this is a really interesting way of seeing! mindblown! ok I need to experiment with this approach. if so than DT just gained a whole new level of appreciation because I had a Deepmind and Korg Minilogue here before but didn’t have enough space for them, the DT has a really good size to fit my backpack travelling or on top of my desk.
I’ll try using it as an 8 voice synth. any tips tricks for this? I think there is a few threads already with tips on using it as a synth.
Really loving to see this machine being used for this type of music. Typically it’s hiphop. I’m myself more of a hiphop producer but I don’t like to fit into that box or like to see a machine being designed for and used only for one or two genres.
Refreshing to see this. I already sample synths from the iPad with my DT so I guess it’ll be way easier to do with the the MPC One.
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the looper is pretty amazing for sampling on the mpc live. Sampling is really fast actually.
I assume the looper is also available on the one… same OS right?
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Yeah, it really changed things for me. I kept trying to use the Digitakt as more or less a one shot sample player (like how many people would use an MPC or an SP device) loading it full of one hits and drum sounds. It can certainly do that, but for me wasn’t the best option. Now, I’m sticking to much shorter, smaller samples that can I loop. Experiment with that and also try single cycle waveforms (can find tons online). For chords and more complex things you’ll need to use multiple voices combined with the resample functionality.
I’ve been meaning to try using the wavetable editor in the Phase Plant VST synth that I have to create a custom wavetable then export/save that as WAV and load it in, but haven’t gotten around to it. I imagine that could have good results.
I’m by no means a pro at this, but it’s just looking at the device differently and more in line with how samplers were originally used vs. playback devices. Hopefully that makes sense.
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Yeah it’s the exact same OS. Looper is there.
Well, it seems the MPC One is sold out everywhere! Guess I’ll have to wait a couple months on this. Probably it’s best so it gives some time for Ableton to maybe ship something - but I can only guess that any production lines are paused right now for items that aren’t considered essential.
You need to check out elk-herd. That solves most of your gripes with the Digitakt. As far as struggling to create melodies on it, I don’t know what could help you there, it has a chromatic keyboard and you can plug in any external keyboard, so it plays like any other keyboard and in live record mode it just catches the notes you play. I always see the word “limitations” brought up when people talk about the Digitakt, but I think it has many more possibilities than it has limitations. I think people have a tendency to underestimate it from the start, and it causes them to never explore it fully, because the DT can very easily do quite large, quite complex whole songs, especially with a few small synth modules.
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The MPC’s ability to record really long midi sequences is often overlooked, but it’s one of my favorite features, and the main reason I’ve held onto it. I love recording the Fugue Machine iOS sequencer into it for free flowing polyrhythmic phrases. I’ll have my MPC play it back with one of its built in synths or have it sequence my blofeld. It can sound pretty organic.
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Damn. I have an MPC and overlooked this. I’m hoping Axon 2 on iOS sends midi. I love the generative patterns in that app and now I may be able to use that outside of the sound engine! Amazing.
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Fair but then I also see comments like yours that assume I actually have not explored the DT for my use cases enough, when I have:
I did sampled bass into it, jammed with a friend and recorded his guitar - he found it frustrating the recording capabilities of DT but it was fun and we got some good parts;
played this instrument travelling in Cuba, Lisbon, on a train to Amsterdam, on flights;
plugged it to an iPad, with sp-404sx, plugged to ableton;
used single cycle waves;
etc etc, read f… manual.
I even wanted to code for the DT because Im a software developer and actually have a background in electrical engineering. The hardware and software on the device are very inspiring! So if I am saying its limited for me then I can assure you it is, no hate on the DT.
But I think you are also right, it has a lot of potential still and I do not want to sell it exactly for those reasons, it has its own unique space and to me it’s a modern classic.
This post is more about checking myself if I should drop the hard earned onto an MPC One.
PS: I have checked out Elk-Heard, it does not solve all of my problems but it does help with some
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Wow this is pretty smart. What I also like about this is that you can easily plug an akai mpk mini keyboard - which I own - and add some chords but then also easily edit those using the screen. Again something I am confident it’s not as simple on the DT for example.
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For sure, well it sounds like you’ve used it a lot and know it well. I think the trig conditions are something on the DT that don’t get explored enough, I have no real way of knowing but I really wonder how many people are using the conditions that are affected by other tracks in combination with probability conditions and nicely programmed fills in order to have really complex evolving sequences. I know it’s dorky but I always end up jumping into threads to defend the Digitakt, can’t help it! I think Elektron really attempted to make an instrument that’s almost like a weapon with the DT, I can feel the intensity of the designers when I use it!
I know what you mean. I love it and “hate it” because I love it so much ahaha, because I wish it just did this one thing more or different and it would be perfect. I also use the trig conditions, for sample chopping like sequences, like jumping to a different sample position on the same track. It’s all fine but I never get natural and expensive results or have to spend loads of time tweaking to get it right and we’ll I never do.
Although I’ve explored it quite a bit I still have a few things to try.
But just a couple minutes ago I was trying to DJ with the DT and sp-404A by playing the DT through SP and recording a loop on the SP and then trigger it on hold, meanwhile I go and change to another project on the DT. Kinda works lol but not exactly. Still super fun to jam like that and explore ideas I could use with another machine and just for that the DT is adding value.
Definitely! The MPC is perfect for making deliberate melodic gestures. I’ve never owned a digitakt but I own an octatrack, which I believe handles sequencing in a similar way. It has its strengths as a sample manipulator and can help me come up with some amazing evolving textures, but if I want to focus on chords and melodies and be able to fine tune particular midi notes, I turn to my MPC Live.
Yea I have nice little partnership going between the MPC and OP-Z.
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I love the MPC workflow. I used to have MPC 60, 2000XL, 1000 and 500 at earlier points of my synthlife and always enjoyed using them. Then I went full Elektron and got used to the somewhat rigid step sequencing for years. Last summer I got myself the Live and slowly my love for the MPC workflow is creeping back.
Recording live and then editing on the touchscreen is a breeze. I don’t get why people hate the touchscreen, it’s very very handy for selecting a group of notes and multiplying, nudging, transposing or whatever you like. A million times better than the way I used to work on the oldschool MPCs. The whole workflow is really growing on me. The Live has become the brains of my whole operation.
I have Digitakt, Digitone, Analog Keys and the Live and a bunch of other synths and modules. When I bought the Live, I felt it would take Digitakts place and I’d end up selling DT. Glad i never did though. They’re such different beasts. I’d recommend to the OP to save money for the MPC One, but do not get rid of the DT. They compliment each other beautifully.
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Just bought Fugue Machine on your recommendation. Seems amazing. Thanks for the tip.
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The only thing that annoys me about the touch screen is that you have to switch tools all the time in order to get things done (in Grid Mode that is, the rest is fine). Guess I´m a little spoiled by the iPad in that regard with the various gestures like two or three finger tap etc.
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Yep. There’s probably as many opinions as there are users.
I’m constantly in throes of rage with my iPad as it creates a new floating browser window if my fingers touch the screen the wrong way etc. I hate those multiple finger gestures and would much rather have precision. I’m fine with switching tools and the tools doing what they’re supposed to.
My only gripe is with the resolution of the Live touch screen. Always when I try to program something in the grid/piano roll window, the note goes to the wrong square, then I have to press undo and try again, undo and try again, undo and try again ad infinitum. And I usually do the programming with a small touch screen stylus, not with my huge fingers.
I should just go back to recording live and then editing in the grid. Programming by step is a bit painful. It could be my screen protector or something else.
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I have a pre order with pmt, that’s due next week, if that’s helpful.