Digitone as alternative to MD, just for sound design?

Elektron Gear
#1

OK, OK, I know, there’s no substitute for MD. However: my situation is, I am a new AR2 owner, it’s an instant hit for me, and I love the workflow, particularly the pads and performance controls. I used to own a MD back in the day, and of course designing sounds on the AR2 makes me miss it, and I’ve pondered getting another, just to design metallic and experimental percussion sounds to import as samples into the AR2.

Could Digitone scratch that itch, though? At a third the used price and half the size? I had one before, for a project where I was designing a lot of synth pads, but I never tried it for percussion.

Or, you know, I could bite the bullet and get a MD again. What do you think?

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#2

Digitone can do exactly the sort of percussion sounds you are talking about, but it’ll never sound the same as an MD.

So if it’s general digital perc sounds you’re after, get the Digitone, but if you want something that sounds like an MD, get an MD.

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#3

Take a look at this video by @OscillatorSink.
It’s at the right place.

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#4

Oh that’s really helpful, thank you

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#5

Syntakt is closer to MD spirit than Digitone imho. Dedicated machines.

Of course you have more synthesis parameters and operators with DN, but you loose immediacy and tracks compare to ST. I sold DN for ST, also wanting AR voices. No regrets.

I recently bought a non UW MD MKI, half the price of a new DN !

I’d also recommend the original if you want MD sound.

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#6

is OT workflow the most like MD?

#7

I think so. Both are weird and not finished. Too much possibilities and limitations to find a workflow with them. :content:

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#8

you like the syntakt? I can’t be a fan yet… seems cool everywhere but my ears …

very hi fi sound though, clean audio.

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#9

Somehow nice to hear that from an OT hardcore user/fan.

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#10

Yes. It is great to sequence the MD. :content:

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#11

can you still get the benefits of owning MD when sequencing from another piece of gear?

#12

At that price, my dilemma would be solved!

I have considered Syntakt, but it feels like I’m paying a lot for some redundancy with AR2, and used DN is pretty affordable. But I should watch some tutorial videos…

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#13

Sure. Especially with MD MKIs, 32 steps max per pattern.
I use MD sequencer anyway.

As workflow I planned to use MD with ST (midi control of MD CTR ALL), sample MD with DT, play ST and DT, sampled and mangled with OT. :loopy: Maybe it won’t happen :meh:. Maybe next winter…no time/energy for that…:expressionless:

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#14

I don’t have experience with the Machinedrum, but I can tell you that the Digitone is great for all kinds of drum and percussion sound design. In fact that’s what I mostly use it for, and I have a lot of Digitone drum samples in my Rytm. DN can produce bread-and-butter drums sounds well, but also excels at weird metallic percussion, sweet or trashy bells/gongs, wood sounds, animal noises, zombie human voices, droplets, scratches, zips etc.

The problem is you’ll end up using it on it’s own a lot, because it’s so much fun and so easy to create music with.

If you just want something to sample, the Volca Drum might be an alternative. It’s excellent for digital drum/percussion sounds.

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#15

Well, I arrived at the only real solution to this dilemma…sold a bunch of stuff and bought back both devices. Geez Louise I missed the MD. Thanks for the suggestions!

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#16

Feed the Digitone to Heat and get amazing MD type crushing drums.

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