The Syntakt ruined everything for me!

Elektron Gear Syntakt
#1

Possible manic rant ahead.

I love my Syntakt. It’s the most immediate instrument I have ever used. Since it’s release, I’ve already released an EP of 100% ST tracks, another one with the Digi3, played a few live hardware sets, and have another all-ST EP coming soon. On top of that, It took less than a year to compile more than a full bank of custom presets.

So yeah, you can say I gel with it a bit.

But now, I find the DN and DT boring. They were both always a great compliment to each other, and I loved the DN for a long while (though always just eh about the DT, but it serves a purpose). But now, with the ST, I don’t even wanna touch my DT and DN like I used to do. They feel so ignored! If the ST had polyphony, and arpeggiator, and sampling, I’d drop the DN and DT like an ice cream cone on a hot day. It’d be me, my ST, my Micromonsta2, a Faderfox EC4, and all the psytrance I can muster.

I’m hoping I can fall back in love with the DN/DT, but we’ll see.

21 Likes
#2

Cue distracted boyfriend meme

17 Likes
#3

Don’t worry, it’s the honeymoon period. I regularly step away from my DN but it makes me love it more when I go back to it

1 Like
#4

I think you’ve revealed your true feelings with this simile.

An ice cream cone on a hot day is objectively delicious. There’s no reason to drop it intentionally — you might set it down for a moment, or you might drop it accidentally if you’re distracted, but you wouldn’t just throw it away for no reason.

Also, re: the aforementioned “hot day,” it is well documented that Syntakt gets hot from prolonged use like you’ve been putting yours through.

So I think this is your subconscious saying: Don’t sell the DT/DN, they are still delicious treats. And make sure your Syntakt is sufficiently ventilated to let the heat dissipate. And next time you’re at the store, grab a pint of ice cream. Then and only then will everything be un-ruined.

24 Likes
#5

Do you have a link to your all Syntakt Ep?
I love the Syntakt too, and also wish for polyphony.

1 Like
#6

Damn, lamp dropping deep truth

3 Likes
#7

You can tell I really didn’t feel like working today.

8 Likes
#8

I ordered another metal plate, to bond my Syntakt and Digitakt. IMO “it” is the perfect instrument. However, I see my DNK controlling “it” being even better, so now I have to set up a suitable double-takt-over-tonekeys setup.

In short, I agree, ST is tippity top!!

(But better with DT and DNK)

7 Likes
#9

Especially since getting the RK-002, which allows for polyphony, and discovering the sound macros and their many uses, and the new machines, (and using audio-rate LFOs for 2.5-op FM), … I’m still finding myself with too much to explore… I’d assumed my DT and ST would stay glued together, but ST is still on its own for me, too.

3 Likes
#11

Is there a tutorial somewhere on the LFO trick? A machine doing a sine, one LFO modulating the tuning, the second modulating the frequency of the first?

1 Like
#12

I’d rather not spam my stuff in this thread, but it’s easy enough to find, if that’s alright with you.

1 Like
#13

I finished my ice cream a few days ago. Damnit. But I do have a buttload of frozen fruit.

2 Likes
#14

There’s nothing too special, just that the SY Tone, especially, is less limited as a FM synth when you consider the LFOs. They can be a fixed frequency modulator at the 2k speeds directed to tune or ratio, either as a noise transient or at low depths as grit to fade in. At lower rates, it’s interesting directing them to ratio, modulation amount (especially as a modulation envelope), feedback, etc.

4 Likes
#15

Thanks! I just tried it with SY RAW. Will explore your suggestions with SY TONE.

1 Like
#16

You never put the fruit…

…in the cream.

And that just makes us all sad.

1 Like
#17

But I what is it exactly that makes you feel this way?

Is it the sounds or the number of tracks or both? The fx?

Your DT comments suggest you are meh on sampling anyway.

#18

Boring post
Sell the gear you don’t gel with and move on

3 Likes
#19

I like the lower level control of the Digitone, but the Syntakt is more fun. I think the Syntakt got a huge boost from the inclusion of the raw machine that gives you more control of the underlying hardware, however having only mono voices (yes I’m including the “chord” machine as a single voice) is always going to be a bit limiting. If I could assign 3 or 4 tracks to a single track and use it polyphonically on the Syntakt I would almost have no use for my Digitone.

2 Likes
#20

Boring person, move along.

Sometimes people need to expound on something positive.

14 Likes
#21

you can’t abandon/drop/ignore the Harem, my friend…enjoy the new bride but you will eventually miss them.

1 Like