Digitakt interface Design :(

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

I am irritated by the design.
As a longterm octatrack user I like the the two rows of knobs corresponding to the six… values they alter.
As I am looking on the OT Display it is clear, that the count is always A is the upper left, F the lower right.
The frames around the parameters help as well to get orientation.

Now when it comes to the DT the display is too crowded with stuff…
I have to start looking from the right and look which one is the first parameter to be ´controlled.
For example the AMP page.
There is a Lev on the right side, but you have to controll it not with knob A but with the level knob on the left.
I tend to expect all controlls on the right of the display and in my imagination the knob F controls the DEL parameter, G the REV and so on.
Of course this is wrong, as E is for DEL and so on…
But in a reflex I choose the wrong knob…
Can’t help it, the OT design never led me to the wrong parameter…
I see no simple way to fix this, to be honest I see no way :slight_smile:
But I need to whine about that a bit… It never came to my mind that I would have problems to adapt to a
hardware interface…
And as I am old and this is just some intrinsic fun I want to have I will not be as virtuoso as Cenk when it comes to knobs…
:sob:

design flaw…
The retrig page is one of the worst as some of the four(!!) values are controlled by an arrow others by knobs but not starting at A but on D then E and F… who is making such design decisions…

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#2

+1 - I keep bumping into this, too.

#3

I am not sure if this is impatience or something to stumble upon…
Somehow this is a conflict with my reading habit and having learned from the OT that what is left on the display can be controlled with the left knob…
That was intuitive…
Concerning the retrig function: at least pressing the arrow multiple times alters a value. A bit like on the OT… :slight_smile:

#5

+1

#6

I’ll admit I was right there with you, but now going on what, week 3, of just using the DT and my OP-1 I’ve gotten used to it. It only annoys me now on the placement of the zoom/in out and trim start end knobs in the sample window though.

I can understand if you’re used to the OT way of things though.

#7

If you were coming from AR, AK, or A4, this would be less of a change for you, as all of those Elektrons have the Level knob to the left of the display.

OT was the last Elektron instrument design with the level knob to the right of the display.
A4 started the new design in 2013.

Design flaw, or design evolution?

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#8

Coming from the rytm, I havent got any issues.

#9

Same

#10

I don’t like Level Knob’s position on Octatrack.
I’d like to change the cap to differentiate it.
I find A4’s ergonomy quite logical, not especially for bank/patterns.

#11

I have to agree with you on this. I like the extra richness in some of the UI (ADSR, overdrive, the filter especially) but I often find myself having to work out which knob relates to which parameter - especially on the screens that don’t have 8x parameters. And within those, there are also inconsistencies as to which knob to use.

Eg: Tempo screen uses the level knob and Knob E… whereas the Pattern Length screen uses Knob E & F even though the UI layout is identical.

But I do like the built in help and other details… so right now it’s a little bit of love… and a little bit of hate.

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#12

I would not call that an evolution. It is a shift of the control paradigm. And not the best choice :slight_smile:
The Display of the AR is less cluttered and as I had it for a short time I never had those problems.
In the DT it’s just too crammed.
I would prefer a vertical line that seperates the level controlled parameters from the knobs on the right…

#13

love and hate :slight_smile:
you are so right…
I am afraid I will have to live with that and be more focused on the controls…
All I wanted was some fun :slight_smile:

#14

Coming from the AK, I keep fumbling around trying to grab the right knob on the DT as well. Yes the tracks on the AK have a level knob to the left, but there’s something with the DT’s screen graphics that keeps throwing me off. I’m sure it’ll get better with usage, it’s not the end of the world, but there’s absolutely room to look at how people connect UI and interface.

#15

just look at the OT Display.
The main difference are lines that seperate the parameters.
It all seems much cleaner and more structured. And yes, it is only 6 knobs :slight_smile:

Somehow the sacrificed a clean Interface for funny graphics…
Maybe they could resize them and put them in boxes, like OT…
I am sure there are some ways to get this done.

I did same live automation yesterday and ended up recording wrong parameters again and again…
I tend to instinctively grab the wrong knob…

#16

Being my first elektron piece of gear… I’m not really having any problems with the ui. I like it

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#17

Practice makes perfect I guess? can’t see them changing the design.
I always have a preference in hardware of multi function knobs either directly above or below the value shown in the screen. Solves any confusion

#18

As I was often choosing the wrong knob on A4 or Level knob on OT, I exchanged some knobs between the two of them so that I have grey and black encoders.
It helps, I found.

Now I have absolutely no issue with DT so far.
:slight_smile:

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