After having the DN2 for over a year I’m still finding new things to do with it and love it more than ever. I use it stand alone all the time!
I’ve noticed there’s a few things I like doing and was wondering if anyone wanted to share any tips or go to moves they use.
I like writing a hi hat groove using the FM tone machine and then change the algorithm on a per step basis for accents and tonal changes. I used to do this more with the amp page, but using the algorithm creates wacky changes by itself.
I always make more interesting drums with Digitone than with my Digitakt
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I do the exact same thing but with the LFO on the Algorithm. Random Waveshape and another one slightly on the Panning
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I only have the OG DN but my go to is flipping the switch to on! It’s awesome!
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Returning to old projects to polish them up.
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Damn, came here to post “I turn it on, enjoy the sounds, get lost and make music”.
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using the macros to open and close the envelopes
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I love the textural/rhythmic changes that can come from delaying the onset of the modulators to taste (ctrl-all optional)
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Track layering, first track chords, with second track set to 12/16 or some other shorter track length, with a lot of lock trigs p-locked with AMP zero, additional timbral p-locks lock trigs to taste, nice polyrhythmic layering.
Copy-pasting track 1’s chord trigs to track 3, shift trigs any direction, for hooks/accents/counterpoint, remove/modify the notes so its like a mono thing
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Writing this one down so I don’t forget!
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Be careful, I tried this, but my machine was already on, and as a result I lost my work!
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Something I do when I’m stuck for melodic inspiration is record a few trigs and copy this across 4 tracks. Then I just randomly tap FUNC+left/right so that the same notes are offset from one another. All tracks panned differently with variations on probability.
I start writing in about 1 minute when I do this
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My typical move is to get it out, get some cool sounds, and then put it back on the shelf before recording it. I like the Digitone, but I’ve yet to really find my voice in it.
I like to delay the envelopes, synth or filter.
I like to use S&H on drums to automate VCA volume with addition to different velocity hits.
Recently I’ve been totally lacking inspiration and energy for composing traditional tracks, and my Digitone 2 has become more a meditation device to build slow and minimal drones.
FM Tone engine, one note on one track set to 1st condition, set the mix to the centre and choose an algorithm. Set the ratios to something that pleases you in the moment, and raise the fm amounts to what sounds good. Add some very small offsets to a modulator or two, and then apply extremely slow lfos to create movement over a period of many minutes.
Then press play and listen.
You can go anywhere from there.
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OG Digitone here, but my favorites apply to both.
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After spending a bit of time in sound design mode, try the other 7 algorithms just to see what happens. I tend to use one of three favorite algos as a starting point, but am often surprised what happens when I change it up halfway or towards the end.
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Try extreme ratios to change up the sound, then pitch up and down the keyboard to look for sweet spots. A low atonal rumble might do something really interesting pitched up four octaves.
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Tweak the envelope times and depths on the SYN2 page. I often go back to these repeatedly as their effect will change throughout the sound design.
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If one of the envelopes does a specific cool something, assign a LFO to either depth or attack/decay time.
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Assign velocity to a bunch of parameters and p-lock different values per step. Sort of a macro of sound variations.
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Mess with the arp as a “mini-sequencer” within the track pattern. Having notes of different durations, which also have some probability, allows for continuously shifting patterns.
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Don’t sleep on the base-width filter. Often necessary to keep four very different sounds sitting in the mix harmoniously together.
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The Shimmy or the Stanky Leg.
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Noob here… could you elaborate what exactly you do?
Thanks!
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Hello Satan! its in the manual starting at 9.5.13
screen looks like this:
@davemech has a great video on it that will explain better than I can type, pretty sure this is that video:
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the devil’s in the details of Elektron Manuals!
Edit: my only caveat is that you should put all your DN tracks to receive midi on the same channel so what ever you are controlling them with can affect all 4 (or 16? how many do you DN2 cool kids have?) at the same time. Opening an closing envelopes is literally adjusting how much energy is in your mix. Not “woo woo vibes energy” but measurable energy