How can I add the Microcosm to my DT and DN setup?

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

Hello,

I’m getting a Microcosm effects pedal soon and I’l like to be able to use it with one of the tracks on the Digitone, I read some will for example send just track 1 to it and pan it left and the other 3 track to use the right output to somewhere else (like the Digitakt).

How can I do this panning? I assume the left output will go to the microcosms input using a 1 to 2 stereo mono jack cable and the same from the Microcosm back to the Digitone’s Input?

The problem I have if that is the case is my Typhon Dreadbox goes into the DN too. It would be nice to route these better and ideas would be great or maybe there is another device that would help as I’ll need to use the Mido on the Microcosm too.

I’m pretty new to this btw (1-2 years) so I’m sure I’m missing something.

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#2

Hm, looks like you could benefit from an interface/mixer as all of your DN inputs are used. If you are fine with losing stereo effects, you could work around it without one. But I think the stereo effects of Microcosm (and DN) are what makes them shine.

You can set Microcosm to mono input and only connect one output of your DN to it. If you e.g. pan DN track 1 hard left and connect left out to Microcosm, it should receive the full signal of DN track 1. You could then connect one output of Microcosm to your DT. You could then pan DN tracks 2-4 hard right and connect right out to DT in. If you set L/R in to level 100/127 on DN track 2/3/4, you can send it to DT without it going into Microcosm. If you set L/R in to level 100/127 on DN track 1, you can send it into Microcosm. However, you will lose the stereo effects of Microcosm and DN (and Typhon, if sending it to Microcosm, if it even has stereo effects, idk).

If you want to keep the stereo effects, you could invest in a simple interface like Focusrite or Behringer UMD (i think that’s the name) with four to six inputs. You could connect Typhon to DN inputs and both DN outputs with a TRS stereo jack to Microcosm. Then connect both outputs of Microcosm to two inputs on your interface. And the two outputs of your DT to the other two inputs of your interface. You could also connect Typhon to DT ins if you want to only send DN track(s) into Microcosm.

So you have to ask yourself:

  • how important are stereo effects of Microcosm/DN to me?
  • do you want to mix tracks later on? If so, I would suggest investing in an interface or be careful with sending DN/Typhon into Microcosm.

Hope this helps. I feel like your setup could be quite confusing without an interface/mixer. If you don’t want a mixer, maybe think about using Microcosm with Typhon instead and connect Typhon into Microcosm and then Microcosm into DN, then DN to DT.

I am personally using an Octatrack that is hooked up to DN/DT with Microcosm on OT cue outs. This way, I can decide whether I want to send DN/DT to Microcosm or not. Microcosm out is connected to my interface so I can record separate tracks. I still have to decide whether to send all DN/DT tracks into Microcosm or none. I sometimes also have an analogue synth connected to DN. If I want to then send it to Microcosm, I will also have to send all DN tracks to Microcosm. Having this in mind, I structure my tracks so that I alternate between DN/analogue synth or choose mild Microcosm settings so that it’s not overwhelming.

Anyways, have fun with your really powerful setup!

#3

…yup…ur at THE treshold of next level…

ur combo is closed in itself the way it is for now…any hax of cheating one of ur mainouts via pannings to serve as an individual out will only cut ur overall possebilties drastically…

adding a stereo pedal fx to ur actual sonic equasion will lead to the natural next step…
u’ll need some mixer or interface, if u wanna keep on progressing for real…

ur simple daisy chaining days are coming to an end…

if u wanna avoid the full next step, with interface and involving digital domain, ur best option is a little mixer…ur microcosm will profit most if u can feed it with various content on the fly via classic fx sends u’ll find on any standard mixer solution…there u could host all ur main outs individually, adress a headphone out AND even some speakers…it’s all countless next chapters on a neverending journey…and that’s ur next natural step on ur sonic journey, if u wanna stay real with it and keep on growing into all this…

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#4

Yes, this is how it was for me. Although I have skipped using insert effects so far and instead settled on the OT cue outs solution. Seemed easier at the time and was afraid of otherwise having to look at the screen to change routings. Been recently thinking about trying out inserts though as my current setup is great for jamming but not ideal for recording.

#5

…aaaand to keep it real in costs and efforts, some behringer mixer that also worx as an interface for later…and that “later”, that next step will also come sooner than u might think…

so check for a mixer that can also can become an audio interface at some point…

no need to be afraid of mixers and using fx sends…

a octatrack has also some mixer options but that’s a bigger investment…and also sooner than later, u will outgrow it’s centerhub/mixer capabilties, too…

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#6

I’m also interested in discussing whether I should go for a mixer and start using inserts. Is there a good topic here on this already?

#7

…dunno…but standard mixer usage and making use of sends is really no rocket science…

just follow the architecture of a single channel from top to bottom and have a look how that model of mixer treats it’s internal summing…

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#8

Thanks yeah it seems I need a mixer and audio interface then or something that does both, I don’t have a lot of space, would the Bluebox 1010 do the job?

#9

What a fantastic reply, thanks!

I think I need Incorporate a mixer and audio interface like you mention as I’ll like to have better flexibility to what I can use the Microcosm with.

I’m just searching as to what small mixers and audio interfaces there are out there as I don’t have much space. Would the Bluebox 1010 be any good?

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#10

Glad I could help. I have no experience with the Bluebox. But someone on this forum posted that it is prone to noise issues. There’s a dedicated thread on it, so you could read about users’ experiences there.

I’m using a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 so far and am pretty happy with it. But I have it hooked up to Ableton for recording and routing, don’t know if you have a DAW. And as I and @reeloy have written above, a cheap dedicated mixer could be a better option.

Another solution might be to try out a smaller setup like e.g. DN, DT, Microcosm (inspired by this thread: Having distinct different mini setups - #10 by Octagonist)

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#11

…most valuable solution for this could be that…

perfect compromise for small footprint meets pricetag but still open for further future…

whatever u think to do with the bluebox 1010…apart from it’s footprint it would be only a halfway solution…
a bit like adding a ot now…huge new content options with a little mixer routing plus…
but not really helpful at the essential front ur dealing with right now…

if u can fit that mixer into ur setup, ur workflow will improove the most for now…

u got a solid instrument collection now…if u wanna go for outboard fx next, ur stepping into home studio terretory now…once u hear ur first timbres and textures morphing through ur microcosm, u will, with no doubt, wanna start to capture ur reslts from then on…as said, it’s neverending…
with this cheap mixer/interface combo, ur ready for the next two steps…

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#12

Sorry I’m trying to picture this and sketch it out.

To record I have been using Overbridge or Overbridge with Ableton, but I like being DAWless as much as possible.

So would something like a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 be enough for my setup for stereo as you mentioned I think it has 4 inputs?

Like this?

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I’m trying to think where the mixer would go or how I can would pan say track 1 on the DT to the Microcosm to the Microcosm in this setup, I think I’m being thick.

#13

So this is a mixer and audio interface in one that can USB to the PC for recording or external recorder. I’m trying to sketch this one in my head (posted a sketch on the other reply).

So how would I route my gear into this with the Microcosm with an option to use say 1 track of the DN into it?

Thanks again, so helpful, I just get a little confused on the details as I’m learning (always will I think).:slight_smile:

#14

18i8 has four inputs for line level signals on the back and four with preamps and settings for instrument levels on the front. If you want to use stereo effects, each synth will need two inputs. You could e.g. connect DN and DT to the line levels on the back and Typhon on the front. That means you would still have two inputs left. You could connect Microcosm as an insert and send it to your inputs in your DAW, I think. Not sure if you would use the inputs on the back for this or other, dedicated ones. Not an expert on insert effects. You could otherwise e.g. connect DT and Typhon to line inputs and DN to Microcosm, Microcosm outs then into the front inputs. Of course you could then use Microcosm only with DN.

#15

…running ur main outputs of the tone through the microcosm will do great things…
BUT only once at any given moment…
that’s not the way to prefer…usually…

u better be able to feed the microcosm with all kinds of signals, without repatching, without cutting short on ur clean mainout options…

so, i’d hardly recommend, u stop that daisy chaining train of thoughts for now and start thinking in paralell signal flows…

means…takts main out gets a proper destination pair of channels on a mixer…
and so does the tone AND the typhon…
ur microcosm is also hardwired to the mixer and gets it’s input from the standard aux send out of ur mixer…
this way u can send as much as u want from each single output signal of all ur individual instruments to ur microcosm by just turning up the aux send u’ll find on each mixer channel…

now u can connect the output of ur microcosm also to individual mixer input channels, which would given u even the option to feed the microcosm with it’s own output signal again…
or u connect it’s out to the official aux IN of ur mixer…that would be the classic way…
if u gor for first option here, be careful…it’s a classic feedback loop ur creating here…can lead to great unique results…but only if handled very carefully…means, on this channel of the mixer, ur aux send poti can be dangerous…

u still have the inputs of ur tone free for whatever might come in the future…but u also still got a pair mixer input channels free…

but since ur takt is a sampler, u defenitly don’t wanna waste it for simply daisychaining, by jsut hosting the outputsignal of the typhon or any other instrument…u want it OPEN for various sampling sources…

so, that second main output of the mixer would do just great for this…!
anything u hear could easily sampled/catched/frozen/captured this way at any given moment…

be sure, ur microcosm will spit out many sonic pearls and timbre moments u might wanna use as an instrument voice on it’s own again…so u sample another snippet of that into ur takt again…
see where all this is going…?

so, yes…at the backend of ur mixer on ur diagram, ur totally right…
but at the front end, all ur instruments and ur outboard fx better adress their outputs all into the mixer individually…

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#16

Convinced me; I need a mixer as well… It lives next to an Audio interface

#17

…any scarlett interface will cost u pretty much same amount of such a mixer…
while on the mixer ur staying flexible with realtime routing manually in classic studio production old school way…versus less inputs and internal routing only via a computer…

and all outboard fx can be used as an insert effect, sure…but used as an send and return effect is way more flexible…ur tone and takt do all kinds of sonic stuff…if u run their physical outs as total insert effect feeds, ur loosing all options of internal shaping and mixing by glueing it together to one, overall same effected signal…

if ur “only” into deep ambient texture flowing, that might work fine…on ALL other situations, this is nothing but a total limitation u usually wanna avoid…

#18

So that mixer you linked also acts as an audio interface like the Scarlett as to record you’d need to plug it into a PC via USB or the Outputs into a record or sort?

#19

…it worx as a standard usb audiointerface…don’t know for sure if that means it’s “only” transferring it’s stereo sum via usb to any computer, or if it also offers some individual bus/stem/single out options…

but even if it just offers main summing recording via usb, it’s still a huge advantage…
since u got all this input analog patchbay options…
while u still can also harvest all the elektron ob usb protocols anyways…

giving it a second thought…i’m pretty sure, that mixer model acts like a 12 into 2 interface…
dunno what focusrite ur referring to, but that’s 8 into 2 max…smallest would be 2 into 2…most common would be 4 into 2…

#20

Interesting; you’re saying mixer > Audio interface. I have been looking and I’m seeing that an upgrade to the Scarlett would be 400 EUR. (18i6).

A mixer ranges from 100 to 200. Luckily my Scarlett 8i6 has just enough inputs to route the Microcosm as an External Effect via Ableton.

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