Digitakt Performance based FX App

Elektron Gear Digitakt
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Hello - long time lurker and Digitakt II lover. I’ve been working on a performance based fx app for the Digitakt/Digitakt II. Started this as a bit of fun but its starting to grow into a full app. It’s designed to bring more expressive and dynamic control to ‘live’ performances/jams. The goal is to implement real-time MIDI control features that expand Digitakt’s capabilities beyond its standard workflow.

Current features I’m working on:

XY Pad for Expressive FX Control:

. Allows real-time filter and delay manipulation through touch gestures.
. Can be customised to control other Digitakt parameters

Performance FX Buttons:

. One-touch activation for effects that mimic stutter/glitch
. Sends temporary MIDI CC changes when pressed, returning to normal when released

Crossfader for FX Morphing:

. Smoothly transitions between fx, allowing for dynamic blending between low-pass and dry effects to high-pass and reverb-heavy settings.
. Controls multiple parameters such as filter cutoff, reverb send, delay, and bit crush via MIDI CC

Looking for Feedback

  1. Has anything like this been done before? (If so I can sack this project off)
  2. Would this be useful in a live setup?
  3. Any other features people would want to see?

Nice one!

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You’re looking for macros, I guess? You can do a lot of that with the boxes themselves:

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That will do for me - thank you!

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Sheesh, ypu just made me loose an hour playing with one sound while testing this video ideas out.
Thanks for sharing, works great on dt2

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Yep, the sound macros are excellent for this kind of thing because they allow relative parameter control. CC/NRPN are absolute controls, but there’s plenty you can do with the FX channel controls there.

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What kind of app are you talking about? Like a web based app with midi integration to control the digitakt with your phone?

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A mobile app I was going to put out for free (Once completed/tested) I already knocked up the UI and some basic functionality as seen below:

Screenshot 2025-03-07 at 19.13.33
Screenshot 2025-03-07 at 19.13.331920×1092 182 KB

I was thinking iPad/Android Tablet. Phones too but wouldn’t be as practical unless doing 1 FX at a time.

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If you are going ios check what Koala Sampler did with their fx app, addition to Koala

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I’ll check it out not had it for a while - I switched to Ableton Note

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I think if you wanted to do something similar with a cheap hardware controller, the korg nanopad2 x/y pad is pretty flexible when programmed with the editor software. You need a standalone host or to go through a computer but in a sense of “touch grass” it’s not interacting with a tablet screen, and you just set it up ahead of time in the korg tool.

Wouldn’t be able to change functionality on a whim, but I’m pretty sure you can set up several scenes and switch between them from the controller itself so it’s not totally committing to one set of parameters or anything.

Just something to consider for anyone looking at a way to control those macros with an x/y pad.

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i used midi designer pro 2 for a while, controlling multiple parameters with 1 x encoder … i got some nice filter fx by sweeping both low / high parameters to narrow their distance … or with delay to only sweep through tempo syncd values … it can do quite complex macros such as stepping through a table of values (i used this a lot … eg for those delay settings).

i didnt do any fx , eg stuttering fx though i guess i couldve done sample start/end point style random points.

plus it could do xy pad, various encoder types … controlling the usual increase / decrease in values, table of values, random value and much more…

basically it could only do midi cc style things… though it was hooked into an ipad so i couldve also mapped it to control ipad fx and used the audio pass through.

it wouldve easily adapted to digitone etc , theyre very similar setup so i’d just have to tweak which midi cc it was sending to.

eventually , i gave up… i didnt want to have to setup multiple bits of gear just to make music … i kept to the one device… and the software had some quirks that drove me insane…over and over again having to fix things …

https://mididesigner.com/

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Haven’t seen anything like this for Elektron specifically, but as someone mentioned Koala app has great fx and recently launched official integration with SP404mk2 in partnership with Roland because of how much the SP community embraced the app.

Currently, I run my digiboxes thru iPad apps like IK’s Mixbox and SugarBytes Turnado like hw pedals and to add performance fx.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

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Perhaps unrelated but is it possible to route specific tracks into class compliant audio on digitak2 … I’ve always assumed it’s the entire audio stream

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Technically it’s just one stream in to iPad but I mute things I don’t want effected and resample it back into DT2, SP or Logic depending on what I’m doing.

Theres always a workaround for whatever i want to accomplish. All about how much will I have to overcome whatever obstacle in any given session.

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From what I’ve read Koala app is a sampler. The subject here is a midi real-time controller to affect sound not on the audio output but on the midi data stream. It’s a very clever idea I’ve tried to develop something similar recently but as most of my side project it ends in a unfinished repo lost in my computer.
From what I see in the code screenshot it’s coded in Dart. That’s a good language for mobile app.

IMO I would love to have a midi glitcher specially developed to interact with digi boxes, I’m not sure that the internal tracks could be sequenced internally and at the same time controlled externally by any kind of midi device. If it is it’s could be a game changer for live set, since most of the CC messages are available we could have for example a beat repeat (note on/off events based on a division of the clock) with high pass filter and reverb on a press of a button. All that at a midi level. The audio output still can be post processed

I’m quite interested to try this app (and maybe help to code stuff if needed)

Cheers

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Koala is a Sampler, but it has it’s own Koalafx extension, what i have mentioned i previous post.
Though if you run digitakt through ipad/aum you can have any effect there is on ios
Ok just remembered one app that could be inspirational, it’s called JammPro by one guy from “Ninja Tune label”. I forgot so that’s why quotation marks.
Also Samplr is another amazing app for inspiration

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This is exactly my thinking I’m just on the midi sending now however hit a wall. Took a break to jam for a bit. I would love some help with coding - the more the merrier. An app for the community was what I wanted to do - read so much stuff on here that’s helped so a way to give back as I’m not that talented musically, sadly.

I wanted to add some form of ‘recorder’ that would allow you to record then sample back into the digitakt probably on a separate part of the app with unique fx outside of digi’s fx. I was thinking SP1200/MPC60 modes. - some form of emulation to mimic it. Might not be possible but most things aren’t until you try :massage_man:t2: I’m getting ahead of myself though ha.

Yeah, it’s dart with flutter well spotted! I could get it on github and give you access. I’ve got the digitakt being ‘seen’ via usb now I’m testing as a macOS app. I connect my digitakt 2 and can see midi messages being sent but probably to the wrong channel - will crack on with it tomorrow again. I’m the same loads of repos full of midi generators and all sorts :joy:

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Keep them coming - ‘talent borrows, genius steals’ and all that lark! :innocent:

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An update on this. Decided to can the XY pad for the time being.

What I have now:

Digitakt II now seen via USB (Don’t have original to test against)
Features I am working on:

Freeze Mode:

Freeze mode allows performers to lock an effect state without continuously adjusting controls. This frees up hands for other tasks like tweaking Digitakt parameters or playing another instrument etc. In theory instead of manually adjusting knobs, the app can “hold” MIDI CC values. This makes it easier to engage multiple effects without needing extra hardware.

Cross-Fade:

Cross fade s designed to smoothly blend between two different effect states on the Digitakt. Instead of abrupt changes when applying effects, crossfade enables gradual transitions between preset effect values. In theory when the user moves the crossfade slider, the app dynamically updates MIDI CC values for filter/reverb send.

Beat Repeat (Thanks alexlabrioche!)

Beat Repeat in theory is a MIDI-controlled glitch effect that mimics the stutter effects found in hardware samplers and performance-oriented effects units. It works by rapidly re-triggering a note or effect parameter at a specific timing division (e.g., 1/16th or 1/32nd of a bar).

Button pressed:

The app starts sending rapid MIDI CC messages to the Digitakt. These messages simulate repeated note triggers (if possible via MIDI) or modulate certain FX parameters.

A timer function (e.g., Timer.periodic ) is used to send MIDI CC messages at fast intervals, simulating the chopped-up playback of a stuttered sample.

Example:

Every 120ms (1/32 note at 125 BPM), the app sends CC 15 with 127 (effect ON) After 50ms, it sends CC 15 with 0 (effect OFF)

This cycle continues until the user releases the button.

Effects Used:

Note Retriggering: If Digitakt responds to MIDI note messages externally while running its internal sequencer, Beat Repeat could send a quick burst of repeated note-on messages.

CC-based Glitch: If note-on re-triggering isn’t possible, we can control parameters like:

Delay Send (CC 94) - Chop up audio and apply delay repeats.
Reverb Send (CC 91) - Emphasize stuttered notes with space.
Filter Cutoff (CC 74) - Shape the effect dynamically.

I’ll be working on the midi stuff today post scan. I’m being treated to a roast by the missus soon. Will post back later with findings etc. All the best

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I ended up having one too many Guinness Sunday. Have finally had a bit of time to work on this and have now got the reverb/delay filters to be controlled by the app when using ‘cross fade’ however I’m still having some issues with controlling other things to create the effects mentioned above. I’m just adding this to a repo now for Alex to look at and hopefully we can work it out/improve the app together.

Here’s a little clip of it working-ish Watch IMG_2416 | Streamable

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