Why Syntakt?

SoundRider · 2023-05-22T17:47:51.282Z

Humza:

If I can simply sample any drum kit one shots or loops to Digitakt, what makes the Syntakt better in this sense ?

It’s the difference between “sampler” and “synth”.

A sample is a recording and in case of a synth patch this will be exactly a recording of one of many possible patch variations. Modifying a sample later is IMO somehow limited. Depending on the sampler we can have many FX possibilities, but this does IMO not compare to change a synth patch.

A synth allows deep modulation/change of the patch/sound all the time. We can change and edit the patch even in a live-performance, record some automation, and can even edit and modulate the automation live.

This is not better or worse … it’s about the intended sound and sound scapes we want to have.

shigginpit · 2023-05-22T18:04:56.962Z

The strong points of Digitakt can’t be downplayed by the strengths of Syntakt. Digitakt also has “synthesis” through single cycle wav forms which you probably know but I’m also mentioning. There is power in the 3 together that any one does not possess on its own, it’s just in how you plan to use them or how productive you will be using the combination of any 2 or more in tandem. Some people are most productive with one box. Realistically if you’re looking for a drum machine where you can refine sounds but can play immediately digitakt will shine, if you want to design sounds and have a drum machine which with some effort will be explosive syntakt, if you want a drum machine with polyphony that you’re already familiar with, a second digitone is not out of the question

I feel like if one were an octopus, and another were a dolphin, we would see less overlap or reason to question the validity of one vs another - elektron designed 3 nearly identical pans of chocolate brownies so the overlap is hard to escape.

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slicetwo · 2023-05-22T18:11:52.997Z

Nor can it polyphonize easily.

chrisb78 · 2023-05-22T19:04:34.083Z

I’ve seen the light.
Thanks for that tune <3

Humza · 2023-05-23T09:05:02.570Z

Thanks @SoundRider I do differentiate between and work with both Synths and Samplers. In that question I was hinting to the virtually unlimited sampling capabilities vs also the virtually unlimited options of synthesis and further controls that could be applied on each individual sound in Syntakt. I wanted some insights from guys who are more experienced in the Elektron world.
As always, Synth guys" why sample when you can synthesise anything" Vs Samplers’ guys " why synth when you can sample anything", classic and will never end

gekkonier · 2023-05-23T09:12:41.038Z

Digitone -> Polysynthgroovebox (my fav!)
Digitakt -> Drumsamplegroovebox (with single cycle waveforms kinda monosynths too)
Syntakt -> Drumsynthgroovebox (with extras - not only drums, but also some “models” so to say)

Mix and match, but imho more than two sequencers are not fine for live fiddling around.

Yeah, they are all grooveboxes in the end.

Humza · 2023-05-23T09:50:00.327Z

shigginpit:

Realistically if you’re looking for a drum machine where you can refine sounds but can play immediately digitakt will shine, if you want to design sounds and have a drum machine which with some effort will be explosive syntakt, if you want a drum machine with polyphony that you’re already familiar with, a second digitone is not out of the question

Elektron should include this exactly as is in their product description

Jeanne · 2023-05-23T09:55:28.277Z

Humza:

As always, Synth guys" why sample when you can synthesise anything" Vs Samplers’ guys " why synth when you can sample anything", classic and will never end

and the girls just make sandwiches, classic

bibenu · 2023-05-23T10:36:32.667Z

gekkonier:

Digitone → Polysynthgroovebox (my fav!)
Digitakt → Drumsamplegroovebox (with single cycle waveforms kinda monosynths too)
Syntakt → Drumsynthgroovebox (with extras - not only drums, but also some “models” so to say)

I can’t think why elektron didn’t name them that way.

Fin25 · 2023-05-23T10:39:11.551Z

Jeanne:

the girls just make sandwiches

They fucking don’t though.

I’ve been asking all them suspiciously well tanned girls that keep offering me record deals on SoundCloud for a sandwich for years and so far, nothing.

Not a fucking thing.

I’ll have cheese and pickle, by the way.

Jeanne · 2023-05-23T11:03:59.079Z

Fin25:

I’ll have cheese and pickle, by the way.

Sure, honey! By the way, I did sign you up for that martial arts course you wanted.

nut-shot-nuts

Fin25 · 2023-05-23T11:21:58.274Z

Will there be sandwiches tho?

Oxenholme · 2023-05-23T11:39:09.316Z

More importantly, will the sandwiches be synthesized or sampled?

Wilshire · 2023-09-18T14:30:51.490Z

Releasing the new Sandtakt is the only logical solution that I can see from here.

Inakito · 2023-09-18T15:19:04.300Z

Remember that the Digitatk comes with single cycle waves folder ready for you to use on its default library, and that can make a pretty damm interesting synth of it too

captain8 · 2023-09-27T20:28:27.682Z

sizem_re · 2023-09-28T17:39:27.975Z

Considering picking up an MD but for financial reasons I want to be completely clear what kind of functionality I’m missing out on with the MD over the Syntakt.

A few things I want to do:
Run eurorack audio into the box for effects and amp envelopes (not sampling)
improvise during live performance
sample into ableton

I’m pretty clear on the sound differences, that I could get the sound i want with the Syntakt while the Machinedrum as a whole lives within the world of sound I am looking for.

I’ve wanted the MD since mk1, is there a good reason to abandon that dream for the syntakt? Is nostalgia getting the best of me?

warpigs330 · 2023-09-28T18:22:49.868Z

I have both of them, and find I use the Syntakt more. In my opinion the real advantages of the MD compared to the syntakt are:

Freely assignable LFOs
This lets you get the different tracks interacting with each other, triggering an lfo with one channel and affecting another
Multiple Outs
With so many tracks, having multiple outputs is very handy
CTRL Machines
You can do some pretty crazy stuff using the ctrl all machine and plocking

This is with the big caveat that all of these things are very cool, but fiddly to setup and get working nicely

The Big advantages of Syntakt over MD:

Much improved live recording
Syntakt has unquantized recording, records note lengths, chromatic recording, and just generally works much better for live recording things into the sequencer.
Streamlined Interface
The interface of the syntakt is much more streamlined, making it easier to quickly work with to me.
Analog tracks and FX
The analog tracks sound great, and the FX block can do some really fantastic stuff that even the MD can’t do in regards to mixing, effects, and modulation.
Velocity Sensitivity
The syntakt can use velocity as a modulation source, and you can use external controllers to get velocity sensitive pads, where the MD has no velocity.

Personally since I have gotten the MD, it has been kinda gathering dust while the ST is my primary device. Now that is with the caveat that the model cycles was my first elektron product, and maybe still one of my favorites, so I know those sound engines extremely well, and I used the DT and DN a lot, so the ST feels like it is second nature where the MD still feels like work?

As for the specific sound, they definitely sound very different from each other, but I can’t say that one sounds better or worse than another. I feel like I have more control over the sound on the Syntakt though, for better or worse.

sizem_re · 2023-09-29T19:15:33.979Z

This is really helpful. While I love the MD, it feels like the right move (with a limited budget) to add the ST.
I’m coming from model:cycles where my biggest complaints have to do with the physical interface itself, and I know the Digi style boxes fix a lot of my complaints.

Finding some more sterile sounding demos in That Syntakt Sound thread sold me. It seems like there will need to be a conscious effort on my part to not muddy/warm/fill the sound too much.

Thanks again.

Mister_Wood · 2023-09-30T11:27:44.381Z

Syntakt is incredibly useful, there’s so many tracks, quick to get results from without a lot of messing, the FX block is just incredible and makes a lot of other limited or crappy machines into total powerhouses (I’ve held forth on the Kawai K1m into Syntakt on here before)
You won’t be sad with Syntakt, and I’ve been kinda going through a similar experience lately with other gear, I can afford a really nice guitar amp and while I’ve dreamt of a JCM800 or a Deluxe Reverb for years, practicality is winning and I’m going to get a modern Orange amp with all the features I need that sounds great. It’s hard to give up those dopamine-inducing dreams but, at the end of the day, they’re all just tools to turn what’s in your mind/heart/soul into music.