Hello, I just bought a Syntakt as my first Elektron box. I hope I made the right choice. I have had it for about a week but the workflow just seems so foreign to me still.
I currently have a Korg Electribe EMX-1, Maschine Studio, Kompkete Kontrol and the whole Komplete Ultimate 12 suite. Plus 100’s of 3rd parts VSTs and 1000’s of samples in Battery.
I’m not a big sampler and figured I have it covered in Maschine. Can Maschine software open Overbride just like a VST?
Also on linking everything up, should I be using the sequencer of the Syntak(even though it’s only 4 bars 64 steps, instead of my 20 year old
Electribe that is 8 bars 128 steps). So midi out of Syntakt to midi in on Elektribe, then Midi through to my focucrite audio interface’s midi in for tranport controls start and stop to be synced. As far as audio seeems like I should patch the main audio out of EMX-1 to the inputs on the Syntak for FX it has?
Spend some time with Syntakt on its own. This will help you grasp what it’s good at, and what you like or dislike about it. You’ll
find it easier to decide its place in your setup.
You listed a lot of tools: sample libraries, VSTs, Maschine etc. I guess you were aiming to tell us “I know how gear works”, which you probably do. But to me it sounded like you saying “I feel a more-is-better”, and I suspect Elektrons will feel limiting to you for a while. They are focused and streamlined, less-is-more, and designed around “performance, with preparation”, so they’re probably a bit different from what you’re used to. Not better, or worse, just different. Give it some time.
For sure on the first part. I need more time with the Syntakt alone.
I had a electribe in 2003 then returned it and got a Korg Triton extreme, got married, sold all
Equipment . Got divorced dipped into the fulll maschine and komplete products and was just never inspired enough to make a qwik beat from scratch from it. The sounds it makes are phenomenal with the extra packs though, even better than the real device with headphones on. Anyway, I have come to rarely use a PC anymore and just like to play with these and zone out. Also bring them to parties and have open mic contests .So I bought a dead stock new in box Korg Electribe EMX-1SD couple months ago and now a Syntak. Loving it so far. Just neeed to reed more of the manual I guess
Conditional trigs can be used to the effect of more than 4 bars worth of change up, also the performative nature of elektron devices lets you make non-destructive / destructive changes and then reload the pattern as it was while the sequencer is running.
It’s definitely not the workflow you’re accustomed to, but a lot of people say exactly what you say and then come back with posts like “bro I was so wrong”, not saying that you’re typecast because in reality you just may not gel with the syntakt, but a week with an elektron device for the first time probably isn’t enough to feel comfortable with it.
Syntakt can essentially be an audio card, any audio you run into it can be processed in ST and sent over USB to a daw, I don’t know about overbridge and machine so I can’t advise, but syntakt can send audio over USB without OB.
So even without overbridge syntakt should read as an audio device and you could record the output over USB, for midi if transport is sent from your computer (or syntakt) I think you could then still use syntakt by din midi connection out to the EMX-1 which will sync transport and do any sequencing.
So I don’t think you need the focusrite in order to do what you want, although it is one way to do what you want.
Not sure what else to say, read the manual and watch some youtube. If it ain’t you, pass it along to the next guy. good luck.
Yeah I definitely need more time and video watching with device In front. I really want to lean its sequencer and trigs conditions in and out before i introduce anything else.
The harder you think about it the less fun it is, just watch a couple tutorials to get down some basics then play around, the worst that happens is it’s a clusterfuck and you start a new pattern/project.
Trig conditions aren’t super complicated, the daunting part is the full scope of what the devices can do. Hopefully the workflow doesn’t end up being too painful, the worst thing for me is the data entry paradigm for naming, but it is what it is.
Would you say the Syntakt is a good entry learning point to these boxes or the new Digitakt II? They are the same price and I can return/swap for 20 more days.
I think for the money a digitakt 1 is a better deal right now and also the simplest approach to learning an elektron machine, but if you’re looking for a synth and not a sampler, a synth it is not*. I think the syntakt is as good of a place to start as DTII unless you’re really forcing yourself to get into hardware synths and drum machines, because it’s a totally different workflow between sample curation and synthesis even if doing both with hardware.
You can get sound packs and sample packs for either type of device that lets you play around with more presets, but I just think that beyond that, aside from the elektron sequencing being the same across numerous boxes, they’re fundamentally different in how you make and use sounds.
If you’re committed to buying and keeping an elektron machine and you do want a sampler, digitakt 2 is going to be more powerful overall and in a way it’s futureproofing because you get your full warranty and the latest hardware etc, but if it’s on the fence and you just want to learn how the machines work you can’t get a digitakt 1 cheaper than right now, they’ll inevitably go back up but too many people are trying to offload their 1 and pick up a 2 so prices have been crazy low.
*caveat - when I say “a synth it is not” you actually can treat single cycle wave forms samples as a kind of synthesis so it’s not that you can’t use digitakt in a somewhat comparable way, but it’s not a synth when compared to the syntakt or digitone or analog machines.
It doesn’t beat a keyboard but I’d take Elektron’s one over any other small screen text entry I’ve come across. I think it’s genius. It’s arguably better than the iPad and Nintendo style ones.
The “64 steps is four bars” model is how most people use them… but really it’s just “max 64 steps”. A combination of scale modes, different lengths per track, and Pattern Chains will transform how you view patterns. I’ve got a track I’m working on currently where my patterns are a mixture of 256 steps, 128 steps (using tracks with 1/8 and 1/4 scale, and conditional trigs), and also two 64 step patterns chained. I perform it by playing the sequencer. I use the Analogs, so I get sound continuity through Kits. On the Syntakt that’s a bit more work as you have to keep cooying sounds between patterns when you make changes… but it’s doable.
Other than a brief period of a month or two where I had the Model:Cycles, Syntakt is my first real Elektron device. I found it a little overwhelming at first, but soon the workflow became quick and easy. It is limited compared with a DAW, of course, but it makes putting down a beat and melody quick and fun (IMO). As the others said, spending some time with it alone is the fastest way to get comfortable with it. if you’re feeling stuck, go to a new pattern and try something new. Don’t be afraid to copy a pattern to a new spot and mess around with it.
Youtube videos can teach a lot. Don’t neglect the FX block it is complicated to understand at first but it can do some pretty awesome things.
Everyone is different, but I adore my Syntakt, I don’t think I’ll ever sell it.
I made the mistake of starting with an Octatrack which I no longer own. The Elektron system really clicked for me when I got a Model. Stripped down, no distractions. Just basic Elektron. It suddenly all made sense. Digitakt is probably the next easiest to learn the Elektron system. It really might be worth it for you to find a used Model Samples for $200 or less. It will match up well with the Syntakt and when you are ready you can sell it and go for a Digitakt II.
For now, just focus on the sequencer and use preset sounds on the Syntakt. There is a lot to learn in the sequencer and it is why you buy Elektron. Don’t get distracted by all those sound engines until you are proficient with the sequencer.
I’ve owned every Elektron device made except for the Sid and Heat. You are correct, it is a good basic do everything box.
The trick to learning the Syntakt is to NOT watch those 1-2 hour YouTube videos straight through and try to absorb it all. Watch a short section, then stop and play with the machine for a while. Then go to the next section and repeat.
That’s exactly what I did last night. Just go through sections of the video with the Syntakt right in front of me and just go through that small section till
I get it. Honestly it’s just simple stuff I wasn’t aware of with longer button presses. I was kinda mad, I thought this thing only recorded in steps, and wouldn’t record me playing a melody in keyboard mode. , then I discovered the long record button press vs the regular record with just steps lol
. Got divorced dipped into the fulll maschine and komplete products and was just never inspired enough to make a qwik beat from scratch from it. The sounds it makes are phenomenal with the extra packs though, even better than the real device with headphones on. Anyway, I have come to rarely use a PC anymore and just like to play with these and zone out. Also bring them to parties and have open mic 
contests 
.So I bought a dead stock new in box Korg Electribe EMX-1SD couple months ago and now a Syntak. Loving it so far. Just neeed to reed more of the manual I guess 
it is complicated to understand at first but it can do some pretty awesome things.
, then I discovered the long record button press vs the regular record with just steps lol