People will hate me for this but: “No more Digi-boxes!“
Seriously, I want a full blown digital Wavetable synth, with the size of the Octatrack. The Octatrack size is still relatively small, but offers enough space for lots of knobs and other interface elements.
Last thing I want to see/need is another analog mono synth.
Maybe a synth, that allows creation and modulation of Wavetable and a layer of granular. Or something like Box dedicated to Physical modelling, with a bunch of tools that can be routed in different ways. Or a new way of additiv synthesis.
A modular approach, with waveshaping moduls, resonators, audio dividers, different filter models or even z-plane filters. There are a ton of plugins, that i would love to see as hardware standalone box.
I already was a little bit disappointed over the limitations of the Digiton. I would be willing to pay more, and wait as long as it takes, but get something that really awesome. But if i need a nice analog mono synth, there already enough good ones to choose from.
Does the digitakt count as granular? As far I know, it can only play single grains and granular IMO needs multiple grains simultaneously.
But i would love to see more granular synths, or some forms of combinations. like the Quantum. I like granular most, if it is on top of a continuously/„normal“ waveforms.
Yes, but as far I know, the OT can just play one grain per track at the same time. A real granular synth like the GR-1 can play 128 grains simultaneously per voice.
I also mentioned this in another thread, but I’d love to see a SID-style (not using real SID chips) synth in a box this size. It would be mainly a subtractive mono synth, though could operate paraphonically like the SID, but also with the ability to swap out (well, expand on really) the wave tables that the SID uses, with more abilities like table scanning, morphing, etc. It could use 12db analog State Variable Filter. It should sequence MIDI like the other Digis, and maybe have a single gate and CV output track. I think that would cover a lot of bases, mix analog and digital, and offer a lot of control for external devices. Kinda approaches Elektron’s roots, while adding a form of synthesis that people have been asking for as well (wave table). Some granular functionality could also be implemented in a synth architecture like this as well I think in a way that makes sense. Maybe load sample data into a wave table slot, then do granular operations from there. Maybe some AM, RM, XOR style combiners too.
The DigiScan!
Edit: I liked this better when it was in the Digi-Only version of this thread.
It’s not like a full granular synth of course but it’s more capable from most of the samplers in that area imo and it’s a hardware machine. If they add basic things like a zero cross point snap, grain envelope, sample page zoom etc… we can use it like a granular sound design machine also. You can use 8 audio tracks for playing different type of grains at the same time and you would have much more control on each of the 8 grains coming from 8 individual audio tracks. Because you could set different parameters like filter, gain, pan, sample start point, loop start point, loop length, lfo-envelepe type/destination!! for each grain. Even though the Digitakt can do 8 grains most at the same time, you would have much more control on that individual grains than the regular granular synth which produces random multiple grains from the chosen portion of the sample generally i think. For example if Elektron add a band pass filter option in the future, you can chose different band pass frequency for each grain on the same sample and use the digitakt as a spectral granular synth!! So i still think that the digitakt is halfway there already and the functionality i’m talking about is SO easy to achieve. This would improve the sample stretch capability of the digitakt also. (As we can avoid pops and cracks with the zero cross point snap and grain envelope.)
Digishape - Quad Performance Effects Processor
A third device in the size of Digitone/Digitakt for effects. Typical layout with display and 8 parameter encoders. No trigger buttons, but instead a fader at the bottom like Octatrack.
2 Stereo inputs & 1 stereo output
4 effects, freely selectable from a long list of newly developed digital effects: Tape echo, 80s hall reverb, shimmer reverb, flanger, filter, chorus, frequency shifter, etc.) No synthesis means the micro controller should be able to produce much more advanced effects
Each audio input can be send to another effect or master
Master has digital three band eq & filter
Two envelope followers
Two LFOs
No trigger buttons and sequencer to keep this a performance tool
Instead a fader with two presets to fade between (aka Octatrack)
It can e.g. be either used as
mini mixer with eq and send effects (e.g. as perfect companion for DT & DN duo)
dj performance tool (either connect CDJs or use it as send effect on real dj mixers)
dual stereo input effects unit (for people who also buy strymon and eventide effects)
Price: 500-650 Euro. Comparable to the other Digi machines and multi effect units like Strymon and Eventide. Shares the same simplicity and focus of doing one task good as the other Digi machines, but offers enough new things for current Elektron users.
The feature I want the most is I wish the Octatrack also had 8 linear MIDI tracks and audio tracks. 16 more tracks of non-pattern based recording memory. Just recordings that go through the whole current arrangement. You could copy/paste/delete them by measure. You could create patterns out of specific measures. That would be simple and would go a long way towards making it an unqualified better instrument. What holds me back the most on the Octatrack is the inability to record a part for the song that just goes through the whole song. I don’t always want to worry about patterns and such.
Edit: Actually a standalone recorder with some linear audio tracks and linear MIDI tracks would work, might be inexpensive to produce, and could easily be synced with existing Elektron machines. Maybe you could even send arrangements/song structure to the recorder from other machines and it could mark those points in your recording for reference when editing. Repeats, too. I would like the ability to specify repetition of arbitrary bars and arbitrary repeat counts.
