Elektron Syntakt

I upgraded from the Model: Cycles, which I really liked, to Syntakt. You get 12 tracks instead of 6 and two LFOs per track. The sound design machines seem a bit more limited but there are more of them so, overall, you probably have more sound design options. I've not owned a Digitone or Analog Rytm but it seems like you've got both combined in one box. There is no sampling, obviously, and you are limited to a specific set of FM-type synth sounds - although the analogue dual VCO can create a surprising range of sounds because of the multitude of waveform combinations available: from Moog-style bass to disruptive noise. And the analogue drums are great. I've only had Syntakt a week but I can see that it's going to get a lot of use. With a bit of imagination you could almost certainly do a live set with the Syntakt alone. It's easy to create generic house, techno etc but if you experiment with varying track lengths and probability settings you can go beyond rigid, grid-like dance music. It works really well for ambient and generative music, for example. As with all Elektron products, the manual is long and there is a steep learning curve - but if you are familiar with their sequencers from other products then that will speed things up a bit. For me, the advantage to Elektron products is their portability: they get you away from the DAW and allow you to make music anywhere - and with 12 tracks that really can mean complete songs. Mine will be going on holiday with me this summer.

Edit: I've had this for about three months now and it's probably the best piece of gear I have ever bought. I own a modular synth and loads of other stuff but this is getting far more use at the moment. The range of sounds you can get from it is really surprising: Aphex- style IDM, cold wave, chip tune, dark ambient - even gamelan-style percussion. It's a complete analogue and digital drum machine AND analogue and digital synthesiser. Yes, there are limits to it - as with all gear - but there are usually workarounds. The only thing it doesn't really do is lush synth pads - so I bought the Digitone for that. The Digitone has more depth for pad sound design but it's difficult to put together complete songs with only four tracks, even with sound locks etc. But together they make a pretty fantastic combination. In fact, Elektron gear is so good that I'm now thinking of getting the Digitakt in the distant future when I can afford it. I'm definitely a convert.

Update, almost four years later: I'm still using Syntakt a lot and I would still say it's the best synth I have bought. But if you're thinking of buying one it's important to consider two things: firstly, the limitations of the device (and whether it suits you) and what it offers compared to other Elektron devices in this range. These days, I also own Digitone II and Digitakt II and they all have unique strengths. Digitakt II is easy to define – it's a sampler. And Syntakt is not. Having said that, it's rumoured that Syntakt will soon have a basic one-shot sample playback capability, so it's worth bearing this in mind. Digitone II is a great polyphonic synthesiser that excels in making complex, experimental sounds; the drum sounds are pretty decent but they're not its best feature – they can sometimes be a bit harsh, as is often the case with digital percussion. Overall, Digitone II is a brilliant all-round groovebox that has huge sound design possibilities – and polyphony.

Syntakt, however, excels at drums – particularly the analogue kind. In fact, it's perfect for hissy, analogue techno. It's ideal for coldwave, industrial, EBM etc. If you want to sound like Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, Aphex Twin and so on, then this is the Elektron box for you. In fact, even the digital drums can sound great with a bit of tweaking and use of the onboard overdrive. Its detractors say it's just a pared-down Analog Rytm – to which I say: fine! It costs less. But it does have more voices to play with and Elektron keep updating it with new machines – plus it's smaller and more portable. The downside is that (like Analog Rytm) its synth machines are monophonic – aside from the chord machine, which has its limits. So you're always going to struggle if you want pads. This is worth keeping in mind. If you have the money, you could always pair it with Digitone II for the best of both worlds.

What I'm saying is that Syntakt has a particular sound which lots of people love and some don't. When people criticise it, saying: “it doesn't sound good” then you only have to look on Youtube to see that's not the case – you can do fantastic things with it. The issue is more whether a monophonic, semi-analogue synthesiser is the best device for your music. If you want to make commercial house or chart-friendly pop music, then it probably isn't. If you want to channel Throbbing Gristle circa 20 Jazz Funk Greats or Aphex Twin doing Analord, then this is most definitely the groovebox for you. Final thought: it's been a few years now, so could Elektron be readying a Syntakt II for release? If so, it'll probably halve the second hand value of the current Syntakts – worth considering if you're going to buy one...

Definitely a versatile groovebox. The sound is very hi-end and complete yet very distinguished and characteristic, for better or worse. Aside from sampling, I find that you get every prominent next-gen groovebox need fullfield, but just enough to deliver the wanted result. For example the analogue fx section and the entire idea of the ability to sequence it is great, however, if i want to use it's ducking envelope, that means I can't use the analogue drive on the kick, so I might use workarounds like using lfo trigs but then I sacrifice one of 2 lfos, or use velocity trig locks though it's a bit more cumbersome etc etc. So I believe that there is a learning curve regarding on how to engage this box and not just how to operate it technically. Though once you 'click' in to it and get the ins and outs, the workflow becomes very tactile, creative and enjoyable. I find that this box can elevate and push forward creative and musical Ideas very easily within a fast workflow to a point where the amount of versatility and possibilities can become overwhelming. Now, using it alone, you won't compose a Hanz Zimmer score nor will you produce a mainstage anthem for that matter, but it's more than capable of creating full beats and many kinds of contemporary music tracks on it's own, let alone very solid backbones for songs and all kinds of productions, all in a box that can stay on your lap. that is for me very convenient. Very happy with this one.

When I bought this, I already owned a Digitone and a Model:Cycles.

My reason for buying the Syntakt was that, while I loved the sound of the Model:Cycles, I found myself missing some of the features and user experience of its Digi siblings. Originally, I had been saving up for a Digitakt, but the idea of replacing my Model:Cycles with the Syntakt grew on me and I decided to make the purchase.

And I was not disappointed! The Syntakt takes the best of the Cycles and adds a ton of its own features. It has twice the track count and triple the machine count, while still maintaining the same minimalistic sound design approach. The extra LFO and actual ADSR, along with the song mode, are wonderful additions.

The Syntakt sounds great; I especially love the analog cymbal track. It looks great too, especially when paired with its Digi family. Using it in my workflow has been amazing. Currently, my go-to workflow is using song mode on both the Digitone and the Syntakt at the same time. The Digitone has all the melodic stuff, including MIDI tracks to layer more sounds from the Syntakt if needed. And does all the transport duties. The Syntakt is more detailed and drums-only song mode, and all of the Digitone's sound goes through an FX track for a bit of overdrive and sidechaining.

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the Syntakt. It has added a lot of character and sound design possibilities to my setup, and I love it.

I think overall this a great little machine and i've been infatuated with it since I got it. Honestly intimated by it's potential sometimes.. ill put 2 lfos on 1 random synth track and after a little tweaking its like the craziest glitched out synth mod ive ever heard. You'll go in the studio and cook up a fire drum pattern ?melody and you'll be like what ?? how did that take 3 minutes versus hours digitally.. for me this thing is a godsend overall

Sure it has some flaws and restrictions like most especially newer tech does.. but they're hard to pinpoint and certainly have room for improvement. In my opinion even more modulation capabilities could be included in the sense of, recording knob modulation in the live recording section. The live recording function could use some work too and more paramater/time options. Thing has a lot of potential but I don't see myself using it as a standalone box, even though its totally possible to do so its just not quite my style, it seems best hardwir

I have the audio outputting through volt2 & into ableton so i can pick and chose what melodies / drum patterns etc I want at certain times if need be, if song mode worked better this wouldn't be a huge issue. But again. Overall its a great piece of machinery that does what its supposed to and then.. a hellll of a lot more

it seems the goal of the syntakt wasnt to be a standalone machine at all, though of course this depends on intention. It seem best fitted pairing with other elektron products like the octatrack which personally I don't see an issue with. hope to get an octatrack one day but rn im in the process of building a eurorack :) cheers!

This machine is versatile, capable and incredibly well-designed. Its UX is highly refined and the time and effort invested into design really sets it apart from many other instruments. This is the sort of thing you may not realise until you spend a lot of time with an instrument.

The sound quality is excellent however, bear in mind it is focused on more percussive sounds and would not replace a polyphonic pad monster, but this reflects the design focus and is not a negative for me.

Regardless of how many extra features I can imagine to improve it further, I have been blown away and the machine is regularly at the heart of my production and performances. The firmware upgrade that was released after I bought it was a welcome surprise with many new features.