This may be obvious as I’m not too sharp in midi.
Is there a difference btwn OT and DT sequencer? Part of my use will be to sequence tr8 - will they both allow more than one drum voice at a time? Cheers
Both OT and DT can send four MIDI Note messages per step per track, as well as several MIDI Control Change messages per step per track, which should be plenty capable to sequence your TR-8.
You also have the option to program the best in the TR-8 and just run it in synchronization with whichever Elektron instrument you choose.
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That new deluge firmware update gave it some quite unique functionality , worth a google to watch the movies of it, audio streaming , real time pitch transpose of incoming signal , I like how they do micro timing too it looks like a powerful box
Thanks peter, I guess I watched old videos where it said you need one midi channel per tr8 sound. 4 voices means three groups would work well, different track lengths etc.
Also interested in deluge if can’t get OT.
I am waiting for the new AR MK2 to come out so prices drop on the current AR for my future drum machine.
Another thing to remember MKi has ‘free’ overbridge premium… making MkII more expensive than list price indicates, even tho mkII has a little more ooomph in the feature set.
Does anyone have an opinion on how well the Digitakt stacks up against the Maschine MK3?
“No culinary uses”? Lies! I’ve seen plenty of people using the Digitakt to cook up their beets! (Wakka-Wakka)
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That largely depends on the criteria you apply. If you want to work OTB, DT obviously wins. Feature wise Maschine MK3 is in a different ballpark. Personally, I found Maschine MK2 one of the most uninspiring pieces of kit ever and yet I’ve seen people do wonders on it. DT on the other hand is full of seemingly arbitrary limitations and yet it’s my goto machine whenever I only have a few minutes to spare and more often than not I come up with something I would dance to.
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Lettuce Turnip Beets! 
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That sounds BANANAS!
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Bonus Points!!
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Though I got Maschine MK1 and will possibly update to a MK3 (one of the reasons is that my old controller is slowly dieng) I think that´s a nice point of view.
Working w. Maschine often feels somehow sterile and lifeless in comparison to something OTB like the DT. I feel more connected to Hardware in a sense of man and machine.
Guys, I think it’s worth mentioning the audiothingies’ upcoming device DoubleDrummer in this discussion. To me, the best drums are a combination of synthesis + sampling. Previously, the Rytm is the only piece of gear I’ve run across that does that combo to perfection. The DoubleDrummer is taking a somewhat similar approach, so I think it’s worth sharing with you guys in case you didn’t know about it/forgot about it. From the way they worded the description on the Audiothingies site, I feel like it’s going to potentially have a 12 bit SP1200-inspired sampling engine, or downsampling/BRR. We’ll see.
Anyway, I think that a Digitakt (assuming they add backup functionality) + DoubleDrummer will be a very nice combo that ends up being the best of both worlds (synthesis +samples). Hopefully specs/demos/info will be available soon so we can learn more about the DoubleDrummer.
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Agreed, big = clever
I like the new Digitone better than the Digitakt for the smaller Elektron boxes that I have tried out. Not a big fan of the DT and actually prefer the less expensive Volca beats box even though it does less and is less fancy.
I haven’t tested the Arturia Drumbrute yet.
But, I can speak for the Electribe Sampler 2, since I’m an ex-user, I had it for a year and a half and after giving it a lot of chances, finally I have switched to Digitakt.
I try to explain my choice with a comparison:
Electribe Sampler 2 (what you’ll get and DT doesn’t have)
- SD Support allowing you to backup patterns and samples (no app for sample browsing/import/export tho, only 3rd party developed)
- Song Mode
- FX per channel
- Touchpad XY: Arpegiator, FX & Touch Scale
- Polyphony
- Scales
- Around 20 Real Digital Oscillator Waves for Synthesis
- Bandpass Filter
- Modulation Combos Section
- Stereo Sampling (Takes 2 channels to work with)
- 3 level Velocity Sensitive Pads (You have to enable that per track)
- Battery Powered Unit
Digitakt (what you’ll get and ES2 doesn’t have)
- Sample preview (Yes, the electribe DOESN’T have that over loaded samples by default. There’s a workaround for creating your library and be able to preview, but it’s kind of a grind)
- Conditional Trigs
- Parameter Locks
- Assignable MIDI channels for each track (E2S only go from 1 to 16 each track without being able to change that config)
- 2 inputs for sampling (vs only one on E2S)
- USB Sampling (it’s happening with the BETA driver of Overbridge, confirmed)
- Fill Page
- Unquantized Live Recording (ALL sequencing on E2S is quantized)
- Microtiming Adjustment on step sequencing
- Tweakable Compressor
- Parameter control on ALL TRACKS.
- 2 in / 2 out / 8 internal audio tracks AUDIO INTERFACE (Overbridge, confirmed)
- Chromatic Mode (Electribe have scales but not chromatic - don’t ask me why - )
- Midi THRU (big deal for me)
- Tempo bend/nudge for sync (like the cdjs or turntables)
What BOTH can do, but Digitakt does BETTER:
- Sampling: Better quality, way easier process. (No stereo tho)
- File Management: Better menu diving for file management, better “naming menu”, search and tags, you can move/rename samples while still attached to your project and will remain on site. Transfer app makes EVERYTHING easier between the DT and your PC. All these helped A LOT in my workflow, specially coming from the E2S.
- Copy/Pasting/Clearing: It’s just way better, key combos help a lot with this. You can practically can copy, clear and paste almost everything in the DT with the main 3 keys and different combos, E2S requires some menu diving/shortcuts or different options to do this.
- Sequencing: No need to tell much more than p-locks, trig conditions, unquantize, quantization per track or global, microtiming, retrigs, sample-lock, midi sequencing with cc values per step… Quicker and better options, E2S Step Sequencer is just awful IMO.
- Audio Engine: The sound on this thing is huge, the sound processing, inputs and outputs, the fx sends, the filter, and the audio capabilities via USB too.
- The Screen Feedback: DT’s screen is filled with more intuitive info like envelope graphics, sample waveshape graphics, playback follower, etc, rather than just text…
- Updates & Support: Just google about firmware updates and feature requests on E2S, at least DT gets updates and actual functional new features every once in a while.
What BOTH can do, but Electribe does BETTER:
- Audio Tracks: It does have 16 rather than 8.
- Pattern Chaining: You can save configs, and set them as you like.
- Backup: You can backup patterns and your whole machine config more easier via exporting two files to the SD card, and have multiple SD Cards with different configs. You cannot change cards on the fly tho.
- FX: It has more quantity and variety, and can be modulated or hold via XY Touchpad.
I come from Electribe Sampler 2, and don’t regret a little bit getting the Digitakt and switching up to a better and faster workflow. IMO the Digitakt crushes the Electribe in almost every aspect.
Hope this “comparison review” helps someone thinking of getting a E2S.
My ONLY advice is: DON’T
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THIS is true. Updates and fixes never came.
The E2 does support chromatic scales (it’s the first on the list).
The E2 does feature both motion recording (smooth or triggered) and performance recording, which are somewhat akin to parameter locks.
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Yeah, you’re right. It records motion/automation via live recording or step sequencer, but it remains being quite and odd and “tricky” step sequencer. And yes, it support the scale but not the Chromatic Keyboard since it’s assigned one octave per 8-pad-row, it’s what I can remember.
The Performance Recording it’s a winner-feature I did miss there, tho.
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