Digitakt Setup Suggestions

Elektron Gear Digitakt
1

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a Digitakt after a long wait and trying to connect all my gear to the digitakt the best way possible as an optimal producing enviroment for my system. But I can’t figure out how to connect my equitments best way possible. (noob alert!).

I got Arp Odyssey, Eurorack modules and obviously Digitakt. Also currently using couple VST’s in Ableton such as waves plugins likes Waves J37, Kramer HLS, PIE, Tape, CLA 76 comp.

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Digitakt --> for drum patterns, some other main patterns and sequencing my KARP.
Malgorithm --> using on mainly all drum channels but willing to use as different settings for each sound. Actually using this almost on all channels of the track that sometimes i cant hear any sound due to clipping. :slight_smile:
Galileon Moon --> controlling the modules or KARP.
KARP --> generally use more than once per song.
Doepfer A-190-2 --> Midi to CV, to control the modules as well.
Red Dragon --> Depends on track, but mostly for the sounds came from ableton sampler.
Ableton --> after digitakt, on occasion i generates idm leads, pads, melodies etc with midi.

I got Focusrite Scarlet 2i4 as an audio interfance but I’m thinking about switching to RME Babyface Pro.

Sincerely Engin.

2

Wow you sure have a lot of gear for a noob! :smile:

You need to pick something to be the brain. It’s either DT or Ableton Live but from what I can tell, the Scarlet doesn’t have MIDI so you’re kind of stuck there (unless I missed something in your list regarding computer MIDI I/O)
Guessing a setup might be something like this
DT Midi Out > KARP In
KARP Thru > A-190-2 In

If you have a computer MIDI interface then it would go DT Out > Computer In, COmpuer Thru to KARP In or Computer Out > KARP In if you wanted to sequence KARP with Live.

I don’t see anything other than your Euro modules that can generate CV so the MIDI In on the A-190-2 is your only control in? DOn’t know Eurorack very well so I can’t be certain.

How do you want to mix the audio? In Live or on an external mixer?

–EDIT–

Err just checked KARP and I see it only has MIDI In but does have CV out.

You’re in a bit of a bind then with only having MIDI In on two devices you want to control.

You might need a midi splitter (Kenton makes a bunch) for this to all work together.

Check this out to understand MIDI a bit better.

2 Likes
3

Thank you for your response, I’ll look at the splitter and the video.

I thought this a lot :slight_smile:

Scarlett does have midi in and out.
KARP does not have midi thru.
I don’t do mixing, of course, I do mixing but most of it happens while I am doing the composition.

Also I needed to use Delay VTS or built-in audio effects of Ableton for KARP sounds.

Progress:
Prepare samples and KARP, Composition & Mixing together (for old times in ableton only, now some in DT and some in Ableton), Editing(VST, manipulating sounds other than drums for variation, reversing drum beat, add new variation into the composition, a little bit of mixing again in Ableton), Mastering (still can’t do)

For example, I thought a lot in terms of connections,

Macbook usb (Ableton) to Scarlett,
from Scarlet midi out to Digitakt midi in, (to sent midi from ableton to digitakt but not for digitakt)
from Digitakt midi out to KARP midi in, (to sequence the KARP)
from Digitakt midi thru to A-190-2 in, (to sent midi from ableton via midi thru to A-190-2)
A-190-2 CV to Red dragon/Malgorithm,
KARP’s output --> Eurorack input, (for filter or bit reduction --> KARP sounds)
Eurorack output --> Digitakt input,
Digitakt output --> Scarlett input 1,

I have drum patterns in Digitakt,
record all channels of Digitakt to Ableton (Drums + KARP),
use KARP for producing another sound,
record again,

But I want to process my drums sounds with Malgorithm (more crucial for me).
I guess, 2 ways came to my mind.

First one is that, after the process I mentioned above,
all drums tracks from Ableton to Audio I/O,
from Audio I/O to effect modules and then again to Ableton through Scarlett input 2.
But when I process the sounds came from Ableton in modular system, my Scarlett (1st Gen) became clipping. (I thought that it’s because of the voltage differentiation between Eurorack and computer, so iIbought Audio I/O but it happens again, maybe I couldn’t configure its settings right)

Second one is that,
After i record my KARP in Ableton,
I change the connection as in below,
KARP output --> Scarlett input 2,
Digitakt output --> Eurorack input
Eurorack output --> Scarlett input 1,
and then I record the drums sounds, track by track, while processing.

In 2 scenarios, I’m able to use my Galileon Moons for controlling the KARP or effect units on Eurorack.

Shiiiiit I wish, I had more money. :smiley:

4

Sounds like you have it working okay.

Why don’t you run Eurorack out to Scarlett input 2? ehh… you still need audio out from DT to mix with computer audio…

Maybe just a small desktop mixer? 6/8 channels.

5

Getting a mixer makes sense. Do you have any recommendation?.

I only know Tascam Portastudio 414 4-Track Cassette Recorder.

6

For small desktop setups just get a cheap Behringer. They get the job done. The USB ones can act as an interface but you already have one so it’s not necessary.