Nailed it…
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Even if it’s only samples, the drum computer attribute may be due to the fact that the tools kit and sequencer, which it’ll have, is geared toward making drum sounds and beats. I read somewhere that it would be able to handle wave table type samples; one cycle. So there may be tools in it to shape samples into new sounds, drum sounds specifically… Sequencer tracks might not handle polyphony in this product. Needless to say, this is one of maybe 3-4 products that’ll be released during the year – according to Jonas @ Elektron… If this does not tick the boxes for you there are new products to be released later this year.
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Hopefully a deep box among those planned releases. Makes you wonder tho, Overbridge, Heat, Drive, Digitakt, OS updates… How much time have they had for an innovative box? Everything recently seems like smaller parts of old boxes that they’ve slightly twisted in to ‘something new’. Be great if there is something on the horizon tho.
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Thats what I did the first time I touched the Rytm, loads and loads of fun. If I dicide to buy the DT I will do the same…
I really welcome the fact that you will have an option to choose the machine that ticks the boxes for you. Previously you had to go with the flagship model and find stuff that it could do for you. It could be so that you’d only use 40-60% of the capabilities of the machines. This way you can buy the “features” you actually will find use for, in a convenient and affordable box. I will jump on anything they’ll release that’ll revive the MD and MM machines in the form factor of Heat/Digitakt. Digitakt is not for me, though, as I think samples are much better handled within the computer domain…
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I see the Digitakt as a Volca Sample on steroids… If you can do this on a Volca Sample:
What do you think Digitakt will be able to do?
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Dude. You say it like it is.
The mind boggles.
Don’t count on it yet for awhile. I think Elektron’s done with complex for awhile.
Which is not to say that simple contradicts depth. I still find depth in my piano, and I’ve had that since I was a kid.
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I also like Elektron’s new strategy a lot: smaller form-factor boxes, half-priced, focused feature set. Plus it also makes a lot of sense, both from an Elektron business point of view as well as from the consumer perspective. It’s like the Korg strategy, releasing a bunch of modules, pick whichever you like for your music / workflow, though a bit more expensive than Korg but a lot more sophisticated. This is all quite realistic regarding the fact Elektron already has all the tech in-house to release such products in record time. The Elektron sequencer and OverBridge is what sets it apart and justifies the price difference as compared to Korg.
Let’s assume for now that Digitakt will not have drum synth engines (like MD) on board, just samples. Then Digitakt is in essence the sample-side of AR plus sampling-in & resampling plus sequencing of external gear. Analog Heat now makes a lot of sense too (I’ve even heard my local gear retailer saying to me a month ago he really didn’t “get” the Analog Heat but I sure do), because Elektron already had the technology for it (analog circuitry, digitally routed) so it didn’t need an enormous amount of R&D and marketing-/usage wise Analog Heat gives the opportunity to add “analog warmth” to all kinds of digital sound processing.
I’m betting Elektron will release an FX box soon to add the Octatrack scene fader / AR performance functionality. And I also think a small form-factor box will come out with analog sound engines, both the AR “analog part” for percussion sounds as well as the A4’s for analog melodic sounds. And I also think a small form-factor box will be released for both digital drum synthesis (like the MD) and digital melodic synthesis (like the MnM). The tech is all there already.
Because of OverBridge Elektron boxes are now really for both live performance and studio usage. I like the studio side of things myself (Ableton Live as DAW) but I also like the hands-on Elektron way of composing music. I’ve recently been starting to use Push 2 in my set-up and I’ve noticed that producing techno beats on the Push 2 makes me touch and look at the Push 2, then getting confused after a while, looking up the computer screen, and adjusting stuff there. Then the same for melodics. So for me it’s “Push 2 for the basis” & “DAW for refinement and arrangement”. Using OverBridge on (eg) the Digitakt, as well as for the forthcoming Elektron boxes, makes more sense to my personal workflow.
The P-locking and especially sound locking of Elektrons is a unique concept in the DAW and gear scene. On a DAW (except for Bitwig as it lets you combine midi and audio tracks on one lane) you have one sound per track. Of course you can have as many tracks as you like in a DAW but CREATIVELY that’s like “Photoshopping with sound”: you have to think “let’s add another track Y and add a different closed hat on step 11 and delete that step 11 on track X”.
On an Elektron, you tweak that step 11 in your musical flow as you go, you just do it without a plan beforehand, tweaking away, like a musical journey: it’s like a nature trail where you suddenly think “wow this looks nice where I am now”. You don’t think about “step 11”, you just try and tweak and “travel” and suddenly you’re “there” without knowing beforehand where “there” could be. And like on a nature trail, I like to camp and stay for a while when and where I like it. Musically speaking it’s Elektron that makes me travel and discover (the Elektron sequencer) and it’s the DAW that makes me camp (because of OverBridge).
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My tempest or octatrack have no problem being loud enough to drive the compressor in the AR. The AK requires a little more attention to gain staging because it has a quieter output but can sound great also.
Well yeah 
it definitely does more than a £100 box! Isn’t electibe sampler the volca sampler on steroids? I know it has its shortcomings from what I’ve read, but it’s only £300 and has an onboard synth, ton of fx, more voices and takes mem cards (tho browsing/loading looks ballache)…
Anyway, I’m not knocking the new box. Just doest interest me at all on paper atm. Just seems like it does a couple of things (sampling and sequencing) ‘ok’. Obvs YMMV depending what you’re missing/looking for.
I don’t think Elektron is done with “complex” at all. And neither do I think Digitakt is merely “entry-level” (maybe from a marketing side of things but not musically). It’s just a module which can and most probably will be combined with other modules. It’s the combination of modules which allows for “complex”.
Gen 1: MD / MnM / OT
Gen 2: A4 / AK / AR
Gen 3: AH / DT & forthcoming modules
Haven’t they said it’s too much information to send via midi? Hence no midi scenes on OT? Guess maybe via usb?
Too much midi data on one OT maybe, yes. But now think about OverHub: why use midi if that “DigiFX” module as “master mixer” plugged into OverHub can utilize USB bandwidth?
That’s for live performance computer-less usage, in an all-Elektron setup. The midi ports on them still allow for external non-Elektron gear. And using OverBridge connected to the computer the midi ports aren’t used at all (in an all-Elektron gear setup). Anyway, you get my point 
There is one thing on the DT that I do not get though (as it currently seems to be): why doesn’t it allow for sample timestretching? Even a single on/off switch for timestretching would do.
Of course this could be added later on, via OS updates.
they call it drum computer and sampler because it has little pictures of percussion instruments on it 
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…i think iam selling rytm and really go for DT and another appealing analog drum machine that can be sequenced by digitakt’s midi tracks.
it would give you 8 independent sample/resample tracks and another 8 controlling just the drum voices with plock and shit…
it’s sampler will come with insert effects like MD does! and hopefully ctr-all machines.
oh boy
edit. I think iam selling other more unuseful stuff to fund DT that goes along with Rytm…
uh buy
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Exactly my point. We are comparing a $1199 apple to a $650 orange.
Furthermore, some will prefer one over the other, simply for the taste (workflow), regardless of price.
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