Elektron Digitakt Review // The Best Hardware Sampler (for me)?

[@AaronFerenc]

I like that you included your history with the device in this video, because it helps me feel like all of this is a process of finding your own way with sound, which it is!

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks for watching!

[@shannonpalmer]

I got a digitone last week, and I clicked with the sequencer and workflow so fast, I’m already selling camera gear to afford a digitakt to pair it with. I’ve basically watched all of your videos this week, and now I know for sure I want one. Thank you for all the time you’ve put into all the content you share. Gonna have to join your patreon now, love your videos and your music!!

[@SlowHaste]

Aw thanks so much, that’s great to hear, I appreciate the kind words! It’s funny, I had no interest in the Digitone at all until I got the Digitakt, then it hit me how perfect they would work together. And also I’ve come to realize how powerful the Digitone can be on its own.

[@meenasalamamusic]

Another great informative video. Very much wish I could afford it, but for now I'll have to window shop through channels like this lol cheers!

[@SlowHaste]

Hahah, someday you will! It took a lot of time at my day jobs to build up the synth ecosystem I have, I’m realize very lucky to be able to fuel this hobby!

[@boombap08]

This was a great way to talk about an instrument. Really cohesive in your presentation. Thanks and subbed

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks for the sub Sean! Glad you found this useful.

[@tubeMonger]

Especially the DIgitakt OS 1.30 makes it great. The external mixer, two LFOs, two filters, global effect settings...

[@tubeMonger]

Thank you for sharing your perspective. Subscribed.

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks for the sub! Yep, totally stoked to update the firmware. I’m moving and unfortunately packed it away in a box literally the same day the update came out hahah.

[@tubeMonger]

@@SlowHaste I can relate :-)

[@G0nz0uk]

Really helpful video. I've been listening to electronic music for 25 years now (Aphex Twin, Proem, BOC etc) and ordered one of these this week after watching many videos. Your tutorials are great and hope to see more. My goal is to really learn the DT and then maybe get the Digitone and Keystep once I'm confident and one step at a time. I really watch to make some ambient tunes with glitchy random beats for myself to chill too. I use to have a MC303 years ago which was great (shows my age).

[@SlowHaste]

Fantastic, I’m glad I helped persuade you! You’re gonna love it, it can feel a bit dense at first but once you push through learning the architecture, it’s such an incredible machine.

[@Two-Eyed_Boy]

I'm so glad you put a microscope on this device. When I first saw it on another channel I was left with the impression that it was a blocky, $800 drum machine and I was so confused

[@SlowHaste]

and henceforth, my digitakt shall be named "blocky"

[@scoreandsound]

If I want to sample an 88 key acoustic piano at let's say 9 velocity levels per key, and be able to play it via a midi keybaord, is this possible with the digitakt?

[@scoreandsound]

So like 9 individual samples per note

[@SlowHaste]

@@scoreandsound if you played a chord into the sampler, yes you would be able to capture that audio via the Digitakt - is that what you’re asking? Otherwise, each track on the Digitakt is only able to play monophonically (if a single note is sampled, you would have to sample another single note on a different track to play a “chord”). Let me know if that makes sense!

[@scoreandsound]

@@SlowHaste hi there thanks for your reply, what I am looking for is a hardware version of kontakt really I guess.

[@Curious_Skeptic]

@@scoreandsound this isn't it!!! You aren't even close. This is a beat box imho. You are talking about a kronos, nautilus, maybe a fantom. These little sub 1000.00 boxes are limited in polyphonic voices. You need multisampling and high poly count sampler. Just use vst unless you have $$$. Kronos is king of samplers imho! Guess what, it's just a laptop w keyboard built in. They all are! Chasing your tail. Hardware that does what computer and vst does is a keyboard with a computer attached. Lol. By the way, plenty of cheap weighted key electric pianos already have amazing multisampled pianos! Why recreate what has been done to near perfection?

[@deadmidi5684]

I concur! It’s the one sampler that I find myself coming back to time and time again to get out of creative ruts. It’s really fun as an external midi sequencer for modular as well. Can easily create whole sets using it in that context with the sampler. Nice video man!

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks so much! Yeah I haven’t done any midi sequencing with it just yet...not too far off the horizon though!

[@s-now]

Thank you. I already own a Digitakt but it was interesting listen to your review and the reasons that brought you to buy a DT!

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks for checking it out!! It’s a great piece of kit for sure.

[@wayneanderson2866]

As someone who’s been sitting on his Digitakt for about 2 years now...🤯😂.... I’m kind of starting over trying to learn what it was created to do. I look forward to your tutorials!!

[@SlowHaste]

Hell yeah! Definitely worth it to sink as much time as you can into it, it’s been really rewarding. Welcome to the channel!

[@architectofthemachine]

Cool videos dude, keep it up. I just bought a second hand Digitakt yesterday and found your channel through you video about cool pedals for synths. And this video made some things clear for me. I am going to spend some time viewing some of your videos to get into your vibe. I want to ask a question, what would you recommend as a first pedal for Digitakt + Looper and Guitar combo? I am thinking about Bit Commander which is reasonably priced, but also i would also want to invest in something in a long term complex pedal like Big Sky. Thank you for spending the time to create those videos, i appreciate it

[@SlowHaste]

Oh man that’s a tough question. What are you hoping for out of your first pedal? I know Strymon recently released the Night Sky which is similar to the Big Sky but more experimental-oriented if that’s of interest, it seems pretty cool to me!

[@t1d3s]

Makes me miss my Digitakt! Octatrack cures the Elektron itch for me now but I do miss the immediacy of this machine so much! 🤣 Great video dude

[@SlowHaste]

Thanks dude! If I ever dive into that rabbit hole you know I’m coming to you for questions

[@t1d3s]

@@SlowHaste haha! Anytime dude 👌👍

[@worldtraveller9839]

Watching this video made me feel like I was your therapist. 😂

[@SlowHaste]

Hahah that’s a unique take, but I’ll roll with that for sure!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. This was exactly what I needed not to listen to my GAS feelings. I'm not ready for the digitakt 'yet' :) I will be one day though :)

[@SlowHaste]

Haha happy to help! As much as I am obsessed with it, I always try to be realistic about my experiences & evolving gear needs.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@SlowHaste Best way probably. I will dive deeper into my 707 before moving on to something else (or considering adding something to the setup) Still it itches ;P

[@nomad1517]

Sweden makes amazing hardware and software. Reason is sooooo much fun. And so is anything from teenage engineering.

[@SlowHaste]

Totally agreed!

[@lopodyr]

I am pretty sure it's not actually mechanical keys, but really good quality rubber dome scissor switches. I am almost certain there is no way this can be gateron as the buttons are quite small and close together. I may wrong, but I don't think it's using mechanical keyboard parts. I would also argue that it would not be brown switches as they don't really have a tactile bump. To my fingers, the Digitakt and Digitone switches would be linear (so Red, too light to be Black) in Gateron/Cherry/MX overall terms. That was my mechanical keyboard nerdism. Edit: SIKE, it is a mechanical keyboard as mentioned below. Back to keyboard nerdism school for me :D Still, thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts on this machine. I honestly have never heard a take like yours on the DT. It's always interesting to hear how some gear can fit in someone's musical journey :D

[@SlowHaste]

Haha oh damn, I hate to have misinformed!! I incorrectly recalled this link that I had to dig up - this claims they are Kaihl switches forum.mutable-instruments.net/t/gearporn-elektron-digitakt-teardown/12689. But yeah you are definitely right, they don’t have a bump at all so I wasn’t really thinking, even in my mis-rememberence hahah. Either way, thanks for checking it out & also for being a nerd!!

[@s-now]

@@SlowHaste @lopodyr They are mechanical switches. They are the Kailh Silver.

[@lopodyr]

@@SlowHaste wow they are! It’s wild :D thanks for sharing the gallery and taking some time to clarify. Super interesting stuff 👍Well I guess I am not enough of a nerd haha. I have edited my comment as well to avoid misinformation too.

[@lopodyr]

@@s-now yeah it’s amazing! It’s much better than I thought, I am really impressed 😱

[@outdatedgear5036]

I can’t justify buying another drum machine after using the digitakt.

[@CC-fi3pp]

The mpc 2000xl is personal my fav that being said the Digitakt is problably the only sampler still in production I'd consifder buying oh and the PO-33.

[@SlowHaste]

I’ve never tried anything from the mpc line (bit afraid to dive down that path haha) but I’m sure one day it’ll happen!

[@lundsweden]

For many, the OP1 is pure unobtainium. It is now around $2000 AUD here in Australia, that is about $1500 USD. That rules it out for me, unless the OP-1 can write No.1 hits!

[@SlowHaste]

Wowwww I did not realize the price was that high over there!!

[@RadekPilich]

Stereo sampling is the one thing missing for it to be perfect.

[@SlowHaste]

Yes that would be fantastic!

[@tommytheseagull]

Don‘t forget SAMPLE SLICING like on the Octatrack!!! That would be nice AF❤️❤️❤️

[@mikeyfisher]

I never regretted buying mine and will never sell it.

[@SlowHaste]

Same here!!

[@Andy-iw9su]

It’s mono. Which I think is a serious limitation.

[@SlowHaste]

Definitely a valid concern for a specific use case. I’ve personally never implemented stereo samples, but I know a ton of people do! Also, the device is stereo (with its panning & effects) but can only sample in mono.

[@Curious_Skeptic]

Gear seem to have cult followings. Not sure anyone can truly tell you what gear is better. I would hate the limitations of this thing. Knowing, for the same money I can own a mpc one or korg wavestate, I would never waste money on an eight voice box.

[@SlowHaste]

To each their own, certainly! A big majority of folks who I’ve chatted with seem to love the Digitakt because of those limitations. And you’re absolutely right about cult followings & fanboy/girl-ism… that could be a whole other video topic lol

[@Curious_Skeptic]

@@SlowHaste lol. Not even fan boys but just some folks like to pick gear, learn it and it helps them focus. Believe me, I am a hot mess w gear! 30 plus years of buying and selling gear. I have yet to find the best creative solution. Kronos was by far the most inspiring kit by far! If it had a hdmi out, I might have kept it as my only board. Now, realizing how much money I tend to waste, I am back to just vst/daw and most likely will stay here. Next purchase is a solid midi controller. S88 mk2 most likely.

[@Dewane1511]

I wish this was able to SLICE samples …I’m talking about the so-called wrote around .

[@SlowHaste]

That certainly would be an appreciated feature!

[@chellentano79]

50 тысяч склеек)))

[@pinkjoys1127]

More

[@yunyun2451]

Why the hell it can't use stereo samples? This is a deal breaker for me. Even old ESX could use stereo samples.