I hate the Electribe 2 sequencer. However, I’m thinking into it as a “synth” to use with DT midi tracks. It sounds good on theory, it solves some Digitakt sortages:
8 extra synth parts with polyphony - yes, I know, up to 24 without fxs, but enough.
You can use the Electribe audio IN, so you don’t need a mixer.
Song mode.
More master effects.
Program change works to swich patterns in both devices.
However… how this combination is in real life? Does the Electribe work as multitimbral synth? Does this setup feel ‘solid’? Or do you need too much ‘micromanagement’?
One minor problem I see is you cannot switch the sound of a single electribe part with MIDI unless you switch the whole pattern. And I’m not sure if the problem that stops the release of the sounds when switching pattern has been fixed.
electribe2 is cool by itself but in your case I would get a multitimbral VA synth. Blofeld/Virus. Sure you can get great results with the electribe but it’s by no means a deep synth.
Check out the Micromonsta.
I love mine - small, 8 note polyphony, hundreds of pactches, intuitive mod matrix, great arp and drone features (haven’t even looked into the Scaler or Chord functions yet), some effects, very reasonably priced and it receives regular updates from the small manufacturer.
It has been working very well with my DT.
PS. used to have an e2s, but sold it to upgrade to the DT and the combination blows the Korg away.
Thanks for the alternatives suggestions, but please, focus on the Electribe 2 as multitimbral synth, how does it perform with Digitakt?
The reason I don’t want other alternatives is because I’ve seen all of them (I think). The Micromonsta is monotimbral - bad. The Virus is too expensive, the second hand Snow is still too expensive and it would request a computer to program. The Blofeld has all the Virus problems and I dont like its sounds or management. And all of them request a mixer.
That’s why I think the E2 may be great, if it work as expected with Program Changes / CCs / Midi notes. Limited edition, yes, but enough for me!
I use the E2 synth with both my OT and A4 but I always use the E2’s sequencer to play its own sounds.
An annoying thing about the E2 is that on switch on it always goes to pattern 01 but, when used with an Elektron box, it will switch to the pattern last used in conjunction with the OT/A4 because they transmit program change on switch on (switch the E2 on first).
I don’t think there are many advantages to sequencing the E2 by your DT (possibly just conditional trigs), all E2 sound parameters can be modulated by the E2’s sequencer.
Really I just want a nice stand that fits them both neatly.
There’s many ways can use both together.
Obviously it’s great that you can sequence the Electribe cc for glide etc using the DT but I find that level of prep to be a vibe killer and have more fun using them independently i.e just synced.
I have both DT and Electribe but don’t use them how you describe but its an interesting suggestion that I can see working quite well in my opinion. I might give it a go next time I want to make a small coffee table setup.
From my point of view, you can do a lot of things, like adding an extra LFO, rotating steps, easy edition from notes and parameters (try to “step edit” from the Electribe…). Also you get the benefit from mutes and solos, from the Digitakt, which can be midi linked to an external midi controller. And I’m sure I forgot more.
Thank you! Please, could you try it? Try to switch patterns, to apply CC using DT’s locks, or the Electribe song mode and check if DT follows. Also check if there are some weird sound bugs/pops/clicks. I’ll wait your reply!
Obviously everyone’s workflow is different but personally I never found it worth the hassle to sequence the E2 by my OT, it was much better using the OT to sequence a multi-timbral polyphonic synth.
The E2 does not have patches as such, everything is saved as a pattern. I don’t think that mutes would be any easier to achieve on the DT than can be done on the E2 (unless the E2 is out of reach).
Solo: CC93 channel 1-F, from manual page 66 <- not tested. I only tested mutes in my BCR2000.
E2 is a multimbral synth with a sequencer. Obviously, you wouldn’t feel any apeal to sequence it from your OT if you are only sequencing drums or live recording in the E2. But if you want to step sequence, it’s another history.
The advantage of E2 over others multitimbral synths is the ones I wrote in the first post: song mode, no mixer need, unexpensive… etc. Also, it only has a bunch of CCs that you would want to lock or add an extra LFO, so OT could control it fully, and DT would do it very well.
You cannot switch the oscillators using midi, however, you can save empty patterns on the E2 with the sounds of your choice. So when you switch the pattern in the DT or E2, a program change would change the pattern in the other machine - in theory - that’s why I’m interested into know.
But nvm, solos do not work, I tested them right now. And you only can mute using the global mute, would be nice having the pattern mutes too.
Indeed, you would use E2 to sequence patterns (without information, just the parts settings) and you would have all the sequences in your DT tracks. On paper it sounds awesome for me.
Please, do it if you can and let me know how it works. It will be pretty helpful for me, instead purchasing the E2 and returning it in case it doesn’t work.
Did you see the link I posted before? It’s on page 66, Appendix A, A.1.
I am away from home at the moment and only have my E2 and A4 with me (plus I forgot to pack the MIDI pigtails for the E2). I don’t get home until the middle of September but will check then.
Yes in the link you posted CC93 is listed in Appendix A but it is not shown in the DT manual that can be currently downloaded from the Elektron website, which has Appendix A on page 72.
