Hi everyone !
I am a new Digitakt user (but not new to the Elektron world as I own an Analog Four and a Syntakt) and I noticed something weird today.
I have the feeling my kick volume decreases when I play some hats (on each 1/16th notes) at some volume.
Is there anything that explains that ? Or are my ears are getting crazy ?
Cheers !
Is master compressor on? How are you monitoring the digitakt?
Almost definitely either clipping the master or hitting the compressor too hard. Try turning each track down a bit.
Didnt change any parameter yet,
it was a new project from scratch.
Thats what I tought too but I never experienced the same thing on the Syntakt (but the samples are probably louder than my Syntakt tracks) âŚ
Looks like I donât face the same issue with the hats volume a bit lower - I was affraid there was a problem with my unit (as it was a second hand) ⌠I am not used to have clipping within a single machine as I never had that kind of things with the A4 or the Syntakt.
Doesnât seem normal. Would you make an audio recording ?
Same problems with headphones ? Did you check your cables, monitoring stuff ?
Did you check Dry/Wet compressor parameter?
Do you have midi in connected ?
I can try to make an audio recording but it happens with my headphones (my studio is undergoing a renovation so i donât have any monitors/speakers).
I have no midi connected and I didnât modify the dry/wet compressor parameter (should have been the âdefaultâ parameter as I started by âinnit a new projectâ) - I think I checked it but I think it had no effect on this âbehaviourâ (I am at work right now)
Do you think it doesnât seem normal ? (It was a really loud kick sample with some added overdrive and the hats were quite loud too btw)
Default project, default sample slots 1-8 kit ?
Doesnât seem normal.
Iâd test again with a new project.
Defaut project but custom samples ! these were âprocessedâ samples from a hard techno pack I bought and used on Ableton. The samples are really loud and âbangingâ.
The kick sounds really loud then I start the hats (on every 1/16 notes) and after 1 or 2 seconds I have the feeling the kick volume decrease. When I stop the hats, after 1 or 2 seconds I have the feeling the kick volume increase again.
I wasnt sure if my ears were playing with me or if it was something normal (or even an issue with the DT - which is in a perfect state but is 2 year old)
Sounds like a compressor is working, or maybe clipping on the master.
But if youâre not sure itâs actually happeningâŚ
You can check the level in your DAW. Just watch the peak meter, or insert Abletonâs Spectrum on the track and check the peak of the kick. When you hover over a point in the spectrum with the mouse, Spectrum shows the db reading at the bottom left.
Could also be your ears are adjusting to more/less elements.
Is there any way to monitor if the master is clipping directly in the Digitakt ?
About the DT compressor, as I didnât change any parameter I was wondering if it could happen. Wasnt sure the compressor was actively working âfrom scratchâ and without changing anything.
Yeah, could be my ears but thatâs something I never noticed in my entire life and had no clue it could happen 
Thatâs also why I came here to ask.
This behaviour sounds like ducking or âside chain compressionâ. Only by going off your description.
No, you canât monitor if the master is clipping on the DT. You can only go by ear and lower the volume of kick and hats to check if itâs still happening.
Iâd recommend to check in your daw if there is an actual difference in level. I edited my post above while you were typing, so maybe youâve missed it. Thatâs probably the best approach if youâre not 100% sure.
I am not sure about it. I tried by setting the side chain on both the master (default value) or on the track 1 (kick) and I didnât notive any big difference with this behaviour.
A side chain on the kick should decrease/duck the volume on every 4 note (when the kick hits) but here It was like a âconstantâ decrease of the kick volume. (it decreased and then stayed low until the hats got stopped)
Or do you mean is that the side chain was setted on the hats (on every notes) and thatâs what created that decrease of the volume ? (would make sense but I never setted the sidechain on the hats)
thatâs what I mean. the kick sounds like itâs ducking the hats to avoid stepping on them.
Iâm of the same opinion as sezare though, I donât see why it should be clipping, but itâs possible. If you record it and can duplicate the behaviour someone will have a better answer Iâm sure.
Yeah, if youâd provide us with recording (kick, then kick+hats, then hats muted again), we could check if there are actual level differences and possibly tell you more about whatâs going on there.
Pretty much impossible to tell whatâs going on without listening. First thing I would do is try it with different samples to see if it does the same thing. Then analyze the frequency range of the samples themselves.
If the Kick has a lot of high end distortion, which it seems like it might from your description the Kick -will- be perceptually lower volume when the Hats come in.
My wild guess is that the samples are just really overlapping and need to be EQâd
Btw, what happens when you lower the hi hat level? What happens when you increase the kick level?