Just toying with this idea here.
No GAS luckily but just casually thinking about my setup and desk space.
I am currently using the Digitakt for most drums (first hardware device, absolutely love it) and added a Nord Drum 3P not too long ago. Feels like a Rytm-esque setup.
I find it’s sound great and unique but it does add an extra step into the mix. I barely use it for drumming simply because I suck at drumming (learning keys as well now so no focus) but for percussive stuff, the pads are great.
What would I miss and what would I Gain?
I make house / techno / ambient… hiphop as well.
Use a MIDI keyboard for your Digitakt and assign octave zones to each track, or just use the whole range one track at a time, way more fun when you can input pitch AND velocity when programming it!!
Yeah latency is the main issue. Not sure how to fix that, more so for the Nord due to digitakt sending midi to Nord. I have it setup so I have 8 pads for the digitakt and 6 for the Nord.
Why not just run the launchpad straight into the Digitakt, assign it to the internal tracks and the MIDI tracks, no latency. You shouldn’t feel any latency if the DT MIDI outs are running straight into the Nord. If you have DT usb midi connected to Ableton you can catch the launchpad data and the DT midi track data and send MIDI to the whole rig from Ableton as well, without routing through Ableton.
Gotcha! Do you have something like a retrokits RK-006 that has USB Host and MIDI din? That would make really make your config soo much nicer. It could host the Launchpad, send 5 pin din into the DT, din out of DT into Nord, USB from DT into your computer. That would be the best routing and no latency, and Ableton would clock the DT.
yeah so i’d be able to route it directly into the DT? WOuld there not be a way within Ableton to counter the latency? Anyways; good idea. i’ll check it out!
Routing through Ableton won’t be nearly as snappy as a router like the RK-006. And yes the 006 would host the launch and then send the MIDI straight into the DT 5 pin MIDI port with essentially zero latency. Ableton will see all data from DT and Launchpad, and can send clock or other data to DT and Nord. I can draw the flow for you if you want.
If you’re by chance using macOS, I have a very similar setup (Launchpad X in custom mode triggering Digitakt/Digitone/Octatrack, which I sometimes use to sequence a borrowed ND3P), and have had good success eliminating latency by routing the Launchpad -> Elektron boxes using MidiPipe instead of Ableton (Launchpad X MIDI comes in via USB, & MIDI goes out to boxes via DIN MIDI from my audio interface, though I imagine USB MIDI out would also work just fine for the Digitakt)
im using dt and 3p too. im using the 3p with a touchosc template on ipad as a complex fm synth. the dt i use with the rk002 as a polysynth for sampled monosynth sounds.
im thinking about getting a rytm as well, but i know the 3p has a way more complex synth engine, the rk002 should work the same on the rytm.
dual vco on rytm has a limited envelop. i wonder if i would use the analog synth engine in the long run. the rytm is quite big. the pressure/aftertouch pads on the rytm might be fun for modulations but i heard you cant record it as modulation, just as wav within the rytm.
Had a ND2 and Rytm mk1. For sound editing, Rytm is far more immediate, but I think the ND synth engine sounds way cooler, deeper and more special. But that’s depending on taste.
Advantage of the rytm obviously would be to have everything in one box.
I used to own a DT and a Nord Drum 3 and switched to the ARII. I loved the ND3’s sound, but it was not a joy workflow-wise for me, I feel it is mostly designed for live use. The ARII sounds great in its own right, it’s strength, I think, is in combining samples with the analog- engine, filters and compressor. You can really shape it to your liking, easy workflow, big and warm sound, individual outs, great sequencer. I miss the ND3 sometimes for its unique sounds and great pads, but I would not go back to it.
DT Midi Out to ND3 Midi In.
Set the Digitakt track 9 to Channel 1, by pushing the top left encoder on the source file.
Repeat for the 6 tracks, matching channel 1 to 6.
On the ND3 there’s a midi setting tab as well but not sure anymore if u have to change anything there.
So I don’t need a ND3 Midi out to DT Midi in? (I am, at this point in time, a midiot)
ND3 - do I need to shut off Global or have it set to 10?
All of the individual channels 1-6 are set to their factory notes 60, 62, etc…
Any other settings in the ND3 that I need to know about?
I have by default
Pc Sr
CC Sr
Are there any Midi settings in DT that I could have f’d up to make this not work?
I feel like I’ve been really diligent, but obviously missing a deeper understanding of how these machines talk to each other and not sure of the hierarchy. I know that DT is supposed to be controlling/sequencing ND3 and that I should be able to set CC’s for each ND3 pad, channels 1-6.
