Sample markers in Digitakt?

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hey, new DT user here. Just had a thought that it’d be nice if there was a way to place markers within a sample so one could, say, create a kit as a single sample, assign it to x-number of tracks in a pattern, and simply adjust start/end points to select different sounds within that sample, ultimately being able to quickly add a whole kit to any pattern. I would do a similar thing on the Electribe ESX and am going to attempt that on the Digitakt.

I know it’s possible to simply create a sample containing many sounds and manually adjust start/end points to pick a specific sound in that sample, but the one thing that was nice about doing this on the ESX is that you could turn the “Start” knob just a bit and it would lock to the beginning of the next sound. Made for a pretty cool performance technique.

Just curious about y’alls thoughts on this as a potential update and/or what are some of your fav workarounds for creating quick kits / selecting sounds in a sample.

Thanks! Very stoked to be here.

#2

That feature is on the more expensive Octatrack device. Highly doubt it’ll show up on the DT.

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#3

I think the main issue here is that the DT does not work with the concept of kits like the MM for example

Each parameter setting of a sample is saved in the pattern
What you do have are the “sounds”
That are samples with certain parameter settings that you saved as “sounds”
In The manual there is a good description what the difference is between a sample and a sound

So you can assign a sample to a audiotrack of the DT and mangle it with the controls
Or you can assign a sound to a track or to a step with PL wich a find more usefull

What im trying to say is that I think with The”sounds” you can achieve what you want but its just another way of thinking /working
Hope this was helpfull
:wink:

#4

Maybe this topic would be more suited to this thread: The Digitakt Feature Request Thread

#5

@Kenneth - Word, yeah I understand the difference between samples and sounds, and I suppose taking advantage of creating a sound could help access “kits” easier, so thanks for that. But as I think more about this, what’s most appealing to me would be being able to scan through a sample live but instead of scanning continuously, it latches to certain markers, or accent points, as you twist the knob. So I could like, effortlessly change from a kick to a snare to a bell to a whistle, etc., etc., all in the same sample, without having to fine-tune my start-point. It’d be like a coarse adjustment that you set.

Understandable that this is a pretty advanced feature that might be more complex than a simple upgrade, but I wish it could happen…

and yeah, @DEEPMOSES, maybe I’ll shoot this topic over there. Should I just start a new topic over there or is there a way to edit the location of this thread…?

Thanks y’all.

#6

@IsaacSherman An approach worth considering is to make a sample chain with 30 samples, equally spaced. This can then be used in the way you asked by having the sample start at zero (or any increment of 4), then press down and turn the encoder for sample start which will decrease or increase in increments of 4 which should line up with one of the 30 samples. ( 120/30 = 4 :slight_smile: ).

The above approach was mentioned elsewhere on the forum, can’t remember where though. Also there is a handy tool for making sample chains:

Hope this is helpful.

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#7

OoOoo holy shit that’s it @kryten42! This is the most genius workaround I could think of. No clue that the encoder could move in increments. This is hugely helpful - I can’t thank you enough! And just to clarify, making a sample chain would be done in a DAW where I just place samples on a grid so they’re perfectly spaced, and then import that sample to the DT?

Thank you so, so much. So simple, but so perfect.

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#8

That’ll be a cold day in hell.

Meanwhile I’m using the ALM Squid, which does have this feature.

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#9

You can use a DAW or whatever tool you want or are familiar with to make the sample chain. To clarify, 30 samples 1s each to make one long 30s sample, with the 1st sample starting 0 seconds and the last starting at 29s. the link I posted above is fantasticly quick for making chains, just drag and drop each sample, provided you have a Mac. but yeah , DAW, audacity or whatever you want.

Glad it helps dude, go make some tunes and tweak away.

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#10

Just tried this out and it works amazingly well!

Thanks again!

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#11

As another user has demonstrated, the DT does have this feature if you prep your chains.

ALM Squid is a $500 module with a tiny fraction of the capability and flexibility of the Digitakt. Every time someone claims the DT can’t be used for this or that, or can’t do (insert here), there’s a strong likelihood that the flexibility and depth of the architecture will allow you to create a workflow or technique that makes it possible. A eurorack user especially should be able to approach problems creatively…

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#12

yes, indeed. This is very dope and makes me happy. Thanks y’all.

Curious, anyone do this on the reg? How do you like to use it?

Right now I’m messing with the LFO assigned to start time on a prepped chain and it’s bonkersss

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#13

workaround ≠ feature

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#14

I’m not sure why it’s important to you to make some kind of distinction between a feature and what you consider a workaround.

If you have a set of tools at your disposal and you use them to accomplish your goals, I don’t know that I’d call that a workaround. For example, the Digitakt doesn’t have a “Lo-Fi” or “Decayed Analog Tape Warble” button feature but you can use the tools inside to achieve that effect, and you wouldn’t call it a workaround. It’s more like the Digitakt has many “features” which can be combined to do many different things. If I’m using a synthesizer and I re-patch it or use the mod matrix to make sounds not possible with the default routing, I don’t think “OK yeah I got that sound but it required a workaround.” And as demonstrated here, it’s very easy to accomplish OPs goal using the features of the Digitakt and a very small amount of sample preparation, which one would expect to do when working with samples and a sampler, and as they stated it works “amazingly well!” What more could you ask for?

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#15

The op specifically asked for markers within a sample in order to create a kit. (ala Electribe ESX). (This is a feature)

The DT cannot place markers within a sample. The Octatrack CAN do this. This is one of its features.

He goes on to say he knows it’s possible to create a sample containing many sounds and manually adjust the points. (This is a workaround)

The DT knobs do have the ability to snap to certain values but this is definitely not the sample marker feature op is referring to asking.

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#16

If this distinction is important to you, that’s your burden. OP was able to accomplish exactly what they were asking for even though it was in a different way that they had originality envisioned. Here’s what OP wanted: “the one thing that was nice about doing this on the ESX is that you could turn the “Start” knob just a bit and it would lock to the beginning of the next sound.” By prepping sample chains, and using the encoder press turn, this is EXACTLY what can be done on the Digitakt. They never stated that it must be done in exactly the same way as the ESX, just that they wanted to achieve the same effect. Way to write a condescending post to me though!

Happy trails!

#17

The distinction is important when it comes to the correct definition of the words which could potentially mislead people. I don’t see why you think I’m being condescending when all I’m doing is clarifying things, even if it means what you said was incorrect.

If Elektron listed “Sample slicing with markers” in the feature box for the DT, do you think users would be okay with the current “workaround” method? Or do you think they might be a little disappointed?

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#18

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

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#19

To be clear, what I was looking for was, in fact, slicing options. I didn’t think to call it that but ya, that’s essentially what I was wondering. However, the workaround method for me is like 99% what I was looking for. That extra 1% I can do without. It works.

In broad discussions and manuals, proper terminology and definition are crucial, I agree - but in a lil discussion like this where I’m like “hey how do I do this” and someone is like “here, do this” and it works (for me), we’re all good ;; ))

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