Triggering endless samples?

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hi everyone!

My question in short:
(How) can I make my Digitakt work so that when I press a button(1 to 8) it starts a sample and plays it infinitely until I press another button which then replaces and plays infinitely? All the while it’s constantly playing the grid, so that it sends MIDI clock to my drummers metronome. So yes, I kinda wan’t my Digitakt to function as a launchpad.

The long explanation/question:
So, I play in this band where I am the writer/lead singer and also play guitar and synths/samplers/sequencers at times.

At the moment we’re playing this song where I am very “busy” so to say, as I play a lot of different components/instruments during the different parts of the song while also singing. Therefore I would like to “simplify” what I play on the Digitakt. Throughout the song the Digitakt is set to be the tempo/grid keeper as it sends MIDI clock to my drummers BD-90 metronome. As of the moment I have 4 different patterns containing different samples for each part of the song. The patterns also have different lengths matching the length of the periods which the different parts contain of(e.g. an A section consisting of 4x4 bars = digitakt playing the sample for 4 bars/64 steps). In this way we don’t have to be locked on one fixed form as we can play the different parts as many times as the situation/gig “asks” for. But still it sometimes fu**s up when trying to shift from one pattern to another before the next 1 beat. Therefore I am looking for another solution which I believe to be smarter - that is if I can make it work of course…
I would like the Digitakt to just have one 16 step sequence pattern playing constantly (so the drummer always gets his click). But I want this pattern to be silent as a starting point. Those 4 different samples that I used to have playing on each of their patterns, I now want as 4 different samples I can trigger within this one pattern. But the trick is that whenever I trigger one of these samples it should keep playing endlessly until I trigger another one of the samples which then stops the old sample and plays itself endlessly until the next sample is triggered and so on…

I am quite new to this exciting machine but I have a feeling that this Is possible! Thanks in advance!

#2

Have you tried using the “1st” trig condition?

#3

How long are the samples? Do you mean you want one long sample to play until the end, or that you want a sample to keep looping, over and over?

#4

Have you tried using track mutes?

You could have all the samples running, and unmute the ones you want to hear. In this case one at a time.

Green mutes work across patterns, and purple are per pattern.

Edit - Just realized that muting won’t cut off a looping sample, so not sure if this will help you :slight_smile:

Best regards,

Gino

#5

I want the sample to keep looping over and over and I would like to avoid the clicking each time the loop starts over. The grid/tempo/mdi clock should just play continously bit without any steps being recorded so that the three different samples i have stored can only be heard if I press one of their audio buttons and they should then keep on playing endlessly until I press one of the other samples’ audio track which then mutes the “old” sample and plays endlessly instead.

#6

fun puzzle. Use a bit of attack on the amp to stop clicking.
Make track one step long. Loop the sample. Trigger the sample 1st time round only using condition. Use sample selection knob to change to next sample.
I have an idea of how you could do it with seperate samples assigned to 1.2.3 etc and a 1 step track by using not conditions but I’m on a train so…:steam_locomotive:

#7

Hmm, sounds like that could work!!! Ugh, would be very interested in finding out how to do it by using those not conditions as you mentioned! Did you get a chance to try it out?
Thanks!

#8

I do this with patterns, but it doesn’t work “free”, only as a triggered sample while playing.

I put sample a ontrack1 on pattern a01 and the 2nd sample on track 1 on pattern a02 and put a trig on the first steps on each pattern. When I want the sample to start playing, I unmute the track and immediately after it startet playing, I mute the track again (unlike the OT the DT doesn’t cutoff audio when muting).

When I need the 2nd sample to kick in, I just switch pattern.

Works perfect for my needs.

#9

I would very much like to know what your idea with no not conditions is bigdave as I don’t really get it myself. Could you explain it bit further? perhaps try it out?
Thanks in advance!!