I love my Syntakt. It’s the most immediate instrument I have ever used. Since it’s release, I’ve already released an EP of 100% ST tracks, another one with the Digi3, played a few live hardware sets, and have another all-ST EP coming soon. On top of that, It took less than a year to compile more than a full bank of custom presets.
So yeah, you can say I gel with it a bit.
But now, I find the DN and DT boring. They were both always a great compliment to each other, and I loved the DN for a long while (though always just eh about the DT, but it serves a purpose). But now, with the ST, I don’t even wanna touch my DT and DN like I used to do. They feel so ignored! If the ST had polyphony, and arpeggiator, and sampling, I’d drop the DN and DT like an ice cream cone on a hot day. It’d be me, my ST, my Micromonsta2, a Faderfox EC4, and all the psytrance I can muster.
I’m hoping I can fall back in love with the DN/DT, but we’ll see.
I think you’ve revealed your true feelings with this simile.
An ice cream cone on a hot day is objectively delicious. There’s no reason to drop it intentionally — you might set it down for a moment, or you might drop it accidentally if you’re distracted, but you wouldn’t just throw it away for no reason.
Also, re: the aforementioned “hot day,” it is well documented that Syntakt gets hot from prolonged use like you’ve been putting yours through.
So I think this is your subconscious saying: Don’t sell the DT/DN, they are still delicious treats. And make sure your Syntakt is sufficiently ventilated to let the heat dissipate. And next time you’re at the store, grab a pint of ice cream. Then and only then will everything be un-ruined.
I ordered another metal plate, to bond my Syntakt and Digitakt. IMO “it” is the perfect instrument. However, I see my DNK controlling “it” being even better, so now I have to set up a suitable double-takt-over-tonekeys setup.
Especially since getting the RK-002, which allows for polyphony, and discovering the sound macros and their many uses, and the new machines, (and using audio-rate LFOs for 2.5-op FM), … I’m still finding myself with too much to explore… I’d assumed my DT and ST would stay glued together, but ST is still on its own for me, too.
Is there a tutorial somewhere on the LFO trick? A machine doing a sine, one LFO modulating the tuning, the second modulating the frequency of the first?
There’s nothing too special, just that the SY Tone, especially, is less limited as a FM synth when you consider the LFOs. They can be a fixed frequency modulator at the 2k speeds directed to tune or ratio, either as a noise transient or at low depths as grit to fade in. At lower rates, it’s interesting directing them to ratio, modulation amount (especially as a modulation envelope), feedback, etc.
I like the lower level control of the Digitone, but the Syntakt is more fun. I think the Syntakt got a huge boost from the inclusion of the raw machine that gives you more control of the underlying hardware, however having only mono voices (yes I’m including the “chord” machine as a single voice) is always going to be a bit limiting. If I could assign 3 or 4 tracks to a single track and use it polyphonically on the Syntakt I would almost have no use for my Digitone.