Settings & system · Digitakt II guide

11.1BasicsManual §14 p.75, §14.1 p.75, §14.1.3 p.75

Projects: load, save and manage

A project holds your patterns, songs and settings (see Projects, songs, patterns, kits, presets and samples), and the SETTINGS menu is where you load, save and organise projects. The same menu also holds the global SONG, PATTERN, MIDI, SysEx and audio routing options covered in the next sections.

Find the project options

Press SETTINGS to open the SETTINGS menu.
Scroll with UP/DOWN or LEVEL/DATA to PROJECT and press YES.
Choose LOAD PROJECT, SAVE PROJECT AS or MANAGE PROJECTS.

PROJECT menu

LOAD PROJECT: Opens a list of projects to load. Choose CREATE NEW, at the very bottom of the list, to start a completely blank project.
SAVE PROJECT AS: Opens a list of slots so you can save the active project to one of them. To save over the current project quickly, press FUNC + SETTINGS instead.
MANAGE PROJECTS: Opens the PROJECT MANAGER, where you highlight a project and press RIGHT for a list of commands.

PROJECT MANAGER commands

Command	What it does
`CLEAR`	Resets the project slot to a clean state.
`DELETE`	Removes the project from the slot.
`RENAME`	Opens the naming screen so you can rename the project file. See Naming things.
`LOAD FROM`	Loads the selected project, replacing the active one.
`SAVE TO`	Saves the active project to the selected slot.
`TOGGLE`	Turns write protection on or off. A protected project can’t be overwritten, renamed or erased, and shows a lock symbol in front of its name.
`INIT NEW`	Fills an empty slot with a clean project. Only available on empty slots.
`PURGE ALL`	Removes all presets from the pool, and every sample not used in any pattern of the project from RAM. Nothing is deleted from the +Drive library. Only available for the currently loaded project.

Key combinations

SETTINGS: Opens the SETTINGS menu.
UP/DOWN or LEVEL/DATA: Scrolls the SETTINGS menu list.SETTINGS menu
YES: Opens the highlighted menu.SETTINGS menu
FUNC + SETTINGS: Saves the active project, overwriting the current project.
RIGHT: Opens the list of commands for the highlighted project.PROJECT MANAGER

11.2BasicsManual §14.2 p.76

SONG settings menu

The SONG menu handles the housekeeping for songs — the pattern arrangements you build in Song mode. Since OS 1.01 the menu shows the name of the current song.

Press SETTINGS to open the SETTINGS menu.
Highlight SONG and press YES.
Choose one of the options below.

SONG menu options

Option	What it does
`RENAME`	Opens the naming screen so you can rename the active song. See Naming things.
`CLEAR`	Clears the active song.
`LOAD`	Opens a screen where you pick a song to load.
`SAVE TO PROJ`	Saves the active song to the project.

11.3IntermediateManual §14.3 p.76, §14.3.4 p.77

PATTERN settings menu

The PATTERN menu is for pattern housekeeping: renaming the active pattern, clearing it, saving it to the project and going back to the saved version. Clearing, saving and reloading each work on one of three scopes, so you can act on the whole pattern, just its kit or just its sequence. Since OS 1.01 the menu shows the current pattern’s name.

Press SETTINGS to open the SETTINGS menu.
Highlight PATTERN and press YES.
Use UP/DOWN to choose an option and press YES.
When a prompt appears, press YES to go ahead or NO to cancel.

PATTERN menu options

RENAME: Opens the naming screen so you can rename the active pattern. See Naming things.
CLEAR: Clears all or part of the active pattern.
SAVE TO PROJ: Saves all or part of the active pattern to the +Drive.
RELOAD FROM PROJ: Reloads all or part of the active pattern from the +Drive.

What each scope affects

Scope	CLEAR	SAVE TO PROJ	RELOAD FROM PROJ
`WHOLE PATTERN`	Sequencer data and kit	Sequence data and kit	Sequence data and kit
`KIT DATA`	Kit only — sequencer data stays	Kit only	Kit only
`SEQUENCE DATA`	Sequence data only — presets stay	Sequence data only	All sequence data

Key combinations

UP/DOWN: Moves between the options.PATTERN menu
YES: Confirms the selected option or prompt.PATTERN menu
NO: Cancels a prompt or exits the menu.PATTERN menu

11.4AdvancedOS 1.01+Manual §14.6 p.80, §14.6.1 p.80, §14.6.2 p.81, §14.6.3 p.81, §14.6.4 p.81, §14.6.5 p.81, §14.6.6 p.81, §14.6.7 p.81

Audio routing

The AUDIO ROUTING menu decides where audio goes inside the Digitakt II and over USB: which tracks, effects and inputs you hear from the main outputs, which of them feed the effects, and what travels to and from a computer or other USB audio host (Overbridge, Class-compliant USB audio and MIDI). These settings work globally, for the whole instrument.

Open AUDIO ROUTING

Press SETTINGS to open the SETTINGS menu.
Highlight AUDIO ROUTING and press YES.
Highlight the option you want: TO MAIN, TO FX, USB IN, USB OUT, INT TO MAIN, USB TO MAIN [dB] or PRE/POST FADER.

TO MAIN covers all 16 tracks, the three send effects — Delay, Reverb and Chorus — and the inputs. Anything you switch off here no longer sends audio to MAIN OUT.

Choose what reaches the main outputs (TO MAIN)

Highlight TO MAIN and press YES.
Use UP/DOWN to move between the setup pages.
Press a TRIG key to switch that track, effect or input on or off. Green keys send to the main outputs; unlit keys don’t.

TO FX — labelled TO SEND FX on screen — works the same way for what feeds the effects. It covers the 16 tracks, two of the effects — Delay and Chorus — and the inputs.

Choose what feeds the effects (TO FX)

Highlight TO FX and press YES.
Use UP/DOWN to move between the setup pages.
Press a TRIG key to switch that track, effect or input on or off. Green keys send to the effects; unlit keys don’t.

USB audio settings

USB IN: Where audio arriving from Overbridge or a class-compliant device goes in the Digitakt II. MAIN sends it to the main outputs; OFF routes none of it.Range MAIN, OFF
USB OUT: Which point in the signal path feeds the audio sent to Overbridge or a class-compliant device: MAIN takes the main out at the very end of the path, L:T1–16/R:T1–16 one or two tracks (see the steps below), EXT the IN L/R inputs passed straight through, and OFF sends nothing.Range MAIN, L:T1–16/R:T1–16, EXT, OFF
INT TO MAIN: Whether internal sound reaches MAIN OUT and HEADPHONES OUT while you use Overbridge or class-compliant USB audio. OFF never sends it, ON always does, and AUTO keeps it off the main out while USB audio is streaming and lets it through when it isn’t.Range OFF, ON, AUTO
USB TO MAIN [dB]: How much gain is added to audio streamed over USB on its way to the main out, with Overbridge or class-compliant USB audio.Range 0 dB–+18 dB
PRE/POST FADER: Whether the audio sent over USB is taken before or after the track level setting. Since OS 1.01 the default is POST.

Send one or two tracks over USB

Set USB OUT to L:T1–16/R:T1–16.
For a single track in stereo, press its TRIG key twice. The key lights white.
For two separate tracks, press one TRIG key and then another. The keys light blue for the left channel and red for the right; each track is summed to mono and sent on its own side.

Key combinations

SETTINGS: Opens the SETTINGS menu.
YES: Opens the highlighted routing option.SETTINGS > AUDIO ROUTING
UP/DOWN: Moves between the setup pages.AUDIO ROUTING > TO MAIN or TO FX
TRIG: Switches sending to the main outputs on or off for that track, effect or input.AUDIO ROUTING > TO MAIN
TRIG: Switches sending to the effects on or off for that track, effect or input.AUDIO ROUTING > TO FX
TRIG twice: Selects that track as a single stereo source for USB OUT.USB OUT set to L:T1–16/R:T1–16
TRIG, then another TRIG: Selects two tracks as separate mono sources for the left and right USB channels.USB OUT set to L:T1–16/R:T1–16

Routing changes in the release notes

OS	Change
1.01	Added the `TO MAIN` and `TO SEND EFFECTS` parameters.
1.01	Added the `INT TO MAIN` parameter.
1.01	The default for `PRE/POST FADER` changed to `POST`.
1.10	Minor screen changes to the `TO MAIN` and `TO SEND FX` items.
1.10	Fixed `USB OUT` set to `EXT` not working as expected.
1.10A	Removing send effects from the main outputs no longer removes them from their individual outputs too.
1.17	Added the option to route the audio from the main outputs using Outbox 8 — see Outbox 8.

From the community

The Digitakt II and Outbox 8 Are Perfect Companions
YouTube
Sends individual Digitakt II tracks through Outbox 8 to external effects.

New Elektron Outbox 8 opens up Digitakt II.
keinseier
Routes several Digitakt II tracks to outboard effects through Outbox 8 while the rest stay dry.

Outbox 8 User Manual (OS 1.00E)Elektron — Worked routing examples for sending Digitakt II tracks to Outbox 8 outputs without doubling them on the mains.

11.5IntermediateOS 1.01+Manual §14.7 p.81, §14.7.1 p.82, §14.7.9 p.82

The PERSONALIZE menu

PERSONALIZE collects the preferences that change how the Digitakt II feels to use rather than how it sounds: how bright the lights are, what the arrow keys do, whether a longer pattern copies its trigs, how the NOTE knob moves, how LIVE RECORDING treats trigs that are already there, and what a TRIG key does when you switch tracks. The menu arrived in OS 1.01 and has gained options in later updates.

Open PERSONALIZE

Press SETTINGS.
Scroll to PERSONALIZE with UP/DOWN or LEVEL/DATA and press YES.
Highlight the option you want to change. Use LEFT/RIGHT to step through the LED INTENSITY levels, and YES to tick or untick an on/off option such as REMEMBER SUBPAGE.

PERSONALIZE options

LED INTENSITY: How bright the key LEDs and the screen are. Change it with LEFT/RIGHT.Range LOW, MID, MAX
LED BACKLIGHT: Turns the backlight of the key LEDs on or off.Range On, off
REMEMBER SUBPAGE: When on, pressing a PARAMETER key takes you back to whichever subpage of that page you used last. Toggle it with YES.Range ON, OFF
U/D KEY MODE: What UP/DOWN do. With KB OCT they shift the keyboard an octave in KEYBOARD mode and move between parameter pages everywhere else; with NAV they only ever move between parameter pages. Added in OS 1.01 — see KEYBOARD mode and keyboard setup.Range KB OCT, NAV
PAGE AUTOCOPY: When on, making a pattern longer copies the trigs you’ve already placed into the new pages: take a two-page pattern to four pages and pages 3–4 become copies of pages 1–2. The option to switch this off came in OS 1.01 — see Pattern length, speed and page setup.Range On, off
NOTE PARAM: How A edits NOTE on TRIG page 1 — whether turning it moves chromatically or through the set scale (see the table below). Added in OS 1.02 — see The TRIG page and Keyboard scales.Range CHRO, SCALE
LIVE REC OVERDUB: When ticked, notes and locks you record in LIVE RECORDING mode are added to trigs that are already on the steps instead of replacing them. Added in OS 1.10 — see LIVE RECORDING mode.Range On, off
PARAM LIVE REC: Whether parameter locks recorded in LIVE RECORDING mode can land on every sequencer step, or only on steps that already hold a trig. Added in OS 1.10 — see Parameter locks.
TRK SELECT: What happens when you press a TRIG key to change tracks outside the recording modes: whether the track is selected, whether its sound plays, and what TRK + TRIG does instead. Added in OS 1.10, where the release notes call it TRACK SELECT.Range NORMAL, SILENT, MANUAL, INVERTED

NOTE PARAM settings

Setting	Turn knob A	Press and turn knob A
`CHRO`	Chromatic steps	Steps that follow the set scale
`SCALE`	Steps that follow the set scale	Chromatic steps

TRK SELECT settings

Setting	Press a TRIG key	Press TRK + TRIG
`NORMAL`	Selects the track and plays its sound	Selects the track without a sound
`SILENT`	Selects the track without a sound	Selects the track without a sound
`MANUAL`	Plays the track’s sound but doesn’t select it	Selects the track without a sound
`INVERTED`	Selects the track without a sound	Plays the track’s sound but doesn’t select it

Key combinations

Hold SETTINGS for a second, then press TRIG 1–3: Sets the brightness of the key LEDs and screen.
Hold SETTINGS for a second, then press TRIG 9: Turns the key LED backlight on or off.
LEFT/RIGHT: Steps the brightness between LOW, MID and MAX.PERSONALIZE > LED INTENSITY
YES: Turns REMEMBER SUBPAGE on or off.PERSONALIZE > REMEMBER SUBPAGE
UP/DOWN: Transposes the keyboard up or down one octave.KEYBOARD mode with U/D KEY MODE set to KB OCT
UP/DOWN: Moves between parameter pages.Outside KEYBOARD mode, or with U/D KEY MODE set to NAV
TRIG PARAMETERS, then turn A: Changes NOTE in chromatic steps.TRIG page 1, NOTE PARAM set to CHRO
TRIG PARAMETERS, then turn A: Steps NOTE through the notes of the set scale only.TRIG page 1, NOTE PARAM set to SCALE
TRIG PARAMETERS, then press and turn A: Changes NOTE in chromatic steps.TRIG page 1, NOTE PARAM set to SCALE
TRIG: Selects the track and plays its sound.TRK SELECT set to NORMAL, outside the recording modes
TRIG: Selects the track without playing its sound.TRK SELECT set to SILENT or INVERTED, outside the recording modes
TRIG: Plays the track’s sound without selecting it.TRK SELECT set to MANUAL, outside the recording modes
TRK + TRIG: Selects the track without playing its sound.TRK SELECT set to NORMAL, SILENT or MANUAL
TRK + TRIG: Plays the track’s sound without selecting it.TRK SELECT set to INVERTED

11.6IntermediateManual §14.8 p.83, §14.8.1 p.83, §14.8.2 p.83, §14.8.3 p.83, §14.8.4 p.84

The SYSTEM menu

The SYSTEM menu holds the settings that concern the instrument itself rather than your music: what the USB port carries, OS updates, erasing the +Drive, and an overview of how much memory is in use.

Open the SYSTEM menu

Press SETTINGS.
Scroll to SYSTEM with UP/DOWN or LEVEL/DATA and press YES.
Highlight USB CONFIG, OS UPGRADE, FORMAT +DRIVE or STORAGE and press YES.

USB CONFIG decides what the USB port is used for. It has three modes and only one can be active — choosing one switches the other two off.

USB CONFIG modes

Mode	What it does
`OVERBRIDGE`	Turns on Overbridge, so you can use the Digitakt II as a plug-in in your DAW — see Overbridge.
`USB MIDI`	Sends and receives MIDI over USB.
`USB AUDIO/MIDI`	Sends and receives both audio and MIDI over USB. Choose this to use the Digitakt II with a class-compliant USB audio host — see Class-compliant USB audio and MIDI.

OS UPGRADE is the standard way to update the Digitakt II. You send the OS file from Elektron Transfer on a computer connected to the USB port, then confirm on the Digitakt II with YES; it reboots when the update is done. Don’t look for the Digitakt II as an icon on your computer desktop — it doesn’t appear as one. The full procedure is in Updating the OS, and if this route doesn’t work, the The STARTUP menu has a fallback over MIDI.

FORMAT +DRIVE wipes content from the +Drive. You choose what goes: all projects, presets and kits, all samples, or both.

FORMAT +DRIVE options

Option	Erases
`PROJ+PST+KIT`	Every project, preset and kit
`SAMPLES`	Every sample

Format the +Drive

Back up everything you want to keep with Elektron Transfer — see Backing up with Elektron Transfer.
Press SETTINGS, open SYSTEM, then open FORMAT +DRIVE.
Make your choices with LEFT/RIGHT: tick PROJ+PST+KIT, SAMPLES or both.
Press YES to confirm. A prompt asks whether you want to go ahead with the format.
Press YES to format.

What STORAGE shows

How many projects, presets, kits and samples are stored.
How much sample time is used and how much remains.
On the right, how full the RAM and the +Drive are, with the free space left on each.

For the difference between project RAM and the +Drive, see The +Drive library and the pool.

Key combinations

SETTINGS: Opens the SETTINGS menu.
YES: Opens the highlighted option.SETTINGS > SYSTEM
LEFT/RIGHT: Chooses what to erase.SYSTEM > FORMAT +DRIVE
YES: Confirms your choice and brings up the format prompt.SYSTEM > FORMAT +DRIVE
YES: Starts formatting the +Drive.FORMAT +DRIVE prompt
YES: Confirms the OS update.After dropping an OS file on Transfer’s DROP page

11.7AdvancedManual §15 p.85, §15.1 p.85, §15.2 p.85, §15.3 p.85, §15.4 p.85, §15.5 p.85

The STARTUP menu is a maintenance menu you can only reach while the Digitakt II boots. Use it to check the hardware, to start over with an empty or factory-fresh machine, or to install an OS over MIDI when the normal USB update from the SYSTEM menu doesn’t work.

Open the STARTUP menu

Switch the Digitakt II off.
Hold FUNC while you switch it on with the POWER switch on the rear panel.
Press the TRIG key for the option you want — see the table below.

STARTUP menu options

Key	Option	What it does
`TRIG 1`	`TEST MODE`	Runs a hardware self-test and shows a test log.
`TRIG 2`	`EMPTY RESET`	Erases all patterns and presets. The data on the +Drive is left intact.
`TRIG 3`	`FACTORY RESET`	Re-initialises the active project and +Drive project slot 1 with the factory content, and puts the factory presets back in preset bank A.
`TRIG 4`	`OS UPGRADE`	Gets ready to receive a new OS over MIDI from Elektron Transfer.
`TRIG 5`	`EXIT`	Leaves the STARTUP menu.

Key combinations

Hold FUNC while powering on: Opens the STARTUP menu.
TRIG 1: Enters TEST MODE.STARTUP menu
UP/DOWN: Scrolls through the test log.STARTUP menu > TEST MODE
TRIG 2: Performs an empty reset.STARTUP menu
TRIG 3: Performs a factory reset.STARTUP menu
TRIG 4: Enters OS UPGRADE mode.STARTUP menu
TRIG 5: Exits the STARTUP menu.STARTUP menu

Run the hardware self-test

Open the STARTUP menu and press TRIG 1 to enter TEST MODE.
Expect a short test sound — it plays through all of the outputs.
Scroll through the test log with UP/DOWN.
Check for errors. A fully working unit reports none; if yours reports one, contact Elektron support or the shop you bought it from.

Factory reset without losing your project

Save the active project to a +Drive project slot higher than 1 — see Projects: load, save and manage.
If you keep your own presets in preset bank A, back them up with Transfer first (Backing up with Elektron Transfer), since that bank is overwritten.
Hold FUNC while you switch the Digitakt II on.
Press TRIG 3.

Update the OS over MIDI

Download the Digitakt II OS file from the Elektron website.
Connect the MIDI OUT of your computer’s MIDI interface to the Digitakt II’s MIDI IN.
Hold FUNC while you switch the Digitakt II on to open the STARTUP menu.
Press TRIG 4 to enter OS UPGRADE mode.
Open Elektron Transfer on your computer and, on its CONNECTION page, click “go to the SYSEX TRANSFER page”.
On the SYSEX TRANSFER page, click “OS Upgrade via device startup menu” and follow the instructions on screen.
Wait. When the update has finished, the Digitakt II reboots by itself.

11.8IntermediateManual §14.8.2 p.83, §15.4 p.85

Updating the OS

New OS versions bring new features and bug fixes. You install one by sending the OS syx file to the Digitakt II with Elektron Transfer, the free app from the Elektron website. There are two ways to do it: over USB while the Digitakt II is running normally, or over MIDI from the The STARTUP menu.

Update over USB, from the running OS

Connect the Digitakt II to your computer over USB and switch it on.
Open Transfer on your computer.
On Transfer’s CONNECTION page, set the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT ports to the Digitakt II.
Drag and drop the OS file onto Transfer’s DROP page. It’s sent to the Digitakt II automatically and a progress bar appears on its screen.
Press YES on the Digitakt II to confirm the update.
Wait — the Digitakt II restarts by itself when the update is done.

Update over MIDI, from the STARTUP menu

Connect the Digitakt II to your computer through its MIDI port — the USB port can’t be used for this method.
Hold FUNC while you switch the Digitakt II on to open the STARTUP menu.
Press TRIG 4 to enter OS UPGRADE mode.
Open Transfer on your computer.
On Transfer’s CONNECTION page, click “LEGACY OS UPGRADE mode”.
On the LEGACY OS UPGRADE mode page, browse to and select the downloaded OS syx file.
Select your MIDI interface.
Click “UPGRADE”. A progress bar appears on the Digitakt II’s screen as it receives the OS.
Wait — the Digitakt II restarts by itself when the update is done.

Key combinations

Hold FUNC while powering on: Opens the STARTUP menu.
TRIG 4: Enters OS UPGRADE mode.STARTUP menu
YES: Confirms the OS update.After dropping an OS file on Transfer’s DROP page

If the check reports file system errors

Use Transfer to back up all the projects and samples on the Digitakt II (see Backing up with Elektron Transfer).
When the backup is complete, go to SETTINGS > SYSTEM > FORMAT +DRIVE.
Tick SAMPLES and go ahead with the format.
When formatting has finished, use Transfer to import your backed-up projects and samples again.

From the community

Back up projects and samples with Transfer before a major OS update. Since OS 1.15 the first boot runs a file-system check, and if it finds errors you may have to reformat the +Drive. via Elektronauts: OS Upgrade: Digitakt II 1.15