DIGITAKT 2 - Does it live up to the hype? // review & tutorial by a long-time Digitakt user
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- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2024
- Digitakt is one of my most used pieces of gear and today we are checking out Digitakt II. Todays sponsor DistroKid is a great service for getting your music onto Apple Music, Tidal, Spotify: distrokid.com/vip/bobeats
Check Digitakt 2 in stores here:
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Gear4Music (UK): tidd.ly/4bpO3f9
A fun, cheaper, alternative could be Sonicware Lofi 12 XT: • Sonicware LOFI-12 XT r...
CONTENT
00:00 Intro & Sound demos I made
02:40 Making music & discussing new features
17:58 Sample locking, new filters & other fun things
23:17 Presets, using kits, midi and more
27:00 No manual slicing/chopping
28:58 Does it live up to the hype? And should you buy it?
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You can support the channel by checking out Digitakt II in stores here:
Thomann (EU): thmn.to/thoprod/589677?offid=1&affid=623
Sweetwater (NA): sweetwater.sjv.io/AW6vao
Perfect Circuit (NA): link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/S0BERUlFSUBFR0VHSEdATEpITA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Felektron-digitakt-ii.html
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I’m on team Moog Muse for the mystery synth.
There’s also the new Arturia reveal.
ive been watching these videos for a while and bob doesn't seem to eat anything.
im grilling a digitakt 2 as we speak
4:00 Oberheim TEO-5 ?
Thank you for you take on this. Much appreciated.
Never had a digitakt before. Got mine this week. It's such an awesome machine. Loving it so far. It pairs very well with the syntakt. I do hope some of the UI improvements will be ported to the syntakt, like the page browsing with up and down arrows, it would be nice.
Nice work, Bo. I really liked the patterns you created for this vid. Stereo really makes a difference, it's their best-sounding sampler imo. Very soulful machine!
Awesome! You made it sound so groovy and funky. Your video for the first one made me bite the Bullet and and now this one is starting the itch.
Great video , thanks
At least my sample chains and tool to create them is still useful for the DTII, mine arrived yesterday, looking foward to playing with it over the weekend, and creating some stereo chains. Nice overview video! 🙂
that cup of coffee is stressful :))) very so much
thanks for the vid
I really appreciate that you didn’t overhype this and just showed/spoke directly about what it can do. Great video!
The Digitakt 2 review we were waiting for, thanks for sharing! I guess I'm in the 'waiting to see what features they decide to implement' camp.
Your demo tracks were really on point here. The hardware seems like a nice upgrade too. The comb filter is pretty hype, the double pattern length is a big improvement, stereo and kits seem like they were long overdue, and I love that all 16 tracks are usable now. It's not built for the way I like to work, but it'll be great for people who jive with Elektron's style.
Is the new "retriger" mode always on the beat or its free running like on the Analog Rytm ? Im really missing the Note Repeat function of the MPCs which is always quantized
I love my Digitakt. I'm wondering how cool it would be to use the DTII with the DT.
That stretch machine pitch function getting a workout :) good review cheers
may I ask, why would you sample a stereo synth in the digitakt? why not just a daw? does the digitakt make things sound better?
Nice patterns, Bob.
Would you say, that the ‘Digitak’ is a good tool for complete beginners- trying to make music..?
A bit too difficult. Look at Circuit Tracks first perhaps
For chords just place trigs on 1,5,9,12 and slow the speed of that track. It’s easier to manage on one page.
Huh? I don’t get it - can you please explain this process?
Oh, I just noticed it says II instead of MkII like the Analog Four does. I wonder why it’s not MkII this time.
That’s kinda bugging my OCD 😅 if there’s a Digitone II and a Octatrack MkII it would mean “MkII” is reserved for the bigger boxes and the little ones just get a II. But that still seems a bit arbitrary and weird!
Haven’t watched the whole video yet. Are the major bugs mentioned (like corruption file system after uploading around 20.000 files or too silent audio in (V1.01, see elektronauts bug report thread)? Apart from that I love the upgrade. Made some videos with it. Great for digital hardcore. The switched amp and filter stage and comb filter sound great!
SYNTAKT and Digitakt 2 are a match made in heaven.
Analog 4 and Digitakt 2 :)
24:19 I hope to use multisamples on the preset mode of the keyboard. Sample every fret of a bass guitar separately, then play them chromatically on the keyboard to one track
Proper slicing and polyphony would make it damn near perfect. Can’t really understand these limitations… it’s a digital device. If it’s a CPU thing then give it the juice it needs.
Agreed. It would make it unbeatable!
They will add manual slicing...I'm pretty sure...
I think the problem with the slicing is that it requires direct memory addressing (I may be wrong). Just “switching” to DMA isn’t an option, it would potentially be a code rewrite.
I’m feeling pretty confident that slicing will be coming in a future update. I could see some sort of “poly config” like the A4 potentially too, but that’s probably a bit less likely.
@@DavidPeck I hope I’m wrong. I like a lot of the music I hear from people with DT’s. So I hope slicing will be a thing, I’ll get to hear more music…
mystery synth is matrixbrute?
Well i noticed that for the same pricei can have used octatrack as digitakt II. So i just bought octatrack. I know it's more difficult and have some highs and lows but currently i'm trying to understand it and so far i really enjoyed it.
You went straight for the final boss of samplers!
@@BoBeats That's true! Currently i have also a Digitakt OG, SP404mk2 and MPC One. But i'm sure that i want to sell the Digitakt and MPC One. SP404mk2 have great effects and velocity pads so with the Octatrack they should sounds really nice
@@valldo47Octa and 404 is a nice combo 👍
My Maschine+ is chilling, lifting slowly one eyelid and smile while chilling again
If it has time to chill you’re probably not using it. 😉
@@ftc_musicmy M+ has to chill, because i play it almost every day. In between we are love to looking youtube comedy 😜
SAme can be said for any DAW or even any MPC. The DTII is not competing with them (price is saying otherwise). I've seen absolutely brilliant tracks made on digitakt and I've seen basic ass boombap made on the maschine+. If it works for You and gets You making music, if it inspires You, the features, built in VSTs and pattern lengths kind of don't matter as much.
Sounds like Smaug. What gold is it guarding?
Can you send a sample to external hardware and resample the result?
Yes, though it requires some setup
That shirt got me dying 😅
☑️buy synths
☑️buy t-shirts
I bought one. I absolutely love it. The only thing i can`t 100% make peace with is that i would prefer Mpc style Main pads for the 16 Tracks.
The ones the digitakt has i find annoyingly loud and clicky and also not good for finger drumming. What i would kill for is for an option
for an easy Pad replacement. Imagine being able to buy a Pad Kit that you could then replace according to your gusto in case you want to try it out
and if not being able to return to the original. Of course for it to make more sense they should be a tad big larger but you get the idea.
Now i hear them click even if i am wearing headphones
I am not worried about the manual slicing cause i am sure its only a matter of time that they add it.
This is almost my dream hardware sampler. What a treat and now at last in stereo!
Blasphemy! 🙂The clickitty buttons are it's main thing.
@@amconsole i repend!,,, dont throw the first stone everyone!,,
I am sticking with my OG DT and using my OT for sampling until they release a proper update to add manual slicing. There's no excuse for a sampler that costs a grand to not have this basic feature. Samplers from the 1980s have this feature for goodness sake! NO WAY.
One question I have and that is about the sound. Is there a difference? And in general how does it sound?
It sounds better because stereo has a richness to it which mono does not. But other than that no difference imo
@@BoBeats electron does sound a bit not kicking sometimes.
If they manage to pull up overbridge where you can record the stereo tracks plus fx i am definitely going to get it.
thanks again
Is the secret synth a new Murmux?
Surprised how great these things are for trip hop.
Great review. Interesting but not for me. Does this mean there’s a Digitone II waiting in the wings?
Probably. You got me thinking though… the DT had clear weaknesses that this addresses. If there was a DN II, what improvements do you think they would make?
@@mgbandlol, maybe the voice count 😂 8 is not enough for a groove box. Also not enough algorithms in my opinion.
Idk if this is a weakness, but b2 operator doesn't impact anything until b volume reaches half. Very strange behavior. Turn b2 to a really high multiple and slowly change the fm amount and you'll notice it doesn't come in until halfway.
I vote Polybrute 12 for mystery synth :)
Oberheim Teo-5 or the finished Minikorg2?
And again no wlan integration would be nice for sample transfer software updates and most importantly Ableton link compatibility. That’s a real miss for a 5$ wlan chip 😅
A cool machine. But I‘m waiting for the Octatrack Mk3 in a case of the Rytm2 / A4 Mk2 and a modern OS like the Digitakt2.
Stereo Stereo I think that's a must if you are serious about what you are doing, simple thing but the benefits are so much so if you have choice (Budget etc etc) it's a no brainer. Saying that the prices of Digitakt 1 secondhand are so low now I don't think there's been a better time to try the Elektron workflow. Budget allowing I will be picking up Digitakt 2 to go with my new Syntakt. Great video as always Bo
Boo's master class music mix down elektron bonus sample knob twiddles
MicroKorg2?
Elektron should have gave you a Digitakt 2 for free
Lemme get in here
Not being able to timestretch in the grid machine is an immediate dealbreaker for me
Same sound as Divkids vocals. SSL mixer sounds good.
Octatrack 2 plz
Dreadbox ?
Oberheim TEO-5
A sampler is not an instrument but more of a sonic control station.
WOOOOO I was wondering where your video was!. I thought they didn't send you one!
Correct, they did not send me one. Glad you found the vid ♥️
@@BoBeats WHAT! Their social media team is just….🗑️
I own the OG, but I think I'm going to keep it, and also get this. I'm not going to let my GAS fool me into jumping on the hype train, though. I'm going to wait for a sale, or get one used. I own more Elektron gear than any other manufacturer, so I almost feel like I need this for my collection. I'm still going to wait, until I get one for less than MSRP. I'm not sure what the mystery synth is, but I have to wonder if it's a Moog 'Mirror', 'Muse', or whatever they named it. I'm looking forward to that release.
Is the secret synth from UDO? Something about part of the sound…
The only advantage digitakt 2 have for now over Sonicware Lofi-12 XT is timestrech feature.But its matter of short time sonicware will release an firmware update for Lofi-12 XT. Peace✌
can I do a whole complete track with just this machine
Yes
The timestretch is just so poor, it’s why I chose to send mine back
Making music on it looks so abstract I don't get it. I prefer a MIDI controller, Push and Ableton live. It feels like making music not calculating a metric tensor in a anti-desiter space.
It's actually very easy to use once you grasp the workflow. Elektron has created one of the best sequencers out there.
These little Elektron boxes are fun. Once you've gotten accustomed to their design playing them is a real pleasure.
if they add the slice feature then the octatrack will become obsolete
It's the sonicware lofi-12 xt for the rich kids 👉🎵👈
Not totally wrong 😅👍
That’s EXACTLY what I was going to say… However. The XT is portable, has a speaker, velocity sensitive pads, and unlimited (due to removable) storage. OTOH, the 12 XT has a lower sample rate, bit depth, and only works with mono samples… A better comparison might be the SimplTrek. I’d compare the XT to the OG Digitakt.
And polyphony:)) a lot of peeps forget that. Chords anyone? :)
Btw just got my XT this week. And I had Digitakts in the past. They nailed the workflow for the XT.
@@alecsbuga the XT is quite good! Best Sonicware device so far I think
It's still a b!tch move from the people at Elektron that they didn't send you a reviewing unit considering you're not only one of their biggest supporters but also a day one supporter. They made themselves look like some petty haters if you ask me. I hope that changes in the future.
I am totally ok with not getting a free unit. I can pay for it. I think the weird thing is the total lack of communitcation. A simple ”yeah we have a digitakt 2 coming, cant send you one” would have been better than radio silence. And seeing which people they did send a unit, some of which previously have not supported the community of users with anything, I am just confused as to how they run things. I believe Elektron should support creators who in turn serve the community. If not with access to gear, at least thru professional communication. But it feels like we who have historically made a ton of tutorials for them, are taken for granted. People like Dave Mech, RMR, EZBOT and others have done a ton for Elektron
@@BoBeats I agree and when I see them at superbooth, I'll tell them that as well.
Its a really minor thing, and makes no difference to the functionality, but, I have an OG Digitakt, and that change to Blue screen while preserving the Yellow text and func button is really jarring, they should have gone all in with a light blue text, or stuck with the Yellow screen IMHO. #nitpick
I find the new color of the led for the active page a bit jarring i have realised… otherwise pretty happy about the look
@@BoBeats Its a minor thing too as I say, but it just looks quite incohesive and not really something I'd have expected Elektron to sign off, no doubting the upgrade in other regards :)
Wish Elektron had kept the yellow screen was easier to read.
That price 😂
Just don’t say the hidden sampled synth is new polyphoic synth from Elektron .. Syntone :-))
now that would be a funny twist to things, not getting a digitakt 2 from elektron but having some new poly synth from them :) alas its not from Elektron
Paraphonic playback, zooming and manual slicing 🤞
Digitone 2 confirmed...? ;-)
Did you buy it yourself or was it sent to you?
Watch the intro. Its literally one of the first thing I say. Bought it. Full price
@@BoBeats surprised they didn’t send a bunch out to reviewers. That’s odd
They sent out plenty, but mostly to artists that performed for Elektrons own launch video, it seems.
I think it's just a HYPE... Elektron has some problems assembling both old and new products. then a curved screen, then duplicate buttons, then an unscrewed bolt inside the device, then dust inside a new sealed package.
Digitakt received exactly what should be installed in it in 2024, or maybe even earlier. Nothing unusual.
In general, we love Elektron and its products, but they clearly need to improve control before packaging products.
I doubt the mentioned problems affected more than a handful of devices out of the substantial production volume of Elektron. I would actually bet their QC defects are well below industry average.
Got mine a couple of days ago and the build quality is awesome. Also have Syntakt with awesome build quality. 😎😎😎
Both my Syntakt and Digitakt are absolutely indestructible steel cases of permanent music creation and they both came with dust trapped between the screen glass and the display. Also, my DT has hilariously off-center registry on the '2' trig key. 🤷♂️
Yay fresh comment
You are first. You win a Digit…. A cookie!
Oooo so close
I mean, they fixed 95% of the issues of the first. Of course i would be hyped if i wasn't this short on money. But one day it will be mine.
Yeah, its not cheap. Gear have gotten increasingly more expensive last few years. Kinda crazy
@@BoBeats Inflation. Production is still trying to catch up to demand, and wages went up here in the US.
Lets quit the mk1 updates..lets bring the same machine with a few extras out so we can make money. I still believe they could do a lot more, but im not a worker at Elektron.
Where is the polyphony??
Sd card??
Internal battery? Or at least the option to buy..cause u can get a external battery for the mk1.
Its still a great machine that i use all the time.
I know my Digitakt inside out, it’s hands down my favourite creative tool. My DG2 was delivered this morning and I’ve spent about 15 mins with it so far. I feel like this new model addresses the few shortcomings of the original and makes the work flow even easier, so far I’m very happy with it.
Still no polyphony 🥺
@@croassantposting3571 hackable tho
@@croassantposting3571 and my synth won’t sample… 🤷♂️
64MB of RAM is plenty for one shots, à la "drum computer", but stereo loops can eat it up pretty quick.
True!
if you decide to venture down here, you will dig up some tacky comments too.
Hype?
Sold out instantly everywhere 😅
@@BoBeats wow! I had no idea. But I guess as liked as the digitakt is I'm not surprised.
Not interested in the product but watched the entire video just for the above-chest-level hand failing.
With hand flailing of this standard, the video warrants a re-upload with synched whipping & whooshing noises dubbed onto the sountrack.
World class.
Don't give me any ideas now...
@@BoBeats The seed is sown...
Wow, Sonicware beat them at their own game!
At least at the polyphony and sample slicing game
Aye, I'm being facetious...but there is now a tool for every taste! We are spoiled! :)
@@Farold_Haltermeyer yeah we truly got some great samplers to choose from!
Let’s see, a new SP-404 costs half this, has velocity sensitive pads, more storage that’s also removable, and is battery powered. A new SimplTrek costs less than half this, has velocity sensitive pads, more storage that is removable, and is battery powered. A used MPC One costs half this, has velocity sensitive pads, more storage that is removable, a massively better screen, dozens of internal synths…
If this had been the OG Digitakt it would have been competitive in its time (7 years ago). I can’t see who this is for other than DT owners.
I’m not a hater, I just see that the market moved on.
For the price of this I can get a Gotharmans SpazeDrum. It has a full drum synth (I can output four different drums on four analog outs), a digital synth, and works with samples in a plug in 32 GB thumb drive…
The DTII is nice… but it just caught up with 2017…
While I don't completely agree I do think we have a crazy amount of choice right now in terms of grooveboxes and samplers. I think its time for me to compare them again!
@@BoBeatsAnd Bo, if I’m wrong… I’m wrong. I look forward to some comparisons. I’d really like to see what double the price gets me other than the Elektron name…
Sorry...but have you ever dived into an elektron device? I own the DT 2...the workflow is unbeatable. The new performance features are wicked!! I think its more of a live device. They will add manual slicing fore sure btw. So i think you review is a bit flat...
You’re paying for the sequencer not the other features. What makes DG special is that its sequencer is generative. It will help you create ideas. While the MPC (which is great) needs you to give it ideas to work with.
I have an MPC ONE and Maschine+, but I’m looking at getting either Digitone or DGII.
@@kellygreenii Okay, I can get a used Squarp Pyramid for $400 and still not have paid as much (if what I need is a generative sequencer).
Still that stupid screen
And the shitty FX...
Why no usb-c ?! 1000$ device in 2024...
My wife refers to bobeats as the sweetie guy