New Digitakt owner, feeling overwhelmed and lost

[davestasiuk]

I am using a PC and Ableton 10, so not sure of any nuances that may be a bit different…but later this evening for me (I am Pacific time in the US) I’ll try to set it up as simply as possible in Ableton and share screen shots/details of how I am going about it.

I did post a ways back an approach to using Overbridge which you can check out, but for you to get started in a way that is more direct, I think it may be possible to do it more simply. If this works, let me know…otherwise I’ll see if I can’t spin up something a bit easier.

Sequencing Ableton synths with Digitakt

I use the Digitakt VST plugin in Ableton, yes. Here is how I lay out my Digitakt tracks in Ableton (this is my starting template): [image] And here is how I have my preferences set up: [image] I generally use tracks 1-6 for percussion, and then 7 and 8 for bass, melodies, or other samples (I also have a Digitone now, so that handles a lot of the workload for me). I put tracks 1-6 into their own group, and then generally add a drum buss to the group to crunch it up. On the Digitakt, to get…

[lumiras]

I knew I gave up too quickly. Today, I did a little experiment and just took the first 8 songs that came up on my Spotify shuffle and tried to make it into a little beat. Here’s what came about:

Honestly I’m pretty happy with it, and I’m mostly posting it here as proof that I can, in fact, make music if I try

[monocolor]

@lumiras As you are into ambient stuff, check out the clip below. Patch notes and the used samples (simple guitar plucks) are in the description. This was highly inspiring for me when I got the Digitakt!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHkYWm8w73o

[davestasiuk]

Just had a chance to test, and it’s really straightforward to set up.

1. In your DT go to SETTINGS -> SYSTEM -> USB CONFIG and check OVERBRIDGE to yes
2. Open Ableton and create a new set. In preferences, under Audio, I have these settings:

That’s pretty much it, really. After that, start pulling in VST instances from your Arturia Collection, and assign them a MIDI channel:

In this case, I have a Prophet set to MIDI channel 1.

3. Then, select a MIDI track (such as MIDI A) in the Digitakt, go to SRC -> CHAN and hold down FUNC and press down ENCODER A, which corresponds to CHAN and it will default to MIDI channel 1.

From there, you should now be able to monitor the Prophet VST through the DT, and also hear the DT itself through the headphones. If the gain from the VSTs is too low, you can go to SETTINGS -> AUDIO ROUTING -> USB TO MAIN [db] and increase the incoming signal by +6, +12, or +18 (default is 0).

Add as many VST’s as you like. For extra fun, go to the AMP page on the MIDI track to select MIDI CC values to control from the DT, and then back to the FLTR page to start setting values. To activate any of the 8 spaces, again FUNC + press the encoder. Then you can start tweaking and parameter locking things like filter cutoff, resonance, etc.

[edit] What’s easy about this approach is that you don’t have create any instances of Overbridge in your DAW. The Overbridge setting checked to Yes in the DT is only used here to enable it as an audio interface. Keeps things really simple!

Hope this helps!

[CEKBEHTC]

As was already mentioned here, working with the DT alone instead of connecting it to the PC works better in the beginning, because you learn it’s way of working without wanting to use all your known conveniences of your daw. A daw can do everything you can imagine, but the DT is limited in it’s capabilities and workflow, which isn’t a bad thing it’s just different. Take the DT, sample some sounds and play around with it, create some loops, explore trig conditions, it’s a different way of making music compared to a daw.

There is a guy on YouTube called oscillator sink, who does amazing DT videos, check him out.

[d4ydream]

@Claid

Also apologies for my crude method of quotation, haven’t figured out how to block quote like the elders of this forum.

Literally highlight what you want to quote and a box appears that you can click/tap on.

[ghostbuddy]

Do you really think the solution for being overwhelmed with the DT is to buy more gear to make your setup more complex?

[selfup]

Removing the DAW from the equation. A single mono synth into the DT with the new updates won’t be nearly as complex as the DAW route. So I think the answer is yes since the setup will be less complex until it’s time to go to back to the DAW. No need to figure out interfaces/audio routing through OB/multiple MIDI setups/etc… just headphones, the DT, and a single mono synth.

[ghostbuddy]

Just saying, the DT by itself is more than capable. Maybe work on it without the DAW? Or not, buying more gear is always fun. Just maybe counter productive if the goal is to learn how to use what you already have better.

[Claid]

Amazing, that easy! Thank you so much.