Digitakt II arrived last year, and seriously expanded on the specs of Elektron’s modern classic sampler.
Most of what the original Digitakt could do, version 2 aimed to do better – it swapped mono sampling for fully stereo operation, doubled the audio track count from eight to 16, expanded the step sequencer and added new filters and improved effects.
As we said in our review at the time, however, while Digitakt II doubled down on what we liked about the original, it didn’t add much that the original wasn’t capable of. It was a case of more of the same, but better. With its latest firmware update, that looks set to change.
Any way you slice it...
One of the key shortcomings of both iterations, in the eyes of some users at least, was its lack of manual sample slicing capabilities. This is what Elektron is now set to rectify with the release of OS 1.5 and its new Slice machine.
As with other instruments in Elektron’s lineup, Digitakt’s sound engine makes use of a system of ‘machines’, which are virtual modules that let users swap out different modes of sound generation and filter types.
Both versions of Digitakt offered basic sample slicing thanks to the original Slice machine, which was added to Digitakt I via a firmware update (and later renamed Grid machine for Digitakt II).
That original machine allowed users to divide a loop into equal slices and then trigger and sequence these elements individually. Technically, it was a form of sample slicing, but compared to functionality in rival machines such as Roland’s SP-404 or software such as Ableton’s Simpler, where users can manually adjust slice points or automatically slice a loop by its transient, Digitakt’s functionality felt somewhat lacking.
It is precisely these features that Elektron has addressed with the new Slice machine. Digitakt II users can now divide a loop into a maximum of 64 slices. As well as applying an equally-divided slice layout, users can also engage the new Transient mode in order to slice a loop by its transient peaks.
The new machine also comes with a Slice editor, which lets users adjust the start, end and loop points of every sample. A link mode allows adjacent slices to be edited in unison.
As well as offering new ways to divide and edit slices, the OS update also adds Slice-friendly features to Digitakt II’s versatile sequencer, including features designed to make it easy to sequence and randomise slices.
In addition to broadening the capabilities of what Digitakt II can do, the new Slice machine also adds a further dividing line differentiating it from its predecessor.
It doesn’t appear that Elektron intends to roll out similar capabilities to the original machine. It’s unclear whether this is due to limitations of the original hardware or simply a choice in order to focus on the newer model, but either way, it provides a more compelling reason for owners of Digitakt I to take the plunge on an upgrade.
OS 1.5 is a free download for users of Digitakt II. Head to the Elektron site for more information.
