Care to Speculate on Digitakt mk2

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#21

I doubt it’s coming unless parts are becoming unavailable. Also, as suggested above, there won’t be any additions that prevent Mki users loading up exactly the same projects. So if (and that’s a massive IF) it comes out, it’ll have tiny and largely under the hood tweaks such as slightly more processing power, a larger +drive, maybe the ability to switch inputs from line level to instrument level and so on. It won’t be revolutionary, it won’t suddenly allow stereo samples, there won’t be extra FX unless it’s also possible to add them to Mki units. It might have a different layout, such as some pads, buttons moved around, an extra knob for certain functions etc. Look at the AR, A4 and OT Mk2 changes for indications of what might happen.

But anyway, tl;dr, get an OT :wink:

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#22

Agree with the above. It’s a mug’s game trying to second-guess tech/product releases.

Unless something you’re interested in is confirmed and on the way, just get the available tool that fits your needs. If that’s an OT then go for it! :raised_hands:

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#23

You are most likely right but to be fair though how does anyone know the longevity of the parts used, the mk1 heat seemed to run out of parts in a time frame that could have arguably been seem coming when they designed it, we just take it for granted that the digi’s and mk2 's have been designed with more foresight.

#24

Stereo sampling, 16 tracks of either audio or Midi. overdrive FX, bugger screen, more steps, song mode…I’ve pretty much just described the Octatrack?

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#25

Sounds like 1010 Music Blackbox.

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#26

the problem with the heat was they were using the same parts as the dark trinity, so as soon as parts became a problem with the trinity it affected the heat. its unfortunate and rather bad planning, but the heat was new territory for them. A dedicated effects box (a first) in the digi format (what was to come). It would be interesting to hear about the expectations for the heat when it was developed. I would guess it wasn’t expected to do all that spectacularly.

when all the MKII started dropping an elektron person posted that with the current parts they are using, the are not worried about a parts shortage for a while. but that was a few years ago, and the digi boxes seem to have sold better than expected. so while i think a MKII is unlikely, you neve know.

But i think, hoping for a MKII with massive improvements over the original is weird. Elektron has never release a MKII that was significantly updated over the original. MKII seems to denote a refresh for elektron.

All the upgrade people really want a Digitakt 2, which given elektron’s history is highly unlikely.

#27

I think the upgrade people need to let go of their ideas of “limitation” and try to push the boundaries of how they use their Digitakt, and what it can really do when you think creatively! I think the practical limitation of the Digitakt is how talented and inspired the musician sitting in front of it happens to be.

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#28

Just to be clear- I’m not waiting for a mk2. I just was wondering if people thought it would be likely. The reason an upgraded mk2 would make sense in my mind is that it was hugely successful even with its set of limitations which users like myself have embraced. But, if an upgraded version came out I would gladly purchase it and I think a lot of current users would as well (depending on the upgrades of course). I didn’t get the sense that current a4 users or Octatrack users were that keen to upgrade from the mk1 precisely because there wasn’t that drastic of an upgrade. But for a DT mk2 with upgraded features that was consistent with the form factor and functionality it would be a no brainer

#29

Main reason I went from a digitakt to an octatrack was because of the extra inputs and outputs.

The only thing I miss from the digitakt was the reverb. Such a nice reverb especially for drums

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#30

Oh, I didn’t think you were waiting on a mkii. My Thoughts are that even if a mkii did drop it’s not likely to have the upgraded features people have been calling for, it’s just not how elektron have shown they do things.

And so that’s why I originally suggest to go for the OT. The features people are calling for in a DT upgrade, a lot of them can already be found in the OT.

#31

A commun classical guitar only has 6 strings. Nobody complains about it.

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#32

But is that why effects pedals, midi attachments, and tone shapers exist for guitar? Someone was tired of the limitations their guitar presented.:joy:

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#33

Just edited my post so that nobody complains. :joy:

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#34

you could consider an A4 or another box with a song mode to go along side the Digitakt if you like the over all workflow and sound of the Digitakt. You could set it up in such a way that you send Digitakt into the A4 and A4 back to the Digi for an easy way to process sounds with the extra filters in the A4 when you want to do some fun resampling. @mzero made https://electric.kitchen/crunch/elk-herd/ for the digitakt which honestly makes it the easiest elektron box to manage by a long shot hopefully elektron looks at it and considers building some similar functionality into all the boxes… seriously saved me so much time when organizing a live set and to me is way better than anything overbridge does.

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#35

I definitely don’t want to sound like I’m complaining about the limitations of the DT. It has given me about a million hours of entertainment and some decent tunes to boot. In fact, I love it so much I am hesitant to switch to the OT for the added functionality ( if a DT mk2 was even a twinkle in Elektron’s eye).

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#36

Interesting thread - I love the immediacy of the DT and think I know my way around it pretty well/naturally now, and working around limitations has bred a lot of creative solutions, but there are things about it that could definitely push it further - as others have said major changes for a DT mk2 seem unlikely, but in terms of gear that actually exists I’m getting that curious itch about things the OT seems to offer:

  • Better sample slicing
  • Song/arrangement mode - frees up the hands for other stuff/instruments
  • Stereo samples (sometimes I split a sample into L and R versions when I really want that extra stereo width that the FX can’t give me, but this uses 1 extra DT track, not ideal)

Then again I’d just prefer to create more on the DT first - it’s good to use up the potential of the gear you have first, before wasting more time learning new gear instead of creating. I’m just wary that as my sounds develop, stereo sampling and the ability to crossfade between scenes could really take things to the next level…

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#37

Long stereo samples can eat up the tracks for sure, but I can make pretty decent drum tracks with sound-locks on just a single track, and good ones with two tracks, so unless you’re using tons of stereo samples on the Digitakt you shouldn’t run into too much trouble, are you using sound locks for multiple sounds on one track of the Digitakt? Also, you could always buy a second Digitakt and go stereo-crazy! Honestly though, how many samples make sense to be in stereo? I’m pretty sure the “stereo” of a field recording or whatever is totally meaningless and can be made stereo in a cooler way by plocking pans and using the ping-pong delay. Same with most things.

Crossfading between things though would be fantastic! OT territory.

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#38

Why do you think that? This may be true for a single isolated sound source without the reflections from the environment (but this wouldn’t really qualify as “field” recording in my book).

When I think of a field recording from an urban scene or from anywhere in nature or even from an orchestra playing indoors: there is nothing “meaningless” about the stereo image and it also cannot be reconstructed from a single mono sample.

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#39

I’m not saying that it’s not in stereo, but odds are that it’s being recorded from a Zoom or something like that with microphones that are right next to each other, so cars honking, ambient convo, birds chirping, etc, how much difference does a true stereo recording make versus p-locking pans to place those sounds in a stereo field on the device itself? I think it will make basically zero difference in a practical sense. Of course something like an orchestra being recorded by microphones that are placed in different areas of the venue, will make a huge difference.

My point is in regards to practical differences, specifically in the context of the Digitakt. Stereo sample playback is available when you need it at the cost of an additional track, and if you feel that the sample warrants it. Obviously you are completely correct in an academic sense.

#40

I know what you mean but I’m referring to cases where stereo absolutely makes the sound - so I always choose those carefully. For example, wide evolving pads and orchestral stuff (which I do use). And even glitchy drum breaks with panning and effects that might be much harder to automate with the DT’s effects and LFOs.

I do make use of p-locks and multiple samples on tracks, but this can get messy when muting/unmuting and remembering what each track is supposed to trigger.

I’m ok with using the L-R stereo workaround but wary that it takes up twice the tracks (and memory!) This is sometimes something that tempts me to just produce with Ableton (where I do a lot of sound design) or consider an OT. Then again, I am quite attached to the DT and also determined to make my material work live without a DAW (partly as I never trust laptop performance! And because it’s far more satisfying to ‘play’ it with hardware)…

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