Hi guys! I’m trying to get an Elektron device that I will use to record some songs with!
I’m originally a guitarist who uses synth sounds for my music. I got in to electronic music through OP-1 and some moog instrument at first.
Last time I went to the synth store near my place, I had a chance to try the digitone 2 and I felt like it’s the instrument that I really want for my music! ( I was kinda aware of how to use it since I’ve read the manual at home haha)
But I’m still a beginner here who doesn’t know what devices to get or what combination of gears is better (from Elektron). So my newbie question is, should I get a digitone 2 and/or digitakt 2 with prolly analog heat? Or get something like Octatrack or the Analog four?
My friend said that getting an Octatrack will cover everything that I need from Digitone 2 and Digitakt 2 in terms of drums and synth sounds.
Sorry if this question is a bit too dumb
I’ve been doing some researches and watching videos via YouTube but to get further advices, I thought this forum would be the best…
Unfortunately the question is way too wide to be able to provide any sort of meaningful answer.
An Octatrack has 8 monophonic sampler tracks that can do a hell of a lot of different things, and the Digitone 2 is an 16 voice poly synth that allows you to allocate those voices over whichever of the 16 tracks you want. There’s so much difference between how the two devices work, not the least being that one is a sampler and the other is an FM synth, that you really need to spend some time exploring what you actually need from them.
The digitone 2 is a great instrument- fun and intuitive to use, can get pretty deep if you want, or not if you dont. Very flexible. Same with the digitakt 2 (tho i dont think you said you wanted a sampler?). But the two digi machines are great and complement each other well.
Octatrack- again, i dont think you said you wanted a sampler? IMO the process usiing the octatrack is a bit convoluted and because of this not very ‘instant’ to use in many ways. Theres plenty of plus points for it too but particularly as you say youre a beginner id say an octatrack would probably be a bad idea
Analog 4 - kind of the opposite to the digitone in that it has very few sweet spots and it can take a lot of work to get the sounds out of it that you want. Probably not a great synth to be starting out with. Also, its monophonic (mostly), which may not be what your after
Analog Heat- idk. They sound good but every time ive owned one i couldnt escape the fact that id paid a lot of money for what could be considered quite a limited effects unit
Just by trying using the digitone 2, so many musical ideas went through my head haha. Maybe I should prolly get one but I also need to do more research on other products too!
Thank you so much for all the advices! I do use samplers sometimes but I think I’m more after the synth sounds in general. So maybe I should get the digitone2 considering all the informations. (I do really like the things that can be done with the digitakt2 too btw)
Perhaps, nothing wrong with doing that… BUT, there are lots of other options that you will spend time looking at. That time could be spent making music with Digitone 2. Also you may get choice paralysis and then feel whatever choice you make is wrong or not perfect because it doesn’t have this or that feature. No right or wrong, sometimes you have to use the machine to really get idea of what it is like, its’ not always about spec/feaures on paper (Digitone has great features/sounds/spec etc). Good luck I hope you find the machine that suits you. I’m sure others will also post lots of advice and food for thought.
Here is my very subjective opinion, being given I own most of these Elektron boxes.
For months now I’ve been using DNII only.
It’s a very fine synth, that can do pads, drums, bass and all kind of crazy sounds. It can do clean or dirt. Noise or strings… Ambient or techno…
I feel like I don’t need anything else really.
So I’d say go for it.
Dig as deep as you can.
At some point you might feel the need for something else, but if you are really committed to discovering what the DNII has to offer, it should take months before you do.
DN2 is an excellent first choice, and as others have said can take you quite far on it’s own. When you’re ready to add sampling, I would definitely go DT2 because of the similar workflow and relative ease of use.
For a sampling companion I would definitely not go with the OT, as even diehard sampler/synth nerds find it difficult to come to terms with. The A4 is my personal favorite Elektron, but also not the easiest to figure out. AR is simpler, but I generally find that having two similar-format Elektrons (i.e. DN and DT) are much easier to find a groove with so I’d still pick the DT2 over it.
If sampling isn’t needed, ST is another Digi-format option that gives you four analog voices along with eight simple digital ones, as well as a sort of AH-lite means of processing signals that is fun to mess with.
Nah. Just buy it and use it if you liked it and felt it inspired you. The other devices, and thinking about them, are just distractions from making music.
If you’ve found something that inspires and excites you, it’s worth buying if you can afford to do so. You can always sell it on if it ultimately doesn’t click after the initial honeymoon period. Spending a lot of time researching gear and comparing spec sheets can be a one-way ticket to dissatisfaction.
Welcome to the forum, it’s great to see your entusiasm for the Digitone II!
My advice is only this: You need one box and one pair of decent headphones to start with. Start to learn and know that box before you decide to commit to this workflow or invest in more gear, it very quickly can go from one purchase that seems large, to many purchases which make the original “large” purchase seem smaller and smaller.
Before you fall into the hole of spend and repeat, get the one tool and learn to use it and love it, the Digitone II will be plenty capable of whatever you want for synthesis. If you learn synthesis and decide you’d like to add sampling, you can make a more informed decision about what kind of workflow and device might be appropriate for you.
Of course it’s your money, spend it how you want! Have fun and welcome!
The rest are more focused / specialized / overkill. If you must have samples get a Digitakt (or Model:Samples if you just wanna dip your toes.)
I use a DN2 + A4 because I prefer synthesis, wanted to dip my toes in modular, and A4 does a few other things DN2 doesn’t have so they complement each other in my eyes.
Edit: DN2 is overall the best to start with if you want to write songs out of the box and have a lot to chew on for … geez, years probably. Model:Cycles is #2
I also suggest a small midi keyboard controller if you don’t have one already. Wonderful investment for a digitone, much more expressive playing for a guitarist when getting into synths (my experience at least)
…warm welcome and no no no…trust ur trust…coincidence does not exist…
if ur musician soul was already led to read the manual of the dn2…THE dt2 is for U !
go get it, don’t look back, don’t look/wonder any further…it will make u happy aaaaal over the place…
and once u know it inside out, it’s time for a dt2…
and that’s all a truu musical mind and proper guitar player, who’s also into sonic electronics ever needs…
An emotional response is important, it can inspire you to enjoy and create
