So, I am brand new to Electron gear and have recently got a Digitakt. I am in love with this thing! Ive only scratched the surface so far but its amazing what can be done in a single 16 step pattern.
Anyway, my question is: Can someone please explain the file structure on this thing. I’m reading the manual and watching videos but I can’t seem to grasp the file hierarchy.
From what I can tell the factory stuff is shipped with is one project, right?
So, projects are at the top like live set in Ableton? Then banks, patterns, kits, sounds and samples are within the project?
Also, it says it ships with something like 400 samples from the factory but I can only find something like 80. Is that because I’m only in the factory project? Is there a way to browse ALL the samples that are in the unit? Ive only been browsing from the SRC page.
Thanks in advance and sorry for my lack of understanding. Im really trying to “get” this thing.
tap your Settings Button and you will find an entry for Samples. This is where all the Samples are located. You have to load Samples to a Project before they appear on the SRC Page. This is in the Manual. the whole structure is described there.
Thank you. I just made a new project. Ive only had the DT for a few days and have been in the factory project the whole time not realizing that I should make a new one.
Things are beginning to come together now. Thanks so much for your help.
Everyone gets confused by Samples vs. Sounds… and the strange relationship between those and Projects.
First - when you say reading the manual - do you mean the square paper booklet that came with it? If so, that is only the quick start guide. The full manual is a PDF on the Digitakt support page. In that document, §5, on p. 14 has a lovely diagram. Worth checking out if you haven’t yet…
Here’s a quick summary (Been meaning to write for awhile):
Samples are stored in the +Drive, in a normal disk like directory structure. Hit the gear button, and then the Samples menu. This is the 1GB of samples that the unit can hold, and the /factory directory tree holds about 450 samples!
A Project has 8 tracks and 128 patterns (16 in each of 8 banks). A Project and can have up to 127 samples loaded (no more than 64MB).
In each pattern, on each track, the track has a sample, that must be one of the 127 loaded in the project. The track also has a set of parameters (the SRC, FLTR, AMP, & LFO pages).
One Project is active (loaded) at a time. This is the thing you play.
The +Drive can store up to 128 projects in a big list. Gear menu > Projects
Sounds are the odd duck. A “sound” is a reference to a Sample on the +Drive, and a set of parameter settings. You manage these from the Project menu (three squares) > Import / Export > Manage Sounds. There are 8 banks of 256 sounds. The “Factory” sounds are the first 64 of bank A.
Notice that Sounds don’t have any permanent relationship to Projects. If you change the sound in a track on a project - it doesn’t change the Sound it was loaded from (if any) - and vice-versa.
Notice that there are way more factory Samples than there are Sounds.
So what do you do?
Well, many of us just ignore Sounds entirely! The real action comes on Tracks! You can set up what a track sounds like by:
Select the track, press [SRC], and just start twisting knob D. This lets you pick among the Samples loaded in the Project
Select the track, press [FUNC] + [SRC}, twist knob D — now on an empty slot (or a slot you want to over-write - [FUNC] + [YES] - now you are viewing the Sample directory tree — go find a sample, hit [YES] to load it into the slot, and then [NO] to get back out.
Notice that while tooling around the tree, some samples have a little triangle and a number, like ▸2, meaning that sound is loaded in slot 2.
Settings > Samples > and navigating around the Samples tree will let you select and load into the next free slot(s) of the current Project.
Or, if you want to use Sounds:
Select the track, [FUNC] + turn the Data knob to pick a Sound, and then [YES]. The Sample the Sound uses is loaded into the project if it is not already (and if there is a free slot). AND the settings pf all the SRC, FLTR, AMP, & LFO parameters are set.
@mzero-----Thanl you so much for this explanation! I was very confused while browsing the digitakt. I knew I read it came with 400 some samples then when I was browsing the directory I only saw 64. The Turns out I was browsing SOUNDS. So, as you said, sounds are just a reference to a sample plus all the parameter settings. Right?
Also, I was reading this he actual pdf manual. It was just kinda hard to wrap my head around the file structure and its different levels. But after experimenting for the past few hours and reading your explanation I seem to have got it finally!
I wasn’t aware of at first that I was only playing in the factory project this whole time. I made a new project and started browsing and loading factory samples and sampling my own sounds. It makes sense now!
I do completely ignore the sounds! I play live with my Digitakt in an improv. electronic group. I prepare for gigs by creating a new project - and loading about ~100 samples into it (have to leave some room for loading something live when I realize I need something…). That’s it! I do all the rest live!
Unlike many synths or even other samplers, sound (small s) design is direct and easy enough that you can quickly learn your way around all the parameters. So the need to have presets (Sounds, big S) is greatly diminished. Just spend a lot of time loading samples and mangling the crap out of them! You’ll soon learn how to build what you want quickly, without the need of a preset library.
I agree. I’d say 98% of the fun of the dt is mangling and destroying sounds live! So, pre-sets don’t really hold as much appeal as they normally do. I guess its nice to have the option to save something tho. If I make a SOUND thats just so good and I feel like I could never re-create it!!!
Thanks for your help man. Really helped me wrap my head around this awesome machine!!!