The sequencer · Digitakt II guide

5.1BasicsManual §10 p.40, §10.1 p.40, §10.1.1 p.40, §10.1.2 p.40, §8.4 p.25, §14.4.1 p.77

Patterns and banks

A pattern is the sequencer’s container: it holds what all 16 tracks play and how they sound in that part of your music. A project has eight banks, A–H, each with 16 patterns — 128 patterns in all. The Digitakt II switches between patterns without a gap, so you can build an intro, a groove and a breakdown as separate patterns and move between them live.

What a pattern stores

The general trig settings on the TRIG page, such as the default note pitch and velocity.
The parameter settings on the SRC, FLTR, AMP, FX and MOD pages.
The settings on the DELAY, REVERB, CHORUS and MIXER pages.
Its quantisation settings.
The note trigs and lock trigs of every track.
Parameter, sample and preset locks.
The length and time signature of the tracks.

Select a pattern

Press PTN.
If the pattern is in a different bank, press LEFT or RIGHT to move to that bank.
Press one of TRIG 1–16 to choose the pattern.
Press PTN or NO to close bank and pattern selection.

Pick a new pattern while one is playing and its position flashes in the top-left corner of the screen. The current pattern finishes its last step, then the new one starts and the flashing stops. You can change how long a pattern plays before switching with CHANGE in Pattern length, speed and page setup.

Patterns longer than 16 steps show their extra pages on the PATTERN PAGE LEDs. During playback, the LED of the page currently playing flashes.

Selecting patterns

PTN, then LEFT/RIGHT, then TRIG 1–16: Selects a pattern in any bank.
PTN + TRIG 1–16: Selects a pattern in the current bank.
FUNC + PTN, then TRIG 9–16, then TRIG 1–16: Selects a bank with the bottom row of keys, then a pattern within it.
PTN or NO: Closes bank and pattern selection.Bank and pattern selection
PTN, then TRIG + RECORD: Copies the pattern on that TRIG key without leaving the active pattern.
PTN, then TRIG + STOP: Pastes the copied pattern into that slot; repeat to paste into more slots.
PTN, then TRIG + PLAY: Clears that non-active pattern; repeat to clear more.

Playback

PLAY: Starts playback of the pattern.
PLAY: Pauses playback; press PLAY again to resume.While a pattern is playing
STOP: Stops all tracks. The sound cuts off, but send effects such as delay repeats fade out naturally.
STOP twice, quickly: Stops all tracks and gives the send effects only a short fade-out.

TRIG key colours while selecting patterns

Key	Meaning
White	The pattern slot contains data.
Red	The active pattern.
Unlit	An empty pattern slot.

From the community

The Only House Music Setup You Need Is A Digitakt II
YouTube
A DAWless house session played on the Digitakt II alone — good for seeing the machine performed.

5.2BasicsManual §10.1.3 p.40

Pattern chains

A chain is a list of patterns that play one after another and then loop. Instead of cueing every change live, you decide the order up front — for example your main groove three times, then a variation. A chain can mix patterns from any of the banks A–H, hold up to 64 patterns, and be built while the sequencer is running.

Build a chain with the chain creator

Press PTN, then press FUNC + YES to open the chain creator screen.
If the next pattern is in another bank, select that bank with LEFT/RIGHT.
Press one of TRIG 1–16 to add that pattern to the chain.
Repeat the last two steps for each pattern, in playing order. Press FUNC + LEFT to remove the last pattern you added.
Press YES to confirm the chain and close the screen, or NO to discard it.
Press PLAY. After its last pattern, the chain starts again from the top.

Quick chaining (legacy method)

Hold PTN and press the TRIG 1–16 key of the first pattern.
Release PTN.
Press the TRIG keys of the following patterns in order, keeping each key held while you press the next. Press a key again to repeat that pattern.
To add a pattern from another bank, select the bank with LEFT/RIGHT, then press the pattern’s TRIG key.
Press PLAY to play the chain; it loops after the last pattern.

Quick chaining of patterns within the same bank was added in OS 1.01. Whichever method you use, selecting a pattern or song the normal way takes you out of chain mode.

Key combinations

PTN, then FUNC + YES: Opens the chain creator screen.
LEFT/RIGHT: Selects the bank to pick patterns from.Chain creator screen
TRIG 1–16: Adds that pattern to the end of the chain.Chain creator screen
FUNC + LEFT: Removes the last pattern from the chain.Chain creator screen
YES: Confirms the chain and closes the screen.Chain creator screen
NO: Cancels the chain and closes the screen.Chain creator screen
Hold PTN + TRIG, release PTN, then hold each TRIG while pressing the next: Builds a chain quickly using the legacy method.

5.3BasicsManual §10.2 p.41, §10.2.1 p.41, §3.1 p.12

Trig types

A trig is an event you place on a sequencer step to make the Digitakt II do something there. There are two kinds. A note trig plays the track’s preset, or sends a MIDI note on a MIDI track. A lock trig plays nothing: it only carries parameter locks, so you can change a setting on a step — say, open the filter halfway through a sustained sound — without starting a new hit.

You enter trigs in one of three recording modes — GRID RECORDING mode, LIVE RECORDING mode and STEP RECORDING mode — and each mode adds them its own way. In GRID RECORDING mode, for example, a TRIG press places a note trig and FUNC + TRIG places a lock trig.

What the TRIG keys show

Light	Meaning
Red	A note trig.
Yellow	A lock trig.
Unlit	An empty step.
Blinking red or yellow	A note or lock trig that carries parameter locks (GRID and STEP RECORDING modes).
Blue	Trigs generated by the Euclidean sequencer — see Euclidean sequencer mode.
Double-blinking green	The active step in STEP RECORDING mode.
Running light	The playback position. It moves along the steps, across up to eight pages, while a pattern plays or LIVE RECORDING mode is on.

From the community

To cut a looping sample off mid-pattern, add a trigless trig on its track and lock it to a fast release, with the play mode set to plain forward rather than a loop. via Elektronauts: Digitakt II Tips & Tricks

5.4BasicsManual §10.2.2 p.42, §17 p.89

GRID RECORDING mode

GRID RECORDING is classic step programming: the 16 TRIG keys are the steps of the active track, and you switch steps on and off by pressing them. It’s the quickest way to lay out a beat — kick on steps 1, 5, 9 and 13, snare on 5 and 13 — and it’s where most detailed editing happens: locks, micro timing, retrigs, copy and paste.

Program a beat

Press RECORD. The key lights red while GRID RECORDING mode is on.
Hold TRK and press a TRIG key to choose the track to program. While TRK is held, the active track’s key is red.
Press TRIG keys to place note trigs on those steps. Press FUNC + TRIG to place a lock trig instead.
To delete a trig, tap its key quickly. Hold the key a little longer to select the trig for editing without deleting it.
Choose another track and repeat.
Press PLAY to hear the result.
Press RECORD to leave GRID RECORDING mode.

In a pattern longer than 16 steps, press PAGE to choose which page of 16 steps you’re editing; the fully lit PATTERN PAGE LED marks it. You can also hold PAGE and press one of the lit TRIG 1–8 keys to jump to a page, or step through the pages with LEFT and RIGHT. Set the number of pages in Pattern length, speed and page setup.

Loop only some pages while you work

In GRID RECORDING mode, hold PAGE.
Press the TRIG 9–16 keys of the pages you want to hear — TRIG 9 is page 1 and TRIG 16 is page 8. Selected pages light green, and only they play, in a loop.
To go back to playing every page, hold PAGE and press NO.

For example, to loop pages 1, 2, 5 and 7 of an eight-page pattern, hold PAGE and press TRIG 9, TRIG 10, TRIG 13 and TRIG 15. While pages loop, a blinking key on the top row (TRIG 1–8) shows the master playback position and a blinking key on the bottom row (TRIG 9–16) shows the page now playing. Page looping arrived in OS 1.01.

Key combinations

RECORD: Turns GRID RECORDING mode on or off.
Hold TRK + TRIG 1–16: Selects the track to edit.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG: Places a note trig, or removes an existing trig with a quick press.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG: Selects the trig for editing instead of removing it.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + TRIG: Places a lock trig.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG + YES: Previews the trig, including its parameter locks.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG + PRESET/KIT: Saves the trig’s sound as a preset, with its parameter locks taken into account.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + LEFT/RIGHT: Shifts all trigs of the active track backwards or forwards.GRID RECORDING mode
PAGE: Selects the pattern page to edit.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + LEFT/RIGHT: Steps to the previous or next pattern page.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + TRIG 1–8: Selects that page for editing.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + TRIG 9–16: Chooses which pages play and loop.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + NO: Returns to playing all pages.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + play a note on a MIDI keyboard: Sets the trig’s NOTE and TRIG VELOCITY from the note you play.GRID RECORDING mode

Recording from a MIDI keyboard

Hold a TRIG key and play a note on an external keyboard to enter that note and its velocity on the step.
On MIDI tracks, a trig can hold a chord of up to four notes. The first note you play sets TRIG VELOCITY for all of them.
When you record to the MIDI tracks from an external controller, the sequencer listens on the Auto MIDI channel and records to the active track — see MIDI configuration: sync, ports and channels.

From the community

Hold PAGE and press TRIG 9–16 to switch individual pattern pages on or off: TRIG 9 is page 1 and TRIG 16 is page 8. It’s handy for trying shorter loops without touching the pattern length. via Elektronauts: Digitakt II Tips & Tricks

Digitakt II Tips & TricksElektronauts — The long-running community tips thread — dozens of pages of sequencing, slicing and sound-design tricks.

5.5BasicsManual §10.2.3 p.42, §10.8.1 p.47, §11.2 p.53, §7.3.2 p.23, §14.7.7 p.82, §14.7.8 p.82

LIVE RECORDING mode

LIVE RECORDING captures what you play as the pattern loops: tap the TRIG keys and the hits land on the sequencer. Use it to finger-drum a groove, play a melody in KEYBOARD mode or record knob moves as you tweak — those become parameter locks. With the TRIG modes you can also record velocity, retrigs, slices and preset changes.

Hold RECORD and press PLAY. The sequencer starts and RECORD flashes red.
Play the TRIG keys in time. In KEYBOARD mode, each key records a note trig at that key’s pitch on the active track.
Turn DATA ENTRY knobs to record parameter changes. They’re stored as parameter locks, with lock trigs added wherever a step had no trig.
Press PLAY to stop recording and keep the pattern playing, or STOP to stop both recording and playback.

Hold RECORD and press PLAY twice to switch automatic quantisation on or off. With it off, trigs keep exactly the timing you played; you can still pull them towards the grid later in the QUANTIZE menu.

How long you hold a TRIG key becomes the trig’s length, overriding the general LEN setting on TRIG PAGE 1. In KEYBOARD mode the pitch you play likewise overrides NOTE.

Key combinations

RECORD + PLAY: Enters LIVE RECORDING mode and starts the sequencer.
Hold RECORD + press PLAY twice: Turns automatic quantisation on or off.
PLAY: Leaves LIVE RECORDING mode while the sequencer keeps playing.LIVE RECORDING mode
RECORD: Switches to GRID RECORDING mode.LIVE RECORDING mode
STOP: Stops both recording and playback.LIVE RECORDING mode
Hold NO + TRIG: Erases that track’s trigs as the playhead passes, for as long as you hold the keys. Hold several TRIG keys to erase on several tracks.LIVE RECORDING mode

Recording from a MIDI keyboard

Play an external keyboard while LIVE RECORDING mode is on and the sequencer records NOTE, TRIG VELOCITY and TRIG LENGTH.
On MIDI tracks, a trig can hold a chord of up to four notes. The first note sets TRIG VELOCITY for the whole chord, and the last note you release sets TRIG LENGTH.

From the community

Digitakt II OS 1.10 Video Guide
Elektron
Walks through the OS 1.10 additions on the Digitakt II one feature at a time.

Mastering Digitakt II // Don’t sleep on Live Recording mode
YouTube
A short argument for playing parts in live rather than always programming them in the grid.

5.6IntermediateManual §10.2.4 p.43, §17 p.90

STEP RECORDING mode

STEP RECORDING is for typing notes in without worrying about timing: enter a note and the active step moves on by itself. It’s a quick way to write a bass line or melody from the TRIG keys or a MIDI keyboard. There are two flavours: STANDARD mode advances one step per note, and JUMP mode advances by the length of the note.

Get started

Press RECORD + STOP. RECORD double-blinks red. (Hold RECORD and press STOP twice to toggle between STANDARD and JUMP mode.)
Press a TRIG key to set the active step where entry begins. It double-blinks green — or, on a step that already holds a trig, takes on that trig’s light pattern.
Use LEFT/RIGHT to move the active step, or to skip steps.

Add trigs track by track

Hold FUNC and press one of TRIG 1–16 to place a note trig for that track on the active step. The active step moves on.

Add notes chromatically

Press TRK + TRIG 1–16 to choose the track. The active track’s key is red.
Press KEYBOARD to turn on the chromatic keyboard.
Hold KEYBOARD and press a lit TRIG key to place a note trig with that pitch on the active step. The active step moves on.
Use UP/DOWN to shift the keyboard by an octave.

Rests, edits and locks

To leave a step empty, or delete the trig on it, put the active step there and press NO. The active step moves on.
To lock a parameter, hold a trig’s TRIG key and turn a DATA ENTRY knob. The parameter shows inverted with its locked value, and the key blinks red (note trig) or yellow (lock trig). See Parameter locks.
Press RECORD to leave STEP RECORDING mode.

JUMP mode. Here the LEN value on the TRIG PARAMETERS page sets both the length of each note you enter and how far the active step jumps afterwards. LEN is also locked onto every trig you place.

How far JUMP mode moves

`LEN`	Note entered	Active step moves
1/16	Sixteenth note	1 step
1/8	Eighth note	2 steps
1/4	Quarter note	4 steps

Key combinations

RECORD + STOP: Enters STEP RECORDING mode.
Hold RECORD + press STOP twice: Toggles between STANDARD and JUMP mode.
TRIG: Sets the active step.STEP RECORDING mode
LEFT/RIGHT: Moves the active step, skipping steps.STEP RECORDING mode
FUNC + TRIG 1–16: Places a note trig for that track on the active step and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
TRK + TRIG 1–16: Selects the active track.STEP RECORDING mode
KEYBOARD: Turns the chromatic keyboard on or off.STEP RECORDING mode
Hold KEYBOARD + TRIG: Places a note trig with that key’s pitch on the active step and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
UP/DOWN: Transposes the chromatic keyboard by an octave.STEP RECORDING mode
NO: Removes the trig on the active step, or enters a rest, and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
PLAY: Plays the pattern while you keep programming.STEP RECORDING mode
STOP: Stops playback and stays in STEP RECORDING mode.STEP RECORDING mode
RECORD: Leaves STEP RECORDING mode.STEP RECORDING mode
TRIG + YES: Previews the selected trig.STEP RECORDING mode
FUNC + TRIG: Places a trig.STEP RECORDING mode with the SLICES or PRESET POOL TRIG mode active
Hold FUNC + play notes on a MIDI controller: Enters the notes at the fixed VEL setting instead of the played velocity.STEP RECORDING mode
Hold YES + TRIG: Locks the trig’s length to how long you hold the key; also works with notes from a MIDI controller.STEP RECORDING mode

Good to know

In the SLICES or PRESET POOL TRIG modes, you must hold FUNC while pressing TRIG keys to place trigs — see TRIG mode.
An external MIDI controller has to send on the Digitakt II’s AUTO CHANNEL (MIDI configuration: sync, ports and channels). The velocity it sends is locked onto each trig as VEL.
Placing a new note trig on top of an existing one keeps any parameter locks already on that trig.

From the community

A Guide To Generative Sample Chains On Digitakt 2
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Presets in keyboard mode, step-record jumps, resampling and random slicing in one compact video.

5.7IntermediateManual §10.3 p.44

Euclidean sequencer mode

Euclidean mode writes rhythms for you. Two pulse generators each spread a number of trigs as evenly as possible along the track, and a logic operator decides how the two layers combine. Ask for four pulses on a 16-step track and you get one every four steps — four-on-the-floor. Numbers that don’t divide the track evenly give more syncopated, off-kilter patterns, and rotating them moves the accents around.

Set up a Euclidean track

Select the track and press FUNC + AMP to open the SEQUENCER menu.
Turn EUC on. RECORD lights blue, and the TRIG keys of the generated trigs light blue too.
Set PL1 — and PL2 for a second layer — to the number of pulses you want.
Rotate the layers with R01, R02 or TRO until the hits fall where you like.
Choose how the two layers combine with OP.

Key combinations

FUNC + AMP: Opens the SEQUENCER menu with the Euclidean settings.
Hold FUNC + switch EUC off: Converts the Euclidean sequence into regular trigs.SEQUENCER menu

SEQUENCER menu

PL1Pulse generator 1: How many pulses (trigs) generator 1 places on the track.
PL2Pulse generator 2: How many pulses (trigs) generator 2 places on the track.
LENTrack length: The number of steps in the track. Only available when the PAGE SETUP menu is in PER TRACK mode — see Pattern length, speed and page setup.
EUCEuclidean mode: Switches Euclidean mode on or off for the track.
R01Rotation generator 1: Moves the trigs from generator 1 forwards or backwards along the track.
R02Rotation generator 2: Moves the trigs from generator 2 forwards or backwards along the track.
TROTrack rotation: Moves the trigs from both generators forwards or backwards together.
OPBoolean operator: Sets the logic that combines the two generators’ trigs: OR, XOR, AND or SUB.Range OR, XOR, AND, SUB

OP settings

`OP`	Trigs placed on the track
OR	Every trig from generator 1 and every trig from generator 2.
XOR	Trigs from either generator, except on steps where both place a trig.
AND	Only the steps where both generators place a trig.
SUB	Generator 1’s trigs, minus any step where generator 2 also places one.

From the community

Program a normal step pattern and a Euclidean pattern on the same track, then switch Euclidean mode on and off live, for example to drop in a snare roll. via Elektronauts: how much are you using the Euclidean sequencing?

Digitakt 2 - Beginner’s MEGA TUTORIAL
True Cuckoo
A chaptered, unhurried beginner walkthrough of the whole machine — the best first long watch.

Generative Melodies Just Got Easier
EZBOT
Uses the Euclidean generator to write in-scale, polyphonic melodies; shown across several Elektron boxes, the Digitakt II among them.

DT2 owners: how much are you using the Euclidean sequencing?Elektronauts — Real-world uses of Euclidean mode, from quick rhythm starters to performance fills.

5.8IntermediateManual §10.4 p.45

Micro timing

Micro timing moves a note trig a little ahead of or behind the grid. Push a snare slightly late for a laid-back feel, or pull a hi-hat early to make it push forward. It works on any step of both audio and MIDI tracks, and the offsets are stored in the active pattern.

In GRID RECORDING mode, hold one or more TRIG keys.
Press LEFT or RIGHT. A pop-up shows the time offset of the held steps on the active track.
Keep pressing LEFT/RIGHT to set the offset.
Release the TRIG keys to close the pop-up.

Key combinations

Hold TRIG + LEFT/RIGHT: Opens the micro timing pop-up and moves the held trigs earlier or later.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + FUNC, then LEFT/RIGHT: Micro-times all the trigs you have placed at once.GRID RECORDING mode

5.9IntermediateManual §10.5 p.45, §11.3 p.54

Retrigs

A retrig fires a trig repeatedly, giving you rolls, ratchets and stutters from a single step. Set RATE to 1/32 on a snare and it plays twice per step; add a positive VFAD and the roll swells up as it goes — ideal for a build-up. Retrigs work on any step of an audio track; they aren’t available on MIDI tracks.

In GRID RECORDING mode, press TRIG PARAMETERS twice to open the RETRIG PARAMETERS page (TRIG PAGE 2).
Hold the TRIG key of one or more trigs. The page shows their retrig settings.
Still holding, turn A to switch RTRG on, then set RATE, LEN and VFAD.
Release the keys. Retrig settings are stored in the active pattern.

Key combinations

TRIG PARAMETERS twice: Opens the RETRIG PARAMETERS page.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + turn A: Switches retrig on or off for the held trigs.RETRIG PARAMETERS page, GRID RECORDING mode

Retrig parameters on TRIG PAGE 2

RTRGRetrig: Switches the retrig lock on or off.Knob ARange ON/OFF
VFADVelocity Fade: Shapes the velocity of the repeats over LEN: -64 fades out completely, -32 fades to half velocity, 0 stays flat, 32 fades in to half velocity and 64 fades in to full velocity. The result also depends on VEL on TRIG PAGE 1.Range -64–64
LENLength: How long the velocity curve lasts, in fractions or multiples of a step (1/16 is one step). It sets the span over which VFAD acts.Range 0.125–INF
RATERate: How fast the repeats come: 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/8, 1/10, 1/12, 1/16, 1/20, 1/24, 1/32, 1/40, 1/48, 1/64 or 1/80. 1/16 is one trig per step, 1/32 two per step, and 1/12 or 1/24 give triplets.Range 1/1–1/80

5.10IntermediateManual §10.6 p.45

The QUANTIZE menu

The QUANTIZE menu tightens timing after the fact. It acts on every micro-timed or off-grid trig — typically trigs you live-recorded with automatic quantisation off — and works in real time, so you can loop the pattern and dial in just enough correction to tighten it while keeping some feel.

Press FUNC + TRIG PARAMETERS to open the QUANTIZE menu.
To quantise one track, press its TRIG 1–16 key and raise TRACK.
To quantise every track in the pattern, raise PATTERN.
Press NO to close the menu.

The two settings sit on DATA ENTRY knobs E and H. The higher the value, the harder trigs are pulled onto the grid.

Key combinations

FUNC + TRIG PARAMETERS: Opens the QUANTIZE menu.
TRIG 1–16: Selects the track to quantise.QUANTIZE menu
NO: Closes the menu.QUANTIZE menu

Parameters

TRACK: Quantises all trigs on the active track, in real time. Higher values quantise more strongly.
PATTERN: Quantises all trigs on every track in the pattern, in real time. Higher values quantise more strongly.

5.11IntermediateManual §10.7 p.45, §10.7.1 p.46, §10.7.2 p.46, §14.7.5 p.82

Pattern length, speed and page setup

The PAGE SETUP menu decides how long a pattern is and how fast it runs against the tempo. A pattern can have up to 128 steps: eight pages of 16. In PER TRACK mode every track gets its own length and speed, which opens up polymeters — a 12-step hi-hat against a 16-step kick only lines up again every 48 steps (unless RESET restarts the tracks sooner), so a short loop keeps evolving.

Press FUNC + PAGE to open the PAGE SETUP menu.
Press FUNC + YES to switch between PER PATTERN and PER TRACK mode.
Turn the DATA ENTRY knobs to change the settings.

PER PATTERN mode. All tracks share one length and time signature. Press PAGE repeatedly to change the total length quickly, or press a TRIG key to set the number of steps.

PER TRACK mode. The menu shows two columns. The TRACK column sets LENGTH and SPEED for the active track only; the PATTERN column holds the master CHANGE and RESET lengths for the whole pattern. FUNC + UP/DOWN changes the track length in increments, from 2/16 to 128/128.

Key combinations

FUNC + PAGE: Opens the PAGE SETUP menu.
FUNC + YES: Switches between PER PATTERN and PER TRACK mode.PAGE SETUP menu
PAGE: Changes the total pattern length quickly; press repeatedly.PAGE SETUP menu
TRIG: Sets the number of steps quickly.PAGE SETUP menu
FUNC + UP/DOWN: Changes the track length in increments from 2/16 to 128/128.PAGE SETUP menu

Parameters

LENGTHLength: The number of steps — of the pattern in PER PATTERN mode, or of the active track in PER TRACK mode. The leftmost number shows the selected step count. Beyond 16 steps, PAGE switches between pattern pages in GRID RECORDING mode.Range Up to 128 steps
SPEEDSpeed: Playback speed as a multiple of the tempo — for the pattern, or for the active track in PER TRACK mode. 1/8X runs at an eighth of the tempo, 3/4X at three-quarters, 3/2X at twice the 3/4X rate and 2X at double the BPM.Range 1/8X, 1/4X, 1/2X, 3/4X, 1X, 3/2X, 2X
CHANGEPattern Change: PER TRACK mode. How long the active pattern plays before a cued or chained pattern takes over. At the default, OFF, the change happens at the end of the pattern.
RESETPattern Reset: PER TRACK mode. How many steps play before every track restarts from the first step of the first page; INF never restarts them. It also sets how long the pattern plays before a chained pattern starts, unless CHANGE is set lower.

Useful SPEED settings

2X raises the base resolution of the sequencer to 32nd notes.
3/4X lets the Digitakt II play triplets alongside other instruments running at the same BPM.

From the community

Run a pattern at double speed and treat its 128 steps as 64 “half-steps” — an easy way to program flams, ratchety hats and 32nd-note detail. via Elektronauts: Digitakt II Tips & Tricks

5.12IntermediateManual §10.8 p.47, §10.8.1 p.47

Parameter locks

A parameter lock — p-lock — gives one trig its own value for a parameter, overriding the track’s setting on that step only. That lets a single track play a different pitch, filter or envelope on every hit: open the filter on the last snare of the bar, or tune one sample into a melody. You can lock any parameter on the PARAMETER pages, on every type of track.

In GRID RECORDING mode

Press RECORD to enter GRID RECORDING mode.
Place a note trig with TRIG, or a lock trig with FUNC + TRIG, on the step you want to lock.
Hold that trig’s TRIG key.
Turn the DATA ENTRY knob of the parameter and set the value. The locked parameter shows inverted with its locked value, and the TRIG key blinks — red for a note trig, yellow for a lock trig.

In LIVE RECORDING mode

Hold RECORD and press PLAY.
As the pattern runs, turn DATA ENTRY knobs or play the TRIG keys in KEYBOARD mode. Note trigs on the active track are placed and locked, and lock trigs carrying the locks are added on steps that had no trig.

In STEP RECORDING mode

Hold RECORD and press STOP.
Hold a TRIG key and turn the DATA ENTRY knob of the parameter to lock. The screen and key show the lock just as in GRID RECORDING mode.

Lock many trigs at once. Hold a TRIG key together with PAGE and turn a DATA ENTRY knob to lock that parameter on every existing trig on the page. Hold TRK instead of PAGE to lock every active trig on the whole track. This arrived in OS 1.10.

Key combinations

Hold TRIG + turn A–H: Locks that parameter on the held trig.GRID or STEP RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + press A–H: Removes the lock on that knob’s parameter from the held trig.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + PAGE, turn A–H: Locks the parameter on every existing trig on the page.
Hold TRIG + TRK, turn A–H: Locks the parameter on every active trig on the track.
Hold NO + press and hold A–H: Removes that parameter’s locks from the track in real time.LIVE RECORDING mode

Good to know

A pattern can lock up to 80 different parameters. Each parameter counts once, however many trigs lock it — lock the filter cutoff on every step and 79 remain.
In GRID RECORDING mode, holding a trig that carries locks lights the PARAMETER keys red for the pages where its locked parameters are.
To clear every lock from a trig, delete the note trig and place it again.
To erase recorded trigs on the fly in LIVE RECORDING mode, hold NO and the track’s TRIG key — see LIVE RECORDING mode.
Since OS 1.10, PARAM LIVE REC in the PERSONALIZE menu can limit live-recorded locks to trigs that already exist (The PERSONALIZE menu).

From the community

Mastering Digitakt II // Making hihats come alive
Dave Mech
Practical ideas for adding movement and variation to static hi-hat patterns.

Digitakt II Tips & TricksElektronauts — The long-running community tips thread — dozens of pages of sequencing, slicing and sound-design tricks.

5.13IntermediateManual §10.8.2 p.48, §9.1 p.29, §9.1.1 p.29

Preset locks

A preset lock changes the track’s whole sound to another preset from the pool on one step. A single track can then play a kick on the downbeats and a clap on the backbeats, leaving other tracks free — a powerful way to add variation to a part.

Make sure the presets you want are in the project’s pool — see The +Drive library and the pool.
Hold the TRIG key of a note trig.
Turn LEVEL/DATA to open the pool list, and keep turning to scroll through it.
With the preset you want selected, release the TRIG key.

To see which preset a step uses, hold its TRIG key: the assigned preset is shown.

Key combinations

Hold TRIG + turn LEVEL/DATA: Opens the pool list and picks a preset for that note trig.
Hold TRIG: Shows the preset locked to that note trig.Note trig with a preset lock

From the community

Presets earn their keep as sound locks. Lock different presets to individual steps to play several samples, each with its own settings, from a single track. via Elektronauts: Preset Pool vs Sample Pool

This Is Why You Need Presets On The Digitakt II
YouTube
Makes the case for the Digitakt II’s distinctive way of handling presets.

Preset Pool vs Sample PoolElektronauts — Clears up the most common Digitakt I-to-II confusion: when to use presets and when to use samples.

5.14AdvancedManual §10.8.3 p.48, §11.2 p.53

Trig conditions and conditional locks

A trig condition is a rule checked each time the playhead reaches a trig: if the rule is true the trig plays, if not it stays silent. You set it with a special parameter lock called a conditional lock. Give a hi-hat trig the condition 1:2 and it plays on the first pass of the pattern, skips the second, plays the third and so on — a two-bar variation from a one-bar loop. Other conditions react to the first or last pass, or to whether an earlier trig played.

In GRID or STEP RECORDING mode, place a note trig or lock trig on the step.
With TRIG PAGE 1 showing (TRIG PARAMETERS), hold the trig to reach its COND parameter.
Turn H to choose a condition.

Key combinations

Hold TRIG + turn H: Sets the trig condition (COND) of the held trig.TRIG PAGE 1, GRID or STEP RECORDING mode

Condition-related parameters on TRIG PAGE 1

CONDTrig Condition: The condition applied by a conditional lock. Choose from the conditions in the table below.Knob H
PROBTrig Probability: The chance that the track’s trigs play, re-evaluated every time a trig is due. Default 100%. Lock it on single trigs to give them their own odds.
FILLFill: A separate condition: ON plays the trig only while FILL mode is active, OFF only while it isn’t. See FILL mode.Range ON, OFF

In this guide a ! in front of a condition means its inverted version — !PRE reads “not PRE”.

Trig conditions

Condition	The trig plays…
`PRE`	…if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the same track was true. Other `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs are skipped when looking back.
`!PRE`	…if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the same track was false. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs are skipped when looking back.
`NEI`	…if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the neighbour track was true. The neighbour is the track before this one — track 3 for track 4. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs there are ignored, and `NEI` is false if the neighbour has no conditional trigs.
`!NEI`	…if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the neighbour track was false. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs there are ignored.
`1ST`	…only the first time the pattern plays.
`!1ST`	…every time except the first time the pattern plays.
`LST`	…only on the last pass before the pattern changes to another pattern.
`!LST`	…on every pass except the last one before the pattern changes.
`A:B`	…on pass A, then every B passes after that. A pass is one loop of the pattern — or of the track, if the track is shorter than the pattern. The cycle repeats until you stop the sequencer.
`!A:B`	…on every pass where the same `A:B` setting would not play.

A:B in practice

Setting	Plays on pass
`1:2`	1, 3, 5…
`2:2`	2, 4, 6…
`2:4`	2, 6, 10…
`4:7`	4, 11, 18…
`!2:4`	Every pass except 2, 6, 10…

How PRE looks back

Trig	Condition	Example 1	Example 2
1	50% probability	Plays	Doesn’t play
2	`!PRE`	Silent	Plays
3	`!PRE`	Silent	Plays
4	`PRE`	Plays	Silent

Trigs 3 and 4 skip over the PRE-type trigs before them and look straight back to trig 1, so the whole group follows trig 1’s coin toss.

From the community

How To Use Trig Conditions With The Elektron DigitaktSynthtopia — Made for the original Digitakt, but trig conditions work the same way on the II, so the ideas carry straight over.

5.15IntermediateManual §10.8.4 p.49, §11.2 p.53, §17 p.90

FILL mode

FILL mode is a performance switch for temporary variations such as drum fills. Trigs can be set to play only while FILL mode is on, or only while it’s off, so at the end of a phrase you can bring in your fill, then drop straight back to the groove.

Prepare a fill

In GRID RECORDING mode, place the trigs that make up the fill.
Open TRIG PAGE 1 with TRIG PARAMETERS, hold each fill trig and set FILL to ON.
For trigs that should drop out during the fill, set FILL to OFF.
Leave GRID RECORDING mode, start playback and trigger FILL mode with one of the keys below.

Key combinations

YES + PAGE: Turns FILL mode on for one pattern cycle, starting when the pattern next loops and ending when it loops again.
PAGE: Turns FILL mode off again.FILL mode started with YES + PAGE
Hold PAGE: Keeps FILL mode on for as long as you hold the key.Pattern playing, GRID RECORDING mode off
Hold PAGE + YES, release PAGE first: Latches FILL mode on.
PAGE: Unlatches FILL mode.FILL mode latched

`FILL` setting	The trig plays…
ON	…only while FILL mode is active.
OFF	…only while FILL mode is not active.

From the community

How To Use Trig Conditions With The Elektron DigitaktSynthtopia — Made for the original Digitakt, but trig conditions work the same way on the II, so the ideas carry straight over.

5.16BasicsManual §10.8.5 p.49, §10.1.1 p.40, §6.4 p.19, §17 p.88

Copying, pasting and clearing in the sequencer

Copy and paste are the fastest way to build variations: duplicate a pattern before reworking it, copy a finished hi-hat part to another track, or repeat a one-bar figure on every page. You can copy, paste and clear whole patterns, single tracks, track pages, parameter pages and individual trigs. Any copy, paste or clear can be undone by repeating the same key press.

Copy a pattern to another slot

Make sure GRID RECORDING mode is off.
Press FUNC + RECORD to copy the active pattern.
Select the destination pattern, in the same bank or another.
Press FUNC + STOP to paste.

Copy a run of trigs

In GRID RECORDING mode, hold the TRIG keys of the trigs to copy and press RECORD.
Hold the TRIG key of the step where the copy should start and press STOP.
The trigs land with the same spacing as the originals, starting from that step, complete with their parameter locks.

Tracks work like patterns but with GRID RECORDING mode on. For a track page, select it with PAGE first; for a parameter page, select it with its PARAMETER key, then choose another track before pasting with the same PARAMETER key.

Patterns

FUNC + RECORD: Copies the active pattern.GRID RECORDING mode off
FUNC + STOP: Pastes the copied pattern into the selected pattern slot.GRID RECORDING mode off
FUNC + PLAY: Clears all trigs in the active pattern.GRID RECORDING mode off
PTN, then TRIG + RECORD: Copies the pattern on that key without leaving the active pattern.
PTN, then TRIG + STOP: Pastes the copied pattern into that slot; repeat for more slots.
PTN, then TRIG + PLAY: Clears that pattern; repeat to clear more.

Tracks

FUNC + RECORD: Copies the active track.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + STOP: Pastes the copied track onto the active track.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + PLAY: Clears the active track.GRID RECORDING mode

Track pages

PAGE + RECORD: Copies the active track page.GRID RECORDING mode
PAGE + STOP: Pastes the copied page onto the selected track page.GRID RECORDING mode
PAGE + PLAY: Clears the active track page.GRID RECORDING mode

Parameter pages

PARAMETER + RECORD: Copies that parameter page with all its settings.
PARAMETER + STOP: Pastes the copied settings into the same page of the active track.
PARAMETER + PLAY: Clears that parameter page.

Trigs

Hold TRIG + RECORD: Copies the held trig, or several held trigs, with all their parameter locks.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + STOP: Pastes the copied trigs, starting at the held step.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + PLAY: Clears the trig locks of the held trigs.GRID RECORDING mode

5.17BasicsManual §10.8.6 p.49

Temporary save and reload

A temporary save is a restore point for live work. Store the pattern as it is, then add notes, tweak, or sweep everything with CONTROL ALL (Editing parameters) — and if it goes wrong, reload to jump straight back. Nothing is written permanently, so it’s safe to use mid-performance.

When the pattern sounds right, press FUNC + YES.
Experiment as much as you like.
Press FUNC + NO to return to the state you saved.

Key combinations

FUNC + YES: Temporarily saves the active pattern as a restore point.
FUNC + NO: Reloads the active pattern from the last temporary save, or from its permanently saved state if you haven’t made one.