), OS 1.42: pp. 11, 17, 20-21, 24, 27, 30-32, 52-53, 62, 71, 75-77, 91, 98, 108, and the CC and NRPN tables of APPENDIX B: MIDI at pp. 115-118, which is where every number here comes from. The appendix prints 107 rows in ten numbered sections, and all 107 are below. It gives names and numbers only, no values, bands, ranges or defaults, so every control here is continuous by derivation.

TEN SECTIONS, WHERE THIS MAKER'S OTHER TWO INSTRUMENTS HAVE NINE, and the tenth is why this instrument needs parts more than either: B.10 FX TRACK PARAMETERS gives the FX track its own SYN, FILTER and AMP tables, and they reuse the audio tracks' controller numbers for different parameters. CC 70 is the filter's attack time on a track and the filter frequency on the FX track; CC 73 is its release time on a track and its envelope depth on the FX track. 28 of the 71 controller numbers used here carry more than one meaning, and nothing in the appendix warns of it: only the channel tells them apart. THE NRPNs DO NOT RESOLVE IT EITHER, which is worth knowing because on other instruments they do. The two FILTER tables share NRPN 1/20, 1/21 and 1/22 outright, for parameters the CC side numbers differently; and the two AMP tables are not one table addressed on two channels, because their NRPN runs differ. So a sender needs the part either way.

THE SYN PAGE IS NOT A FIXED SET OF PARAMETERS, and the maker says so rather than leaving it to be discovered: "The parameters on the SYN parameter page vary depending on which machine is selected. The CC/NRPN value for a specific parameter is instead based on its position in the UI and is denoted here by which data entry knob controls that parameter" (p. 115). So the eight rows in the Source group are knobs A to H, not parameters, and what each one reaches depends on the machine the track is set to. That is the same gap the Arturia MicroFreak has, answered the other way round: Arturia documents one mode's meanings and leaves the rest, Elektron documents the position and leaves every meaning.

THE APPENDIX UNDER-DESCRIBES ITS OWN TABLE ONCE: "Note that the LFO 1/2 depth are high-resolution parameters, with CC LSB values" (p. 116), where four rows carry a CC LSB rather than two. Both LFOs' Speed is paired as well as both LFOs' Depth, and the four pairs are recorded as printed. Elektron does not use the MMA's LSB = MSB + 32 here: the fine halves are 60 to 63 for coarse numbers 102, 109, 112 and 119.

NOT RECORDED:

what any machine puts on each of the eight SYN knobs, which APPENDIX A describes for every machine in words and never as a number;
and values, bands and defaults for anything, which this appendix does not give.