and the rytm has the digitakt’s sample scrolling lock realtime record via knob feature?
Thanks all! Rytm is ordered. Had a pretty good idea what I was getting myself into, but these replies helped confirm my choice. There’s a non-zero chance I add even more to my elektron box collection, but the Rytm should keep me busy for awhile
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Yea, sample select is a parameter.
At least I think so? It’s been a few years.
DT got most of its tricks from Rytm.
Aside from sample length and granular start point, the sample playback implementation is the same. In this regard, it has more in common with Rytm than Octatrack.
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I have both. Digitakt was my first elektron and was my favorite instrument. I haven’t touched digitakt since getting a rytm.
I’ll probs go back back when I can figure out where it fits in my setup.
Aside from the analog goodness of filter/drive -
KITS!!! Scenes, perfs, slide trigs and to a lesser extent songmode(not used it yet)
Even the layout of rytm mk2 is amazing imo.
Something about it just feels open compared to DT - like there’s so much room to think and track things out or something. I think possibly because selecting track using the pads vs the sequencer trigs makes it feel more obvious whats happening (in my head)
I would recommend rytm to anyone.
As far as standalone, there many vids of people using only the rytm on YouTube. Just type rytm jam and the like. Lots of mk1 vids but the mk2 is just a better mk1 imo (the perf knob seems basic but its incredibly useful)
RE recording scenes and perfs. They can’t be recorded on the box no, but they spit out midi CC so you can record that into a DAW or automate it.
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“RE recording scenes and perfs. They can’t be recorded on the box no, but they spit out midi CC so you can record that into a DAW or automate it.”
thanks for your insights… can you resample them? // start the machine resampling and go to perf/scenes and resample your realtime triggering?
Not tried but I’m sure you can yea. Like its just resampling the internal audio so whatever you do that changes the audio would be recorded as a sample 
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Just tested this on my Rytm and yeah you can manipulate the controls as much as you want and the resampler will record the resulting audio, both on the main outs and independent drum outs.
You can always record the scenes and perfs via overbridge. It records them if you pressing on the performance pad or toggling a scene, not all the individual parameters themselves, which is helpful if you are 8 minutes into a 15 minute full-side techno track and accidently go a little too hard on a huge performance macro.
For the OP, for the past couple of months I’ve found myself sketching most, if not all, of a track in the Rytm, only turning to my computer or something else for the filler parts of the tracks. I use my Rytm as a rough sketch pad, and as such never try to get too in-the-weeds with its more oversight features like kits or a bunch of scenes/performance macros. Not to say these features are overly complex or require precise planning, I’ve just always used elektron boxes in a one-project-per-song fashion and I don’t really find the need to have 120 different drum kits or 24 macro parameters for a ~6 dance track.
The thing oozes out songs though. I grew up with Ableton Live and thought I was fast in that for making skeleton tracks but I’m constantly blown away with my speed on the Rytm. Put some nice pad or chord samples on it and you can write infinite songs.
Depending on the type of music you make too, the choke groups can lead to some nice rhythmic spice to your tracks. I make choke groups on Ableton all the time for chords or textural stuff in order to make my tracks keep up energy even with ambient sounds all over the place so it is not necessarily a huge negative depending on how you look at things.
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I recently (november 2020) got an ARmk2 after using the DT as my main machine for 3 years religiously. I make sample based hiphop (boombap) with some synth influences, but I mainly use the AR as a sampler, and sometimes add some dual vco sounds.
At first the AR felt less immediate and logically set up, but I guess this was partly me being so used to the DT. I kept the DT and switched back and forth between the 2 a couple of times the first month, just to test which one led me to make better music. The AR grew on me a lot, and is now my favorite machine, even though I still love the DT. The AR is like an analog sampler/synth/sequencer which you can easily do full songs on, especially using resampling.
The AR (even as a sampler) has a lot of benefits: Kits, Songmode, indiv outs, parameter slide, analog (great sounding) filters, drive, distortion, compression. The biggest thing for me is how awesome, warm en full this thing sounds as a sampler. The DT is very clean and sharp, but the AR sounds way better if youre into a less hifi sound.
Some things which are better on the DT:
-The amp envelope doesn’t reset on the AR, which is a pain in the ass, It can be worked around, but it’s better on the DT.
-The samplestartpoint is less precise, which is a shame. It can be worked around using the lfo, but the DT does it better
-There’s no mixer page, which I miss.
-There’s no visual feedback on the compressor, which I really like on the DT.
Hope this helps!
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I wonder if they’ll ever add the accurate slicing. I might reconsider then! What you’re saying about the sound is what would be lovely but if I could chop samples like on an MPC, wether I’d be with a little more hassle than on theOT… DAMN would be dope. I know that’s not the USP tho.
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very helpful!.. much appreciated man.
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8 MIDI Tracks to sequence whatever you want (Synth, Softsynth).
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This is true but I think it’s overkill to keep it around for “just” that, especially since I’m starting to work more with OB and ITB etc.
But yea - even having control of 64 CCs with plocks etc is definitely still worth keeping it around even with ITB - just don’t know if I’d buy one specifically for that 
I’m lucky I already own one I guess
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Anyone out there use the velocity and aftertouch options much? I’m thinking of upgrading to a rytm, I want more expressive control in an elektron format. (Also the extra filter types , inputs, and tracks are 
)
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I use the velocity all the time to modulate a bunch of stuff together. I usually don’t use it to play in but rather kind of like a p-lockable performance macro but one that is structured more around feel and play than just a bunch of modulation. For example, if you have a huge snare hit sample, even if you turn the velocity down it will just sound like someone is hitting the same snare just as hard, but quieter, whereas if you modulate stuff like the filter, a noise machine, distortion, etc. you can make your samples behave more like an instrument would in the physical world, something I never managed to accomplish as easily when using my OT as a drum machine.
As for aftertouch, when I remember it is there I use it but most of the time I forget its a modulation slot. Also my rytm usually lives on the mute page once I have a pattern down so it is hard to add another page I need to flip to in the middle of a recording session (really want the rytm sequence buttons to act as mutes for the tracks when not in record mode like the OT!!!) The aftertouch doesn’t record into the sequencer so I find it hard to manage overall if I also need hands on other gear at the same time as the rytm.
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I feel the Analog Rytm a very nice standalone unit, pretty fun and a lof of possibilities. I think that is more straightforward than OT, so it’s nice to grab it and start to make some patterns pretty fast. You can experiment of course and resampling and making sounds using the double vco; samples or both. I really recommend it.
Off topic: Your idea of use velocity as modulation source is pretty convenient but i see it a little cumbersome. Why not Parameter Lock a bunch of steps to give it that kind of life instead of program the modulation page? I feel it more slow and not as precise as doing it by step and to your liking.
Two reasons:
First, velocity is not counted in the parameter lock memory, so if you are going particularly crazy with p-locking everything in existence you get a few extra knobs per track to play with.
Second (the real reason) is more of a philosophy type of thing. I usually like to be imprecise with my velocity settings, just aiming for general ranges like 0-30, 30-60, 60-90, etc. rather than fussing between 64 and 65 so throwing a bunch of parameters on velocity is my way of saying “just change these parameters in this direction I don’t care by how much” where as p-locks are more for me wanting to hit a specific value. Like if I want the distortion to go down when I have a quieter note, I’d rather it just go down then have to think about the value I want it to go down by, so just having to turn one knob instead of a bunch is nice for precise imprecision if that makes any sense.
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This is something I wanted to mention to the OP. You can use velocity and aftertouch as sources of modulation for almost any parameter. Using the velocity to modulate filter frequency and decay is one of my favorite thing to do. The Rytm with all of its firmware updates is a very deep box. I have an OT and a DN as well and love them all, but the Rytm is my favorite.
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If you learn to play with the velocity modulation, you don’t have to use the sequencer.
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This has turned out to be the best thing for me Elektron sequencer.
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Check this:
And remember that p-locks and “older-than-SP404” resampling are the solution when 1 LFO is not enough ^^
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