What should I add to my Digitakt for delicous techno?

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hey Guys!
I have a Digitakt and am looking to add some new hardware to the setup. I want to transition over to dawless so I’m looking for a nice machine that pairs up with the Digitakt. Been considering mono/poly synths, semi modular synths, and or baseline synths like the TB-03. I make raw tracks with acid and baseline grooves using software synth’s + hard percussion to glue all together with backing samples.

I am a big fan of Surgeon’s setups, my music is a similar to this:
youtube.com/watch?v=1eKMiIELrDs

So far I’ve been eyeing these:
-Modor NF-1 (This thing amazing but $$$$).
-Behringer K-2
-0 Coast
-LepLoop or Liquid Foam
-Micromonsta
-Behringer neutron
-Bass Station or TB-03.
-SH-01A
-Something from Moog like Minitaur

Can you guys recommend me some hardware that you have used / heard works well this style of production? Thanks a lot!

#2

Consider the Digitone

6 Likes
#3

I was in the same boat… added a Roland TB3 touch and it’s fun, but then got a Digitone and was immediately blown away. I had a Volca FM previously as well, but the Digitone is so much more powerful and just covers so many bases/basses.

#4

Nord lead series

4 Likes
#5

+1 For the Digitone. Since it’s the same form factor and layout, you’ll be really comfortable with it in no time.

2 Likes
#6

i have the DT. A Dfam and a Grandmother…i’ve ordered a Quandratid Swarm…its in backorder, expect it any day soon…but i think the Swarm is a beast

1 Like
#7

Sh01a. It’s a tiny classic beast.
Or the 0 coast because it can sonically drag you to places you didn’t know existed.

5 Likes
#8

Erica Bassline or a DFAM equals instant techno. I only got them recently but they sound great.

6 Likes
#9

I’m only saying it because I WANT one but get a LepLoop!!! :slight_smile:

1 Like
#10

The synths on your list are nice for sure, but i think you’ll want to have some fx aswell if you want to go dawless. Having good Reverbs, Delays and distortion ist much more important than the actual synths imo :smiley:

3 Likes
#11

If you can’t play with these devices before you buy, you have some choices:

  • buy 2nd hand, and sell as soon as you know you don’t get on with something
  • research deep
  • get lucky
  • buy something that you like for reasons other than sound or functionality and force yourself to use it because limits and style are just as much fun and a part of this as sounds and tools

If you go the research route:

  • work out what you want to do with it. In my recent case I knew I wanted a bi- or multi-timbral poly synth because I was playing with a band that needed some space filled out and I wanted “chords” and “basses” or “weird” at the same time, but didn’t want to take multiple boxes to rehearsals
  • narrow it down to two or three similar boxes (for me it was Rev2 vs Summit)
  • watch a load of videos, paying attention to “sound” (does it sound joyous?) and “workflow” (do you want to fiddle with those knobs or menus?)

It’s probably a good idea to get one box at a time; work it into your rig; maybe try two different configurations; before deciding on the next box, or a replacement.

3 Likes
#12

Excellent advice from @Octagonist

Another under-appreciated aspect is patch recall, being able to load up the right sound instantly
e.g. most of the recent Behringer synths don’t have it

#13

This took me a long time to figure out when getting new gear. I always was caught up in what other people could do with it that I’d lose sight of myself using it.

Many times I’ve ended up with gear and 3 days into using it I’d get bored.

#14

E-MU Rompler for some oldskool vibes

1 Like
#15

I have digitone/digitakt combo it’s absolutely amazing!!! I’m still right at the start of learning them both but every time ive thought I’ve needed another box for a certain sound I’ve looked on here and someone has come up with a great YouTube clip of how to get the sound I want out of the digitone.
Cheers Matt

1 Like
#16

Typhon typhon and typhon.

Meaty synth with silly good fx you can input external audio through. So good.

4 Likes
#17

Yeah, as @Octagonist has said, an fx unit is a good shout, maybe something cheap and old or multi effects based. I’d also say an old Mackie mixer will make more than of a difference than you can probably believe. You can route your fx, eq your fx but also distort and sculpt sounds. An old 1202VLZ might be enough and pretty cheap. Feedback pitchshift fx with distortion gets you in that early Surgeon sound territory for sure.

As for a synth, DX100.

#18

Better yet, find a used E-mu E-64. A powerful sampler with a powerful sequencer to compliment the Digitakt, lots of modulation capabilities, loads of I/O for tracking, and access to vast sound libraries when sampling isn’t enough.

#19

So you’ve been using softsynths but you want to go DAWless. What software have you been using up until now, and which aspects of those softsynths do you wish to reproduce in hardware? Identifying those traits will go a long way to help determine what sort of gear to buy. Definitely consider whether or not things like patch storage and polyphony are important or not. I kind of downplayed the importance of those features when I made a recent purchase and now I’m regretting it. Knowing your budget would probably also help you get realistic recommendations.

#20

Digitone and enjoy hybrid workflow (inlcuding two external jacks to hook up another synth)

1 Like