Your questions for Inside Elektron: Panel Talk event at Elektron Studios Berlin

Given the increasing opening up of mainstream DAWs (Bitwig, REAPER) to include Linux versions, is there any chance that Overbridge will be developed for Linux - or at least made easier to use via WINE and similar (not-)emulators.

Lol

Your probably right.

Alex asks “why is the logo an L and not an E”

Every panel member gets a scowl on they face… “that is an E”

Alex responds “your kidding” instantly putting foot in mouth and sits down.

Would elektron partner with Axoloti or create an 8 track sequencing sampling machine that takes puredata etc as its synth/sampler code for each track speaking to an elektron api?

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My 2 questions are…

1- Is the Digitakt currently the most poular Elektron gear (by users or unit sales)?

2 - Are any Elektron staff actively working on an OS update for the Digitakt?

Best regards,

Gino

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Elektron recently celebrated 20 years in the music!

What kind of machines do each of you imagine elektron might be producing 20 years from now?

And

Why?

PEACE

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Q.
In hindsight the digitakt was released too early with many bugs.
Can you share any insight into this ? The bugs were very easy to find so the reaction couldn’t have been a surprise.

Some of the hardware decisions also had a predictable response / still feature in feature update lists. We’re there any unexpected requests (eg , surely 2 inputs being summed to mono for audio thru could be predicted as a weird restriction considering it’s a modern machine ) . Are spec details like this run past any type of focus tests.

What aspect of synth design do you feel ‘the customers’ don’t comprehend , I often see ‘machine X has Y feature , why can’t it be on another device ‘. . On the surface it is understandable the people may expect more filters on digitakt if they’re on digitone as devices are initially quite similar and those features are software driven (obviously customers don’t know processor usage / memory constraints but perhaps there are ways to communicate this type of restriction)

Are there plans to further develop overbridge towards project / pattern management , optimising , collating sound / samples etc , balancing the use of the device as standalone performance box but also taking advantage of computer data management / backup / editing .

Thanks

Do you plan to release ‘how to’ videos for overbridge , it’s quite complicated and without trawling through forum posts I see a lot of recurring ‘basic’ questions like setting up soundcard , channel inputs , getting usb devices recognised etc.

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Since I was just reading the DigiTone manual on the commute in: how on earth did you guys decide what algorithms to include in the DigiTone? :thinking:

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Why not have “machines” like in other Elektron boxes. Would be much more flexible. FM, Additive, Granular, … dreaming …

Now my question is …

Is there any chance of a “Digital/Algorithmic” machine, which includes a couple of engines providing different methods of sound creation? Thinking about a MM-like concept.

Could it be even possible to have something like a platform for DIY algorithms? This could create an interesting user base and sharing of ideas …

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Hey! Thanks for all the great questions.
We’re going through all of these right now, so just heads up that we won’t be able to address any more.

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Looking forward to the vid! Thanks for doing this, great to get insight from you.

GLHF

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You know I thought I did my research and I absolutely love my Digitone but this was an unpleasant surprise I just discovered after a few hours with it.
It really hammers home the excessive limitation in a “master send only” effects setup, especially on a digital synth.

In starting to learn the DigiTone, the lack of parameter locks for FX made me remember how much I used to p-lock FX parameters on the OT, Mono, and Machinedrum.

Use a midi track!

Hey!!! Good tip! I’m away from the machine, is there an internal loop back option or do I need to use a cable?

Either use a midi cable or use usb and overbridge.
Usb is a little more stable I feel.
Ymmv as I do this w/ my digitakt. But I don’t see why you couldn’t set it up.

Nobody asked about this? :sad:

I have been there and had the feeling, that there were many “technical” questions which seemed to have some kind of criticism in mind. For example “why no feature xxx on this machine” or “why so many bugs” etc.
In terms of their product strategy and product quality, the elektron people were very well prepared for these kind of questions and gave the “official” answers that you would expect… In my opinion, this part of the talk was very boring!

However, I really liked to get some insight into the workflow at the elektron headquarters, to hear how meetings are done and to get to know the background of the people who are working there a bit more. I felt that they were honest with their answers on these questions while they couldn’t be when it came down to design decisions.

Very interesting for me was the short introduction of trackers which were used to program sound on old amiga systems. They said how much it influenced them in their youth and laid the foundation for many design choices for example of the octatrack. This video was mentioned during the discussion and by watching it, you really get the idea that the octatrack is a modern tracker in a box:

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The critical Whyohwhynotthis questions are probably from the German music Press or members from the german SynthesizerForum.de. A majority of ppl there have a plain hate for Elektron. Lets say grumpy old men that have forgotten the rules for a civilised discussion

oThe grumpy old men in that forum are mostly busy discussing their vintage gear, posting pics etc. :wink:
Also vintage chairs :grin:
The why-x-and-not-y-on-z usually gets stirred up by much younger people.
At least that‘s how I perceive it.