Alternatives to Digitakt? 16-track Digitakt is a possibility?

pretty luxurious, when I look at my 4 track mc-101

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I think in your case using an OT could be a good thing and might be wiser than an MPC.
I mean the MPC is really not the same workflow.

The OT could quickly resample the DT for a pattern or just allow you to use more voice.
And you might use the OT as a mixer and a recorder as well. So if your track is not too long you can record them directly on the OT, bypassing computer.

And both sequencer have lots of similarities.

I had a digitakt and an octatrack for a short while, had I done more beat shit I would have definitely kept them. Or like, Octatrack and Rytm but the point is they compliment each other really well. Beats from the DT, atmospherics and midi control from the OT. It was amazingly fun and fast to bang out full beats with that combo, just out of samples but if you add a nice bass synth it’s just awesome.

Resampling DT = loose stereo information
Resampling OT = keep stereo and free up 8 tracks DT and move on.

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…ur only roundabout 500 bux away from all u think that’s what u need for further sonic progressing…

if ur willing to raise ur game, catch a 2nd hand ot…
if u wanna keep dreaming of a 16 track one shot mono sampler, catch a second dtakt…also 2nd hand…
or add that other great hw sequencer concept to ur ballpark, the only real alternative ur asking for…some older mpc model…that’s beyond all one shot mono sampling, too plus a different take on handling and sequencing…

but since sampling is only one side of the sonic moon, u might wanna consider a take on synthesis and better look for an a4 or a st…

I think Digitakt and Syntakt are a perfect pair.

Syntakt = Analog drum machine, all kinds of digital synths, fx bus with distortion,
Digitakt = Sampler and digital synth,
Identical workflow and

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people sleeping on rytm now :sleeping:


EDIT: have you considered it? seems like a good fit.
Has good oomph like syntakt, but also samples, and more song finishing capabilities.
if you plan on having chord/melody machine beside it, that is.

I’m doing kinda of ambient-house with weird non-4/4 grooves. Think Livity Sound - inspired stuff, if you’re into that kind of music.

Let’s see how I’m using tracks…

I need 2-3 tracks for my hi-hats (open and closed can be on the same track), rides and shakery kind of stuff. Obviously that can be resampled to one track, but with only 2 elements I need 3 patterns for those - with only rides, with hi-hats, and with hi-hats + rides.

For amtospheres I need 2-3 tracks also, otherwise it’s not “call-end-responsive” enough or just too predictable for 4-8 bars loops. Again - can be resampled, but need more patterns for that to be “playable”. Can’t be placed on one track most of the times, as it needs some polyphony for “trail”, or doesn’t sound as good.

That’s around 5 tracks/voices down the drain, which only leaves me with 3.

One is kick + sub bass stabs as I don’t really need them playing over each other anyways, so I’m ok with “auto-sidechain” one voice gives me.

So I only have 2 tracks. One is for percussion stuff and one for other (vocal chops, synths, chord etc.)

It’s pretty limiting for my taste, and I do understand that resampling is the answer, but it has two main downsides:

  • Can’t adjust the mixing, as it’s becomes “baked” into the sample
  • Limits editability, making Digitakt not as playable and intuitive, which is it’s best qualities, so it’s a hard compromise to make

So resampling is actually only on option for layering sounds - that’s cool, that works, even though I don’t do that :smiley:

I’m scared about Octo as it’s a very deep and not as “easy-to-use” machine… Also - 8 tracks again :frowning:

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I actually have an A4 :slight_smile:

Gonna sell it. It’s cool, but have some quirks I don’t like. Wish I’d stick with my DN and didn’t sell it - it was much more creative for me. Also - more voices for chords without compromises :slight_smile:

…dig a little deeper…i was also pretty late to see the full potential of synthesis party and was hooked for years and years to sampling only…a4 was a game changer…in case of doubts, collect some of the drum presets for it from the elektron site and take it from there…u won’t regret it…stacking samples with synthesis is opening a total different sonic planet…promise.

Sounds to me like you’d benefit from a dedicated drum machine. That could be a second Digitakt, Syntakt or even a Digitone tbh - could even be something outside of Elektron, dread the thought :laughing: - would depend a lot on the aesthetic you wanted - but I would say something dedicated to drums.

Sounds like you have your answer!

Having that split of drum/not-drum I think helps with the not wanting two-boxes thing as well - as it’s at least a very clear seperation of roles - mentally easier to juggle.

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I’m getting lost in the never-ending cycle of tweaking and re-tweaking my synth patches. It’s a fun way to kill some time, but it doesn’t actually leads me to making music, and that what lead me to sample-based production :slight_smile:

It’s very deep but just as easy to use as a Digitakt once you set it up. Honestly to me it sounds like an OT would work for you really well. Keep the simpler mono stuff on the DT (basically the drums) and all melodic elements, meaning bass, leads and atmospherics on the OT. Sync everything with midi and you also get song mode from the OT.

…yup, that’s the classic…dig a little deeper…ur almost there…suddenly it flips and u start to nail it right away…

Yea an OT could bring a lot of extra tools for the ambient-housy stuff too - you can do a lot more interesting stuff with vocals, and breaking out of those patterns is easier on an Octa because of the flexibility you have with the sampler.

you can minimize track usage by using sample slot modulation. Then a single track becomes a shaker, open and closed hat, and who knows what else all in one. Sync the LFO for repeatability or have it run free for never quite repeating but still structured grooves. Plus you still got the other LFO for another layer of flavor.

The key is to group your one shots and slices close to each other in memory then messing with the LFO depth shape and speed to obtain new grooves :slight_smile:

Personally I don’t think the OT is necessary for what you’re describing. keep it simple and in the box, push a little more you can squeeze that extra juice out of the DT alone!

Maybe you could consider adding an external midi drum synth/machine.

To overcome the “two boxes is difficult to manage problem” you could use the MIDI tracks of the DT to sequence other gear.

I probably get banned from this forum for admitting this but I sequence the DN from the DT’s MIDI tracks. No pattern length change problems, no duplicate projects, no sequencing on two devices, no patterns to match exactly on both devices, no clock issues.

You could do the same with another DT too or any other synth / sampler, and “extend” your DT with whatever you like.

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I would never ban smart choices.

I was going to suggest the same thing.

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