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Hey man, thanks for all the content you produce. You have inspired me to buy an octatrack. This is probably a stupid question but, is there a difference in sound quality and the quality of the effects between the old grey version and the Anniversary Edition?
It’s nice to have a channel doing such a good content. I’m trying to figure out what is better for me. An Analog Rytm mkt 2 or the digitakt + the syntak. I need one or the other to create my own drum samples in the studio.. I work a lot with sound design and in the DAW I usually use synth and sample layers to make my own drum sounds. When I say digitakt + syntak it’s because I’m thinking about syncing the MIDI of the two devices and layering the synth (of syntak) with samples (of the digitakt). Example: in digitakt a clap sample and in the syntak a synth model clap. I’m trying to figure out which choice has more sound design power. In the Analog Rytm mkt 2 I can resample… but in the digitakt + syntak it looks like there is a bigger range of sounds for me to tweak and experiment with. What would be your suggestion? Thank you!
Sick video Matt! This truly is the ultimate setup although I personally replace the syntakt with singing forbidden black magic ritual spells into a microphone on max reverb. but to each their own! :)
Thank you, Matt! Love your videos! Can you make a video about the creative part of your process, as opposed to the technical? How do you create music? What do you start with, etc? You briefly touched upon that in this video, but a full, dedicated video would be appreciated!
Thanks for the video! Have a question - if I only have Digitakt, Digitone and Syntakt, and want to use Digitakt as master clock - what should be the routing?
Great setup! I have the same Elektron boxes and in addition the Minitaur cause I love the Moog bass sound. Any plans integrating an Analog Heat at the end of the chain or do you think it’s obsolete considering you have the Syntakt and Octatrack in your setup?
Got the Ocatrack, the Digitakt and The Access Virus Ti2 Desktop version in my Live Setup and I Use the KaossPad3 as my MasterFX after the Octatrack, this setup works Really Nice for me since the OT and the DT have 16 Midi Ch together and the Virus got 16 ch Multitimbrality too so they comunicate like a charm. What im just missing are the Random Percussions and the ability to create my own Drumkits and record them on the DT so the Syntakt is probably gonna be my next shot. I create Ambient and Psychedelic music witht these boxes and have even pushed the OT as the Master Clock to 300 a bunsh of times without any hangups or problems at all. When it comes to stability in a Live Performance they just give what it Needs. Cheers EZBOT, Great Video, love your content, got me through the OT way Faster then expected
Only unit I need is the Octatrak and I’ll have this setup. Been holding off because I know how much time I’ll need to devote to it. I have found my Syntakt is kind of my therapy sound design machine. It can also get some great acid sounds out of it, but as you stated, nothing quite gets that acid sound like a dedicated 303 style box.
This is my setup too, though instead of the TB-03 I have a small palette case with an Eowave Domino (and some other stuff). One question: Where can I find those risers you have the OT on? I’ve been looking for something similar for a while now and those look perfect.
It's so funny. I just discovered your channel a couple of weeks ago and we literally have the same setup configured in about the same way midi wise and audio flow wise. Just crazy!
Seems nice, I personally like to combine the Octatrack with the rythm and analog four. I only use them at home tough. I do like how on both you can hold a pattern key and press a drum pad or keyboard key.
NIce Setup we all have different ways.. I like 2 x Analog Keys plus one Rytm. I love having keys live and Rytm handles samples fine plenty of tracks.. If required Analog Keys can take some percussion duties also its Drum sounds are wicked.
I couldn’t agree MORE with your statement about 8 bar loops. It’s almost required and I really can’t understand why 4 bars is almost the universal limit for all gear. It’s seriously frustrating. The EMX/SX did it in 2005 or whatever, what’s the problem? Also another thing that adds tons of value to Elektron boxes in my opinion is the ability to have 2 COMPLETELY different patterns and easily switch between them seamlessly. Almost no gear does that with more than a handful of patterns. Again, very frustrating. Looking at you Akai. MPC Live my ass.
Really enjoyed this video. It's a succinct expert's summary of each box's strengths. I've had my eye on a Syntakt to join the Digitone on my desk, but you may have convinced me to look at the Digitakt as my next Elektron device. Once I learn to play the Digitone of course.
That smile at 0:06 is solely there cause EZBOT opened pandoras box leading to the entire Elektronaut community having to go through the five stages of grief which is stronger than the gravity of an imploding star for a brief moment. And that shit is hillarious.
What this 'bolth' work flow and how can you incorporate the missing boxes with it? I jest! Great viz on the setup. Pretty sure you singlehandedly put the OT back on radar for most people. Keep it flowin!
So octatrack 128 master, then My rytm/A4/AK 1/2 speed, and master 64 step, And how Many bars 1:4 but only on syntakt i see? This dont affect fx Template?
Thx a lot for sharing this. After years of Elektron playing, I was feeling a bot stuck. Thx to you I have a fresh point of view. Could you clarify the audio rooting trough the octatrack please ? Your vid’s are high quality level , keep going !!
Agree with that outdated workflow comment. Never getting rid of my RYTM but I have the Syntakt and Digitone as well. Menu structure somehow feels much worse on the RYTM.
I own a mini freak and want to add one Elektron device. Don’t have much room or money lol. Is the digitact the best choice? I appreciate all you do! Great stuff. Thank you for your time.
Do you already have something for sampling? If not then I would say yes get the Digitakt especially after it’s latest update. It offers a ton of value and there are a bunch of them on the used market. I have the OT, DT, and the ST - out of the 3 of them the DT is probably the most versatile and packs the most value per dollar for creators on a budget.
Love the vid Matt! Couple of questions, the digi boxes all at 128 master lengths, but how about the Octatrack. 128 too? Are you switching your master patterns with your Octatrack or digitakt? I got my second OT because in a cool set up like yours you wouldn’t have tracks to enjoy the power of the flex tracks with samples, since they are busy thru tracks duty. But as you have seen 2 octatracks is brain overload. That is what I also love about your set up is that it’s powerful, lots of tracks and sound potential, yet still manageable for your brain. Anyways thanks for the cool vid!
One of the best videos out there, and it's not 5 years old...I always seem behind which is why after nearly 2 years in modular I'm trying to understand the Elektron eco system. I'm anxious to learn more. I've had the TR-8s for a year and I'm just beginning to learn it and fold it into my sound designs through eurorack. Thanks Again.
The Digitakt, and to some degree the other models, have never been better. 5 years ago you didn't have overbridge (it was in beta) and great features such as timeshift, were and much more!
Couldn’t you sequence the analog rytm with the digitakt to modernize the workflow? Sounds like a good compromise to me 😊 plus, you could sample it into the digitakt like that and feed through the compressor. Also, would fit nicely in that upper left corner! Great work as always
@@kroglon Elektron manuals are great for answering these kinds of questions. In the RYTM's case, check out page 22 of the current manual. To answer quickly, yes, you can fully play out the RYTM from the Digitakt. If you want to parameter lock you'll need to assign the CC values you are interested in on the Digitakt Midi tracks. You can set this up in a variety of ways, for example, have one, two, three (your preference) midi tracks in which you are sequencing more than one RYTM track by parameter locking the note per step. This will be a more program based approach. Or you could have all eight tracks assigned to the same midi channel, but with different notes on each midi channel so that each button on the Digitakt triggers a different track. The issue is that you only have 8 midi tracks and you have 12 RYTM tracks. So you'll have to pick the 8 tracks you care about the most to "play" the RYTM from the Digitakt. You can, however, still "play" say, the toms in realtime, and later change the parameter locking of each trigger to a different tom note to access the different tom tracks. There are other ways to set this up, but these are the two that are the easiest to approach. I hope this helped! Manual excerpt with what you need to know. Check out page 82 to see the CC values you'll need for parameter locking fun! 8.6 MIDI NOTES Some functions can be triggered by sending MIDI note values from an external MIDI device (a MIDI key- board or a computer, for example) connected to the Analog Rytm MKII via standard MIDI cable or a USB 2.0 A to B connector cable. Of the 128 notes in the standard MIDI range, 0-11 corresponds to notes C0 through to B0, the leftmost octave (which is sometimes called C-2-B-2 in certain applications) will trigger the Sound of track 1 through to track 12, respectively (provided they are set to their default channels 1-12). These note values map to each of the twelve tracks, regardless of which track is active. For more information, please see “APPENDIX C: MIDI” on page 82. MIDI note values 12-59 (corresponding to notes C1-B4, the second through to the fifth octave in the MIDI range) will trigger the Sound of the active track in any of its 48 chromatic variations (as if played by the pads in CHROMATIC mode, see section below), from lowest to highest pitch. The track Sound must be enabled for chromatic play if any variation is to be heard. Activate via the SOUND SETTINGS. For more information, please see “10.5.2 SOUND MANAGER” on page 32. MIDI program change messages 0-127 selects pattern 1-128 (A01-H16) on the Analog Rytm MKII. Addition- ally, MIDI CC and NRPN messages can be sent to control various aspects of the Analog Rytm MKII. See “APPENDIX C: MIDI” on page 82 for a complete specification.
@@kroglon Kits are linked to patterns, so if you send program changes from the takt to the rytm then the kits will change along with pattern changes! Easy!
@@kroglon unfortunately that will not work, can’t avoid the way the rytm works with kits, sounds, etc. All you can do from the digitakt is sequence the rytm, parameter lock and send program changes. Regarding kits you could control a few things with CC messages like active scene, performance depth, track levels, mutes and solos and a couple of general bits, but you’d still be tied to the rytm’s sound structure. Hope that helps!
Hi Matthew - love your work and this is a compelling argument for the true top setup. However A I would love you to do the Pepsi challenge with the MDUW/DN/MnM with the OT master. You could do SO much with that.
Beautiful video and great explanation. I just started to get into the Elektron Family and have a Digitakt and a Syntakt. I use a midi fighter twister to manipulate the setup. They are truly beautiful instruments. Is there a way to work with more than 16 midi inputs. With 8 tracks on the Digi and 12 on the synt I feel I am not able to control all of them. Keep up the great work!
Wow just getting into your channel as i have the DT/DN combo. Being a drummer first these boxes are so fun and immersive! Appreciate the great content.
Hey man, I'm sorry for an annoying question. Somewhere, I've seen a video of you interviewing a person about their live set up and process. His gear included a Syntakt, Rhytm, and an Oxi One sequencer. Does this ring a bell at all? I found his process incredibly motivating and wanted to revisit the video but I'm having the hardest time find it. :Prayer Emoji Hands:
I had the same set-up. I couldn't justify keeping the Digitakt when I have the Octatrack.- Unless I missed something, apart from more sample channels that I don't need.
Thank you for all the great workflow tips you’ve given us through this channel! I took the general idea of a performance FX unit and am recreating it now on the Empress Zoia paired with a midi controller. I also swapped Digitakt to 1010 Blackbox, because I needed something to play stereo samples in the absence of an Octatrack. Syntakt became the main drum machine and Digitone is being itself, as always. The setup seems very promising, although Blackbox kind of lacks the immediacy of a DT.
Thx a LOT !!! Without your videos i would be stumbling in the dark. You are the best! I hope , one day you are also like what i can do with your teaching.🫡
You, sir, are the boss of the Digiboxes. And of Techno. I tip my imaginary hat. I learned so much from you... I mean, at the end of the day, I'm able to teach myself things by reading the manuals, but this is simply well explained, and that great, characteristic sound makes it so much better. It's just so difficult when you have a pro explaining a certain device, and he does it so well, but his sound is absolutely not your style... I'm really happy I found your channel, it's a blessing! Edit: can't wait for the new OT effects. :) I've rebuilt your older ones, based on your description in the videos (helps me understand what's happening) and I enjoy using them a lot. Added some stuff here and there and it was like a huge level-up for my Octatrack. Wife is already complaining because I'm spending "too much time" (there is no such thing) with the boxes. ^^ Finishing this reply, I genuinely hope you'll never lose joy making new videos. This channel is a wonderful resource for anyone learning making dawless sound in general and new elektron gear owners in particular. 👍
Thank you for sharing! I've owned the Octatrack and the Digitakt. I'm going to buy the Syntakt to fill up my set up. I usually produce my tracks in Ableton and it's so hard to get all the music into the boxes. I hope I can make it with the power of the Syntakt or maybe just with the Octatrack and the Digitakt.
@@EZBOT_ I've got the SH-01A from Roland for some basssounds or arps. I tried to use the OT for all my melodic samples but I forgot than the maximum size in one project are just for 128 samples 😅 So I have to outsource some melodic elements to my synth. It's sad so the live version will never sounds like the produced version in Ableton... :/
What is that riser the OT is on with the cables routed under? You just said planks...😛 Also, audio routing, did I miss that? Or did it get left out? I swear I was paying attention the whole time!
@@EZBOT_ ah nice. Thanks! I thought I could see the DT into AB and I guessed the chain of DN to ST but I couldn’t figure out where the TB was going. Going to try something similar. Appreciate these vids!
Ciao, for those who have just purchase the older version of Performance template is possible to upgrade to the latest ? I've got both solo and performance template. Thank you for sharing your techniques :)
@@EZBOT_ need to sell the deluge and I'll be at peace with this ;) I had so much fun at the shop trying it I couldn't resist... Looking forward to watching all your vids!
Regarding the lack of pattern mutes on the RT and A4...it's such a bizarre and truly problematic omission, and I can't figure out how the designers expect me to compensate for that, workflow wise. There must be a way, did they intend that we put each pattern into a song just to preserve mute states? Or a single pattern per bank? (That can't be...). what's your impression? Great vid of course
There is a way but i dont like it. You copy a new kit per pattern and in your new patterns you have the kit saved with track volumes at 0 and bring them up when you want
I save a new kit per pattern, and delete trigs per track I don’t want to be audible. Currently contemplating selling my AR because this creates confusion while playing with the Digis/Octa.
What I like a lot is that your setup is super compact yet very powerful. All the knobs surely make for fast direct access. I am mostly in-the-box but man if time and money were of no concern I would get an Elektron lineup as well and experiment the h*ll out of it. Thank you, subscribed.
Good setup. I just bumped to your channel and I'm not familiar what kind of music you compose but do you ever feel overwhelmed about options when having all of them in play? You got 32 tracks in total and in addition all of the modulations and parameters to handle if you like to tweak sounds during the show. You didn't go into details about your workflow but I assume you have it all figured out if you are performing live with this setup. I'll check out if you have some video about workflow as well. At least for me that setup at first would be pretty intimidating and probably I would also suffer from having too many options. I own DT and DN. I had an idea to link them together but now already owning them few years I haven't even tried it yet. I have some interesting ambient and techno sets for them at their own but nothing for them together. One reason not to couple them might be that at some point I set goal to make live performable sets only using DT. I like the idea of having really portable setup which fits into packback and perform in various places even without any planning. DT lends itself pretty well for techno, down tempo and ambient sets which don't require huge risers or drops. Also 8 tracks seems to be mostly enough for such music (1-3 drums, 4 bass synth, 5 pad, 6-7 lead and 8 for random sounds) . linking DN though would give access to really nice arp and chords but that would come with the expence of portability. I have tried to arrange pattern per song but building a structure and making transitions might be little too much for live performance. I have let go that aesthetics and just spend more patterns to save set progression in smaller pieces along the patterns. Then I don't have to figure out mutes for transitions and can also build some drops and fills into the set.
@@EZBOT_ and the other big issue now with digitakt is that as the last update manage time stretch and loop manipulation lack of storage will become problematic. No sd card or harddrive input on a sampler is a bit annoying.
Not sure if I missed it, but do you use the song mode at all? I still have yet to use it in a way that is smooth... but I find that switching patterns manually + muting/unmuting is still more flexible and exciting
This is great. The only thing I'm missing is the Digitakt. I prefer synthesis over sampling so I haven't feel like I really need it but I also don't have vocals in my tracks yet and it does feel missing sometimes. I keep thinking they're going to release a MK2 the second I hit buy, but they also keep updating it so idk. You sequence all your 303 notes in the DT vs in the 303? Does that limit you with the slides/accents stuff?
They need to make an 8 voice Analog keys MKII with sampling 3 mid tracks and built in mixer then it´s Just the keys and the Rytm ultimate Live setup done! But off course they won't..
@@EZBOT_ i have not bought any for a long time recently i am exploring sampling with halion and groove agent and making sequences with cubase i like to chain things together so vsts to effects and see what i can come up with waves h delay is an effect i just got into but had it a long time just never used it lots of waves stuff is garbage to me arturia modular v3 is i think the coolest and nicest sounding of the ones i own I have v collection 5 fxpansion make nice stuff also aas
Just wanted to ask how would you say the digittaktmight work for someone who only has use of one hand? I had a stroke at 26 and it left my left side not working very well I’ve managed to get pretty decent with my octatrack but function key remains an issue sometimes. Thanks for any help
I am not gonna lie to you, not having your left hand will be difficult considering how many button combos are essential, but it's not impossible. I have larger hands and can press the FUNCTION button and select another button on the Digitakt pretty easily with one hand but if you have smaller hands that may be tough. If you can use your left hand with enough precision to press the FUNCTION button you are golden for sure, it's just that button that needs pressing in order to use all the shortcuts and essential commands like extending page lengths or turning on your mute modes. Sorry to hear about your stroke, but I am very happy to see you here and love that you are crushing your Octatrack!
I had my left arm broken for a while and I could do a performance on all the boxes. Few things are difficult, control all being the hardest imo (it requires pressing func + manipulating an encoder at the same time). If you had big-ish hands you can do func + any key with one hand (pinky or thumb on func, the other side on a button)
@@EZBOT_ lol, sorry totally missed that in the description. Dude, I can’t believe how amazing this setup is. I use the Erica Synths Bassline for my acid lines and just got the FaderFox PC12 to help with easy access to individual performance settings on my machines on the Octa and WOW. Liam Killen was the one who inspired that tidbit :)
@@EZBOT_ At 5:09 you say that the digi boxes have balanced inputs but I do believe they are unbalanced, sir. Unlike the OT mk2, which of course does have balanced inputs.
