May i ask what are those syntakt pads you have ? (better ? or pure esthetics)
Looking to team my synatkt as well here , i considered on the synth side a good poly (had an MinilogueXD Module) which i sold and went for an iridum core instead of a digitone 2 for the synth poly duties … and this thing is a beast …it can handle samples but i want it to focus on synth sounds …
But now i feel like i need a good smapler , i never jumped on some because i have Maschine … but i would love somthing standalone where i can manipulate samples and have a great workflow : comes Digitakt II or MPC (one+ or live ) , any advise on which option goes better with syntakt …
From videos i seen , i feel like MPC is smashing but is more aimned at “traditional productions” (which i have been doing since the 90 !) while the digitakt II allows for more experminetal approach (which i love) … my concern is if i want to go the regular way sometime ?! the new slice mode made me reconsider it …
Any ideas on what to pair to the combo syntakt + iridium … ? (also did i mention that i have the iridum centered on desk and syntakt on right so the digitakt on left would be perfect symetry lol )
No need for advice, you have your answer.
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ahahah you a workspce maniac as me ?
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Hi, the abstract is that the cable is a special midi device with a chip inside of it which is programmed to use midi loopback as a vehicle for polyphonic control of the Syntakt’s tracks / voices.
Midi loopback is what happens when midi originates and terminates at the same destination (from midi out back into the device itself).
This can cause problems in a normal setup, but the midi device (Retrokits 002 cable) uses ST’s own midi to control it’s audio tracks and this allows for polyphony.
That’s as quickly as I can explain it, hope that helps! Here is a short video with a bit of explanation and demonstration of various other uses for the RK002
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I’ll say Digitakt - it has the same workflow as the Syntakt and they’re designed to work together.
I or II? It’s up to you…
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OK, I found a buyer for my MC101, the Roland P6 is going up next.
I also found a Digitakt I, “as-new in box”. It cost me a little bit more but I went for it. I’ve been reading the manual, watching videos of one synced up to a Syntakt … it all seems good.
I have a feeling that’s as much as I’ll ever need, but … the Digitakt has all those MIDI channels begging to be used so I’m looking to add a nice little subtractive synth or two.
Requirements: A bit of polyphony, built-in FX … and a complete MIDI implementation. A keyboard would be good for inputting notes. Small size is desirable.
I already own a few so let’s do those first.
(I may even sell a couple when the ST/DT take over)
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Thks but basically we’rfe triggering sevral tracks at once to create polyphony (4 notes chord is 4 track used ) ?
The Roland Aira S1
This little synth is a small, battery powered, polyphonic “SH101” in a box.
- It’s a great sounding synth! Really clean sounds.
- Four voice polyphony
- It does PWM
- Built in chorus/delay/reverb.
- MIDI implementation is complete
- Despite the size, most of the controls have their own potentiometer!
- The keyboard lights up to show the notes being played which is very useful/cool for sequencing.
I tested it together with my Syntakt and everything works perfectly - program changes, MIDI CC, etc.
It ticks all the boxes.
Cons: The controls are a tiny bit crowded. The keyboard isn’t great for real-time playing. The chorus “enable” is buried deep - it’s actually faster to set up a MIDI CC on the Syntakt than to find it in the S1 menus.
For the price/form factor I’ll give it 9/10
Obligatory Bad Gear episode:
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Here I go again… hahaha
I read posts like this and “realise I need it”. I don’t have a polysynth, so this could actually be great for my setup!
How else would you do it? It’s not magic 
I want magic lol
Il tell how i do real poly : waldorf iridium , real time Audio in granular , it let me play syntakt polyphonically , one track 
And only a $4000 iridium needed??? Why did nobody ever think to try this before?
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The perfect companion to the Syntakt is the rest of the collection.
But I would really love to see a better communication between them. Pre-Roll and Activate Live Recording set on the main device and distributed to the synced devices would be a good start…
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Micromonsta2 can be a really good companion for Syntakt.
Woah. Please explain this photo! DiGINOTE? And is that a single panel with the ST? Is this real?
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i hesitated with that for on the go … for the form factor , but at this point , a Blofeld would be even crazier !!! lol people overlook this old veteran but this is a solid all arounder imho … !! nspecially spiced up with the FX track in the syntakt
I’m more into a sampler option , or if synth , the digitone while limited in its core engines , smashes when it comes to composiion and layering sonic conversations ! thsi is the beauty of Elektron boxes imho … allowing to create the movie , not only caracters !
That is a separate Work-in-Progress DIY generative Sequencer Thingy. It has a Turing Machine and a quantizer built in and is triggered and controlled by a midi channel on one of the machines and outputs to any other track. Elektron introduced an euclidian sequencer and then stopped there… but there are so much more generative eurorack sequencers which could easily be ported over to the machines. Simple 8 Note Sequencers, Turing Machine, Marbles, Sample & Hold of different movements, etc.
I used VCV-Rack for generating ideas a lot, but I wanted someting outside the PC.
It is working, but I want to add a few things like different sequencer engines, harmonization with multi-channel-output and an arpeggiator before I release the source code and the plans to build it.
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That’s super impressive you built that, and what a cool idea for an expander. I recently broke down and bought a MCL for my Machinedrum, so I’m very much feeling this idea of DIY break modules for Elektrons at the moment. And I agree with you, having the other Digi boxes are awesome company for the ST, that’s my exact setup as well with the MKI’s.
Good luck wth your project, can’t wait to see more about it in the future.
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I’ve spent most of the day reading the Digitakt manual while it’s in the post and revisiting my Roland S1, I love the sounds it makes… oldschool and trance-like at the same time. Controlling it with the Syntakt adds an extra dimension to what it can do.
Result: I’m starting to wonder if all I really needed was a Digitakt and half a dozen S1s. 
Just kidding … the Syntakt does a lot of things. I always believed that if all you have is a sampler you’ll spend all day online looking for the “perfect” sample instead of making music.
This thread’s getting messy so I’m putting all my opinions in the first post so they don’t get lost.
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