I recently purchased a Digitone 2 with the intention of playing a liveset entirely on this. Anyone has any tips on some of the below,
Transitioning between tracks? I’m thinking perhaps to create “transitioning” patterns, i.e. intermediate patterns which contains elements of Track1 and Track2.
Tweaking parameters live (buildups) - some parameters require diving into pages that can be annoying, perhaps an external midi controller with endless encoders could help? Any recommendations? Also, setting up some control all parameters
End of chain Warming up the digital sounds and compressing/limiting - would like a portable device that can do this. I’ve once had the Analog Heat version 1, it’s o.k. by using a bit of the saturation preset, but still not great. I’ve also tried the OTO Boum, not specifically on the Digitone 2 and it’s not my cup of tea, I find that the compressor is not fast enough and the saturation/distortion ain’t all that great, it’s o.k. to apply this for one sound but not the entire track. Any other recommendations?
For one, you could reserve one track and when you are close to changing patterns you could prepare a long sound with the amp envelope set to infinite, trigger that sound so it continually plays over the next pattern, and then close the amp envelope and retrigger something on that track to stop the previous sound.
I started with vinyl (and I’m still there , it’s just satisfying for me), but then I did more and more live.
Working as a DJ still shapes my workflow:
I mix patterns live (And change them of course, otherwise it would be boring).
In the beginning I had one device (Elektribe 2 - what a horror!), a Korg KP3 for looping and a mixer (Ecler Nuo) with send function in between.
I basically used the Elektribe as a turntable and the KP3 as another turntable. With the crossfader, you can switch inaudibly to a loop, then change the pattern and switch back to the Electribe/DN2.
Unfortunately, the KP3 quickly gets out of sync - you just have to be faster.
Nowadays I’m equipped with a lot more devices and use an OT for looping. Great! …Still, I miss the easy way sometimes. It was simple and sufficient.
Self-promotion and you don’t see much - but basically the workflow is still the same:
So pattern 9 is a transition pattern between 1 and 2, pattern 10 is a transition pattern between 2 and 3, etc. It could include mutes, parts from the two patterns you are transitioning, etc.
The AH+FX would be recommended: It has both the analog circuitry (which I really like, it takes some time to know what the sweet spots are) and some very useful digital effects like a compressor, bass mono maker, a tape like effect (warble) and reverb for some default spacious placement of your tracks. I’ve tried the Boum, the AH MK2, the Golden Master Pedal and the Source Atlas Compressor, and ended up with the AH+FX.
Besides the Bass Mono and Compressor, are the effects useful for using it at the end of chain to create build ups? For example, putting an entire techno track through it and use the effects like almost a DJ like effect?
It has a ping pong stereo delay, a bit crusher, reverb and a filter so yes, I’d say you can perfectly do a typical techno build up as done on a DJ mixer You can even control (and sequence) 1 or more parameters (up to 16!) from a single DN2 MIDI track. Imagination and patience (while lookup up the MIDI implementation in the manual) are the only limits here!
It can be done, and I don’t know your background with elektron instruments and performing live in general, but “hey I just bought this and I want to use this for a live set what tips do you have?” makes me think you’re not ready yet. You probably need to learn the machine. You have 16 patterns every bank. There’s more than enough there for a set, including transition points. But we also don’t know your music.
My suggestion is to always use the same Tracks for the same types of instruments. 1-8 is melodic. 9-16 is percussion. And maybe make 7-8 and 15-16 the Tracks that contain special elements to guide transitions.
But that fits my music. I don’t know what your music is. (And I have an Octatrack paired with my Dn2, which is a great setup).
If you have “songs” in multiple projects, you’ll need to merge them all by copy/pasting the patterns from the others into your main live project. Again: hopefully you have a set pattern of working: percussion in 1-8 and melodic in 9-16 or whatever.
Don’t be afraid to have a notebook you keep next to the box that you can glance at.
The lack of inidividual outs bothers me a little bit in terms of live mixing. Has the lack of inidividual outs been a problem for anyone gigging with the Digitone 2? How do you deal with it in terms of EQ and mixing with other gear?
i’ve been on an emom with the digitakt 2 and build a small eurorack as my end of chain. from the modules which i used i think endorphines golden master pedal will be sufficient enough but way cheaper
I’ve seen multiple threads such as this one, and the one question I don’t often see asked if “what you consider to be a transition?”.
Defining the type of transition you want to achieve could help towards finding a solution. For example, are you looking to achieve a DJ-set style transition where it sounds like you are blending out from one song into another? Or something as simple as having one element from the previous track continue playing while changing the other sounds? Or I’ve even simply used delay feedback to transition from one pattern to another.
Having a vision for the sound you’re looking for is a good starting point.
I’m looking for something similar to a DJ transition.
It feels a bit cluncky with just using pattern mutes and have less freedom to improvise on the transition.
I’m actually now thinking of pairing it up with an Octatrack for this, or the other option is to get another Digitone and take one element out of one and add another element in with the other.
If you use the camelot wheel organization set, you take the last 2notes of a triad to be the transitiom notes to the next pattern and thoose 2 notes is the 1st 2 notes of a triad, andso on
maybe take a look at a korg NTS-3, lots of nice DJ style and gestural FX and loopers in that that can hold a sound whilst you load something else up? Or even consider just plugging a DN into a pioneer DJ mixer and using the FX on that? I have a DJM-450mk2 I plug mine into occasionally and you can hook up an iPhone or iPad as an FX send and return too.
, it’s just satisfying for me), but then I did more and more live.
You can even control (and sequence) 1 or more parameters (up to 16!) from a single DN2 MIDI track. Imagination and patience (while lookup up the MIDI implementation in the manual) are the only limits here! 