Set up advice - Looking to add drums to Digitone

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

hi everyone, hope you’re all doing well.

I’d love some advice from the Hive about adding percussion/drums to my Digitone. I love the sequencer on the Digitone, and I’m wondering how I can use the 4 x MIDI channels to add drums. OR if it’s easier, use a drum machine’s own pattern sequencer ALONGSIDE the DN sequencer, with maybe the drum machine as the brain.

I already have a pretty cool but old Proteus 2000 sound module hooked up to the DN and I’m able to sequence its internal kits via MIDI to add percussion. That’s ok-ish. But I’m wondering about getting something a little more modern / synthetic where I can create my own drum sounds from scratch using synthesi rather than samples.

I was thinking of a Model: Cycles, allowing me to sequence 4 voices through the DN sequencer or simply twin the two sequencers together. What other machines could work? As far as I know the Volca range isn’t multi-timbral.

Then again - another approach would be to use a drum machine ALONGSIDE the DN, so I’d use patterns on the drum machine, and patterns on the DN, both synced up. But I’ve never really approached this.

Some advice would be awesome. I want to be able to play a nice live performance, controlling the drums, adding fills, etc while tweaking and sweeping. Budget no more than £300.

#2

Depending on your tastes you might find some aspects of M:C’s drum sounds fall short of what you want.

Subscribed … I’m also interested in something drummy beside my M:C that run its own sequences.

#3

I’d be more tempted to add a sampler than a drum machine, because you have a ton of really good drum sounds at your disposal with the Digitone already.

Arturia Drumbrute Impact springs to mind as a regular drum machine within budget that works well with the DN. Also good because you can route the sounds from it into the DN in 2x mono… I’d do 1 for the kick, 1 for everything else, then you can apply the Digitones fx to each individually.

#4

I was going to suggest the Drumbrute Impact too because I think it’s great for performance and has some solid sounds that will sit under what the Digitone is doing. I had it and didn’t keep it because I found the synthesis limiting for studio purposes but I think for performance it’s quick, fun and easy to integrate.

#5

Great I’ll check out the Drumbrutes. I can’t use up any of the Digitone voices, I’m already going to be using those - hence needing to add drums.

thanks!

#6

…add a nord drum 1…cheap to catch…and truu sonic bliss in sonic punch through…
very small footprint…easy to handle…very very versatile in sounddesign…and the fastest drum to midi converter, just in case u wanna add some mesh/trigger drum stuff to it some day…all at once…id a mono punch weapon, like the takt, but with truu drumsythesis that can mock real drum sound anyways…

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#7

will check it out! thanks.

#8

Obligatory link:

2 Likes
#9

Volca drum.

#10

I love the look of Volca drum but it doesn’t offer multi-timbrality, so I can’t use the midi sequencer on the DN to control 4 x parts on the volca. Unless I’m wrong about that?

If I add volca drum, I’d have to use pattern mode on both volca and DN?

#11

wow! right to the guts of the idea!

#12
#13

Thats what I do. It suits me. I use a Digitone with Roland TR8-S. I know, Roland isnt cool anymore, but it works for me and I love the sounds. Sits very well against the Digitone sounds.

Depends what kind of music you want to make though really.

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#14

Awesome thanks. I may need to re-think my approach, and use the drum machine in a slightly different way. rather than using the 4 x midi tracks to control 4 x drum sounds, I use the pattern sequencing on the drum machine.

I do love the look of the volca drum after all.

#15

…bang!..
BUT…the nord drum is not showing it’s truu potential here…
but perfect example what a perfect team they make, anyways… :wink:

truuly biggest bang for all bux out there…

#16

Some others to think about: Roland TR-6S, Novation Circuit Tracks (or the older Circuit second hand), IK Multimedia Uno Drum.

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#17

Yeah this!
First, if you want to control the drums live the TR8S has a lot of possibilities to offer like pattern editing while playing another one.
And second as stated from someone before going for a sampler is a great idea for having more flexibility. And at least playing back samples works like a breeze on the TR8S.

The obvious choice would be DT however I guess there is still the budget thing. Do not know about prices in UK but a used TR8S might be possible (maybe?) with some luck, a used DT probably not.

P.S. Roland is still cool! :sunglasses:

#18

Volca sample v1 running the free pajen firmware makes an excellent drum expansion module to the digi’s.

(The pajen firmware allows all sounds to be played by notes on 1 midi channel instead of each sound having its own midi channel). So all sounds can be played from all 4 of the dtn tracks however you like

Bonus you can also use the volca sequence if you want.

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#19

Yeah who said Roland wasn’t cool??

So is it a normal thing to run two ‘brains’ together, in sync, but switching patterns independently?

So for example, DN for melodies and voices, and Volca Drum for percussion, but changing patterns on each/triggering fills whenever I need?

Any examples out there?
Seems to be what this guy is doing…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg1_GWFwTfo

#20

Create drum sounds from scratch on DN and Hook up a digitakt. Sample the homebrew drumsounds into digitakt and edit or layer and resample. Same workflow, more beat oriented possibilities (retrigg) and endless possibilities. Edit: that’s not in the pricerange sorry. Had to read better.

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