Elektron Digitakt Essentials

Here at Sweetwater we’re obsessed with your music… and making it as easy for you to make more of it. That’s why we’ve spent countless hours boiling-down owner’s manuals and scouring the far reaches of the internet to compile this list of Digitakt Essentials. It’s everything you need to know to start making music with the Digitakt Elektron… and nothing you don’t.

Create a Project:

Projects are where you’ll be storing all your samples, audio tracks, patterns, and sequences. The default project is called “Presets” and already has tons of patterns and samples loaded. Creating a new project using the instructions below will allow you to save your own beats, sequences and audio tracks.

Step 1: Create New Project

• Press , then highlight Project and press .
• Highlight Load Project and press .
• Highlight Create New and press .

Step 2: Save Project As

• Within the Project Menu, highlight Save Project As and press .
• select where you want to store your preset and press .

Step 3: Title Your Project

• Hold  and use the navigation keys to enter your project’s name. When finished, press .

 

Change Banks & Patterns:

To browse the various banks and patterns on your Digitakt:

• Hold  and press Triggers 9-16 to change between Banks A – H.
• Hold  and press Triggers 1-8 to change between Patterns 1-8.

 

Change the Sound:

Elektron makes it easy to change the sounds assigned to Triggers 1-8. The Presets project already includes 80 factory samples. The first 8 samples are automatically loaded into new projects for you. Any additional sounds will need to be loaded into your new projects before they can be triggered. Read below to learn how to load and then change sounds.

Load Sounds to Project

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Step 1: Access Samples

• Press , select Samples, then press .

Step 2: Select Sample(s)

• Use the navigation keys and &  to select the desired sample(s).

Step 3: Load Sample(s) to Project

• When ready, press , highlight Load to Proj, and press .
• The loaded samples can now be assigned to triggers.

Change Trigger Sample

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Step 1: Select Trigger

• Hold  and select one of the Triggers 1-8 you wish to change.

Step 2: Select Sound

• Press then use encoder D to browse available sounds.
• Select the sound by pressing .

 

Change the Rhythm:

Digitakt offers two modes for changing rhythms: Grid and Live. Grid mode is a standard step-sequencer while Live mode allows you to record and quantize your performance.

Grid Recording Mode

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Step 1: Enter Mode

• Press to enter Grid Recording Mode.

Step 2: Select Trigger

• Hold and select one of the Triggers 1-8 you wish to modify.

Step 3: Edit Rhythm

• Press each of the Triggers 1-16 to apply the sample at the step sequencer location.

Live Recording Mode

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Step 1: Enter Mode

• Hold and press to enter Live Recording Mode.

Step 2: Select Trigger

• Hold and select one of the Triggers 1-8 you wish to modify.

Step 3: Edit Rhythm

• Press the same Trigger to play the sample and perform your desired rhythm. 

 

Change the Sequence Length:

Step 1: Select Bank

• Hold  and press Triggers 9-16 to change between Banks A – H.

Step 2: Select a Pattern

• Hold  and press Triggers 1-8 to change between Patterns 1-8.

Step 3: Change the Length

• Hold and press to access the Scale Menu.
• Use the Data Encoder or button to modify the pattern’s length in increments of 16th notes.

Note: Hold   and press to switch between Length Per Pattern and Length Per Track Modes.

 

Sample a Sound:

Step 1: Connect Sound Source

• Connect your sound source via the Input L/R jacks.

Step 2: Record your Sound

• Press to access the Sampling Menu.
• Use data entry knob F to set the recording threshold
• Use data entry knob G to select your input source
• Use data entry knob H to select Yes for direct monitoring
• When ready, play your audio source and press when finished.

Note: When the correct input source is selected, you should see signal on the Digitakt’s screen when the sample is played.

Step 3: Trim your Sample

• Use data entry knobs A and B to set the sample’s start location, then press .
• Use data entry knobs C and D to set the sample’s end location, then press .
• Use + to preview the sample.
• Make any further adjustments and press  to continue.

Step 4: Save your Sample

• Use the Level/Data and the Navigation Keys to enter your project’s name. When finished, press .
• When given the option to assign the new sample to a track/trigger, select the desired Trigger or press  to save and exit.

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Helpful Links

Getting Started FAST with the Elektron Digitakt

How do I reset my Elektron Digitakt?

Digitakt Tutorial Video by Elektron

Elektron Resources for Digitakt

Sound Module Buying Guide

Knowledge Base