Elektron Digitone vs Analog Four: Comparing Features and Workflow

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  • Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024

Комментарии • 89

  • @jaystink
    @jaystink 2 года назад +15

    What an awesome deep dive on two fantastic machines!
    One little note, the A4 has something a little like the "add note" mode of the digitone on the arp page.
    It doesn't show you the notes, but it lists all the offsets of the voices while a given trig is held.
    If your fingers have the reach, Tryti's Trig+Yes can be used to preview a chord with one hand while the other adjusts the note offsets with the F, G, and H encoders.
    It's clunky, but sometimes useful as an alternate way to find that last note for a chord when the single-octave keyboard feels too small.

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +2

      Ohh, great tip! I'm gonna try that out. It sounds very similar to how you add multiple notes to trigs on the midi tracks on the Digitakt and Digitone. Hehe, Tryti's Trig+Yes :P

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @jaystink can you explain in little more detail what you mean or how you do it, for those of us still learning the A4? thanks!

  • @SuperEpidemiologist
    @SuperEpidemiologist 2 года назад +24

    Thank you again, Ivar. You really own these machines. I hope elektron is aware.

  • @CrisRose
    @CrisRose 2 года назад +11

    As someone that owns the Digitone and has been considering an Analog Four MKII as well, this was very helpful. I even learnt some Digitone functions along the way!

  • @MrJanHjohnson
    @MrJanHjohnson 2 года назад +3

    Thank you so much! This was really interesting! As a DN user I found this comparison really helpful even if, like you said, they are two totally different devices.

  • @davidsanfeliumarco9664
    @davidsanfeliumarco9664 2 года назад +9

    Amazing video, maybe i’ve lost it but it would be nice a second part comparing the sound synthesis diferences

    • @ErwinSchrodinger64
      @ErwinSchrodinger64 7 месяцев назад

      One creates sounds via FM-synthesis and the other uses subtractive wave synthesis.

  • @lit3work
    @lit3work 2 года назад +1

    Very good and very useful video. I have A4 MkIi and DigitoneKeys and this has taught me several new tips and inspired me to use both together. Thanks so much.

  • @LuctaeMusic
    @LuctaeMusic Год назад +1

    Great Video, I own the A4 for quite some time now, but still learned a couple of tricks from this vid. Thanks!

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  Год назад

      Thanks for watching, man! Glad you learned some tricks from this video :)

  • @illegalgiant_
    @illegalgiant_ Год назад +1

    looking for a companion to digitakt and love your videos. excited for this one brother cheers
    anddd youre not only great the the machines but a good teacher and explainer. man the analog four sounds so smooth. bummer its so expensive tbh. thanks for all the videos. sincerely really appreciate them

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  Год назад +1

      Thank you very much! Yeah, a used A4 is still pretty expensive. For what it's worth, the Digitakt synergizes better with the Digitone than with the Analog Four, in my opinion. They're small enough that they can be used side-by-side as if they're one big Elektron device, they have pretty much identical workflows, you don't need to change the midi settings as much because the default settings work very well. The A4's workflow is different enough that there's a little disconnect when using the two devices together. For example, saving patterns and projects on the DT+DN uses the same motion (FUNC+YES then FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES), but on the A4 you have to save the kit and pattern separately (YES+KIT, YES+PTN, FUNC+SAVE PROJ -> YES). Doing these actions at the same time on both devices feels more natural on the DT+DN combo than on the DT+A4 combo. I could go on about the differences in workflow, but this is pretty much the reason I still make more music with the DT+DN combo than the DT+A4 combo :)

    • @illegalgiant_
      @illegalgiant_ Год назад

      @@IvarTryti Thanks for the detailed reply. I was a bit worried the digitone can't make more 'natural' piano sounding patches, but after looking, it just seems like you have to learn fm and it is still one of the best multi timbral beasts out there. i keep wondering if i may end up with one. only gripe i have w the digi teir machines is is that you cant change the reverb+delay settings in the sequencer. if that was possible i think it would blow the machines wide open. midi loopback exists but it is such a pain!

  • @Solidahmed
    @Solidahmed 2 года назад +1

    Thank you so much! Great up load and explanation. There is a lack if any of this type of comparison on the two devices.

  • @simoschou1717
    @simoschou1717 8 месяцев назад +1

    Digitone is just tons of fun. Quick and easy and yet so profound.

  • @hahnb3
    @hahnb3 2 года назад +1

    Great detail. Thanks for the time you speit on this!

  • @collinfranck8927
    @collinfranck8927 4 месяца назад

    Yes, amazing dive indeed! You should be the one who demonstrate Elektron products ;-)

  • @Digiphex
    @Digiphex 2 года назад +1

    Your demo track is really pretty. I always love smeary brass type of sound with long release.

  • @thegreatsiberianitch
    @thegreatsiberianitch Год назад

    Valuable info. I have a syntakt, love it. I've been looking at the rytm or an a4 cause I wanted a "big" elektron device to compliment the ST but the digitone is looking better and better the more I see/hear it... Ugh, so much to think about, lol... Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your knowlege and experience.

  • @bentropy
    @bentropy Год назад

    Thanks for this vid. I've long lusted for a DN (and the DT and Syntact and...) but am not in a position to get one, but this taught me a few things about the AK that I do have, that I'd like to try to integrate in to my use. And some limitations it's better to know about ahead of any confusing ill-timed discovery.

  • @Sepelman
    @Sepelman 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for sharing your skills Ivar, you are a true maestro,

  • @DamianoPistoia
    @DamianoPistoia 2 года назад +1

    Well done! This "documentary" is very interesting and useful✌🏻

  • @am5790
    @am5790 2 года назад +1

    Very useful info.....I own both and this would have been very helpful. Still trying to get used to 4A sound. Thank you for a helpful upload.

  • @AvianBreak
    @AvianBreak 2 года назад

    I use both quite a bit, and this was still very informational! Now to practice more.

  • @bennooschersleybn7631
    @bennooschersleybn7631 Год назад

    like that deep dive into my digitone, to understand more things around that machine, I like these limitations around that 8-polyphone synth... wow thank you for the informations e.g. how to set a chord visualy. That was helpful to me. There are so many things to learn about

  • @kenb7540
    @kenb7540 2 года назад +1

    Great explanation and tutorial. I learned a lot ! Thanks 👏🙏

  • @lesstalkmoredisco9445
    @lesstalkmoredisco9445 2 года назад +1

    Fun to watch, I’ve had both and miss the Digitones sequencer / note input and arp. @Ivar you’ve missed the Kits and Patterns chapter in the timestamp description. Cheers!

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад

      Glad to hear it! I'm gonna update the timestamps, thanks a lot :)

  • @nielsverhaegh6744
    @nielsverhaegh6744 2 года назад +3

    Nice. I love the dn, had the A4 but sold it. Now I wish I had given the A4 more time but I could not ‘connect to it’. To much for me but the possibility’s are great

  • @fredrikw1447
    @fredrikw1447 Год назад +1

    I think these two make up a very good couple!

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  Год назад +1

      I think so too. I haven't tried combining them yet though, because I always get overwhelmed when imagining using the two together. Both make great sounding drums, but designing drum sounds and programming drum patterns on the Analog Four and Digitone is much more labor intensive than doing so on a Digitakt or Syntakt. That said though, I really should try using them together!

  • @oledokka
    @oledokka Год назад +1

    Veldig bra gjennomgang!

  • @peterdekkers
    @peterdekkers 2 года назад +1

    Yeah, a fantastic comparison, thank you!
    Regarding toggling the ARP on/off for certain trigs on the A4: I think that you can fake this by P-locking some trigs to a short note length. For these short trigs only the first note of the arpeggio will play.

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +2

      Thanks for watching! I haven't used that trick much, gotta try it out more. I think I remember it worked as you explained.

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @peterdekkers can you explain a bit more? I'm learning the A4 (via an AK) and haven't yet mastered the ARP, but find tips/tricks a useful (if ass-backward) way in. is the arp argpegiating if only the first note of it plays? Sorry if I'm being slow

    • @peterdekkers
      @peterdekkers Год назад +1

      @@bentropy hello, yeah, so if you like having the arpeggio going, but you want to turn it off for certain trigs, then you can set a short note length for only those trigs where you don't want the arpeggio. It will then indeed only play the first note of the arpeggio, for those short trigs. On other, longer trigs, it will play out arpeggiated notes for the duration of said trig.
      Hope that makes sense :)

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @@peterdekkers cool thanks I’ll try it!

  • @raysubject
    @raysubject 2 года назад +1

    indefinitely like more mk1 ovedrive than mk2 too :-) thanks for this video, VERY valuable content !

  • @galileostongue4538
    @galileostongue4538 11 месяцев назад

    Very helpful video. Thanks.

  • @0e0
    @0e0 Год назад +1

    mk1 saturates INTO the transistor filter..so it will change your filters behavior if you want a more tradition sort of synth sound you turn the knob a bit counter clockwise. the clockwise is a distortion after the filter i think,

  • @inkajoo
    @inkajoo 2 года назад +1

    I like to think that the effective voice count for both is high enough to write songs, if you factor in how complex a voice can be.
    On Digitone, 4 notes in one voice is possible with Algo 7.
    On A4, You can do drums on a single track, as a voice can do up to 3 simultaneous drum sounds, for kick, percussion, and snare/hat. And of course with sub osc chords can be up to 4 notes, though the notes you can have are limited. Filter resonance can also serve as additional tones. So yes you must be creative.
    I think I'd rather combine the two devices or sample their drum sounds and free them up for chromatics and modulated stuff.

    • @fargoththemoonsugarmaniac
      @fargoththemoonsugarmaniac Год назад

      Any tutorials put there for making chords with Algo 7 or how you would make a sound on the A4 that serves as 3 drums at the same time?
      Would really appreciate it!

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @@fargoththemoonsugarmaniac I don't think there's any real way on the A4 to make one sound that serves as 3 sounds at the same time, on the same track, except by clever sound design - taking advantage of all the oscilators, filters, noise gen, envs, lfos, fx and ofc PLocks to emulate the sound of e.g. a kick + snare + hat sound all hitting. I'm sure some people have done this and sound locked it into a track with individual drum sounds the resemble the elements of this combined sound. It might sound cool/interesting, but I doubt if it sounds 'natural' or realistic. Maybe @ivartryti will offer his insights/experience/opinion.

  • @TerekkiTerekki
    @TerekkiTerekki 2 года назад +1

    This is great ty

  • @BoopyTheFox
    @BoopyTheFox 2 года назад +1

    Thank you, that's actually very useful ❤️

  • @FuZZbaLLbee
    @FuZZbaLLbee 2 года назад +3

    You didn’t mention that one is analog and the other an FM synth. But that might be obvious to people looking at these devices

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +6

      Oh, you're right! I imagine people who watch this video stumbled upon it while doing research on whether they should get a DN or an A4, or that they have one of them and are considering getting the other.

  • @raytbrown2
    @raytbrown2 2 года назад +3

    42 min in and you finally made the really necessary and most important point. On the A4, all have Arp or none have Arp. This could have made the video 41 minutes shorter. But I thank you for sharing this deal breaker.

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад

      Glad you found this video useful!

    • @TheJKOLP
      @TheJKOLP 2 года назад +1

      Wow is this right? If I play 4 separate sounds they all share the Arp? That's a big bummer if so

    • @soundsofsamsara
      @soundsofsamsara 2 года назад +4

      ​@@TheJKOLP No, it’s per track (as opposed to per sound on the Digitone). A big part of the Elektron workflow is the ability to lock different sounds to steps on the sequencer within a single track. On the Digitone you can lock the arp to be on or off per sound on a single track. On the A4 the arp is controlled per track (for example: tracks 1-3 no arp, track 4 arp enabled etc.).

    • @TheJKOLP
      @TheJKOLP 2 года назад +2

      @@soundsofsamsara thank you! That makes more sense to me now

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @@soundsofsamsara That seems like a limitation but not a dealbreaker. It's still an independent arp per track (also ones for CV and FX tracks?). It would be cool if Elektron updated it to per trig/soundlock but there are always limitations with any device. And the A4 is already so deep, so many parameters and features, that it's fairly overwhelming. I wonder how often one really *needs* this amount of flexible arpeggiation/note, even tho yes it sounds cool?
      I did walk away confused by how Ivar made it sound like there was simply one ARP for all the tracks, rather than at least 4 separate ones...?

  • @sawssman965
    @sawssman965 Год назад +1

    just wanted you to know that beat coming off the digitone was doing something inappropriate to my soul, especially when that overdrive it. do you know if thats the same or similar overdrive from the elektron heat? great video!

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  Год назад

      Haha 😅! I sold the Heat last year so I can't compare the tones, but from what I remember the Digitone doesn't sound like any of the Heat's circuits. I think the closest would be the saturation or enhancement circuits, but on the Digitone you have a one-knob overdrive while on the Heat you have controls for drive amount, dry/wet mix, low and high EQ, envelope follower (that I used as a pseudo compressor all the time). That said, I really like the Digitone's overdrive :D

    • @sawssman965
      @sawssman965 Год назад

      @@IvarTryti word. I got a heat that I haven't used yet. Waiting patiently for the day I finally get a digitone. Keep doing yr thing man

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @@IvarTryti why did you decide to sell your Heat?

  • @dawlesspuzzle
    @dawlesspuzzle 2 года назад +2

    Digitone arpeggiator one channel sequencing HACK .. super :)

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +2

      It's a tedious workaround, but it is at least possible to fake retrigs this way :D

  • @songologia
    @songologia 2 года назад +2

    thanks for test , i think Digitone sounds better .

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад

      Happy to help! Thanks for watching =)

  • @tomfoolery4077
    @tomfoolery4077 9 месяцев назад

    I am thinking of switching my MC707 to an Elektron box, looking to use it with my Keystep Pro as the squencer, in terms of Synth Sounds, Drum Sounds, is one better than the other? I like the Analog becuase it has more knobs to tweak, which is what I really want to do. Create a squence, and play with knobs. Any Elektron boxs you would recomend?

  • @Mechant_V
    @Mechant_V 2 года назад

    The control-all on the Digitone does not affect the sounds from the soundpool for me! Strange

  • @G0nz0uk
    @G0nz0uk 2 года назад +1

    This was really interesting, thanks for sharing. Out of interest do you share any sound packs you've created for us to purchase?

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +1

      Thanks for watching! I have my sounds and project files available on Patreon :)
      patreon.com/ivartryti

    • @G0nz0uk
      @G0nz0uk 2 года назад +2

      @@IvarTryti Oh wow thanks, I’ll take a look.

  • @mykhailshavkunov7345
    @mykhailshavkunov7345 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for the comparison!
    So which one would you keep if you would need to go only with one of them? :)

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +2

      Maybe the Digitone, I think. I really like both the A4 and the DN, but the DN is easier to use together with the Digitakt, and that's a really good combo. It's also cheaper, which should be taken into consideration.

    • @mykhailshavkunov7345
      @mykhailshavkunov7345 2 года назад +3

      @@IvarTryti thanks for replying! indeed looking like both powerful machines. I am trying not to buy new synth, but it's not the easy one :) already having DN, loving it. Instead of DT using sp404 mk2, still learning it.

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +3

      @@mykhailshavkunov7345 My pleasure, man :) The A4 is a lot of fun, but it takes more effort. Sometimes I just don't want to deal with that. The Digitone is easier to just jump straight into!

    • @mykhailshavkunov7345
      @mykhailshavkunov7345 2 года назад +2

      @@IvarTryti really appreciate you sharing this experience! Thanks!
      Also I am super happy that elektron finally find out your talent and sent you syntakt! Thats a big step I think, congrats!

  • @eddiemakessomegoodvideosal7014

    How did you get them for sp cheap?

  • @KiR_3d
    @KiR_3d Год назад

    Direct jump limitations (or bugs maybe) on A4 did frustrated me! I've started to learn this machine straight with a polyrythmic track creation... And that was not what I've expected from these "jumps".

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      can you say a bit more about your experience with thei or explain in a bit more detail what you mean, for those of us trying to deepen our understanding of the A4 (and its limitations/necessary workarounds)?

    • @KiR_3d
      @KiR_3d Год назад +1

      @@bentropy For example: you make a pattern where T1 has 1 page of a sequence (16 notes), T2 has 1 and 1/2 page (16 + 8 notes). So it gives a polyrythm obviously (repeating only after T1 will play 3 times).
      If you'll Jump then everything will be broken. T1 will play normally but T2 will play with some offset. And it will sound not normal (like two separate tracks that was started individually with some time lag).
      I've expected that with Jump function everything will be playing "seamless" (as it meant to be).
      Maybe to prevent any offsets there must be a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern.
      BTW, my next pattern was in the same conditions! I mean that T1 has 1p, T2 has 1+1/2p scale.
      Also as I remember: if you press a combo for a next pattern precisely then it's not making an offset.
      By "Jump" I mean the choice of switching when a sequence "jumps" directly to the next pattern without restart. If it was on 3rd note (at that moment of a key press) then it will continue on 4th note of a next pattern.
      I think that there is some miss in the code. It can be improved (or I must say "fixed").

    • @KiR_3d
      @KiR_3d Год назад +1

      "a choice how to process a switch to the next pattern" - I've meant that there will be options:
      - reswitch a page position to 1st if a Track has not full page length (maintaining a relative note position: calculating the necessary offset)
      - playing "as is" (like usual Jumpe meaning) with "IF" condition: IF a next pattern has different Track(s) length then their "note switch positions" will be calculated relatively to the core (minimal) page length.
      If T1 has 1 full page then IF T2-1 has 24 notes and T2-2 (the next pattern) has 22 notes (less than T2-1) then IF "key press" was on 22nd or 23rd note -> T2-2 note position will be set with (-16) notes offset (16 is T1 length).
      I wish that I could work on A4's firmware! :)

    • @KiR_3d
      @KiR_3d Год назад +1

      @@bentropy P.S. I don't know workarounds... It will be a "workaround" if my words will be heard by the guy which write code for A4's firmware :)

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      @@KiR_3d thanks for this! I think I follow you, but I probably need to try it for myself. I’ve def been using polyrhythmic sequences, and jump (the kind where it picks up the next sequence on the next step, rather than starting from the first).
      I’m not sure what the default behavior should be but it would be nice if to gave the used some smart/creative options.

  • @cymbolic_space1832
    @cymbolic_space1832 Год назад

    i am an analog 4 owner, do love it but I never can make the bass sounds that I want out of it. super clean subby a little liquid and resonant. not anything like a 303 but more minimalist wobbly sounds. im considering the digitone but dont see many people using it just for bass sounds.

    • @bentropy
      @bentropy Год назад

      You should def check out the bass tutorial that @IvarTryti made for the a4. I learned a lot from it.
      ruclips.net/video/uWGB0TSBLPY/видео.html

  • @JohnLunney
    @JohnLunney 2 года назад

    What are the little labels on the Digitone?

    • @IvarTryti
      @IvarTryti  2 года назад +2

      They're labels for a few plugin parameters in FL Studio. I've been playing around with using a midi track to control some mixing/mastering plugins so I don't have to click around as much on a screen. The labels are Input Gain, Ratio, Speed, Makeup Gain, Level Match, Saturation Mix, LMH Mix and Bass EQ. Then on tracks 1 and 2 there's Active and Full Volume. Muting track 1 will bypass the plugins on the master channel, and track 2 will turn off level match so I'm hearing the full volume.