Yep, I opened a ticket about that also. I hope it gets fixed at some point soon as they’ve been aware of it for a while now. It’s not a showstopper for me, but it is annoying
Enjoy! the combo of the DN Keys plus an analogue synth is very pleasing sound combo I think. I have an SH01a (ok not analogue but sounds close enough) permanently attached to an Ext In of my DN Keys, which provides the SH01a with sequencing, additional LFO, FX.
SH01a and DN(K) are a great combo! I also use that quite often.
I’m totally in love again with the sound of the DN lately. I can see many benefits of both DN versions.
I assume the keyboard and macro controls of the keys really opens it up and makes it even more a complete instrument.
On the other hand, taking my DN on my lap chilling on the couch and diving into the deep sound is a joyful experience as well.
I like the sound so much, it would even make sense for me to have both. I fill up the 4 tracks so quickly, and loving what I can get out of only 4 tracks, but almost every time I think, damn I need 4 more tracks with this sound…
Sure I could just free the tracks up and sample it into the OT…
Would love to try the DNkeys but I’m pretty sure I couldn’t let it go afterwards.
I got my Digitone Keys for $800 as a blem/open box.
I have no idea where there is a blemish on it though. Looks perfect.
The only way I can spot that it isn’t 100% fresh is that the included USB cable was obviously used and re-coiled.
Can’t wait until Covid lockdown is over so I can unite all my synths in one place. Have my OB6, Blofeld, Digitone Keys and my old Machinedrum and A4 in one place, all midi-ed up.
I’m of half a mind to score a used Analog 4 Keys for it’s distinct outs for audio and CV.
I just bought the original DN about a week ago and realized that I made a huge mistake by not opting for the Keys version. So I just sent my DN back this morning and am going to exchange it for the Keys.
I absolutely fell in love with the DN sounds and felt that I would be robbing myself of its true awesomeness by not getting the DN Keys.
I thought about just having both because chilling with the DN on my lap is really fun, but in reality I rarely do that, and whenever I start using my DN on its own, I always end up connecting my Keystep at some point anyway. I got to the point where I just didn’t even use it without the Keystep connected, so I thought… yeah, give me those Keys!
Also, I think it’s the small stuff that really make a difference. Having dedicated buttons for the mod/pitch wheel and duplicated parameter knobs above the keyboard sound really great. Also not having to switch MIDI channels on the Keystep is great as well. I am a big fan of live recording my tracks on the fly, so these little conveniences make a big difference in a live jam situation.
Really glad I realized I wanted the Keys version before my return period had expired.
I have had the Keys for a couple months, after owning the original DN, and I would just echo what has been said here, that the extra knobs/buttons really open it up. I am also liking the separate outputs per channel on the back, and have been running different channels through different pedals/fx. The keys really make it more inspiring for me, and it feels like a complete instrument.
Love the keys…I wish i had not sold mine.
How are you liking it? I use mine every day, I can’t imagine owning the standard one only after owning the Keys but it would be awesome to own a second one in the standard format for portable jams…
Does the Keyboard transmit on his own Channel?
Transmits on whichever channel you choose.
There’s a specific “external mode” separate from the 4 tracks. It’s a button above the keys. You can have it set to any channel and send it external, internal, or both. You can also assign whatever cc #’s to the knobs and have multiple “maps” set up to switch between.
It would be perfect, if the arpeggiator would also send out Midi…
Love the Keys - it’s become the centrepiece of my studio! (I never thought it would)
Coming from a Keystep, I am amazed at how much better the keybed is on the DK. The keybed alone is worth the upgrade to me. It is so much easier to play on and I felt like I became a better keyboard player almost instantly due to the extra room I had. Fat fingering happens a lot less often with the DK keybed.
The mod wheel is awesome and I use it constantly, and it’s super easy to assign parameters with the dedicated button. I have not had an issue accidentally bumping the oct-/+ buttons reported by some people. I’m not a heavy pitch bend user, but the wheel on that thing is really solid and precise.
On the negative side, I feel like the aftertouch requires a LOT of force to engage it. Is this typically normal? This is my first time using aftertouch so maybe I am just not used it it, but sometimes I am afraid to push the keys down so hard because it feels like I am going to break it. At first I wasn’t even hearing any aftertouch because I wasn’t pressing hard enough, so I had to pull up the aftertouch menu where you can see the little indicator and sure enough, I saw aftertouch being registered after I pushed down a little bit harder. I feel like the amount of force required to engage aftertouch makes it really hard to be accurate with how much you are applying. Any tips here?
One last thing on a positive note:
NOTE HOLD BUTTON IS AWESOME (think ambient)!!!
I haven’t messed around with this a whole lot yet, but I am a big fan of ambient music. I threw a few different pads on the tracks, and experimented a bit with jumping between the tracks and layering different drones to create some really nice ambient music on the fly. I was really happy when I found that the note is still played even when you switch to a different track, so you can layer stuff right on the fly in a live situation. I definitely want to take advantage of this and hopefully use it to create a live evolving ambient track using the note hold feature.
Overall the DK makes live performance much better, which is how I like to play. I can see why this wouldn’t be for everyone, and if you are really just into programming your music in with the sequencer, then the DN is definitely a better option for you. If you like to perform live, then the DK really is crafted exceptionally well for it. Not having to switch MIDI channels on my Keystep is also a huge plus. Just press the track button on the DK and you are good to go. I haven’t messed around with the split keys mapping setup, but this is another amazing feature tailored to playing live. I’ve seen this done with Keystep + ZOIA, but the DK just has it built right in.
Remember back when it was released everybody scoffed at it. Saying the way it was laid out was ugly and didn’t seem logical for a workflow? I’m usually the guy that goes against the grain. But I’ve always loved the SFX-6. And the digitone keys pays homage to it and adds so much as well. I’m so glad Elektron decided to make the digitone into a keys version. I’ll never let this machine go.
I was an early adopter and loved it! I was trying to defend it. I felt like all the complaining (from people who never used it) was going to lead to the death of an awesome keyboard.
With the price drops I think it may happen sooner than expected anyway 
I wish people wouldn’t bash things just because they think they don’t like it. I bet almost nothing good comes of that behavior.
That’s a big statement. So, you know everybody?
Its a fine instrument as is… a couple of tweaks here and there on the firmware and it will make it a Fantastic instrument!
I love it. Inspires me every time I turn it on.
I hope Elektron don’t forget it.
I bet he’s exaggerating to say that it seemed like everybody was. What I saw was definitely certainly almost maybe a majority max at minimum. Haha 
I know. Sometimes, I like to play on words.