MPC Live is dope but..what the scoop on the elektron digkat?

what the scoop on the elektron digkat?

I fux with the live heavy; but I am now looking to get this digkat as an alternative unit and possibly take that away when travelling.

so from what I understand the digikat is not battery powered that is a shame.

I want to know if when the digikat is connected via USB does it show up as a drive that you can simple drag and drop sample onto? and those wave are immediately available to browse on the the hardware?

also sample chopping is there any mute groups? i guess u cant do much sampler chopping? or how does that work? cos the last 8 banks (buttons are only for midi data) so do u find that limiting?

It doesn't show up as a drive, need a app to transfer samples, os updates. Should have overbridge soon so I'm guessing you can drag and drop. Once on the plus drive you need to load it into ram. You don't need to load it everytime, unless you switch projects.

No real mute groups, but there are work arounds as discussed in the digitakt subforum.

Sampling is pretty dope on it, but it's not like a mpc at all. It has its own magic to it, usually end up using the sample in a much different way than I intended.

It's a completely different machine than the live.
A replacement for the live, a big no.
An alternative to get new ideas or companion to the live, I say **** YEA.

In a sense it's more portable than the live but no battery. It's a lot of fun to use. I been using it way more than the live but I never owned an elektron box, so I'm still learning it.

I had a hard time getting the sounds to mesh together but I think I found the right workflow for it to work.

There are a few others here with them, hopefully they offer their 2 cents.

thanks for the feedback; it does sound like fun,I can see it putting me back in that electribe esx zone of creativity.

so will defo pick one up when these when they reach UK shores in early July, meantime Im good with live

also I understand there is no song mode but u can string patterns; so is that not the same as song mode?

also can someone outline what can be done with the midi tracks is there any way to use midi tracks to trigger onboard audio samples to get around the 8 track limit of audio sample.

If you have a live you could use that song mode, I'm not sure how to exactly use the pattern chain yet, so that's all I can offer.

Yes, you can trigger any thing with those 8 tracks to trigger notes, cc changes, whatever. However it was the midi tracks that have been an issue with the os right now making it crash randomly.

Don't let that be the deal breaker, elektron has seemed pretty good about updates and knows there's an issue with them. They have a lot of promise with plocks and the badass sequencer it has.
I like to think of those tracks like a baby squarp pyramid, lol.

I would say it's similar to an electribe but also has elements of so many other units it's hard to just pin it to being a groove box.

I love my Digitakt. I used to own an MPC1K and a Korg ESX1, and it's not really comparable to either IMO. It's its own thing.

If you are going to consider one, I would say it's best not to approach it with the intent of trying to mimic an MPC or Electribe workflow because you will be disappointed, it just doesn't work in the same way. You basically have to just be willing to learn the Elektron workflow. Instead of chopping, it's easier to have the sample playback at different start points, which essentially accomplishes the same thing. It's hard to describe unless you are sitting over the unit.

I thought the lack of battery would bother me, but since I only use it in the house it doesn't. I can easily lay in bed or on the couch and use it with a pair of headphones.

I'm still learning the machine, but here is a little beat collage I did for the Stones Throw beat battle this week (you had to do a series of micro flips from a selection of samples provided).

https://soundcloud.com/dimensionstomorr ... micro-flip

Actually all of my stuff up on soundcloud at the moment is 100% Digitakt and samples. I'm basically just using these beat battles to practice different techniques, so these are just works in progress. I hope to start doing more hip hop stuff and more stuff using instruments (guitar, bass) going forward.

Also, while I thought the lack of song mode would bother me, it doesn't. The machine's real strength is in real time manipulation/remixing, so it really shines when you are switching things up on the fly and dialing knobs as you record into your DAW or recorder. In that way it almost feels like how an old school dub engineer might have approached a track with a mixing board.

After I got my Digitakt I consider myself an Elektron fanboy, I just love this machine, it's a breath of fresh air for me. You should not approach it with a MPC mindset though. Prepare to discover a whole new world of beat making.

Next in line is the Analog Heat for me, and I will seriously consider whatever machine comes in the future from Elektron. The new MPC's are not in my plans right now.

starmanwarz wrote:After I got my Digitakt I consider myself an Elektron fanboy, I just love this machine, it's a breath of fresh air for me. You should not approach it with a MPC mindset though. Prepare to discover a whole new world of beat making.

Next in line is the Analog Heat for me, and I will seriously consider whatever machine comes in the future from Elektron. The new MPC's are not in my plans right now.

Haha. I feel exactly the same way. Literally word-for-word.

I wouldn't rule out a live to be honest. I have been using just my live+digi+analog heat for a few days now especially with a midi keyboard. I have some synths, modular other samplers but i's **** amazing with just those three. The old school type vibe I started on with modern in The live. I can run completly stand alone and have most of the features of a daw....

I have a digi and analog heat, I love them but I am the opposite. I don't plan on buying any elektron gear unless it's like a Kaos pad type effect box, even better if it had an aanalog element to it like bbd delays. The elektron gear is fun and all but it's just not what I'm looking for.

I won't rule out a Live. I loved my old MPC1K. I just want to spend the time to learn the Digitakt properly and I know I would never do that if I had both right now. I'll keep monitoring the development of the Live and if it looks good in 6 months to a year, I could pick one up. On the other hand, I may realize that I just don't want/need one. Anyway, thankfully I have no GAS for it at the moment. I was lusting after a Live for so long.

It's a good plan. It's going to take me awhile to learn the digi work flow too. I'm really digging using a midi keyboard with the live/digi combo. Really can't wait until the midi tracks are working better on the digi, the analog heat is just screaming to be p locked. You can do automations with the live but I still have to learn those better on the live ATM.

Btw that micro flip is dope as f. I don't have the digi down that good yet. Keep up the good work, bro. If that's the sound you trying to rock the digi is perfect for tha smoked out west coast vibe. Props for sure. You got that mfer getting it.

You should post your stuff in the digi thread Ill green started way back when. I plan on putting anything digi there. I may start a new thread digi + live beats, working on a track right now. I'm going to take some time on it though.

Same here, no GAS for the new mpcs either. It's funny because I spent the last 6 months being OBSESSED with the X, got furious after the price increase and constant delays, considered getting a Live for a moment, got my DT and now I can just wait and see how the Live/X develop over time, I'm not in a rush any more.

I don't feel like giving Akai any money though, they don't deserve it. I'd rather buy something else

Cockdiesel wrote:Btw that micro flip is dope as f. I don't have the digi down that good yet. Keep up the good work, bro. If that's the sound you trying to rock the digi is perfect for tha smoked out west coast vibe. Props for sure. You got that mfer getting it.

You should post your stuff in the digi thread Ill green started way back when. I plan on putting anything digi there. I may start a new thread digi + live beats, working on a track right now. I'm going to take some time on it though.

Thanks! Much appreciated. I'll definitely post up future stuff in that thread. I'm looking forward to getting deeper into this machine. Hopefully they'll add some new stuff to it over time.

I'm really looking forward to hearing that Live + Digitakt combo!

DimensionsTomorrow wrote:Instead of chopping, it's easier to have the sample playback at different start points, which essentially accomplishes the same thing. It's hard to describe unless you are sitting over the unit.

can someone elaborate on this? I have heard the working flow be compared to the asr10

can someone explain if it is possible to have a sample assigned to one pad but then trigger that sound from different start points over a drum beat to where its basicall like u chopped it?