1 Like
Haven’t really got the budget for that right now. 
I looked at used DT1s but they don’t have a song mode.
I haven’t looked at their MIDI implementation yet but doing it all via MIDI from the ST seems to be missing the point.
That’s one reason I went for the Roland P6 - sampler, granular, all simultaneously.
The MIDI implementation for the granular part seems more complete.
Roland always has to do something to ruin a synth.
1 Like
I have an MC-101 but the MIDI implementation is very incomplete for a “slave” instrument.
When I started this I got a Microfreak from Amazon to try but ended up sening it back after a week.
I figured I could use it as a subtractive synth, as a sampler, as a granular synth, as a general purpose thing … but it just doesn’t work.
There was some stuff on it that I liked a lot, eg. the keyboard - Arturia needs to make a standalone keyboard like this one - and the matrix, but at the end of the day the sound engine is just too weak.
It sounds feeble. If I didn’t know better I’d swear they put a high-pass filter on the output or something (I forgot to test that theory on the oscilloscope when I had it - anybody?). Listen to the intro tune on Bad Gear’s “Microfreak” episode, it captures the overall timbre perfectly (it’s the lead synth in that mix - for people who don’t know Bad Gear he plays the same song on the featured synth at the start of each episode).
All the synth engines were vaguely defined and wishy-washy - you basically turn the orange knobs and cross your fingers hoping to find sounds. It uses the exact same three “test tube” icons for all synth engines? Just show me the ^%$% waveform on screen!
eg. I had to connect it to an oscilloscope just to figure out how to do things like PWM. There’s no way you’d figure it out by reading the manual or fiddling with the knobs and listening.
The sampler is very limited - only one sound at a time, no stereo.
Paraphonic didn’t really do it for me. It kinda works when there’s not much filter envelope but filter envelope is important.
It has no effects, and only monophonic output. You’ll need a whole bunch of effects pedals and/or post-processing to make it work, but why even bother?
Score: 2/10
2 Likes
Do you know that Sample it is a modulation destination? IIANM it is a “polyphonic” destination. So for each key press you can play different sample.
IIRC I played up to 4 samples in parallel in paraphonic mode.
Did you try to route MF into ST FX Block? You will have Delay, Drive, Reverb, etc
I’m not a big micro freak enjoyer either but it can do some pretty unique glitch sounds by modulating the synth engine type. It’s easy to do this type of thing in eurorack but not as cost effective. It’s definitely a happy accident synth for me.
I’m not really recommending anyone get it though, I got rid of mine too because I didn’t really like the non glitch sounds and the paraphonic filter. This was forever ago before you could even sample on it. I agree it sounds really thin and cheap too, it’s kind of dinky and toy like, which can be cool for some genres of music.
2 Likes
Yes, but the ST only has one FX block and it’s already overworked.
Yes, it’s fun to play with.
I noticed that all the factory presets were overloaded with modulations and fast arpeggiations. I think that’s to cover up the fact that it simply doesn’t do the basics very well.
I could maybe see it as a “lead synth” in a mix with lots of other sounds… 
The latest version of the DT1 firmware has a songmode.
4 Likes
Will investigate … the price of second hand DT1s isn’t too outrageous. 
Yep, it does. I totally missed that.
The DT1 has had five major feature updates, including a song mode.
(There’s even another little update today, July 9th. 
)
The DT1 isn’t perfect, it only does mono samples, only has 8 tracks, but it looks like it will integrate perfectly with a Syntakt.
The 8 MIDI tracks of the DT will also free up some MIDI tracks on the ST for driving external instruments (more of those to come…)
So I have a new goal: Get a DT1.
I figure I can sell my MC101 and Roland P6 and get close to the price of a nice one.
3 Likes
…then don’t spent what u got on something that’s nothing but some affordable alternative…
that way, u always end up spending more money…so hold any gas, work with what u got for now and wait a little longer until u actually can afford the real device that really suits ur needs to accomany ur st…
and as far as i know, 2nd hand dt1’s are ridicoulsly cheap to catch these days…
and u don’t need the latest hot shit, all u need is a sampler device that offers the same workflow and sonic tricks as ur st already does with synthesis…
oh, just realised, u already made ur mind up to come to the same conclusion…
so a dt1 it is…
2 Likes
Just throwing in a couple options that popped up while reading this thread.
A4 mk1 - polyphony, chorus, arp
Roland SH-4d - polyphony, roland sound palette
I don’t have a sampler and the Roland P6 is about the cheapest…
It’s under $200 and as a “MIDI sampler” it can do more than a Digitakt, but … it turned out to have a fatal flaw.
I’m quite new to Elektron products but I like their a philosophy of looking after their users. They’ve even hinted that Syntakts will get more upgrades in the future.
(OK, the MC101 got decent upgrades, too…)
A decent one will still be well over 500 bucks where I live.
My MC101 + Roland P6 will add up to almost that so a DT1 isn’t a big spend.
Just a word of caution on the MC-101: I tried one too and if you want to treat it like a rompler controlled by your ST or on it’s own as little groovebox I think it’s pretty great, portable and fun.
But if you really enjoy synthesis and making your own sounds, you may have a difficult time with it like I did. People cautioned me about this part and I thought I would try anyway, and they were right.
I want to give them credit though I forgot who, but they likened it to building a ship in a bottle.
I think it has a lot of really good presets on it already, but ultimately I sold mine to try other things with less shortcuts and clearer sound design.
Crap I just read the part where you said you already have an MC101!
This. 100%…
In theory? The MC-101 can do everything.
In practice? You probably won’t want to, not unless you have teenage-obsessive-compulsive energy levels for the workflow.
The best thing about it? The portability. If you want something you can use on the sofa with a pair of headphones then go for it.
(There’s probably an app for that though…)
1 Like
I’ve found the that the OT compliments the Syntakt wonderfully- the ability to sample drones and polyphonic pads to be great, and the ability to add samples for cymbals and hats really helps, because I think the Syntakt symbols engines are pretty meh.
I’m certainly no power user on the Octa- I mainly use it as a midi brain, mixer, drum machine, and long-sample-playback machine; I don’t really use it as a live looper or anything.
I also think the DNII is a great addition to be able to add polyphonic synthesis, and am glad I added it to the setup!
Having the option of running external sounds from other boxes through the Analog FX track is fantastic- as is the ability to resample the results back into the OT.
2 Likes
Can you quikly explain how the concept works ?