It shares the Function and bank buttons and you have to cycle through to get to one you want and press it for the correct amount of time etc…
Just seems more complicated than it could be with just mute button.
It’s not impossible to learn I just don’t like it as much as the Rytm way
For me it was the flashing white activity, then the either green or purple mute indicators making it difficult to distinguish. Also the track/step/mute/keyboard all being on the 16 buttons was another thing I didn’t like. The DN has separate mute/track buttons and feels more familiar like the larger machines, the DT though always felt a bit cramped to me. I suppose regular use mitigates this kind of thing, but since I have a few other samplers and other Elektron machines I tended to avoid using the DT.
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Are you aware of the quick mute mode where you just press FUNC and then any of the 16 track buttons to mute that track? This is essentially the exact same thing as having a dedicated mute button. I’m not sure what you mean by pressing for the correct amount of time, you just hold FUNC and then tap BANK to switch between mute modes, very fast, and then the mute mode you have selected is the one accessed by the quick mute combo.
@darenager I don’t really understand the hard to distinguish complaint, there are only two mute modes after all and the trigs lights are very distinct. I do totally agree about the shared keyboard part though, makes the DT really compact but if you aren’t using an external controller it is definitely less than ideal to have to switch in and out of the keyboard mode!
It probably affects different people to a lesser or greater degree, probably based on ambient light levels, eyesight, age etc. I wished that the trig activity wasn’t active when in the mute modes.
Are you meaning that you have a hard time with the colors? If the trig activity wasn’t present in the mute modes, how would you know which tracks are being triggered when you’re wanting to mute a specific part? Sometimes I forget which track I have a sample on and it’s nice to see it being triggered when I want to mute it. I don’t see why it would hurt to have an option to disable the behavior though!
I think it was both the colors and the brightness, that said my eyes aren’t what they once were, mute states on the Rytm are much easier to read.
Yes I do know how it works, and I pretty much agree with everything @darenager said also,
I guess it’s because it’s using the trigs And you also use the trigs for selecting each sample and the shared lights etc also. it’s just easier and better on the Rytm with less sharing functions and buttons
For those AR mk2 users, how similar is the MIDI sequencing for melodic instruments to the Digitakt now that the new OS is out?
The one thing that irks me about the Digitakt is the lack of kits, as others have mentioned, but I do use the MIDI sequencing quite a bit. AR mk2 seems like the most obvious replacement if it can do the same polyphonic MIDI sequencing.
Couldn’t seem to find this info in the manual. Anyone know?
Well it doesn’t have separate midi tracks for a start, so the midi sequencing isn’t as comprehensive as DTs midi tracks, beyond that I don’t know as I never use my Rytm for midi sequencing.
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no midi poly…
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I am in the process of buying either a DT or an analog Rytm mk2. I will be relying on the machine to handle midi sequencing of external gear. I will be entering notes with a midi keyboard. No midi poly means I cannot record chords to the analog rytm mk2 playing an external keyboard?
Correct.
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Slightly OT but completely agree regarding mutes/active tracks on the DN. especially running midi and the internal synth on the same track… and then the selected track led gets in the mix… I just can’t get my eyes/brain to that level of muscle memory
Thanks for the prompt reply finalform. Guess I will go for the digitakt since it’s got the best midi sequencer of the two… of maybe wait for a digitakt mk2 to get a song mode maybe… wishful thinking!
That’s why I still use a Monomachine for all my midi sequencing. Six independent tracks, chords (in a limited fashion) and song mode.
I’m finding I like using the digitakt as a sample instrument for lead synths and bass, and Rytm just for drums so really finding a place for both now.
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so now with the update how do you feel about the comparison of the two?
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OK, realise this is slightly done to death. But pondering choices here.
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mainly a guitar noodler. Have an OP1 and had an Organelle, Microbrute, etc, so messed around with a bit of synth stuff, but never enjoyed or got into midi
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hate using my laptop for music, really hate it. Like in a box solutions which I can play with without having to hook up wires all over the place (other than on my pedal board I guess). Have gone through a bunch of loopers in the past to enable that itch to be scratched
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bought a Model:Samples and have really enjoyed it to the extent a lot of other stuff has stayed on the shelf for a while but have got frustrated by limitations in terms of numbers of tracks and lack of a song mode to enable the occasional jam-along. Lack of direct sampling hasn’t really been an issue so far. Have found myself using the waves for synth sounds a fair amount.
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have just flogged a load of pedals off my shelf, raised way more than expected and suddenly have £1k to reinvest in gear.
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fwiw maybe 30 years ago I aspired to music glory but these days I’m a non-serious casual noise maker entirely for my own entertainment. So in the end this is all about having fun, rather than kitting myself out to take on the world.
Had been thinking about buying a Digitakt (because cool), but suddenly find I can afford a used Rytm Mk2 (albeit in non-cool silver). Should I go with the AR? Or stick with the plan to buy the DT and get myself some other nice thing? Or get an AR Mk1? In the end I know the answer is probably “buy either you can’t go wrong and can always sell on”. But help me process this…
Both AR and DT have only 8 tracks (well 12 tracks on AR, but only 8 simultaneous voices, so near enough the same thing). You could use either AR or DT alongside M:S for more tracks. But only AR out of those two has song mode. So, your choice has already been made if that’s important to you.
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Hi mate. I’ve owned a digitakt (twice) and now an AR MKII. The following is my opinion about, nothing more.
DT is immediate, sounds very clean, midi sequences external stuff really well, is easy to use and save stuff, and has a small footprint. I really enjoyed using it, but found the overall sound a little too clean/ sterile (personal preference). What you put in you get out I guess, and there’s not loads of scope for happy accidents.
AR does almost everything the DT does (excepting the proper midi sequencing) but loads more.
It’s a capable bass synth (i finds it excels at acid style squelches), combining samples/ recordings and synthetic drums is very inspiring and can create very unexpected results, the filters and distortion are analog and very musical (plus there’s song and performance modes).
Lately I’ve been using the Rytm standalone or just with an iPad, as an external effect for a track via USB.
It really is a lovely and inspiring instrument and, for me, there’s no choice if you’ve got the cash.
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