I have a digitone and a digitakt and I’m contemplating a syntakt. But one of either the digitone or digitakt have to go and I’m struggling on which one to keep and which one to sell. I don’t have the space to have all 3 (physically or mentally) and I’m keeping my non modular setup very basic from here on out. I got wayyy too overwhelmed the last 2 years and basically hoarded gear and stopped using them because my setup got more and more complicated. from here on out I want simple setups - less is more. Doesn’t matter how much you want to persuade, I know myself and one of them has to go and that’s the way I want it.
The decision is which one. I am leaning toward keeping the digitakt and selling the digitone, just because I feel that would give me a nice clean and simple workflow. I’d basically use my syntakt as an all in one groovebox and then layer some samples for depth via the digitakt. I think digitone and syntakt would give me too many choices and create that choice paralysis that I’m looking to avoid. Open to feedback!
For me it’s always about what do you prefer on your workflow: managing and choosing samples or sound design with synthesis… I was in a very similar situation, I had to reduce all my gear to two devices and decided to fit it all in a small Magma suitcase to make it portable. I don’t enjoy working or managing samples so the decision was clear and chose Digitone + Syntakt. And I think you have it clear too!
In any case I don’t think you can be wrong with any of the 3 possible Digi combinations.
EDIT: Also, I’ve been a victim of choice paralysis on a daw and when having too many pieces of gear, infinite possibilities is the last thing I look for in hardware, it kills my creativity, my brain doesn’t like it… so I can relate to what you say.
You could pick up a probably cheap 2nd hand volca FM to replace the digitone as you’ve plenty of midi sequencing power in the takts, plus digital and analog FX
I’d probably agree with the way you’re “leaning” in that I feel you’d have a wider range of sounds to draw on from by keeping the Digitakt (given the Syntakt doesn’t do samples, but you can do SOME FM sounds on it)
I feel there’s probably more crossover and similarities between Digitone and Syntakt too, than the other combinations would give you.
The release of the Syntakt has made it obvious that Elektron have a big gap for a Syntone, if that is to be a subtractive poly synth (whether VA, Waveform or Analog) in that smaller box format.
I love the Digitone, and would put that with the Syntakt right now, but I feel way more comfortable and fast working with a subtractive synth than I do an FM one… fingers crossed, it’ll happen at some point… until then, I’ll use the Analog Four mk2.
appreciate the feedback, but keeping 3 is out of the question. As I explained 2 is all I can handle from a mental health/state. When I get overwhelmed I shut down and stop being creative and focus more on the gear tech than the art of making music. I don’t want too many choices and honestly I might end up with just 1 at some point.
Depends how you operate, but if you’re suffering from being overwhelmed by having too many decisions to make, then maybe getting rid of the Digitakt and going with the Digitone is the way forward. I absolutely love sampling and have a bunch of samplers but managing samples and bouncing them back and forth between a computer and hardware is a lot of extra work and requires extra abstract thinking, rather than just sitting down and dialling in sounds on a synth. Getting rid of the “prep” phase and just jumping right in might be a more immediate way to go. Just a thought.
Edit: I just read your reasoning for going the other way, and that makes a lot of sense as well - in the end of course it’s best to just go with your gut feeling.
Your thoughts are def valid as well. Messing with samples takes a lot more prep work and can often get you out of the zone before you even begin laying down tracks. I think that’s part of the reason syntakt is appealing. It seems like everything is there for you in one box, ready to jam. hunting for samples can be a chore sometimes.
If you really want to stick to just two boxes I personally would drop the Digitone as you could still use Digitone samples on the Digitakt.
To keep things simple (or simpler) I really wish these boxes had a songmode. If Elektron did that I think I would’ve had a DT+DN+ST+AH in front of me and no worries how I’m going to create a full song from start to finish without my simple brain exploding.
…sample techniques is all what syntakt will miss out on ever…
both takts are the killercombo…and tone will get u a little higher 2nd hand pricetag, too…
keyboard spread/fold and the scales are also in st…even better…and the arp option will come, sooner than later…so, not really that much to miss on the dtone for now…
Yeah I don’t think I could go wrong with either. We shall see, might do what was recommended and wait till syntakt is here first before making my choice.
Best to make these decisions slow based on self-observation after some time, rather than speculation. Fallen into the trap of trying to figure it out many times. That feeling of instability and uncertainty can be unbearable, you just want the change to happen and be done with, as you suffer trying to mentally anticipate and prepare for the effects the change might have.
Tucking stuff away does wonders for mental clarity, in my experience.
If I had it, the first thing I’d want to do is make some songs with the ST by itself, since it seems designed for that. No rush!
Yes, I actually stopped making music for 4 months to step away and take a step back to see what I actually needed in my life. It became clear that the hoarding of gear was having an opposite effect on me and it made me not want to make music. Some people can handle 100s of gear and focus on just little areas as they please. With my attention span or lack there of, I can’t unfortunately. I’m going to keep a very small 2 elektron setup paired with my novation peak as my non modular setup. Then the rest I’m gonna focus on my modular as I have enough modules to keep me busy for ever. I like the idea of only syntakt to start. Hence why I’m leaning toward keeping digitakt - just to keep things simple as for choices
The way I feel about my DT/DN, that would be a Sophie’s Choice for me, and I do not envy you if you truly feel the need to give up one.
It’s especially difficult because all three boxes (DT/DN/ST) are each capable generating fantastic music on their own, in the right hands. Yet they are also very complementary to one another in their unique focuses.
IF I were forced to give up one, it would be the Digitone. Why? Because I could still do some pretty powerful synthesis with the ST, and even the Digitakt with single-cycle waveforms and other samples. But without the DT? No samples. Lately my music has had some sci-fi themes and retro disco vibes where samples have started playing into that more and more. I can do my musical styles without a polyphonic FM synth, but if I lose the Digitakt, I lose some of the recognizable character of my tunes in a live set.
That said, it would break my heart to give up the modern classic that is the Digitone.
You have to ask yourself: synthesis or samples? Where does your musical muse find its happy place? If your Digitone speaks to you more than the DT and you think that together with the ST you’re going to have a synthesis nirvana, then do that. If you think the ST will cover your synthesis itch and want those DT samples, then do that.
Or as other posters suggested, keep them all until if and when a clear winner emerges and you can decide in the context of some real day to day music making.
I don’t know what music you’re making, OP, but I think Syntakt really benefits from having a sampler alongside it. If you feel like you need a couple of Roland Hats or a little vocal thing, easy. Digitone is great, but it just doesn’t give you that extra bit of variety that you might need to go alongside Syntakt.
For example I do not separate sound design from writing. I’ve tried it … it isn’t for me. I like the new/weird sound to make me feel something and that informs the motif.
