How effective do you all think an A4mkII/Digitone combo would be for composing structured songs/compositions? Anyone here use their Elektron gear in this way? As standalone tools for complete songs/compositions? No DAW or anything else involved (besides recording, mixing, etc). Any examples would be great.
I say elektron boxes are among the best, when it comes to this. especially the bigger boxes (song mode)
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Combined with a small eurorack setup, that’s exactly how I work a lot of the time. The recent addition of track scaling to the A4 has really opened up how I can build arrangements with just those two boxes.
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I’ve been using Elektron boxes for this for years - since the Monomachine. They are extremely powerful and can be used for making structured, melodic music with relatively traditional compositions.
Now the caveats. It took me a long time to learn to use the machines and be productive for this sort of music and I still rely on DAWs to do longer melodic phrases. I find that the Elektron sequencers in particular are very easy to get stuck in one particular loop - endlessly tweaking, but not actually creating a structure that works well as a song. Good for techno, not good for structured, melodic fair. It is possible to break out of this, but it took me time.
I wonder if anyone else has a similar opinion?
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Yes! I don’t use a DAW, but I rely on multitrack recording to get my longer ideas out. I really struggle to program lengthy and comprehensive melodies with my DT/DN. Using trig conditions and per track scaling can get me close but both methods have their flaws.
What are you folks doing to work past this?
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In my (fluid) setup Digitone is killer for exactly this. 4 synth parts plus the option to sequence 4 more via midi. The AR2 is slaved via midi clock so that’s percussion sorted. I don’t have a digitakt but that would box off sampling too. I’ve got the OT2 but Its yet to replace the DN as my sequencing hub. I’ve made some of my best music when it’s been written and arranged on Elektron stuff, but then again I’m from a hardware sequencing/synth background so it’s second nature to work like that.
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I would say that is pretty apt! It can be trickier doing longer structures but various ways to deal with it. Chaining patters and recording through them for longer progressions works quite well but can be a pain if you want to add plocks etc across many patters.
Built a set around the OT arranger to change patterns on the a4 and rytm and then manipulate them manually. I can arrange mutes on the OT for when I don’t have enough hands. Looking at downscaling this now though as 3 boxes feels like too much and I can’t utilise a lot of the performance aspects of each box fully.
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Yes, me! I find sequencers amazing for coming up with ideas, and honing sounds, melodies, rhythms, etc, but poor for arranging songs.
I record the patterns into Beatmaker on the iPad. In fact, I sample them in, and arrange from there.
I’m also planning to try Ableton with Overbridge, in order to record all tracks separately, and arrange from there.
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I love the elektron boxes. Each one is a world of vast sonic possibilities. You can arrange whole songs and manipulate live to the same effect with some caveats as mentioned.
My mate uses the deluge and the linear sequencing is really amazing and makes some aspects of arranging a lot easier. Worth checking out as well, depending on how you plan to write music. Not planning on selling any elektrons to buy one but its a powerhouse and more daw like IMO.
These are absolutely 100% capable of realizing the sonic dreams in your head.
You just have to work with them, as @byzero said.
I’ve made complete albums (separately) with the Digitone, A4, AR, and now the Octatrack.
Just dive deep and you’ll be surprised what you can do with even just one Elektron machine!
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THIS!
i am still stuck in this loophole and recently purchased bitwig for more “complex” tasks, tried to sell my OT and decided to keep it again…even though it is the most cosumizable and deep machine elektron has ever made, it is still really challenging to get out of the loop…even though @Rusty has built a tool (OctaEdit) for structuring a lot without endless menu-diving.
in my opinion elektron boxes can be anything but easy to get out of pattern-grid-approaches.
/edit:
just have to add that i am still very grateful for what the OT has tought me though. it was painful, but totally worth it
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I agree it’s not intuitive if you want to make complex song structures but it’s doable. I can record longer melodies or premixes with Octatrack (audio), and if I want I use an Mpc 500 for linear recordings, with more polyphony (midi).
I barely use DAWs now, just for some audio editing, sample chains…
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Don’t forget that chaining patterns allows longer phrases to be recorded in realtime, also if you do not need 16th resolution you can set tracks at lower multipliers.
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I do this all the time. It’s great for keeping several bars worth of chords on one page, for example.
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I’ve used both the Digitakt and Digitone on their own and together, with and without VSTs, and I’ve had great success with them. It’s definitely possible to use them without a daw, but without song mode you have to give them a lot of attention. I usually make few but full patterns, then basically stretch them out into 2-3 minute tracks by muting and unmuting tracks on the fly, sometimes while turning knobs and stuff. Here’s a track I made using only the Digitone, if you’re interested:
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Great track
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Yea same as @Eaves for me. Each project is a song for me and I usually use 4 solid patterns and then the rest are just ideas/experiments. Haven’t used MIDI for anything other than clock sync and start/stop but here is a 2min sketch and while I am twisting knobs it’s not that busy:
I come from guitar, so to me changing chords (patterns) is just part of the deal I guess.
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Thanks 
if you need song mode, then the A4 has it, and I think it’s possible to use it to change patterns on the Digitone too
Another great track
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Eventually the sequencers might limit me, but it will give me a reason to mess with LFOs and Conditional trigs so I can automate some of the knob twisting.
However I can often get something I am happy with in about 45mins and then add sequences/patterns until there are too many sounds and start dialing back/muting and see what sounds good.
BPM change per pattern is awesome too…
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