Transferring Syx files

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hi, I just got my Digitakt and working my way around it to lear, I’ve been struggling to get my samples into it, I can get the samples but the way its structured is not organized as I wish (Im sure I will find a way soon), anyhow; using “transfer” and or SysEx librarian on Mac OS CAT won’t send the files over to my Digitakt, I connecting the DT to the computer, setting the Sussex dump, dropping the Syx files into the transfer app and it shows done but it never transfer it over, what Am missing here?

thanks,

#2

Try this manual: https://www.elektron.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sound-Pack-Installation-Instructions_ENG.pdf

I used it yesterday for a DN sound pack, but the principle is the same for sending SysEx files to the DT.

#3

I got Electronisounds sound pack not long ago and he has a great video explaining how to do this.

It’s not clear at all from the manual, though section 15.4.2 “Sysex receive” does describe it briefly.

Here’s the big caveat: that shows using Elektron’s C6 sysex manager to do it. C6 isn’t supported anymore and won’t work on the current Mac OS Catalina. (I haven’t updated OSX yet, so I used C6 just fine).

I think Transfer should be able to do this, but I haven’t tried.

#4

Thanks for your reply, that this is exactly What I did, transferring samples went fine, just drop then on the transfer window, I was wondering about the sysx files, and an organized way to achieve this. I would like to have things organized into its own folders (drums, synth, etc) using the Sysx files

Thanks,

#5

Hi there, thanks for your msg! It is indeed a great video! But I’m afraid it won’t work, I’m sure I’m doing something wrong, I’m puzzled, after many tries and no luck with sysx files

Thanks!

#6

Ah gotcha. Could the second comment here help you? Digitakt Organising samples, sounds frustration

#7

Can you say what you’re doing specifically and at what point it’s not working?

#8

A - selecting the Digitakt midi usb
B - selecting dump sysx
C- dropping the sysx file into the transfer app
Files show as if it was transferred ( green color at transfer app), when I go to the Digitakt it won’t show on any bank nor a samples folder

PS: when I drop manually wave files into the transfer app I can find the files ( wave samples) into the sample folder. Is it correct that the sysx files will be organized in my Digitakt banks once I get it to work?

#9

Are the sysex files sounds?

#10

I’ve only done it how the Electronisounds video shows, which again was using C6. But one tricky thing was choosing which Sound bank the sounds should be put in. Is it possible you put them in a Bank different from bank A where the factory Sounds are?

Choose a Sound bank by turning the Level knob to browse Sounds, then tapping one of the 9-16 trig buttons to select a bank.

#11

First: No, the Digitakt does not store or organize SysEx dumps the way it does samples. You cannot store patterns or projects in the +Drive along side the samples.

In fact, you can’t store patterns at all in the +Drive, only projects, and projects aren’t stored in a nice directory tree (like samples), but instead in a list of 128 project slots. This list is in a totally separate area of the +Drive from the samples.

Now, turns out that transferring dumps is even more awkward: You cannot transfer to or from that list of Projects in the +Drive. Instead, you can only transfer to/from the currently loaded in memory Project. When you use Transfer or SysEx librarian or whatever to send a dump file back to the Digitakt, it is simply overwriting what is currently loaded. If you don’t save it to the +Drive (Settings :gear:︎ > Projects > Save Project As), then it will be lost as soon as you load another project.

_(And a warning: If you load project X from your +Drive, and then hours later decide to transfer a dump of project Y from your computer… The DT will think you have just changed the data for project X, and if you use the Save Proj command (Func + :gear:︎) you’ll overwrite project X… probably not what you want.)

All that being said, may I humbly suggest you try using my free, on-line, no-installation software, elk-herd? It will let you peer into your downloaded Project dumps, as well as organize your sample directory tree in ways that Transfer cannot. See thread here: Elk-herd 3.0 beta: Project Import at last! - and I highly suggest watching the two short videos at the top to see what it can do and how.

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#12

elk-herd for the win!

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#13

thanks for the links and congrats on a great tool. I was able to manage my samples (wav) with control! The only thing is, sysx files, don’t see how to make it work. Thanks again

#14

Click on Projects on upper left area. SysEx files are project files. They are managed separately on the DT from the samples in the +Drive.

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#15

MZero, your work is legendary. I so appreciate your work. I have some basic questions about the interface - like how to minimize directories to make scrolling more efficient. Can you point me to a manual or video? Thank you again!

#16

thanks for answering and sorry for the delay, I was out of town. I did click on the project and then tried to import and open file (SysEx) although I get this error:

Error reading project:

Does not parse as SysEx messages (unknown sysex type 2)

thanks

#17

Can you tell me how or where you got this SysEx file originally? The message “unknown sysex type 2” means that the file contains an Elektron sysex message, but it is neither the +Drive API (used for samples), nor the dump messages (used for Projects). As far as I know, this type of sysex isn’t generated or used by Digitakt.

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#18

those are files from elektron’s page, the free packages they have there. I think they are not Digitakt, but they are SysEx

thanks,

#19

SysEx isn’t a universal format: It is just a standard way of packaging up synthesizer specific information in a MIDI message. So, SysEx containing a patch for one synthesizer is, in general, completely useless on another model.

So, if you found a package on the Elektron page that is designed for, say, Analog Rytm, you cannot use those sounds and other things contained in the SysEx files with Digitakt.

The samples, however, are of course usable: They are just audio files, and you can use any audio file with Digitakt.

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#20

Machinedrum samples are SysEx files (I think in SDS format, Sample Dump Standard). I was just looking at this yesterday after seeing some free sample packs for MD UW in Elektron’s website and wondering how to convert them to use with the OT and DT. The DT transfer app doesn’t seem to know how to handle those samples. But I think it will be easy to write a converter to WAV, maybe you could add it to Elk-herd, or I’ll give it a shot when I find some free time.