Digitakt vs. Octatrack

Elektron Gear
#506

Yeah, the OT is great as a center piece, but more limited when slaved if you want to midi control it (in my opinion). One of the reasons I went from DT to OT was the lack of lfo’s in the DT, but controlling DT from Pyramid i suddenly get 5 lfos per track (with the midi cc lfos in pyramid), which I reckon will be ace.

Slicing is awesome in the OT though, just wish there was a simpler way to midi control them across all the channels. Oh, well, you can’t always get everything you want from these machines. :stuck_out_tongue:

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#507

Have the OT and had the DT. A couple of points:

  1. I think recording on the OT is incredibly easy once you get used to it. In the beginning it’s frustrating.
  2. Sound quality depends on what you feed the OT. It’s completely transparent. What you put in you get out. A big plus for me is the stereo sampling. DT sounds good but it is ‘doing’ something with the sound.
  3. OT is a studio in a box. DT is a sample player/drum machine. I use the Cue outs on the OT all the time.
  4. Sample management is easy on both.
  5. OT plays longer samples and records for longer.
  6. Plus what others have said about performing.
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#508

i wasnt awre of this. Soes it mean you can sequence portamento/glide " a la 303" with external monosynth???

#509

I suppose. I don’t have DT/DN, with same overlap possibility.
Edit : with OT there is a legato parameter, or you can use a 2nd midi track.

Could you elaborate? I don’t understand why DT is better in that concern.

With OT it possible to control all 5 pages parameters of all tracks (audio and midi), trig the audio tracks, the Play Free tracks, midi tracks, Play Free midi tracks, the recorders, even the slices with a midi processor…

#510

Yes, you can glide an external synth. But ironically the DT has no portamento in its own synth engine params. That’s one of the reason why I keep a blofeld next to it.

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#511

Is it? I couldn’t figure out a way of doing it. As far as I understood, reading the MIDI implementation in the manual, you had to send MIDI to the auto channel to trigger a sample on a track chromatically, for instance. I also tried assigning a MIDI channel to each track, to be able to send MIDI CC’s to the various parameters for each track, but I just couldn’t get it working correctly. If you say it’s possible, then that was probably user error - but setting it up similarly on Digitakt was easy.

Anyways, I’m crap at MIDI, so user error probably. I know you know your Octatrack, so if you say it’s possible, I believe you, and everyone else should too, obviously. :slight_smile:

Also, for my workflow, having Digitakt save kits/patterns similar to the other Elektron machines, instead of having to limit yourself to 4 parts (and all the hoolabaloo with saving parts) per project, means navigating between tracks/songs (the way I’m working) with program changes on my main sequencer is a lot easier/more convenient.

#512

Of course, I use it regularly with OT midi tracks, midi loopback. :wink:
Possible to control each track individually, even poly with a midi processor and a keyboard.

I admit the 4 parts per bank are not convenient. You don’t have to save them unless you want to mangle and reload them. They are autosaved with banks, and keep their last state anyway (unless you save once and reload).

Bank / program change implementation is bad, and once again I use midi processors for that. Satisfying hacks for me, as little victories, but I understand if those limitations upset people.

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#513

Hi,
Is there something that the DT can do (e.g. features) but the OT can’t ?

#514

I think some features like sampling are easier on DT but overall OT is much more powerful.

#515

Dont own the OT but perhaps ctrl all & overbridge connectivity

2 Likes
#516

The DT doesn’t use “parts”, so every pattern can be completely different settings without much thought… Hard to explain unless you’ve used both machines, but it’s a simpler approach. Same as control all… you can do the same with scenes in the OT, but you have more options and you have set up the controls.

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#517

That crossfader looks amazing. I’d love to try it out one day

1 Like
#518

It’s what many people who own the OT really love about it. I don’t use it as much, but do use it for transitions between banks… it’s like control all, but fully customizable, with ( I think. Never got this many) 8 scenes per side of the fader… and all the space between the two sides of the faders… It can be kinda endless experiments if you are into that kind of thing

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#519

Oh and 4 parts hold new settings for the fader, so it’s endless. The OT is just endless in possibilities. But for some I think just having a creative tool, with a more focused, and user friendly design is way more attractive. Both machines are great devices. OT is just the rabbit hole of learning and experiment. DT is more of a fun, quick off the cuff sort of workflow

#520

I’ve tried to appreciate the immediacy of the Digitakt, but feel like i did with the digitone; that i crave more complexity. I’ll start using my Octatrack (had a while but kept boxed) & if that doesn’t work out i’ll probably go back to my traditional way of working.

#521

Two different user cases:
DT: I like it since you can do groove very fast. I will choose DT in the beginning
OT: Exploration. At the end you will decide why you like it

4 Likes
#522

That’s where my heart’s at.

#523

i have both))) OT is amazing
i would pick OT if have to keep one

#524

Been thinking it through over the weekend. Definitely going to list the DT’s for sale tonight.

#525

Endless!

2 Likes