Best synth to pair with Digitakt? If you only had one

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#508

Either Digitone, Novation Peak, or Analog Four.

@Timewalker if you’re able to save I recommend it. The DT + DN + Peak is a top notch combo.

If you must get something immediately and can’t save, look into an 0-Coast.

@cold_fashioned I’d agree to an extent if one isn’t specifically looking for a synth. I got a Zoom H6 for sampling my own sounds to make the music as authentic as possible. I managed to turn a single African flute note I played from a $3 instrument into the bitcrushed lead sound resembling a distorted guitar.

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#509

FYI: I’m working on it, it’s something I’m doing in my spare time. It’s compatible with more than just Elektron gear. It’s not running on any hardware, it’s two stand alone apps for Mac/Win. Just wanted to clarify. :slight_smile:

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#510

I’ve never used the se-02 or sh, so i cant comment on that. I think any good sounding mono which works well with cc is a great addition to the DT, so i’d choose the one you think sounds best.

The minitaur had some hanging midi note issues at first, which for me dissappeared with the latest firmware. I never really used it with the software editor. You can get a very wide range of sounds by using the shift functions, or just midi cc. It is more limited than some other mono’s, but for some reason i’ve used it way more than most of my other synths.

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#511

Arturia Minibrute 2. Very nice Bass and Lead Sounds.
Oh you want Midi CC controllable.
Roland SH01a works fine for me.

#512

Minitaur tops my list for Midi CC capable mono desktop format, without keys so far…

Wait I’ve got another MIDI CC contender that goes full range for same price - MFB Dominion Club.

It sounds more aggressive than Minitaur filter. Yes a matter of preference but if there’s more character when you do leads and add effects then maybe richer results… hmmm

Any experience with MFB Dominion Club and Minitaur, anyone? Thanks!

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#513

Check out the AS-1. I liked it so much I now have two. Under $350 used, it’s unbeatable soundwise.

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#514

Mentioned many times but the DT pairs with the DN like PB&J! I don’t have a lot of synths, had a Waldorf MicroQ which was pretty rad (sold to find the DN) and I have a Korg Monologue for my basslines & leads but if I had to pick one it would be the DN because while it comes off initially and easily as glassy and bell tones you add add harmonics to get what you want instead of starting with a rich harmonic and shaving things away to shape it. Plus the DN is (IMO anyways) a very deep pool to dive in and explore. I’ve not mastered it by any means. So if it matters to you how much there is to potentially explore then it’s got that going for it.

#515

Dunno if you ever got an answer but I have both and find the microgranny 2 quite different… the way the pitch and grain moves let’s you do some really interesting stuff. Lately I’ve been doing grannular and pitch stuff to vocals that I resample back into the DT. Microgranny can have all its knobs midi CCd by the DT and make use of those midi lfos… DT ends up feeling much more controlled to me while the microgranny feels totally wild and you really never know what you might end up with. I think for the DT to get a similar character to the microgranny you would need sample rate reduction, bit crush is quite a different effect. I use the DT way more but something about the microgranny makes samples cut through a mix super well… even if you’re not using it live the microgranny is just a awesome way to mangle and feed new sample material into the DT.

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#516

At this moment for me it is the Pro2 + DT… really crazy deep sound design, great filters, great for making samples and for being sequenced, the built in sequencer and arp play really nice in combination with the DT sequencer. But also I feel like you just can’t go wrong with an A4.

#517

agreed, A4 + Digitakt is a killer combination. and given the prices that a used A4 Mk1 can be had for, it’s the best value-for-money deal out there, also.

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#518

After spending a weekend in research (and not making music duh) I think I answered some questions to myself as to what I need to pair a DT and DN combo.

First, I use the DT and DN combo for jamming away from Ableton and saving those ideas (since I get interrupted or tired). Saving and recalling these ideas on both DT and DN, I realized is important, also due to the fact that I can move away from an idea and start a new one and then come back and recall the first idea.

Therefore my dawless / live setup of DT and DN needs a mono buddy that has the following:

  1. Portable mono synth (def. no keyboard)
  2. 1-2 Oscillators (with PWM)
  3. Effects are totally optional
  4. Patches can be saved and recalled (presets)
  5. MIDI CC - very very important
  6. Receive program changes - So I can recall the whole “idea” from DT
  7. Hands on interface (as many knobs as possible, shift commands are not a problem)

So, the synths I found so far are:

  1. Minitaur - limited in note range, I want to be able to do mono leads as well
  2. Sirin - kind of expensive but ticks all boxes
  3. MFB Dominion Club - ticks ALL boxes but FULL of problems as far as I understood. Such a pity…

Can you guys think of any more synths that fit my requirements?

The more I’m thinking, the more I see the little brother of A4 or the A4 itself…

I’m into rhythmic electronic music, and I seem to believe that the Moog tone is not the have it all solution for my music, yes it’s deep but then will be sliced and mangled a lot. Maybe what I need is great control and effects as in A4?

Is there an A2 coming? :smiley: Thanks!

PS: My semi-modular contenders (no presets and recalls) are Lifeforms SV1, Plankton Ants and Dreadbox Erebus V3. Maybe I will get a semi modular for sound design, after I get the mono described above.

#519

I hate to repeat myself like this, ‘cause beating the same drum and all, but man, the A4 MK1 is compact, hands on, great sound, midi controllable, and that killer sequencer…plus you get a good reverb, delay and chorus with it… and four mono synths or an analog four voice poly…so good :slight_smile:

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#520

Thanks! Apologies for needing the re-affirmation. A4 will be seriously considered…

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#521

The Buchla Easel would be a great companion. And it comes in a suitcase.

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#522

Yeah the Buchla Easel is rad but way out of budget. I’m willing to spend $500-$800-$1200 (if needed be)

#523

Ah okay. Perhaps a Make Noise Shared System. Pretty good alternative to the Easel

http://www.makenoisemusic.com/synthesizers/black-and-gold-shared-system-plus

#524

Novation Peak. Expensive and only monotimbral which might be an issue but it’s a super capable synth that can cover so many bases, especially since the latest OS update with the extra wavetables.

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#525

Minilogue XD?

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#526

Same setup here. Had a 0coast - fun but it’s a finicky little fucker and ultimately quite limited. You need outboard fx, and patch changes are very manual :slight_smile:

A4 is such a lovely thing to get to know and play.

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#527

I have a Pulse 2, it’s not new but a very versatile monosynth.

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