Digitakt settings for RK002 with external keyboard

So I bought a second-hand RK002 in pursuit of Digitakt polyphony. I LOVE using the Polymer OS app for this but I want to be able to do it without a laptop in the setup.

It took me awhile to verify the cable even worked, but I have finally gotten it to where I can plug the Digitakt’s out to its in with the RK002 and it will cycle through tracks 1-4. (According to the online editor it should be 1-8, but I’ll figure that out in time I hope.)

What I have not had any success with so far is getting the RK002 to send any information from an external MIDI source to my digitakt. So far I have tried:

  • going from my Keystep directly into the Digitakt (which I know there are multiple issues with, but SOMEthing should happen, I’ve seen videos online of people going straight in from a keystep, it should power the RK002 fine.)

  • going from my ESI M8UX into the digitakt (it may not power the RK002?)

*going from multiple sources into my Kenton MIDI USB Host MkII and from there RK002 out --> Digitakt MIDI in. Retrokits says Kenton should be providing power over MIDI no problem.

So my questions are:

  1. Is there a test I can do just to get signs of life out of the cable when using a non-Digitakt out? Does it not actually function as a normal MIDI cable, but only do exactly what it’s supposed to do when combined with the right settings? (seems so)

  2. Does anyone have a Digitakt settings list for using the RK-002 for polyphony when using an external keyboard/MIDI source? Should I still be using a MIDI sequencer track as a go-between here?

Many thanks. The Digitakt polyphony thing is so mind-blowing… make any sound in the world into a supercharged KORG MonoPoly! Just wanting to figure out how to make it portable.

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After you load the firmware on your cable from the duy exchange portal, it appears a screen where you can set a lot of things like midi channel, poliphony…

By the way, Try to change the midi channel on your keystep to make it work, I don’t remember whats the default channel for RK002 maybe 9 o 10 (just try all of them)

Yeah, I didn’t have any problem using my RK-002 with a Keystep 37. I think Swaitak is right and you just need to make sure you’re on the right channel. I think it might have changed but it was 9 when I was using that firmware a lot.

Also, you don’t need to go to the DUY exchange to change the polyphony. If you’re on the right channel then you can do it with a program change message from your Digitakt. 1-8 will set how many voices you’re using.

many thanks. I found the MIDI channel. still cycling between just four channels tho, even tho 8 are ready.

Would you say more about this program change? Are you talking about something internal to the Digitakt, or about sending a message to the microprocessor in the RRK002? thanks

Connect the blue side of your RK-002 to the MIDI out on your Digitakt. Go to a MIDI track and set it to whatever channel was working for you. On the top right corner of the page where it says PROG set the number of voices that you want to use.

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perfect. really appreciate it.

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