The sequencer · Digitone II guide

5.1BasicsManual §10 p.41, §10.1 p.41, §10.1.1 p.41, §10.1.2 p.41, §13.4.1 p.74

Patterns and banks

Everything the sequencer plays lives in patterns. A project has eight banks, A–H, with 16 patterns in each — 128 patterns to work with. The Digitone II moves from one pattern to the next without a gap, so you can build the sections of a track as separate patterns and switch between them as you play.

What a pattern holds

The general trig settings on the TRIG page, such as the default note pitch and velocity.
The kit, with every setting on the SYN, FLTR, AMP, FX and MOD pages.
The settings on the DELAY, REVERB, CHORUS and MIXER pages.
The settings in the SETUP menu (The SETUP menu: kit and track settings).
Its quantisation settings (The QUANTIZE menu).
The note trigs and lock trigs of every track, with their parameter and preset locks.
The length and time signature of the tracks (Pattern length, speed and page setup).
The voice allocation from the VOICE SETUP menu (Voice setup and unison).

Select a pattern

Press PTN.
To pick from a different bank, press LEFT or RIGHT until that bank is selected.
Press one of TRIG 1–16 to choose the pattern.
Press PTN or NO to close bank and pattern selection.

Within the current bank there’s a shortcut: hold PTN and press a TRIG 1–16 key. If you’re used to older Elektron instruments, you can also press FUNC + PTN to open bank selection, pick a bank with one of TRIG 9–16, then pick the pattern with TRIG 1–16.

TRIG key colours while choosing a pattern

Key	Meaning
White	The slot holds a pattern with data.
Red	The active pattern.
Unlit	An empty slot.

You can change pattern while the sequencer runs. The new pattern’s number flashes in the top-left corner of the screen; when the current pattern has played its last step, the new one takes over and the number stops flashing. To change how long a pattern plays before a cued change, use CHANGE in Pattern length, speed and page setup.

The PATTERN PAGE LEDs show how many pages of 16 steps the active pattern has. While it plays, the LED of the page that’s 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: Opens bank selection, picks a bank with the bottom row of keys, then a pattern in it.
PTN or NO: Closes bank and pattern selection.Bank and pattern selection

Playback

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

5.2BasicsManual §10.1.3 p.41

Pattern chains

A chain is a playlist of patterns. Instead of cueing every pattern change by hand, you set the order up front and the Digitone II works through it, starting again from the top after the last pattern. A chain can draw on any bank, A–H, holds up to 64 patterns, and can be built while the sequencer is running.

Build a chain

Press PTN, then FUNC + YES. The chain creator screen opens.
If the pattern you want is in another bank, select the bank with LEFT/RIGHT.
Press the pattern’s TRIG 1–16 key to add it to the chain.
Repeat for each pattern, in playing order. To take back the last pattern you added, press FUNC + LEFT.
Press YES to confirm the chain and close the screen, or NO to cancel it.
Press PLAY to start the chain.

The legacy method

Hold PTN and press the TRIG 1–16 key of the first pattern.
Let go of PTN.
Press the TRIG keys of the following patterns in playing order, keeping each key held while you press the next. Press a key again to add the same pattern twice in a row.
For a pattern in another bank, change bank with LEFT/RIGHT, then press its TRIG key.
Press PLAY. The chain loops once its last pattern has played.

To leave chain mode, select a pattern or a song in the usual way.

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 1–16, release PTN, then hold each TRIG while pressing the next: Builds a chain with the legacy method.

5.3BasicsManual §10.2 p.42, §10.2.1 p.42, §3.1 p.12

Trig types

A trig is an event on a sequencer step that tells the Digitone II to do something at that moment. A note trig plays the track’s preset — or, on a MIDI track, sends a MIDI note. A lock trig plays nothing: it only carries parameter locks, so you can change settings on a step without playing a new note.

How you place trigs depends on the input method. GRID RECORDING mode, LIVE RECORDING mode and STEP RECORDING mode each work differently, and you can also add note trigs in the NOTE EDIT menu. In GRID RECORDING mode, for example, TRIG places a note trig and FUNC + TRIG a lock trig.

Reading the TRIG keys

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, shown in GRID and STEP RECORDING modes.
Blue	Trigs generated by the Euclidean sequencer (Euclidean sequencer mode).
Double-blinking green	The active step in STEP RECORDING mode.
Green	Pages chosen to loop while you hold `PAGE` in GRID RECORDING mode.
Running light	The playhead, travelling along the steps of up to eight pages at the set tempo while a pattern plays or LIVE RECORDING mode is on.

5.4BasicsManual §10.3 p.43, §16 p.85

GRID RECORDING mode

GRID RECORDING is classic step programming: the 16 TRIG keys stand for the 16 steps of the active track, and pressing a key switches its step on or off. It’s the quickest way to lay down a part, and it’s where most detailed editing starts — locks, micro timing, retrigs, note editing, transposing, copy and paste.

Program a track

Press RECORD. It lights red while GRID RECORDING mode is on.
Hold TRK and press a TRIG key to choose the track to program. The active track’s key shows red.
Press TRIG keys to place note trigs. For a lock trig, press FUNC + TRIG.
To remove a trig, tap its key briefly. Hold the key a little longer instead to select the trig for editing without removing it.
Choose another track and repeat.
Press PLAY to hear the sequence, and RECORD when you want to leave GRID RECORDING mode.

Working on a held trig

Hold the TRIG key and press +/- to transpose a note trig — see Transposing tracks, patterns and trigs.
Hold the TRIG key and press LEFT/RIGHT to move it off the grid — see Micro timing.
Hold the TRIG key while you go to TRIG PAGE 2 to set up retrigs — see Retrigs.
Hold the TRIG key and press NOTE EDIT to edit each note on the step — see The NOTE EDIT menu.
Hold the TRIG key and turn a DATA ENTRY knob to lock a parameter — see Parameter locks.

Longer patterns. When a pattern has more than 16 steps, press PAGE to choose which page 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 hold PAGE and step through the pages with LEFT/RIGHT. Set the length in Pattern length, speed and page setup.

Loop only some pages

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. The chosen keys light green, and playback loops through only those pages.
To play every page again, hold PAGE and press NO.

To loop pages 1, 2, 5 and 7 of an eight-page pattern, for example, hold PAGE and press TRIG 9, TRIG 10, TRIG 13 and TRIG 15. While pages loop, a blinking key on the top row shows the master playback position and a blinking key on the bottom row shows the page that’s playing.

Key combinations

RECORD: Turns GRID RECORDING mode on or off.
Hold TRK + TRIG 1–16: Selects the track to program.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG: Places a note trig, or removes an existing trig with a quick tap.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG: Selects the trig for editing without removing it.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + TRIG: Places a lock trig.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG + YES: Previews the trig, parameter locks included.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: Moves every trig on the active track a whole step left or right.GRID RECORDING mode
PAGE: Selects the pattern page to edit.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + TRIG 1–8: Jumps to that page for editing.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + LEFT/RIGHT: Steps through the pattern pages.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + TRIG 9–16: Chooses which pages play and loop.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold PAGE + NO: Returns to playing every page.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG + play a note on a MIDI keyboard: Sets the trig’s NOTE and TRIG VELOCITY from what you play.GRID RECORDING mode

Recording from MIDI gear

Hold a TRIG key and play an external keyboard to enter NOTE and TRIG VELOCITY on that step. If you play several notes, the first one sets the velocity for all of them.
When an external controller records to the MIDI tracks, the sequencer listens on the Auto MIDI channel and records to the active track — see MIDI configuration: sync, ports and channels.

5.5IntermediateOS 1.10+Manual §10.3.1 p.43, §13.7.10 p.79, §13.7.11 p.79, §16 p.86

The NOTE EDIT menu

One step on the Digitone II can hold several notes — a whole chord, even. The NOTE EDIT menu opens a step up so you can change each of its notes on its own: pitch, timing, length and velocity. It’s part of GRID RECORDING mode, and you can also use it to add notes.

The top of the menu shows which step you’re on, as page:step. Each note is a row, with NOTE, TIME, LEN and VEL on DATA ENTRY knobs E–H. NOTE, LEN and VEL are the same settings as on TRIG PAGE 1 (The TRIG pages); TIME is per-note micro timing. Turning LEVEL/DATA sets the keyboard MODE from the KEYBOARD SETUP menu (KEYBOARD SETUP: scales, folding and chords).

Edit the notes of a placed trig

In GRID RECORDING mode, hold the trig’s TRIG key and press NOTE EDIT.
Use UP/DOWN to highlight a note.
Turn E–H to change that note.
To change a setting for every note on the step at once, hold FUNC while you turn the knob.

Add notes with NOTE EDIT

Press NOTE EDIT. GRID RECORDING mode switches on and, by default, the TRIG keys work as they do in KEYBOARD mode.
Choose the step with FUNC + TRIG, or move along with LEFT/RIGHT. FUNC + PAGE goes to the next pattern page.
Play the TRIG keys to add notes. Which notes they play follows the KEYBOARD SETUP menu (KEYBOARD SETUP: scales, folding and chords).
Press FUNC + DOWN to add a note below the highlighted one, or FUNC + UP to delete the highlighted note.

Per-note settings

NOTE: The pitch of the highlighted note. When NOTE PARAM in the PERSONALIZE menu is set to SCALE, only notes in the scale chosen in the KEYBOARD SETUP menu are offered.Knob E
TIME: Micro timing for the highlighted note. Positive values push it later and negative values pull it earlier: 12 moves it halfway towards the next trig, -6 a quarter of the way towards the previous one.Knob FRange -23–23
LEN: The length of the highlighted note.Knob G
VEL: The velocity of the highlighted note.Knob H

Sorting, moving and previewing

Press E to sort the list by pitch, highest at the top. Press F to sort it by time, earliest at the top. A small arrow beside NOTE or TIME shows which order is in use. Sorting by time arrived in OS 1.10.
Rows that share the same micro timing can be reordered: highlight a row, press YES to pick it up, move it with UP/DOWN, then press YES to put it down. The OS 1.10 release notes add that NO also lets go of the row and that this only works while the list is sorted by time.
FUNC + YES previews the step, but only NOTE and VEL are heard — TIME and LEN aren’t part of the preview.

Key combinations

TRIG + NOTE EDIT: Opens the NOTE EDIT menu at that trig.GRID RECORDING mode
NOTE EDIT: Opens the NOTE EDIT menu and switches GRID RECORDING mode on.
RECORD, then NOTE EDIT: Opens the NOTE EDIT menu.NOTE EDIT MENU set to REC in the PERSONALIZE menu
UP/DOWN: Highlights a note.NOTE EDIT menu
Hold FUNC + turn E–H: Changes that setting for every note on the step.NOTE EDIT menu
LEFT/RIGHT: Moves to the previous or next step, whether or not it holds a trig.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + LEFT/RIGHT: Jumps to the previous or next step that holds a note trig.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + TRIG: Selects that step for editing.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + PAGE: Goes to the next pattern page.NOTE EDIT menu
TRIG: Plays notes as in KEYBOARD mode, adding them to the step.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + UP: Deletes the highlighted note.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + DOWN: Adds a note below the highlighted note.NOTE EDIT menu
FUNC + YES: Previews the step, using only its NOTE and VEL settings.NOTE EDIT menu
YES, then UP/DOWN, then YES: Moves the highlighted row among rows with the same micro timing.NOTE EDIT menu, sorted by time

Add notes from a MIDI keyboard

Connect the controller and set it to send on the Digitone II’s AUTO CHANNEL (MIDI configuration: sync, ports and channels).
Press NOTE EDIT and select the step you want to record on.
Press RECORD, then play the notes on the controller. Their pitch, length and velocity are recorded on that step.

From the community

In NOTE EDIT, hold FUNC and press LEFT or RIGHT to jump to the previous or next trig, even on another page. It saves a lot of PAGE presses when you want to fix a few notes. via Elektronauts: Digitone II Tips & Tricks

Elektron Digitone II - Lessons For Complete Beginners - Video 15 - Chord Mode & Note Edit
Daddy Long Les
Every keyboard mode in turn, from Normal and Folded through the chord modes to Chord Memory.

The Probably Boring But Ultimately Useful Details of Note Edit on Digitone 2 | Hanging With Hexwave
Hexwave
A patient, detailed walkthrough of NOTE EDIT and its less obvious behaviour.

Digitone II OS 1.10 is here! // Deep Dive
Dave Mech
A chaptered deep dive into OS 1.10: chord modes, arp and note edit additions, track swap and PERSONALIZE.

Elektron Digitone IISound On Sound (Simon Sherbourne) — An in-depth magazine review of the new machines, multimode filters, sequencer and NOTE EDIT.

5.6BasicsManual §10.4 p.44, §10.12.1 p.50, §11.2 p.57, §13.7.7 p.79, §13.7.8 p.79

LIVE RECORDING mode

LIVE RECORDING captures your playing as the pattern runs. Tap the TRIG keys in time and the hits are written into the sequence; switch on KEYBOARD mode and you record notes at the pitches you play. Knob moves are recorded too, as parameter locks, and through the TRIG modes you can record velocity, retrigs and preset changes.

Hold RECORD and press PLAY. The sequencer starts and RECORD flashes red.
Play the TRIG keys. With KEYBOARD mode on, each key records a note trig at its pitch on the active track.
Turn DATA ENTRY knobs to record changes to the PARAMETER pages. They’re stored as parameter locks, with lock trigs added where needed.
Press PLAY to stop recording while the pattern keeps playing, or STOP to stop recording and playback together.

Quantisation. Hold RECORD and press PLAY twice to turn automatic quantisation on or off. With it off, trigs land exactly where you played them; you can pull them towards the grid later in the QUANTIZE menu.

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

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 reaches them, 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.
When several notes land on one trig, the first note you play sets the velocity for all of them and the last one you release sets their length.

From the community

Digitone 2 Mega Tutorial - for beginners
True Cuckoo
A chaptered, unhurried beginner tutorial that builds a whole track — the best first long watch.

5.7IntermediateManual §10.5 p.45, §16 p.86

STEP RECORDING mode

STEP RECORDING is note entry without the pressure of timing. Enter a note and the sequencer moves to the next step for you — a quick way to write a bass line or a melody from the TRIG keys or a MIDI keyboard. STANDARD mode moves on one step per note; JUMP mode moves on by the length of the note.

Get started

Press RECORD + STOP. RECORD double-blinks red.
Press a TRIG key to choose the step where entry starts. It double-blinks green — or, if it already holds a trig, takes on that trig’s light pattern.
Use LEFT/RIGHT to move the active step or skip over steps.

To switch between STANDARD and JUMP mode, hold RECORD and press STOP twice.

Add trigs to any track

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

Add notes chromatically

Press TRK + TRIG 1–16 to choose the track. Its key lights red.
Hold KEYBOARD and press any lit TRIG key to place a note trig at that pitch on the active step. The active step moves on.
Press +/- or UP/DOWN to shift the keyboard on the TRIG keys up or down an octave. The notes on offer follow the KEYBOARD SETUP menu (KEYBOARD SETUP: scales, folding and chords).

Rests, locks and playback

To leave a step empty, or delete the trig on it, move the active step there and press NO. The active step moves on.
To lock a parameter, hold a trig’s TRIG key and turn the knob for that parameter. The locked value shows inverted on screen, and the key blinks red for a note trig or yellow for a lock trig (Parameter locks).
Press PLAY to hear the sequence as you build it and STOP to stop it; you stay in STEP RECORDING mode either way.
Press RECORD to leave STEP RECORDING mode.

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

How far JUMP mode moves

`LEN`	Note entered	Active step moves
1/16	A sixteenth note	1 step
1/8	An eighth note	2 steps
1/4	A 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, or skips steps.STEP RECORDING mode
Hold FUNC + TRIG 1–16: Places a note trig on that track at the active step and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
TRK + TRIG 1–16: Selects the active track.STEP RECORDING mode
Hold KEYBOARD + TRIG: Places a note trig at that key’s pitch on the active step and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
+/- or UP/DOWN: Shifts the chromatic keyboard up or down an octave.STEP RECORDING mode
NO: Removes the trig on the active step, or enters a rest, and moves on.STEP RECORDING mode
TRIG + YES: Previews the selected trig.STEP RECORDING mode
PLAY: Plays the pattern while you keep programming.STEP RECORDING mode
STOP: Stops playback without leaving STEP RECORDING mode.STEP RECORDING mode
RECORD: Leaves STEP RECORDING mode.STEP RECORDING mode
Hold FUNC + TRIG: Places a trig.STEP RECORDING mode with the PRESET POOL TRIG mode active
Hold FUNC + play notes on a MIDI controller: Enters the notes at the fixed VEL setting instead of the velocity you play.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

With the PRESET POOL TRIG mode active, you have to hold FUNC while pressing TRIG keys to place trigs (TRIG mode).
An external MIDI controller must send on the Digitone 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 the parameter locks that trig already had.

From the community

Transpose as a Performance Tool on Digitone 2 (And Jump Mode Rundown!) | Hanging With Hexwave
Hexwave
Compares the ways to transpose and which stay in key when used live, plus a rundown of jump step recording.

5.8IntermediateManual §10.6 p.46

Euclidean sequencer mode

Euclidean mode builds rhythms from numbers. Two pulse generators each place a set number of trigs on the track, spaced as evenly as the track’s steps allow, and a Boolean operator decides how the two layers combine. Ask for four pulses on a 16-step track and you get one every four steps; rotate a layer and its trigs shift along the track.

Set up a Euclidean track

Select the track and press FUNC + AMP to open the SEQUENCER menu.
Turn EUC on. RECORD lights blue, and so do the TRIG keys of the generated trigs.
Set the number of pulses with PL1 — and with PL2 if you want a second layer.
Shift the trigs with R01, R02 or TRO until they 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 + turn 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.Knob A
PL2Pulse generator 2: How many pulses — trigs — generator 2 places on the track.Knob B
LENTrack length: How many steps the track has. Only available when the PAGE SETUP menu is in PER TRACK mode (Pattern length, speed and page setup).Knob C
EUCEuclidean mode: Switches Euclidean mode on or off for the track.Knob D
R01Rotation generator 1: Rotates the trigs from generator 1 forwards or backwards along the track.Knob E
R02Rotation generator 2: Rotates the trigs from generator 2 forwards or backwards along the track.Knob F
TROTrack rotation: Rotates the trigs from both generators forwards or backwards together.Knob G
OPBoolean operator: The logic that adds or subtracts the two generators’ trigs. See the table below.Knob HRange OR, XOR, AND, SUB

OP settings

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

From the community

Euclidean patterns can sound static. Before you switch Euclidean mode on, place a few trigs in GRID RECORDING mode with their own notes, velocities, retrigs or locks, so the generated rhythm has more variety to draw on. via Elektronauts: Digitone II Tips & Tricks

Elektron Digitone II - Video 5 - The Euclidean Sequencer Explained In Plain English!
Daddy Long Les
The Euclidean sequencer in plain English, including how it combines with ordinary trigs and locks.

How I Actually Use Euclidean Sequencing on Digitone 2
SLUMPFISH OFFICIAL
Part one of a series on composing and performing with the Euclidean sequencer, including boolean logic and rotation.

Digitone II Tips & TricksElektronauts — The community’s running list of owner tricks — key tracking, comb filters, track layering and much more.

5.9IntermediateManual §10.8 p.48, §16 p.85

Micro timing

Micro timing moves a note trig a fraction of a step ahead of or behind the grid. Pull a hi-hat slightly early and it pushes the groove forward; push a snare late and it sits back. 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. The MICRO TIMING pop-up opens and 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.

To micro-time every trig you’ve placed at once, hold TRIG and FUNC together, then press LEFT/RIGHT.

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’ve placed.GRID RECORDING mode

5.10IntermediateManual §10.9 p.48, §11.3 p.58

Retrigs

A retrig fires a trig over and over in quick succession, turning a single step into a roll, a ratchet or a stutter. At a rate of 1/32 the trig plays twice per step; add a velocity fade and the repeats swell in or die away. Retrigs work on any step of the audio tracks — the MIDI tracks don’t have them.

In GRID RECORDING mode, press TRIG PARAMETERS twice to open the RETRIG PARAMETERS page (TRIG PAGE 2).
Hold the TRIG keys 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 retrigs on or off for the held trigs.RETRIG PARAMETERS page, GRID RECORDING mode

Retrig settings on TRIG PAGE 2

RTRGRetrig: Turns retrigs on or off.Knob A
VFADVelocity Fade: Shapes the velocity of the repeats over LEN: -64 fades out completely, -32 fades out 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 VFAD works over.Range 0.125–INF
RATERate: How fast the trig repeats. 1/16 is one trig per step and 1/32 two per step; for triplets, use 1/12 or 1/24.

5.11IntermediateManual §10.10 p.48, §16 p.85

The QUANTIZE menu

The QUANTIZE menu tightens timing after you’ve recorded. 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 let the pattern loop and raise the amount until it sits right, keeping as much feel as you want.

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

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 the trigs on the active track, in real time. The higher the value, the harder trigs are pulled onto the grid.Knob E
PATTERN: Quantises all the trigs on every track in the pattern, in real time. The higher the value, the harder trigs are pulled onto the grid.Knob H

5.12IntermediateManual §10.11 p.48, §10.11.1 p.49, §10.11.2 p.49, §13.7.5 p.79

Pattern length, speed and page setup

The PAGE SETUP menu — SEQUENCER PAGE SETUP on screen — sets how long a pattern is and how fast it runs against the tempo. A pattern holds up to 128 steps: eight pages of 16. In PER PATTERN mode every track shares one length; in PER TRACK mode each track gets its own length and speed, so parts of different lengths can run against each other until RESET sends every track back to the start.

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 the same length and time signature, with LENGTH on E and SPEED on F. For quick changes, press PAGE repeatedly to step through total lengths, or press a TRIG key to set the number of steps.

PER TRACK mode. The screen splits into two columns. The TRACK column — LENGTH on E and SPEED on F — affects only the active track. The PATTERN column holds CHANGE on G and RESET on H, which apply to the whole pattern.

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 musical increments, starting from 2/16.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 step count. With 17 steps or more, PAGE switches between pattern pages in GRID RECORDING mode.Knob ERange Up to 128 steps
SPEEDSpeed: Playback speed as a multiple of the tempo, for the pattern or, in PER TRACK mode, the active track. 1/8X plays at an eighth of the tempo, 3/4X at three-quarters, 3/2X twice as fast as 3/4X, and 2X at double the BPM.Knob FRange 1/8X, 1/4X, 1/2X, 3/4X, 1X, 3/2X, 2X
CHANGEPattern Change: PER TRACK mode only. 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.Knob G
RESETPattern Reset: PER TRACK mode only. How many steps play before every track restarts from the first step of the first page; INF lets the tracks loop without ever restarting. It also sets how long the pattern plays before a chained pattern starts, unless CHANGE is set lower.Knob H

Useful SPEED settings

2X raises the sequencer’s base resolution to 32nd notes.
3/4X lets the Digitone II play triplets alongside other instruments set to the same BPM.

5.13IntermediateManual §10.12 p.50, §10.12.1 p.50, §16 p.85

Parameter locks

A parameter lock — p-lock for short — gives one trig its own setting for a parameter, overriding the track’s value on that step alone. That’s how one track can play a different pitch, envelope or filter setting on every note. You can lock any parameter on the PARAMETER pages, on every kind of track; the pages themselves are covered from Editing track parameters onwards.

In GRID RECORDING mode

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

In LIVE RECORDING mode

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

In STEP RECORDING mode

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

Lock a page or a track at once. Hold a TRIG key, add PAGE, and turn a knob to lock that parameter on every existing trig on the page. Hold TRK instead of PAGE to do the same across 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 existing trig on the track.
Hold NO + 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 one counts once however many trigs lock it, so locking the filter cutoff on every step still leaves 79.
In GRID RECORDING mode, holding a trig with locks lights the PARAMETER keys red for the pages its locked parameters are on.
To strip every lock from a trig, remove the note trig and place it again.
Since OS 1.10, PARAM LIVE REC in the PERSONALIZE menu can limit live-recorded locks to steps that already hold a trig (The PERSONALIZE menu).

From the community

5.14IntermediateManual §10.12.2 p.50, §9.1 p.29, §9.1.1 p.29

Preset locks

A preset lock swaps the track’s whole sound for another preset from the project’s pool, on one step only. A single track can then switch between quite different sounds from step to step, which makes preset locks one of the most useful ways to add variation to a part.

Make sure the presets you want are in the pool (Managing the preset pool).
In GRID RECORDING mode, hold the TRIG key of a note trig.
Turn LEVEL/DATA. The pool list opens; keep turning to scroll through it.
With the preset you want selected, release the TRIG key.

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

Key combinations

Hold TRIG + turn LEVEL/DATA: Opens the pool list and locks the selected preset to that note trig.GRID RECORDING mode
Hold TRIG: Shows the preset locked to that trig.Note trig with a preset lock

5.15AdvancedManual §10.12.3 p.51, §11.2 p.57

Trig conditions and conditional locks

A trig condition is a test the sequencer runs every time it reaches a trig: if the test passes, the trig plays; if not, it stays silent. You apply one with a special parameter lock called a conditional lock. Give a trig the condition 1:2 and it plays on the first pass, skips the second, plays the third — a two-bar variation from a one-bar loop. Other conditions react to the first or last pass, or to whether an earlier condition was true.

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

Key combinations

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

Related settings on TRIG PAGE 1

CONDTrig Condition: The condition a conditional lock applies. Choose from the list below.Knob H
PROBTrig Probability: The chance that the track’s trigs play, worked out afresh each time a trig is due. At the default of 100% every trig plays; lock it on single trigs to give each its own odds.
FILLFill: A separate condition tied to FILL mode: ON plays the trig only while FILL mode is active, OFF only while it isn’t. See FILL mode.Range ON, OFF

The manual marks an inverted condition with a line over its name. This guide writes it with a leading ! instead, so !PRE means “not PRE”: it’s true whenever PRE would be false.

Trig conditions

Condition	The trig plays…
`PRE`	…if the most recently evaluated condition on the same track was true. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs are skipped when looking back.
`!PRE`	…if the most recently evaluated condition on the same track was false. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs are skipped when looking back.
`NEI`	…if the most recently evaluated condition on the neighbour track was true. The neighbour is the track just before this one, so track 4 looks at track 3. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs there are ignored, and `NEI` is false if the neighbour has no conditional trigs.
`!NEI`	…if the most recently evaluated condition on the neighbour track was false. `PRE` and `!PRE` trigs there are ignored.
`1ST`	…only on the pattern’s first loop.
`!1ST`	…on every loop except the first.
`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 again every B passes. A pass is one loop of the pattern — or of the track, when 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 stay silent.

A:B examples

Setting	Plays on passes
`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	True — plays	False — silent
2	`!PRE`	False — silent	True — plays
3	`!PRE`	False — silent	True — plays
4	`PRE`	True — plays	False — silent

Because PRE-type trigs are skipped when looking back, trigs 2, 3 and 4 all take their cue from trig 1: whichever way its coin toss falls, the whole group follows it.

From the community

Elektron Digitone II - Lessons For Complete Beginners - Video 10 - Understanding Conditional Trigs
Daddy Long Les
Works through the trig conditions one by one — PRE, NEI, 1ST, LST, the ratios and more — on a real pattern.

5.16IntermediateManual §10.12.4 p.52, §11.2 p.57, §16 p.85

FILL mode

FILL mode is a performance switch for temporary variations such as drum fills. Each trig 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 switch to your fill and drop straight back into the groove.

Prepare a fill

In GRID RECORDING mode, place the trigs for the fill.
Press TRIG PARAMETERS for TRIG PAGE 1, 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 the pattern and bring in FILL mode with one of the methods 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.

5.17BasicsManual §10.12.5 p.52, §10.1.1 p.41, §6.4 p.19, §16 p.84

Copy, paste and clear in the sequencer

Copy and paste make variations quick: duplicate a pattern before you rework it, copy a finished part to another track, or repeat a one-page figure across a longer pattern. Patterns, tracks, track pages, parameter pages and single trigs can all be copied, pasted and cleared — and any of these operations can be undone by pressing the same keys again.

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.

You can also work on other patterns without leaving the active one. Press PTN, then hold the TRIG key of the pattern to copy and press RECORD. Hold the TRIG key of a destination slot and press STOP to paste there; repeat for as many slots as you like. To clear patterns, press PTN, then hold a TRIG key and press PLAY.

Copy a group of trigs

In GRID RECORDING mode, hold the TRIG keys of the trigs you want 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 they had before, starting at that step, parameter locks included.

Tracks — all the trigs of the active track — work like patterns, but with GRID RECORDING mode on. For a track page, choose the page with PAGE first. For a parameter page, open it with its PARAMETER key and copy, then select another track and paste with the same PARAMETER key.

Patterns

FUNC + RECORD: Copies the active pattern.GRID RECORDING mode off
FUNC + STOP: Pastes the copied pattern into the active 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 non-active pattern; repeat to clear more.

Tracks

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

5.18BasicsManual §10.12.6 p.52, §16 p.84

Temporary save and reload

A temporary save is a safety net for live work. Store the pattern as it stands, then experiment — add bass notes, tweak sounds, sweep everything with CONTROL ALL (Editing parameters) — and reload to get straight back to where you were. Neither command touches the pattern’s saved state, so both are 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.

From the community

Elektron Digitone II - Lessons For Complete Beginners Video 1 - Finding Your Way Round
Daddy Long Les
Lesson 1 of a beginner series: factory patterns, mutes, changing presets, temporary saves and tempo.

5.19BasicsManual §10.12.7 p.53, §10.12.8 p.53, §10.12.9 p.53, §9.6.1 p.35, §16 p.86

Transposing tracks, patterns and trigs

The + and - keys transpose. What moves depends on the key you hold with them: the active track, every track in the pattern, or a single trig, in semitones — and tracks and patterns can also move in whole octaves. It’s a quick way to take a groove into a new key for the next section.

Track and pattern transpose are non-destructive: they don’t change the NOTE values stored on the trigs. Transposing a single trig in GRID RECORDING mode is destructive — it rewrites that trig’s note.

Transpose the active track

Hold FUNC and press + or - to set the transposition in semitones. For octaves, hold TRK + FUNC instead.
Release FUNC — or TRK + FUNC — and the transposition takes effect.

Transpose the pattern

Hold PTN and press + or - to transpose all the tracks in the pattern in semitones. For octaves, hold PTN + FUNC instead.
Release PTN — or PTN + FUNC — and the transposition takes effect.

Choose which tracks pattern transpose affects

Press FUNC + FLTR to open the SETUP menu (The SETUP menu: kit and track settings).
Highlight PTN TRANSPOSE CONFIG with UP/DOWN and press YES.
Press TRIG keys to select or deselect tracks.
Transpose the pattern as above; only the selected tracks move.

The track selection works much like the one for CONTROL ALL, and it’s stored as part of the kit.

A page at a time. Since OS 1.10 you can transpose every note trig on the active sequencer page: in GRID RECORDING mode, hold a TRIG key and PAGE, then press + or -.

Key combinations

FUNC + +/-: Transposes the active track up or down in semitones, taking effect when you release FUNC.
TRK + +/-: Transposes the active track up or down in semitones.
TRK + FUNC + +/-: Transposes the active track up or down in octaves.
PTN + +/-: Transposes the pattern up or down in semitones, taking effect when you release PTN.
PTN + FUNC + +/-: Transposes the pattern up or down in octaves.
TRIG + +/-: Transposes that trig in semitones, rewriting its note.GRID RECORDING mode
TRIG + PAGE + +/-: Transposes all note trigs on the active sequencer page.GRID RECORDING mode
FUNC + FLTR: Opens the SETUP menu, where PTN TRANSPOSE CONFIG chooses the tracks pattern transpose affects.

From the community