Digitone companion for ambient

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

Hi all,

I’m looking for a companion for my DN. I make ambient so thinking of a sample player (for long textures, not beats). But it needs to be poly per track, so I can play evolving chords. Not looking to spend a fortune; small footprint.

I want something I can drive from the 4 midi tracks on the DN, so I can control the whole performance from one place. So assign one (poly) track to each of 4 MIDI channels.

The poly requirement rules out the Model: Samples (also very unclear from the manual if it will work with my MIDI requirements).
Not clear about the MIDI implementation of the Electribe Samples 2.
Only viable option at present seems to be the Blofeld + Sample licence, but its multitimbral mode gets poor reviews.

Any suggestions most welcome.

Best Regards, Chris.

#2

Hey, I don’t know a lot about the workflow but I believe 1010 blackbox is poly with up to 16 simultaneous, 4 per pad. You could look into that.

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#3

SP 404 mk2 maybe?

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#4

Or their nanobox | tangerine - Compact Streaming Sampler - 1010music LLC

(The nanobox | lemondrop - Polyphonic Granular Mini Synth - 1010music LLC is granular but only 1 channel)

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#5

:tangerine: maybe, maybe:

Good luck!

#6

Thanks all. I’d missed that the 1010 instruments had this capability. Looks like they may be the way to go.

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#7

What about SP-404?
Provides many FX as well …

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#8

Hi Soundrider.

Yep, Frewim mentioned that as well. I will def. look into it, and I understand it is better at stretching single samples for chromatic use, if you dont want to multisample a whole instrument. But I also read that it’s not a great user experience, and of course it takes a lot more desk space.

#9

Where did you read this? I’m surprised to hear this.

IMO the workflow of the SP-404 is quite direct and intuitive, if you want to sample, loop, apply FX, jam on the pads, and create new ideas on the fly.

As an example, I love the buffer memory of the MK II. It’s an online/realtime recorder buffering the recent 40 seconds. This recording is always on and if the buffered content is to your liking, just create a new sample/loop from it and drop it to any of the pads.

And there is much more I like …

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#10

Hi SR.

Diffrent strokes I guess. Here’s a random extract from a random forum:

838×185

Also worrying about not being able to do chromatic samples. I thought someone said it was good at this!

#11

Also, just to add, in reference to your original request of small footprint the 1010 boxes are really pretty minimal size-wise. Certainly worth looking over a few of the “colors” mentioned.

Although, to be fair, the 404 is also a manageable size so if you’re leaning in that direction, I don’t want to dissuade you. Good luck.

#12

remembered this thread, probably an interesting read Advice for a beginner (Drone/Dark ambient/Exp)

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#13

Hi @soundrider and @frewim

Having watched some videos of the 404, it seems its ability to do chromatic is limited to assigning one pitch to each pad in a bank and then playing across the bank. Not at all sure this would work sending MIDI note values on a channel? (Which is a shame as it looks like a great jamming environment.)
It seems the only way to play chromatically over MIDI is to first select a specific bank/pad and then address the pitches over MIDI 16. This is no use to me.

Please correct me if I’m missing something.

#14

Yes that is correct.
You could have your samples , each voice on different pads and just trigger the different notes with DN.
It is a workaround , and I get it if isn’t what you want. Or else you have to enter chromatic mode and play the sample on another midi channel.
But still , I think it is a very nice companion to the digitone , and especially for ambient :slight_smile:
I have been using the SP with DN, ST and DT and the elektron sequencer with the SP is really nice.
Or else I would recommend the OP-1 Field, but expensive and not everyone’s cup of tea.

#15

Okay that seems to be an unhappy person indeed, and the SP-404 might be not his/her cup of tea.

IMO the learning curve isn’t very steep for the SP-404 MK II, but it’s true that we don’t have a one-knob/one-function UI. But IMO it’s not cryptic.

The basic functions are written on or below the buttons and we select them using the buttons directly or via the Shift-Button. That’s not uncommon design and muscle memory should build up quite quickly. The major functions of sampling and recording are accessable directly.

It’s not of any proof, but there is a reason why the SP-404 has such a huge fan-base, jamming on the unit :wink:

IIRC the chromatic features have been improved by the MK II but are still limited. But without complex algorithms tuning a sample up and down a huge scale was always limited.

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#16

Exactly this - and a unit to generate beats/music just on the fly by beeing creative and having fun.

But what do you miss chromatically as a Digitone Companion? Or what should this companion provide. Can you tell us, which “roles” the companian should have in your set-up (like bass, drums, pads, leads)?

For pads you could record your chords from the DN, process the samples to your liking, drop them to some pads, apply some FX and I’m shure in no time there sould be an ambient mood … :smiley:

DN and SP-404 can be synced - and there you go - jamming on both … :wink:

Or put some chord-pads to the “pads” of the SP-404 and create chord progessions by playing them in the order needed. I think this can also be done via MIDI.

#17

Check this out …

  • Blofeld (but why sample license, really needed?)
  • Roland MC series (multi-part, each polyphone, synth & user samples, just ignore the internal sequencer)
  • Novation Circuit series
#18

can recommend blackbox for this, as i often use it to make music that can be considered ambient.
love that it can work with any length clips and seamlessly loop them independend of each other/off grid. polyphony and granular works great too.

take a look at these aswel: S-4, Tempera

#19

Straight from Bad Gear!

#20

just remembered another one that you might enjoy: Texture Lab