Yes.
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Would you want to buy the DN or DT to use as a backing track machine? Aren’t they kind of the wrong device for that purpose?
I never thought of it either until yesterday when @Jukka mentioned the Multi Map function, which apparently was added with Digitone OS 1.20, which was released very recently (May 9).
https://www.elektron.se/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Digitone_and_Digitone_Keys_OS1.20_readme.html
I don’t know how many key splits are available, as I can’t look at the manual right now. I get a 404 not found when I try to view it from Google. I suppose at least 3 split regions would be decent - that’d be a verse, chorus, and bridge of a song.
I saw Pat Metheny play a set with his Orchestrion robot system. He had 3 wireless footpedal controllers and a Moog Taurus 3 serving as a 4th controller to trigger any of 140+ Ableton Live scenes, while playing guitar at the same time. I wouldn’t be starting with anywhere near that level of complexity, lol.
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Here’s a guy experimenting with the Multi Map on a regular Digitone.
Interesting and strange results. Go read the notes he put with this vid.
ADDED: Putting the Akai MPC Touch Music Production Workstation (is that what that is, i’m not sure?) right next to the Digitone makes it look a lot like an image posted here earlier. (Except use a Digitone instead of the Digitiakt in the image.)
ADDED: Made typo fixes.
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Interesting indeed. I wonder if it is related to the Multimap + sequencer bug reported here:
I’m enjoying listening to the “test”, fwiw. Being able to map to all 128 MIDI notes individually… wow!
Calling it multi map may cause a little confusion for users of the AK Multi Map. There is a similarity, in concept, but the Digitone (both the Keys and Regular) adds a lot to that.
ADDED: I am over exuberant here – thank you sezare56 for correcting me. The AK is actually very similar. Apologies.
Watch the Cenk & Nick video above to see a concise demonstration of multi map on the Digitone Keys. It starts at 3:20 on the video. A description of Multi Map is as follows. (Source manual.)
You can map input from the internal keyboard or from an external keyboard that sends midi to either the Digitone, Keys or Regular.
The functions that can be mapped are:
- Internal trigging of sounds from the pool, or sounds on a track, or the active track.
- External trigging of MIDI notes on any MIDI channel.
- Internal trigging of patterns with custom transpose and timing settings.
There are up to 8 multi map slots per project, among which you can choose one for each particular need.
Actually the way i read the bug report above, and it isn’t entirely clear, but it doesn’t sound like a bug to me. I think the behavior is according to spec. The way the spec is may not be what is desired, but that’s not a ‘bug’ it’s a request for a change to the specification. In explanation multi map is set up for the keyboard, or for action from an external keyboard. What is described is the user’s expectation that multi map is applied to the sequencer output. It isn’t. (At least not from my reading of the manual.)
ACTUALLY, you could work around this by sending a sequence out a looped back midi cable and using the multi map (midi) channel number that you have specified. Then the sequencer looks like an external keyboard. It would be fun to then change the multi map to another of the eight around and create something else sounding quite different based on the same timing. A new multi map might move stuff from internal sounds to external sounds etc. You need to apply care with this, or bad things could occur very easily.
PLUS regarding the sending of sequencer data to the multi map – What would it mean if a note in a pattern gets applied to a multi map that says to play another pattern, which plays a note that says to play a pattern, which plays a note … ? In software coding this is called ‘recursion’, and it’s fine if that’s what you want to happen and you know how it ends, but not a good idea for a well behaved sequencer.
It is pretty cool that multi map works in a very similar manner on both the Digitone Keys and on the Digitone. Would it make sense on the Digitakt too? (Rumor started.)
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What’s added?
8 slots vs 4, but I didn’t see other differences…
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This being no help but rather an idea, I play guitar as well and found recording my DN performance to my SP-404sx and using it as my backing tracks works really well. Also runs on batteries and loads of fun to play back with efx.
Thank you for your correction sezare56. I added a correction to my original post. Hope there aren’t other errors in my post.
It is reassuring to see how good my ‘old’ AK actually is. it had gotten shoved to the side, i need to bring it back out and rediscover it again.
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It was a question, no worrys. 
I was surprised because Loopop seemed to say it was the same.
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Not at all. It’s a tool that many of us use/need. It’s a tool that’s on many synths and drum machines (many costing far less than the Digi boxes). Why don’t you just use an electronic drum kit instead of the Digitakt?
Perhaps 2 octave keyboard to eliminate empty space?
Or maybe install a spill proof beer holder?
Also, what’s this controversial MD ewi
Edit:
Oh no! I just saw the sequencer layout and now immediately hate it
Did a quick search of drum machines w/ song mode that are in production. The only ones that cost less than Digitakt/Digitone seem to be the Drumbrute and Drumbrute Impact.
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Because I use the Digitakt as much more than a drum machine, it’s great for drums but also I sample synths, vocals, stuff from movies and YouTube, my own voice, etc. It’s a drum and SAMPLING computer, so of course an electronic drum machine (even one that can load user samples) wouldn’t be even remotely in the same territory… I’m not sure how you could equate the two? The Digitakt has the power to sample from so many sources, and if you have one of your mixer outputs sent into the Digitakt inputs you can grab samples so easily. That is one of its biggest strengths. The Digitakt can make drum sequences using the power of the Elektron sequencer that would never be possible to play live. I also route my master keyboard through it to play my other synths, and it captures the MIDI which is then used to sequence those same synths. I’m sure you know allll of this, so the suggestion about an e-drum machine seems more than a little ridiculous…
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Watched a bit of Loopop’s Multi Map tutorial for Analog Four. Wanted to see if patterns can be triggered by pressing and releasing a key (or MIDI pedal). In other words, can one trigger a pattern without having to hold down a key - or pedal. The answer appears to be yes
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Cenk demonstrated this to Nick Batt in the Sonicstate Digitone Keys Video, too.
The vast majority of synths — including those with sequencers— don’t have a song mode. The new Keys format makes it more clear than ever that Elektron view the Digitone as a synth first and foremost. A song mode would be nice, but it’s no more of a vital or “missing” feature on the Digitone than it is on any other synth.
You’ve made the same complaint about the Digitone/Digitakt and song mode probably a hundred times on various forums. Maybe it’s time to move on and buy something that does have a song mode. That shouldn’t be difficult if it’s as common as you repeatedly claim. Another easy option, as many people have advised, is to use any of the nearly infinite devices that can record audio to play your backing tracks. It’s really not that complicated.
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Does the Yamaha MODX has a song mode?
Let´s find out: https://loopopmusic.com/yamaha-modx-review-everything-you-need-to-know
Ok. No song mode either.