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I’ve spent months (years in fact) testing/troubleshooting different combinations of machines. Primarily the Elektron machines i now have.

Digitakt, Digitone, Syntakt (Had others but relatively settled with these)

I’ve come to a couple of personal conclusions based on the music i’m trying to make, workflow, time constraints etc etc etc…add your own.

And even though i adore the Digitone as a machine in general/standalone, it’s just not fitting in with the Digitakt/Syntakt Duo. I’ve fallen back into making traditional style Detroit Techno/Deep House music & i’m finding 3’s a crowd. And that’s not technically the Digitone per se. But i’m building tracks with the DT/ST & then the DN seems surplus to requirements.

Yes it can add some beautiful flourishes, but then things seem crowded.

This may seem a little controversial but i’m beginning to hear fm in a way that seems a little too obvious. Similar to the way when i hear ‘Electro’ and it seems a bit naff, passe. And that’s coming from someone who grew up in the early 80’s loving Electro. This is not a diss of Electro at all. Just a personal preference, moving away.

Just curious if anyone else has similar issue. Not necessarily Elektron based but in regards to finding a balance with particular instruments or how many you use at one time.

There’s also an element of how much do you use from each machine at any one time. Are you disciplined enough to keep things optimised.

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I normally have two boxes set up at a time (works with the space I have) but I’d really like to experiment with the Digitakt as the brain using the 8 midi tracks to control the Digitone and Syntakt which I normally have set up.

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But do you find yourself swapping things regularly within that setup? Or do you feel that any 2 particular machines sound better together?

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I change the setup for each release and sometimes even session. Octatrack works with everything.

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Does that in away stress you out. I suppose i’m asking because i realise i’m incapable of putting things away for a rainy day. it’s all or nothing with my setup.

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Well at some point, when I had more room and time I tried to build a studio setup where everything was interconnected and ready to use. That took a lot of money and troubleshooting and in the end, when I had it almost finished I had to move and lost my dedicated music room. I’ve found now that this suits me better, before I wasn’t as focused in actually making music rather than trying out different options and synths, which often took me on a sidepath and often made me lose focus.

Now I just choose a few things and make music, save the stems and then continue with a similar or a completely different setup later.

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two Elektrons at a time is the maximum amount of Elektrons my brain can handle.

OT and A4 is a killer combo, running the 4 tracks from A4 into OT for further manipulation is a lot of fun.

Currently trying out OT and MNM which is also a killer combo

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But is that specifically 2 Elektrons or 2 similar type machines/sequencers in general?

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no specifically Elektrons i have other machines on my desk as well, but they´re more knob per function or i know them inside out (OP-Z).

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I now have 3 Elektrons (DT/DN/AK). Sequencing the DN with the DT makes it much more straightforward for me.

On the DN I don’t use PLocks too often, prefer to create movement with the LFO’s, but when I do want PLocks, I just assign the parameter I want to mess with to a CC on the DT and it all works.

I like how I can keep the same sounds persistent on the DN across multiple patterns this way. Makes it more “kit-like”. Additionally having mutes for the DT/DN all on one deck is really helpful. Also, I like assigning multiple MIDI tracks on the DT to the same DN track and playing with mutes to create variety within a pattern.

I will also sometimes sequence the AK from the DT, but recently have been using sound locks for drums on the AK more, so then am running two sequencers, which still feels manageable.

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I think 2 covers my needs most of the time to create a track. With the Syntakt and Digitone it gives me 16 tracks to work with. 12 on the Syntakt and 4 on the Digitone.

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DT + almost anything
MD + A4 is killer
MD + M:C wacky goodness

I second having a second box with a fixed pattern when the other one doesn’t have kits.

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Digitone + Analog Heat MK2
Analog 4 MK2 + RYTM MK2
Octatrack + Rytm
Virus TI2 + Octatrack
Virus TI2 + Rytm

These are some combos that work well for me.
In spite of no sequencer and older user interface with lots of menu diving and software challenges, the Virus TI2 has been an impressive synth in 2023 considering that it’s design has not changed in over a decade.

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Renoise + sampling my whole studio

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