I have no objections to this. Endless dialog is the basiss of all democracy.
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I agree, not all products will strike a chord with everyone, I was bummed when I realised drum synthesis was missing. However to say they rushed the release of a product because Akai were showing MPC live is silly though.
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What strikes me as most interesting with Elektronās communication around the DigiTakt, is that they once again remain silent on just about everything but a potential release date, and a basic set of features. Youād think that after Overbridge, theyād learned. Silence is not the option, just more clarity.
So either they donāt know, and the reason weāre not hearing more is that they actually donāt know yet if the unitās gonna play back stereo or mono samples, if it samples in stereo, if it has synthesis and so on. Itās in the cards, but until it works in beta and seems stable, thereās nothing to tell. And thatās fine.
But if they do know that synthesis was never in the cards, never gonna happen, and of course itās a mono sampler - then not saying so, is just not a properly thought out communication strategy.
Compare to the MPC Live - thereās a bunch of stuff we know for a fact. What we donāt know, Akai says āWe donāt know yet. Or we canāt say.ā
Itās not - āHaha, maybe we know, maybe we donāt, youāll just have to see. One of the reps on the Namm floor might slip something, but officially, weāre just not telling. Hah.ā
Given the cycles of development, itās hard to believe that they havenāt decided by now if itās a stereo device or if it has synthesis. An April launch would indicate itās in internal beta, or close to it.
So letās assume they want to aim for synthesis, but donāt know if itās going to work, given hardware and software restrictions. You could then communicate:
āAt launch, the DigiTakt wonāt have any drum synthesis of the kind. We repeat - no drum synthesis. Itās a sample playback instrument.ā
Or - āWe are looking into options to implement drum synthesis in the future. It will not be available at launch. We canāt say for sure that itās ever gonna happen, or that it will be part of a release in the future. But we are investigating it. But donāt hold your breath. This is primarily a one shot drum sampling instrument.ā
As for stereo sampling:
āRight now, we are aiming for mono sampling only. Itās a focused one shot drum machine, and thatās the way you should look at it. We realise stereo sampling is an attractive option and considered by many to be mandatory today, but for the moment, we believe that this more focused approach allows you to work with the instrument as a singular drum machine, which is what it is. Itās not intended to replace the Octatack, but could very well make for a great companion, if your work is very sample-heavy.ā
If you donāt know, thatās fine. If thereās nothing to tell, thatās cool.
But if you do know, just be honest about it.
Haters gonna hate either way, and lovers gonna love you even more.
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@tsutek all good mate, I was just kiddingā¦ Iām impressed how Adam remembered this sentence of yours though 
I totally agree with you, fyi.
@andreasroman They totally need someone to deal with their communication.
If they made clear the points you underline, I canāt see how it would cripple their strategy and/or sales.
Maybe you should apply for such position !!
If you were doing this as a consultant, you could also apply to TE
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Ah, the irony - I do this as a consultant, and I live in the same city as Elektron and close to the TE headquarters as well.
But Iāve already been snagged by other parties, so theyād have to offer me both milk and cookies, for me to consider it 
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Well, this thread is about āIntroducing Digitaktā.
Two words.
The Digitakt part, weāve seen a bit, but the āintroducingā is still perfectible IMO.
And I like your vision ^^
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Im always amazed by the culture of Elektron as a compagny. Basically all their devices are good drum machine even the monomachine and the A4. But it seems that melodies, chords, ambient stuff is slightly out of their DNA. I mean elektron is the only one compagny that can sell a Sampler at 1400 euros which can play only samples over two octaves, cannot play a sample in stereo nor a chord. But it is the only one which has record buffers and scenes : it is a bliss and a curse at the same time.
And im pretty sure the story will be the same with the digitakt. It will probably again be a great drum machine, good for glitches and fails as a traditionnal sampler. But if elektron try to extend their territory towards melodies/chords/ambient stuff it will be an incredible machine.
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Just checked, you are totally right. And i fully agree with the posts about the communication as well.
Itās simply not professional. Be transparent.
Frankly Iām quite fed up with the whole discussion. Iāve wasted to much hours finding out what this machine actually does.
Might as well leave it alone and shift focus.
Wait : OT does stereo sampling! Doesnāt it ?
OT samples stereoā¦
My elektron gear does melodies, chords, and ambient stuff just fine.
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And I use a lot the OT to sequence my Blofeld on different channels + Volca + PreenFM2 + Moog SP
(Plockable ARP + 10 CC + 4 notes + 3 LFO) x 8 tracks is pretty powerful. And, well, melodic !
Being able apply filters or FX and sample these all at the same time, I find it so powerful !
Now itās true you cannot play a sample as a chord, a pity.
The chromatic limitation is also weird, as OT embeds tools to expand it in more or less direct way (BPM, rate).
Still, itās such a musical instrument ! I mean, you can really PLAY music with it, not only PROGRAM it.
This being drums or melodies.
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He said āelektron gearā so I refer to akeys, afour etc etc.
Yes indeed.
I should have quoted the following sentence :
@AdamJay would talk about the tool in the right hand
Anyway, I understand @zite909 : Elektron logic is based on carving loops. If you comply to this logic, an Elektron magic is an incredible tool.
If you want to play it like a piano only, itās still possible but maybe youāll hit limitations more often.
Anyway, back to the topic : I can only hope there are still hidden specs that will prove us Elektron is still planning to come up with tools that help pushing the lines of today music production.
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Iām sorry I just canāt get over the fact that the buttons are labeled KD SN HH and so on, do people really need their hand held in such a way? Or is this a nod to the romplers of the nineties? A tongue and cheek design quirk? I think it is a retro look for a powerful futuristic mono drum rompler/sampler. Most Elektron veteran users are not going to be happy, but this box will have useful features. I donāt see myself shelling out $650 for what I essentially already have in the AR and OT but this will be a fun box to have nonetheless.
i think people need some more information the speculation is boring.
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The RYTMs pads are labelled too soā¦ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Unnecessarily so but more pertinent for the toms, high hats and cymbals.
āA loving throwback to the legending found on the MD panel.ā
from 7 days ago, in this same thread:
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The MD has been cited on this one.
Indeed, you can put any machine to any track on a Machinedrum.
Yet, the labelling is handy to know where you put which sound, especially on 16 tracks ^^
For instance, for me CB is alien sounds, HT some temporary weird phrase, etc.
Better IMO than some simple numbering.
EDIT: 
@AdamJay