I’ve started my musical journey when the pandemic hit and ended up with a Digitakt and Digitone and stuff to record me and friends rapping/singing. Now I expected to make way more techno and stuff but as the parties stopped the hype stopped.
Now I’ve also been working on discovering what I like:.the Digitakt. It’s amazing, I take it with me everywhere and I make loops that turn into beats that turn into songs. Using sample packs and samples YouTube’s to create something unique.
Now the Digitone I feel is so complex and epic but I am too much of a beginner to give it enough love; the sounds lend themselves for ambient house and mettalic acid etc but it doesn’t click for hiphop.
Now I’ve been getting some epic sounds with VSTs and using the Digitakt to make the beat/or to record VSTs into. I like working on the boxes and I use Ableton to mix and record vocals, but I want to still work on the boxes as much as I can.
My question is; could the Rytm replace the Digitakt&Digitone in my situation since I love the workflow and heavily use the “drum/sample” aspect? I’m not a piano player at all but I got a midi keyboard that I used for the Digitone and VSTs. I cant find that many vids about the rytm but I’ve found a few very aspiring ones.
I know the sound is disliked by some and loved by others.
I Hope it allows me to use samples and sample One shots, while still giving me an aspect of sound design where I can layer my kicks like on the Digitakt but taking that further by allowing the use of the Analog FX and such.
The only downside with the change from digitakt to rytm ive found is the less accurate sampling editing so far…
And then perhaps in the future, after learning more about synthesizing and creating desk space I could get back into synths.
Soz for the wall and thanks for the insights in advance.
I do think it can replace the digitakt, but not the digitone. (No polyphony and only one lfo and limited envelope)
The rytm is a little more complex in certain aspects, but has cool performance features and analog signal path and filters…
But my advice is, keep the digitakt and sell the digitone and keep learning synthesis with the vsts, as you seem to have Found a workflow That you like
Maybe @Sleepyhead can confirm but I think Digitakt is the best elektron box for hip hop beatmaking, especially for a beginner.
If you started your journey less than 1 years and you love the DT, there is no reason to change. You have still many things to learn and DT is very deep.
Maybe you can sell your DN, and use the extra cash to buy a DAW (to mix with OB) or plugins (like Kontakt or other ‘real instrument emulation’ or a decent midi keyboard for the DT.
Don’t forget less is more, be careful the GAS is more contagious than COVID.
Yeah I got the keyboard, and a daw. There’s plenty of plugins for free and I enjoy thiem a lot.
You might be right. Digitakt is the shit.
With the tone I feel like I love the sounds and making a weird sound but I feel obligated to use them.
Also; I built a stand and they look too nice together.
I’ll hold off on the rytm I guess. Every other week I get the urge to get one. Wish it was just a Digi on roids, would’ve made it easier.
stick with the DT, it definitely sounds like youve found a flow with it, and it is an awesome machine. i only briefly owned an AR and while i loved the sound of the compressors and the analogue distortion etc, i ended up being more drawn to using it as a sampler (which i know isnt its primary function, and not why i bought it), and its definitely nowhere near as advanced as the DT is as a sampler. thats something you would definitely notice, i think
yeah this does it i think. A shame; If it were like a digitakt; but one that allowed for Analog Synthesize to add even more oomph to sometimes flat sample packs… Damn that would be epic.
You can HP filter with resonance at botom to make huge kick.
Also you can use a dummy pattern to layer some drums and resample to create your own punchy drum kit.
I tell you, DT is deep.
Also, I’d keep in mind that you’ve got 8 MIDI tracks on the DT from which you can not only send notes but CCs on 8 different parameters that you can change on a per step basis. If you were to add a drum machine, you would therefore be able to control up to 8 different channels at a time. Not the same as having them in the same box layered together. But not nothing.
yeah ive been doing that, and layering. its loads of fun.
That second thing i saw Ivar do; also cool.
The only way i was going to trade in my digi was if i was reassured that the Rytm would be an upgrade; but sadly its more a change. I would like to slap some pads
I must say i havent gotten into CC’s yet.
I’ll probably keep this setup as is and instead of disregarding the Digitone ill watch more about FM synthesis and get to understanding the depth.
Then later add something analog to fill the gap in sound; but until im able to snipe a Minilogue XD module ill stick to VSTs.
But the CC’s are something i do not quite understand and i haven’t found a tutorial yet. The keystep 37 has 4 knobs and i understand that they should be able to control parameters but i am unable to map the pitchwheel or smth. I have the Tone and Takt routed per manual which takes the takt tru the tone; disabling CC’s.
Good to hear you like the digitakt so much, I would say stick to it.
I recently got a rytm after years of doing everything on the DT. I was looking for an upgraded DT as well, and it kind of is, but also isnt: the extra features are great, and also the sound is rawer, but it also has some downsides to the DT. I’m still in the proces of deciding which one will be my favorite. I’m glad I still have my DT.
For a beginner and for the money: certainly the DT. Its such a deep machine. By resampling you can basically do everything on it, including playing poly synth style using the rk smart midi cable. I made a lot of songs using nothing but the DT.
Also I very much agree with @blaize, keeping it simple is one of the best things to do for making music. My brain can’t handle more than 1 or 2 music making devices at the same time. More devices means more choices, more cables, more troubleshooting, more options, more stress, less space and less focus on truly mastering your gear.
I often see pictures of studios containing tons of boxes all doing more or less the same thing, and this makes me feel like working there is more stress than fun. After 3 years of DT use I feel like i’m a ninja on the machine, and I can make it do almost anything I want better than on another device. I would advice you to sell your DN, and not buy anything else for a while. The DT, a midikeyboard and a daw are everything you need to make great music, and focussing on these pieces will make you better than buying new gear!
I agree! I like to keep it minimal as well.
I might buy minilogue XD module when its gets available for a decent price and decide between that and the digitone. I feel like hardware is so cool to learn and get into and the experience translates well to VSTs’; also, when recording all tracks of the DT and the DN my PC is fine, but 2 instances of SERUM and it spikes…
