Digitone or Syntakt for a beginner

Elektron Gear
#1

Hello, I need help to choose between Digitone or Syntakt, I was even embarrassed to open such a stupid topic because I know this topic is already worn all over the internet but I can’t decide between Digitone and Syntakt.

It will be my first Elektron box and I have no intention of expanding it with another Elektron box, so only one and exclusively as a standalone. I also want to mention that I don’t have any synthesizer or drum machine, just a few midi controllers and a DAW.

I want Digitone because I like everything about FM sound, although I have no knowledge of FM synthesis, I like polyphony, arp, chorus, but it only has 4 tracks and I think I will struggle a lot with parameters/sound locks, but I want to learn to work with FM.

On the other hand, Syntakt offers 12 tracks (and more than enough), ready-made “machines” for drums, etc., I won’t bother with programming, for example, the kick (just adjust it as desired). Now, Syntakt is strong in the drum area but when it comes to melodies it seems very raw and flat to me (I don’t know how to describe it but I think you understand me), it can’t be as deep, beautiful and warm as Digitone.

I’ve been deciding for 2 months, watched almost everything on YouTube about those two boxes and still haven’t decided whether to buy Digitone or Syntakt. Also on the Elektron web, the Digitone demo samples sound much better to me than the Syntakt demo samples. I like techno, ambient, experimental, etc.

Should I buy Digitone and enjoy everything it offers but struggle with 4 tracks and take a lot of time and effort to learn to work with FM synthesis or should I buy Syntakt and enjoy ready-made machines and 12 tracks but without a wonderful melody and the polyphony offered by Digitone.

Thanks in advance for any information that would help me finally decide.

ps: apologies for the bad English.

1 Like
Digtitak or Digitone
Syntakt vs Digitone?
#2

I have owned a Digitone and now own a Syntakt. Though, unlike you, I do have other synths.

If your intention is to use the box 100% standalone I would think the Syntakt would be the better choice due to the extra track count. The Syntakt is fine for melodies however, getting the best out of the synth machines can require a bit of effort/time.

Obviously if you like to live record your own chord progressions or don’t need percussion in your tunes then the Digitone would be the better choice. The Digitone has a lot of easy to find sweet spots when you want to alter sounds.

I am not suggesting that the Digitone cannot do percussion because it absolutely can but it will eat into your track count. Sound locks are fine but not as good as having extra tracks.

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#3

Syntakt, gives you a lot of tracks and even analog voices :wink:
And Syntakt’s SY TONE is a fm machine.

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#4

One more vote for Syntakt

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#5

Doesn’t matter, you’ll end up getting them all eventually anyway.

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#6

Hope it is ok to hop on here- maybe it gives additional helpful insight.
For Synthwave I am looking for an immediate Groovebox-approach/experience.
Roland MC-101 was fun in this regard, but too fiddly for tweaking sounds.
MPC One and SP-404 MK2 cover my sampling & effects demands.
First I thought of Digitone, but after hearing some very great examples, I am leaning more towards Syntakt.
Thx for your help!

2 Likes
#7

For a first groovebox-style device, I’d also say the choice also depends somewhat on your musical background.
As a piano player, for me the Digitone was a good entry to the Elektron world because of the polyphony. I now have a Syntakt as well and while I love it, I’m not so sure that I would be enjoying it as much if I hadn’t learned the Elektron workflow on the Digitone first.

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#8

I feel the same about Syntakt sound, nothing I’ve heard on youtube wowed me yet, while there’s a lot of Digitone only music that’s just beautiful. And it’s only monophonic (with the exception of very limited chord machine), which is a dealbreaker for me. But it does seem versatile and easy to work with so would absolutely recommend it to a beginner.

On the other hand, I own Digitone and it’s not something I would recommend to a beginner, or to have as only device. It’s quite complex to program, no that easy to break out of FM-y sounds and only 4 tracks requires a lot of sound locking if you want to use it as an only device.

How about Digitakt? Very simple to use, versatile (it’s a sampler after all) and can also be a simple mono synth (using single cycle waveforms as oscillators), while you can use resampling to make chords and other polyphonic sounds. No FM though.

5 Likes
#9

There is greener grass in each box, it sounds like you know the strengths and weaknesses well. If you don’t have a strong lean to the typical tonality that is natural to each, you should just take the plunge with no regrets because you can’t really go wrong.

Finding your way around the easier to use but still fm concepts or working with the limitations of the macro machines, I think its best to let the sound guide you and not set out too specifically on what the sound needs to be.

If this is too much a psychological take on things than consider- st=width dn=depth

7 Likes
#10

Hi and welcome. It sounds like you know pretty well what you’re getting into, so I’d also suggest to go with what you like the sound of. (For me, it was the opposite, I always had a slight hesitation about the Digitone’s sound, went with Syntakt instead.)

Syntakt is definitely also deep, but in different directions (track layering, fx modulation and sequencing, exploring the outlying tones of the analog and digital machines), and it’s definitely better for more drum- and mono-synth-like parts, where the Digitone to me sounds best for me with arpeggiation, evolving pads, and chord melody, though either can be bent in the other’s direction…

I know you’re saying just one, but I’ll note that both machines also play really well with other gear (powerful midi tracks), so Digitone plus a drum machine, or Syntakt plus a poly synth, or either plus a sampler make for exciting directions to grow eventually.

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#11

Sorry if I missed it but what type of music are you making?

Do you have piano experience where polyphony is a major consideration? If not and you intend to make entire tracks with a single device, I think ST is the best choice for a beginner (having owned both). As with all Elektron devices, there is overlap to some degree; DN can do drums, ST can do FM.

Nonetheless, genre is a definite consideration. If you are doing pounding techno, get a ST. If you are doing big pad washes and ambient get a DN (imo). Good news is there is no wrong choice here…

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#12

If you want one and only one machine. It’s difficult to suggest Digitone without any other companion.

It will require heavy sound lock on one track for drums, doable but not straightforward.
Using two track for drum give you only two tracks for bass/melody, which can begin to force you to do some tricks.

Not that Digitone can not make great track alone. But it’s a bit more challenging. Or it’s music without drum.

The Digitone FM possibility are indeed bigger than the FM machine available on syntakt by the way.
But I really believe Syntakt is easier to master and at the same time really deep and all in one.
And Digitone will require more work if used standalone.

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#13

I think you should go with the one whose sound appeals to you more. In each case you will have limitations to overcome. It’s a lot more fun to work against limitations if you love your source material.

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#14

@Jacob mostly techno but I like it melodic. I don’t have very good experience on the piano.

Yes, I said only one, but I see that a lot of users get addicted to more Elektron boxes over time. Maybe I’ll be one of them, who knows.

I will most likely buy Syntakt.

You are really a very kind and fast community. Many thanks to all of you for your help and advice. :+1:

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#15

It sounds like you like the sounds of the Digitone better, so I would recommend that one. You don’t have to be a master of FM synthesis, at least right away. It comes with some good presets, and you can go to Elektrons website and preview other sound packs there. There are tons of sounds you can load into it, and if you want you can use them as starting points and learn and tweak from there.

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#16

@HoldMyBeer yes, Digitone has a wonderful sound, but due to the limitation of 4 tracks, I think I will struggle a lot, it won’t be easy for me even on Syntakt at the beginning, but I think I can learn to work on it faster as a beginner (I mean the entire Elektron workflow).

1 Like
#17

I don’t own a Syntakt, but if anything would tip me over the edge to buy one, it would be this track.

For me, I have no complaints over the Syntakt sound after hearing that.

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#18

@bibenu I haven’t listened to the ambient, chill music that can be made on Syntakt, very nice.

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#19

…a sampler is always the most simple, most direct, most comprehensable audio treatment/ music instrument…

while synthesis is level two…

…so, at first a dtakt…and then, same same but totally different, the stakt…

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#20

If you’re into techno, Syntakt is probably the best experience-wise, I wasn’t overly impressed by the sounds I heard from Syntakt from deep-diving but I absolutely love the sounds now, and it’s still a young machine early in its development, so it’ll open up more in time. I tried out Digitone for a bit and while I liked it, I didn’t absolutely love it like I do the Digitakt & Syntakt.
Also don’t rule out the Digitakt, it’s a powerful machine that allows you to expand with a couple of small synths and do a whole lot.