I have a Syntakt, as my only Elektron box, its a good one, plenty of scope to tailor a sound easily, without too much menu diving. Excellent sounding, and the Overbridge integration is fab, plays nicely with Ableton, and yes Analog Heat mk2 is now on my shopping list.

Already? Great!

How do you use it for songs? Do you record live performances as a base and then record on top of that possible remaining instruments?

I generaly use Overbridge straight in Ableton, play around, record, then tweak away, record again. I use Sytntakt mainly as a pure Drum Machine, with an occasional use of the DVCO synth after laying down the basics in Ableton. Right now, I havent tapped into the Elektron way of sequencing yet, but I shall do over next few weeks.

For me it's been more like RYTM withdrawal management. In the spirit of bad analogies, I say they should have named it the Elektron Methadone.

Here’s a video showing how to create a trance gate effect using the Syntakt’s FX Block.

Don’t have any elektron at the moment so got one mint off of reverb. Don’t need a song mode, I’m going to sync it to and sample it into my Force. I’ll also route the Force’s bus outs through the analog fx.

I am surprised that I haven't found this info yet, but what can you do with the two analog inputs on the Syntakt?

Even the manual did not seem to give me an answer.

You can process them through the analog effects section so you can get some saturation and filtration.

Yeah, Elektron boxes are great FX processors. I've actually run a guitar through the filter drive on my A4. It gives it a nasty crunch. You could probably do the same with the ST. The reverb and delay are good for adding a bit of ambience. You can also use the ST as an audio interface.

USPS has no idea where my Syntakt is. They picked it up from the sender, and after that they don’t know.

Thank you to both of you. @ cogsy , could you explain how the Syntakt can be used as an audio interface? Does it have an analog-digital-converter (ADC)?

The Digitakt, Digitone, and Syntakt all have class compliant audio over USB. I've used my DN to route audio to my computer and my ipad. I've also plugged instruments into the inputs and used it as a minimalist mixer/interface. It works like a charm

Man, that's a good idea. A Syntakt with a Digitakt routed through the inputs and all recorded into the DAW with one cable could do some damage. I'm not in a rush to get a Syntakt, but I'm starting to warm up to the idea of it.

I made this track yesterday using just the SY BITS machine in the 8 digital tracks. It’s crazy how flexible the machines are!

Syntakt didn’t do it for me, sold it within 24 hours. Was the same with the digitakt. Ironically I loved the digitone, and all of the bigger elektron boxes. Ended up buying another OT, and just going to sequence iOS. Selling my old OT has haunted me for two years. It was time.

First impressions, disappointing it definitely sounds like a model cycles, while the over drive is helpful, I’m still not sold yet. Not sure why I was expecting a MachineDrum crossed with a NordDrum. Only about three or four of the percussion machines are useful. I have no need for the other “synth engines”. This is a good intro level groove box for someone with no other hardware. Going to sleep on it and try some more experiments tomorrow. Probably returning it unless I discover something interesting.

wow tough crowd. i was wanting an MD again and Syntakt totally satisfies the jones. just want some P-Locks on the CTRL-ALL and I’ll be thoroughly content.

I think it’s likely a great product for some. I don’t want a melodic synth I can’t play chords on. It just doesn’t work for me and what I do. If you are happy to use it as a drum synth that can do some mono melodic lines, it’s pretty good. I’d rather buy a used RYTM Mki and a cycles.

Yeah I think the RYTM is an amazing device. The sampling makes it a lot more flexible, imo. To me, the RYTM and Octatrack are the Elektron Crown Jewels.

But I am not into synth only groove boxes which is why I can't get into the Syntakt. I use samples too much. I do want some synths though too, but I want to be able to play the chords myself, or else Ill just pull samples out.

For someone who doesn't care about any of that, I think the Syntakt is probably the perfect groovebox as long as they like the drum sounds.

Yeah, the lack of polyphony cools me on the box.

Personally it fills the gap. Drum computer with more than 4 tracks with sculpting capabilites. My studio just needs a workhorse drum computer and the size and sound work for me. I have polys so having a mono for basslines or simple lead parts will add to the writing process and make the syntakt, digitone, hydra combo even better.

I bought the Syntakt on day one. I thought I was buying my dream device that was more like Monomachine + Analog Four. That was certainly not the case. In the months that passed I’ve not made a single piece that I like yet. Everything I do with it just sounds the same. Almost as disgusting as the cycles. My immediate reaction was that I’m gonna sell it but then I thought that maybe I need to give it some time to grow.

And what’s the deal with Overbridge? If I record all separate tracks to Ableton I don’t get the global effects? I applied some fake sidechain compression on the FX but that is bypassed when I record separate tracks, even if the fx-track is included. That makes overbridge totally unusable in my opinion. I mean the FX is a big part of the creative process and the track will sound completely different when it’s not active.

I think Syntakt is really interesting and I watch every single youtube video that contains a syntakt and so far Ivar Tryti is the only one that makes it sound amazing but he is a Elektron genius.

For a long time me and digitone had a relationship issue. Id get overwhelmed trying to do everything myself and figure it out with zero elektron experience, and I stubbornly didnt read the manual much.

He ^^^^ taught me so much about my digitone. Shortcuts, button press combos, he is the one who taught me how to add drums to soundpool and i started making drums on a single digitone track. I appreicate his channel and i sugget it to people who had similar roadblocks like i had.

From the description of his Syntakt videos:

"...All audio is coming from the Syntakt, running through the following plugins:
MJUC (compressor)
Phoenix (preamp sim)
Maximus (multiband expander)
ToTape6 (tape sim)"

He's definitely gifted but that plugin chain changes the sound quite a bit.

Yeah its a bit of a bummer with Overbridge there.

What I found myself doing with my analog RYTM, (which really benefits if you just use the main outs because it has a compressor and overdrive that only works through the mains) was to bypass using OB completely and split my kick out as an individual track and process it through another device (or just go straight in), and then just record the other parts track by track while I fiddled the knobs during the recording.

Typically a lot of the drum sounds could be consolidated to a few tracks and then I'd single track whatever samples I had. It's not a super painful process and you get that compression/distortion on the way out plus all your effects.

Are any of the Syntakt machines capable to get close to machinedrum sounds ?

No

Thank you sir, you saved me some serious grief

Bought one today, now I own all the Digis and OT mk2.

I must say that Syntakt is very good, and I was very sceptical before.
The Dual VCO is excellent, the FX-track is great for experiment and the drum sounds are spot-on.

I feel kind of sad that the Digitakt probably will go now....

I must admit no online demos has made it for me, soundwise. Except Ivar Tryti’s.
No option to play chords onself is interesting as a new way to create, a creative limitation, but with some much polyphony at hands I find it a bummer.
But really it boils down to the synths sounds that don’t do anything to me, especially at this price tag.

Erik