I just got Analog four MK-II, and I have Digitakt, but am curious if RYTM mk 2 is a better match than Digitakt - using it mostly for drums and samples, or does Digitakt offer more, including drums and more versatile? Tempted to get RYTM, it looks awesome, and I love the updated form factor of the MK-2 Elektrons. I also have Machinedrum MK2, which I am planning to keep, whether I use it or not with the A4…Opinions?
The Rytm Mk2 will do most of what you’d want to do for drum sampling on the Digitakt, and then has a powerful analog engine on top of that. I really like the Rytm Mk2 a lot (and, by contrast, had and sold the Digitakt, even though it has its merits). And yes, it’s superficial, but the A4Mk2 and ARMk2 together look so very pretty. So I’d probably go Rytm here! But then again, people really love the Digitakt.
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Since I already have Digitakt, I might keep for now, and grab the Rytm2 if I can find one reasonable, and juggle the 2 before making a rash decision.
PS, I was able to get a Machinedrum, based on influence in part to your recent Elektron vintage tool Vids. Thank you.
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And all 3?
I have all 3 and find im keeping the DT to trigger and control other outboard gear…
A4 and Rytm cant do that.
Also nice to sample percussive fm stuff into the DT for a totally different flavour, but yeh…if i had to choose then AR and A4
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Mission accomplished! Hah.
Also, between Machinedrum and Digitakt, you should be spoiled for awesome drum options. Can’t wait to hear the results!
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It depends what sound you’re trying to make. I’ve owned a Rytm twice- never really cared for it. Sampling was fine, but I rarely has any use for the synth engines- the parameters offered didn’t offer as many mind blowing possibilities as the MD did.
The Digitakt is so much more than what it can do- those things are encompasses in the way you’re able to do those things. The Digitakt is up there with the machinedrum for being my favorite Elektron. It’s such a quick and blissful journey to getting the sounds I’ve always wanted to make(and usually starting with some nonsense I never expect much from). It’s just an endless unfolding process.
Personally, from a sonic perspective, the crisp digital cold of the machinedrum always perfectly complimented the analog warmth of the A4(mk1). However, if you’re interested in pounding techno bangers- then you’ll no doubt be satisfied with the AR. I wasn’t so I wasn’t
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I love them both.
I find that I use the Rytm more for drums (duh) and the Digitakt more as a swiss army knife where I would control external gear or launch and mangle samples and occasionaly play a drum pattern or a breakbeat to make it interesting.
I find also that the analog circuit makes the sampling sound better than the digitakt.
overall AR stays put attached to A4 while Digitakt moves around and always ends up doing something different.
oh and the analog drum sounds are incredibly beautiful if you take the time to craft them.
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Great thing about these Elektrons, each one is basically an instrument by itself… too.
2 Elektrons makes it 2x as powerful,… 3 is 3X etc.
Eurorack, Buchla and modular in general needs more than a few different module combinations to do what one Elektron can do by itself.
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Yep same use it for sequencing fx and percussion and extras,
if I had to choose would def be the Rytm though,
but control all is a nice little trick and the digitakt has nicer screen, smaller form factor
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Digitakt is a keeper, great sound, nothing like it. Every Elektron is special in their own way I am finding. A+++++
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Yeah I like how they have designed it that way, plan to keep both,
but they seem to have the most crossover out of all them in similar functions
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Question: On A4 mk2 - I set up to send MIDI Clock from MIDI out to Machinedrum Midi In, works fine, same when I disconnect MD and connect Digitakt, but when I take MIDI Out from A4 to Machinedrum and Midi Thru from A4 to Digitakt, the Digitakt doesn’t respond to the Thru, I thought the Thru was just a split of the Midi Out… is this supposed to work, or doesn’t Midi Thru work that way? Or is there a setting for Midi Thru Send/receive I am not seeing?
What type of Midi Splitter/Distributor/USB box should I get?
midi thru just passes the midi coming in to the next one.
it should go A4 midi out to the midi in on machinedrum then thru to the digitakt.
this will get midi from the A4 to the digitakt.
its not a duplicate or a copy of midi out
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Thanks, Dan. much appreciated, will try asap.
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No problem, but just remember the A4 doesn’t send midi notes it will only send midi clock and program changes so it can change patterns with other elektron machines.
Might be better sending midi from the digitakt to the machinedrum then to the A4 because they can send midi notes too. and then you can send conditional trigs to the machine drum
As don’t think it has them does it? I don’t own a machine drum
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No, I dont think Machinedrum can do conditional trigs etc. what the other elektrons can, its older. I haven’t gotten that far yet using conditionals, I just have a small idea what they do. (ability to modify each step with pitch, env., filters, fx etc.)