Digitakt vs. Digitone: which should you get?
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2024
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Hey folks, in this video I discuss the similarities and differences between the Elektron Digitakt (an incredibly powerful sampler) and Digitone (an incredibly powerful synth). I'll chat about what each can do, and who may be more inclined toward one vs. the other.
0:00 Intro
3:07 Sampler vs. Synth
4:48 The Elektron Workflow
8:30 Which is right for you?
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This video is super helpful for people like me when I started a year ago or so, it’s explained I feel with words that are somewhat understandable :) it’s easy to get lost in the lingo when you are a total newcomer. I can’t wait to catch up with my Digitakt now that I’m back in the US! I purchased right before leaving to Spain and I just put it out from the box again! Time to relearn all I learned in early December!
Yes that's right, you've been waiting quite a bit for that! Can't wait to hear about how the learning process goes for you.
So it's not like the korg electribe sampler (as the sampler version is a incredible synth as well which I regret buying as the synth blue version has More filters bands ect) but these sound the opposite.
Hi Daniel, I wish I’d seen this a while back as this question went through my head for weeks and weeks. I got the DT first and took 6 months to learn it and then for the DN. I now use both together and they are a dream.
As someone who has owned mainly synths for the past couple years and just got a Digitakt recently - your videos have helped a bunch and also made me feel like I made the right choice! Cheers :)
That's great to hear, thanks! The Digitakt is a modern classic IMO, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!
I've had a digitakt for a couple years and just ordered the digitone a couple days ago... Good timing for this video release :)
Nice!! They’re such a good pair and adding the Digitone will free up a lot of space for making more complex percussion (& whatever else) on the Digitakt
@@SlowHaste I'm super jazzed... Love being able to use overbridge too so it was kind of a no brainer
Great content man, very useful insights. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the Syntakt if you get a chance to try one.
Thanks a ton! I unfortunately haven’t gotten my hands on a Syntakt, although I would love to at some point.
My current setup is both the Digitone and the Octatrack.
I love and adore the Digitone. It is hands down my best sounding synth. It is just so easy to get beautiful sounds out of it. And it was my first proper expensive synth, apart from a dozen Behringer boxes and a few volcas. Not too difficult to get started on, Cuckoo has a great beginner tutorial.
I recommend any of these Elektron boxes to anyone interested in making music and willing to learn. They’re so incredibly powerful and actually very intuitive.
Same here with the Digitone! I never properly trained with keys, so I never felt justified in spending much on a dedicated synth. But like I mentioned, in a certain context, the Digitone just made so much sense for me to get and has really opened up a ton of possibilities for me!
@@SlowHaste I’m actually kinda considering buying another digitone just to have more voices, if I stumble across a super cheap one. They’re just so beautiful.
I feel like my longterm goal is gonna be owning at least one of every product Elektron have ever made.
@@georgekay372 Sidstations are hard to come by these days.
awesome! I have an OT and soon a Digitone. How do you clock and sequence them together? I plan to use my octatrack for drum samples and anime clips on tracks and live sets. It excels there for sampling synths and movie clips and chop up for beats.
it's worth to mention you can pretry much use Digitalt like VA synth too .. if you use singlce cycle waveform loops, then you have basically 8 mono synth, each one with 2 filters, overerive, 2 envelopes and 2 lfos which can go up to audio rate.. ;)
Yes, absolutely! It’s such a fun way to experiment with it, too
I bought my Digitakt new, after a year of what at first seemingly good 2nd hand deals that kept falling through. A week later, I got a good 2nd hand deal on a Digitone- couldn't be more pleased!
They’re both fantastic! Especially with all the new firmware updates since I made this vid :)
I started with the Digitone for the multitambrality and streamlined FM. I grabbed a used Digitakt about three months later. I'd honestly never understood the appeal before... But I would say with both these boxes, the best parts of them aren't obvious until you've played with them a bit. Thanks for the video!
Well said, and I agree!! Thanks for watching
Very good video..one thing.
I have a drumbrute and tr-09,can i have the digitak only for samples(no drums)maybe is better the octatrack? Thanks
Thanks for watching! I unfortunately don’t have experience with either of those instruments, so I can’t speak to their use - but that setup sounds like it would be very capable!
I love the Digitone easily my favorite synth.
It makes me want to get a sampler now.
I got the M:S and it's fun, it's therapeutic. But I still want something that really can mangle sounds.
The choices now are very overwhelming lmao. The Tracker, OT, 404MKII, DT, M8.
Damn.
There certainly are a lot of choices, but since you already have and love the Digitone - I’d definitely recommend either the OT or DT! The learning curve will be a lot easier for you, and they sync so easily via MIDI
Got the Digitone first and the Digitakt the next Xmas.
(🎄Thanks, Santa! 🎄)
Parameter locking on a track of the Digitone for drums was a major impetus to get the Digitakt.
Yeah I can totally see that - being able to play complex chords in different voices is one of my favorites parts of the Digitone
Digitakt can also be hacked to play 8 voice polyphony so it can be used as a "normal" synth too
Retrokits rk002
Since I already have an OT and A4, I bought a Digitone for FM synthesis and have great setup for live performance plus my OP-1 and two smaller Roland TR8 and TB03 so have beats, bass, pads and lead covered easily.
Sounds like a lovely setup!
@@SlowHaste thanks yeah it is super awesome and portable. Now to figure out how to MIDI clock all together and create some fun live sets and record to DAW for an album. After diving deep into modular, these Elektron synths are a piece of cake to use!
@@GuitarsAndSynths I have had the same exact experience coming from modular! It’s like each “track” is a single synth voice and all of the parameter pages are different “modules” you can send the voice through :)
Love this synth and I want more... A digitone EX with more of everything!
Wouldn’t that be something!
@@SlowHaste yes... More of it!
In fact. Stick some karplus strong / physical modelling antics in it as well and I'll just sell all my gear
I agree, both devices are great. DT and DN play well together.
One thing I have noticed that DN is great if you start a song with it. However, if you start a song with other synths and want to add DN sounds to the song it may prove to be a difficult task.
Interesting thoughts! Do you feel that way because of the typical arsenal of timbres you get on the Digitone? Or just because the sequencer is rooted in having control of other devices, as opposed to the other way around?
@@SlowHaste that is what I have trouble with on my OP-1 it is great for a live improv tool but the tape and sequencer is tricky to dial in and clock to my Elektrons.
Good point that Digitone is not a sampler(although I’m guessing you can load sounds via Overbridge, or no?) I think I knew that already but good reminder.
I have the Digitakt & have to remind myself that I already have a sampler when I’m salivating over new gear😂.... I’m currently learning the Elektron workflow on my Digitakt before I allow myself to purchase more Elektron gear lol.
Yes you can buy presets for the Digitone and load them (not totally sure how tbh, as I haven’t done that), but there are a handful of pretty cool sound packs out there
If you didnt have anything which would you think to get first? I want both synth adn Sampling eventually...
I would go for the Digitakt. For my purposes/workflow, a sampler is more versatile and the core of what I do!
Honestly - I want the option to use Model Cycles macros in the OS on the Digitone. That would be SOOOO fantastically useful for life/recorded automated performances. Please, Elektron... make THAT an option! 🙂
So the sampler version electron is like a looper
Both!
I've never seen people using these 8 midi tracks. Can you show how to do it in some creative way?
I would love to, but I unfortunately don’t have many external synths to sequence! Otherwise I’d be all over it
Thanks for this explanation! I decided I want the Digitone because I’ve always wanted to try FM synthesis and the controls seem more intuitive to me, somehow.
It’s a ton of fun!! I hope you enjoy it
I have Digitakt and is so much more fun than DAW... now I need Digitone too :D
That’s the best part, they’re both just a ton of actual fun to play!!
I'm glad I got DT first tho it opened my eyes to the elektron sequencing whilst allowing me to use my own sound bites and drum samples
DN has bad ass fm sounding percussion if that's your thing
I prefer to chop breaks and tweak one shots to make my own breaks on DT while running bass and lead sounds on DN
Any extra voices typically run atmos and textures or goofy sound bites
The Elektron workflow heaven is just midi / seq workflow, right?
Yeah! The sequencer, specifically with the trig conditions/parameter lock possibilities.
I am completely new to this, if I just want to make some lofi beats from scratch which one should I choose? Or any recommendation for someone with no music background? Thank you in advance and also thanks for this video
I would recommend the Digitakt for that over the Digitone! But there are other more affordable options if you’re just starting off (check out the TE PO-33)
@@SlowHaste Thank you very much for you kind reply and I will check out the PO33 KO too! Appreciate that.
@@SlowHaste helloo...is ideal to have only the digitakt?i know there are limitations...but say for starting point is ideal to have only a digitakt?
@@rac06oon the Digitakt is a totally self sufficient instrument!! I have a handful of jams with just the Digitakt in my Digitakt playlist if you wanna check out what it’s capable of
@@SlowHaste okk my friend!!i will check the playlist.but in advance of my question.i am already in a daw setup.but because of all performance issues cpu etc im thinkin seriously to go on a dawless setup...i have to wait also to sell my macbook pro..and then i am between mpc one or a digitakt...i know for sure that they are not the same but i will appreciate your guidance on that!
I got the Digitakt as my first sampler, and recently picked up a Digitone Keys to pair with it. The Digitakt is what I find more useful to structure the song, while the Digitone is the icing on the cake. With both together, I get 12 voices because 8 wasn't quite enough. With the Digitone, this is also my first exposure to FM syntheses, which I don't completely grasp the nuances of. You don't have to deal with voice stealing on the Digitakt which is an interesting aspect do deal with on the Digitone.
Yes, I feel the same way about structure using the two devices! And the voice stealing is a bit odd to get used to. The cool thing is that if you ever find yourself running out of voices, you can just sample into the Digitakt to free up a track, too!
I chose an analog heat mk2 over the digitakt 🥴
I've always wanted to try one, I imagine it can make the Digitone sound incredibly warm n crunchy
See, rather than narrow my choice down to one, now I want both, but even more than before 😂😂😂😂
😈
Still watching the ad and I already know the answer is both
Hahah I promise that’s not my conclusion (at least in this video 😈)
Do you pronounce digital diggy-tal too?
Yes
@@SlowHaste OK thanks you ruined my day with your dubious pronunciation bullshit. I'm going to smash some stuff up. That's on you. You've ruined it for everyone.
Both 🤣Just the best combo but if i could only have one forever to the end of the world, then it would be the Digitone
How much for the dust? in 100 years it might be priceless 😄
Hahahah exactly
It really scares me when I realized the video is slowly zooming in...
Hahaha so sorry! It’s actually a pretty commonly used edit- I bet you’ll start seeing it everywhere on UA-cam!
@@SlowHaste No it's actually good! and thanks for the very helpful content!!
thanks for the video. I think its pronounced diji as in digital not dighi man. peace
Thanks for watching! I definitely hear both. Here’s a forum post for some entertainment lol, see question 17 www.elektronauts.com/t/some-questions-about-the-digitone/143635/6
This guys says, "creating your own samples can be a fun part of the creative process"
Me: haven't composed anything because I am too obsessed with creating sounds and samples hahaha
Hahah it’s honestly the most fun part for me, and very easy to get lost in!
@SlowHaste so easy to get lost! I'm learning a ton, tho. kick and bass are quite finicky to create at 148BPM and faster. ..and only having 20 min intervals before fatiguing haha. Obsession. Hope you're well and groovin!
That dolphin looked suspiciously like a hand.
This comment threw me for a loop and I had to go back and watch the video to remember what I did hahah
Syntakt!😄
Would love to try one!!