Chapter 1
Start here
Connect it, power it up and make noise in ten minutes.
What the Digitone II is
The Digitone II is Elektron’s successor to the original Digitone. FM synthesis is still at its heart, but it now shares the box with other kinds of digital synthesis, so one instrument can cover both melodic parts and percussion. Wrap that in an Elektron sequencer and you have something built to be played as much as programmed.
What’s inside
- Four synth machines for the audio tracks: FM TONE (a four-operator FM synth), FM DRUM, WAVETONE and SWARMER — see Machines overview.
- Six filter machines — multi-mode, lowpass, legacy lowpass/highpass, two comb filters and an equaliser — plus a base-width filter on every track. See Filter machines.
- 16 tracks, each of which can be an audio track or a MIDI track for controlling external gear — see Audio tracks, MIDI tracks and machines.
- 16 voices of polyphony shared between the tracks, with voice allocation and unison in the VOICE SETUP menu — see Voice setup and unison.
- Per-track bit reduction, overdrive and sample rate reduction, sends to a chorus, delay and reverb, and a compressor and master overdrive on the way out — see Sound architecture.
- An Elektron sequencer with 128 patterns per project, 16 songs, parameter locks and trig conditions, plus an arpeggiator, chord modes and a NOTE EDIT menu — see Patterns and banks, The arpeggiator and KEYBOARD SETUP: scales, folding and chords.
- USB audio and MIDI: it’s a class-compliant device and it works with Overbridge — see Class-compliant USB audio and MIDI and Overbridge.
Where to go next
- New to the machine? Hook it up with Setting up and powering on, then work through the quick starts, beginning with Hear the presets and factory patterns.
- Want to know what every key does? Start with the Front panel tour.
- Want the big picture of how sounds are made and stored? Read Sound architecture and Projects, patterns, kits and presets.
- New to FM? FM synthesis basics explains the ideas behind the FM TONE machine.
From the community
Digitone II — At A Glance
Elektron
The official tour: Hissquiet and Jeremiah Chiu take turns showing off the machines, the sound and the new features.
Digitone II: Machine by Machine
Elektron
The same two artists play each synth machine in turn — a quick way to hear what sets them apart.
Digitone II Live Stream // Live Dispatch
Elektron
Elektron’s launch-week live stream, taking viewers’ questions on the new machine.
Review: DIGITONE II vs OG Digitone // Everything new in Elektron's Digitone 2 // Detailed tutorial
loopop
A detailed tour of everything new compared with the original Digitone — half review, half tutorial.
Elektron Digitone II review: Is it worth the upgrade from version 1?
MusicRadar Tech
MusicRadar weighs up whether owners of the original Digitone should upgrade.
I finally tried the Digitone II // Here's what I think
Liam Killen
An honest first impression from a seasoned Elektron user, starting from the factory presets.
Elektron Digitone II (it is fun + can get really weird).
Sarah Belle Reid
A first-time Elektron user treats it as an experimental sound-design instrument, with lots of patch examples.
- Digitone IIElektron — Elektron’s product page, with the official feature list, specs and sound demos.
- Elektron Digitone IISound On Sound (Simon Sherbourne) — An in-depth magazine review of the new machines, multimode filters, sequencer and NOTE EDIT.
- Elektron Digitone II reviewMusicRadar (Si Truss) — MusicRadar’s full written review, from the team that named it their instrument of the year for 2024.
- Elektron Digitone II Review & Demo RoundupSynthtopia — Launch-week review and demo videos gathered on one page.
- Introducing Digitone IIElektronauts — The launch thread: Elektron’s announcement followed by thousands of posts from owners.
How to read this guide
The guide uses a small, consistent notation, so you can tell at a glance whether to press a key, turn a knob or look for a name on the screen. It follows the same ideas as the manual’s own conventions, which makes it easy to move between the two.
Notation
| Looks like | What it means | How the manual writes it |
|---|---|---|
| FUNC, PLAY, TRK | A key, named as printed on the panel. | Bold capitals in square brackets |
| FUNC + PLAY | Hold the first key, then press the second. Every secondary function works this way with FUNC. | The same, joined with + |
| TRIG 1–16, TRIG | The sixteen trig keys. TRIG on its own means any one of them. | The same |
| PARAMETER | Any of the six page keys: TRIG PARAMETERS, SYN, FLTR, AMP, FX and MOD. | The same |
| ARROW | Any of the four arrow keys: UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT. | The same |
| + and - | The two transpose keys on the right-hand side of the panel. | The same |
| LEVEL/DATA, MAIN VOLUME | A knob, named as printed on the panel. | Bold italic capitals |
| A–H | The eight DATA ENTRY knobs. Pressing a knob while you turn it changes the value in bigger jumps. | “DATA ENTRY knob A” and so on |
VOL, SCALE | A parameter, exactly as it appears on the screen. | Bold capitals |
OFF, CHROMATIC | A setting you can choose for a parameter. | Plain capitals |
SETTINGS, SETTINGS > MIDI CONFIG > CHANNELS | A menu or screen; > leads you through nested menus. | Plain capitals |
QUANTIZE LIVE REC | A message that appears on the screen. | Capitals in quotation marks |
| PATTERN PAGE LEDs | A group of indicator lights, named in plain words. | Name in angle brackets, like <PAGE> |
| Front panel tour | A link to another section of this guide. | “please see … on page …” |
Callout boxes
- Note — limits, caveats and behaviour worth knowing. This covers what the manual flags with its “important information” symbol.
- Warning — anything that could lose your work.
- Tip — a practical shortcut or habit, like the manual’s tip symbol.
Also on every section
- The manual section and page it draws on, so you can check the original wording.
- A level — basic, intermediate or advanced — to help you pick what to read first.
- An OS version badge when a feature arrived in a later update.
- All the key combinations it mentions, which are also gathered into one Quick Keys sheet.
Rear panel and connections
All of the Digitone II’s sockets sit on the rear panel: power, USB, three MIDI ports, a stereo input pair, the main outputs and headphones. Knowing what each one does helps you plan your setup before you start plugging things in.
Rear connectors, numbered as in the manual
| Connector | What it does | Cable |
|---|---|---|
| 1. POWER | Switches the unit on and off. | — |
| 2. DC In | Power input. | The supplied PSU-3c power adapter, plugged into a mains outlet |
| 3. USB | Connects to a computer for MIDI control and for Overbridge. The Digitone II is also class compliant, so it can send and receive audio and MIDI over USB — see Class-compliant USB audio and MIDI and Overbridge. | The supplied USB 2.0 A-to-B cable, to a computer host |
| 4. MIDI THRU/SYNC B | Passes on whatever arrives at MIDI IN, so you can chain MIDI devices. Can instead send DIN sync to older instruments. | Standard MIDI cable to the next device in the chain |
| 5. MIDI OUT/SYNC A | Sends MIDI data from the Digitone II. Can instead send DIN sync to older instruments. | Standard MIDI cable to the MIDI In of an external device |
| 6. MIDI IN | Receives MIDI data. | Standard MIDI cable from the MIDI Out of an external device |
| 7. INPUT L/R | Audio inputs for running external sound sources through the Digitone II. | ¼-inch TRS jack (balanced) or ¼-inch mono jack (unbalanced) |
| 8. OUTPUT L/R | Main audio outputs. | ¼-inch TRS jack (balanced) or ¼-inch mono jack (unbalanced) |
| 9. HEADPHONES | Stereo headphone output. | ¼-inch TRS jack |
Audio arriving at INPUT L/R has its own mixer page (External mixer), and USB audio is set up in Audio routing. Ready to plug in? Follow Setting up and powering on. For complete rigs with other gear, see Setup examples.
Setting up and powering on
Setting up takes a few minutes. All you really need is power and something to listen on; USB, MIDI and the audio inputs are optional extras you can add now or later.
Basic setup
- Put the Digitone II on a stable surface, such as a sturdy table, with enough room around it for the cables.
- Switch off every device you’re about to connect.
- Plug the supplied DC adapter into a power outlet.
- Connect the adapter’s small plug to the 12 V DC In socket on the Digitone II.
- Connect OUTPUT L/R to your mixer or amplifier — or plug headphones into HEADPHONES.
- Add any of the optional connections below.
- Switch everything on. The Digitone II’s POWER switch is on its rear panel.
Optional connections
- Computer: connect a USB cable between the computer and the Digitone II’s USB port to control it from the computer.
- Play the Digitone II from another MIDI device: connect that device’s MIDI OUT to the Digitone II’s MIDI IN.
- Chain more MIDI gear: MIDI THRU repeats everything that arrives at MIDI IN, so you can pass it on to the next device.
- Control other gear from the Digitone II: connect the Digitone II’s MIDI OUT to the other device’s MIDI IN.
- Process external audio: connect the source to INPUT L/R, or send audio in over USB.
Every socket and the cable it takes is listed in Rear panel and connections. Once it’s on, go straight to Hear the presets and factory patterns.
Hear the presets and factory patterns
Your Digitone II ships with a large set of presets and factory patterns. Auditioning presets is the quickest way to hear what the synth engines can do, and playing through the patterns teaches you how to pick and switch patterns — something you’ll do constantly.
Audition and load a preset
- Press PRESET/KIT to open the PRESET/KIT menu.
- Select
LOAD (PRESET)and press YES to open the list of presets. - Highlight a preset with UP/DOWN or LEVEL/DATA.
- Press KEYBOARD, then play the TRIG keys to hear the highlighted preset.
- Press YES to load it onto the active track.
Play the factory patterns
- Press PTN, then use LEFT/RIGHT to choose bank A.
- Press TRIG 1 to select pattern A01.
- Press PLAY to hear A01.
- Press PTN, then TRIG 2. Pattern A02 is now queued and takes over when A01 reaches its end.
- Keep going the same way — PTN, then TRIG 3 for A03, and so on.
- Press STOP when you’re done.
Key combinations
- PRESET/KIT
- Opens the PRESET/KIT menu.
- KEYBOARD, then TRIG
- Plays the highlighted preset so you can hear it before loading it.LOAD (PRESET) list
- YES
- Loads the highlighted preset onto the active track.LOAD (PRESET) list
- PLAY
- Starts playback; press it again to pause, and again to resume.
- STOP
- Stops playback; send effects such as the delay fade out naturally.
- STOP twice quickly
- Stops playback with only a short fade-out of the send effects.
- PTN, then LEFT/RIGHT
- Chooses a bank.
- PTN, then TRIG 1–16
- Selects a pattern in the chosen bank, or queues it if a pattern is already playing.
- PTN + TRIG 1–16
- Selects a pattern in the current bank.
- PTN or NO
- Leaves bank and pattern selection.Bank/pattern selection
There’s more to both: browsing, sorting and searching presets is covered in The PRESET/KIT menu, and switching and chaining patterns in Patterns and banks and Pattern chains.
From the community
I finally tried the Digitone II // Here's what I think
Liam Killen
An honest first impression from a seasoned Elektron user, starting from the factory presets.
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.
Play a preset chromatically
KEYBOARD mode turns the TRIG keys into a small piano keyboard for the active track, so you can play its preset as a melody, bassline or chord part. It’s the quickest way to hear how a sound behaves across its range.
- Hold TRK and press one of TRIG 1–16 to choose the track you want to play.
- Press KEYBOARD. The TRIG keys light up in the shape of one piano octave.
- Play the lit TRIG keys — each one plays the preset at a different pitch.
- Press + or - to shift the keyboard up or down an octave.
- Press KEYBOARD again to leave KEYBOARD mode.
Key combinations
- TRK + TRIG 1–16
- Selects the track to play.
- KEYBOARD
- Turns KEYBOARD mode on or off.
- TRIG
- Plays the active track’s preset at that key’s pitch.KEYBOARD mode, lit keys only
- +/-, or UP/DOWN with U/D KEY MODE set to KB OCT
- Transposes the keyboard up or down one octave.KEYBOARD mode
Mute and unmute tracks
Muting tracks while a pattern plays is one of the simplest ways to perform with the Digitone II: pull the bass out for a breakdown, bring the chords back for the drop. In MUTE mode every TRIG key controls one track, and all 16 are available at once — it doesn’t matter which track is active.
- Start a pattern playing.
- Press FUNC + TRK to enter MUTE mode.
- Press a TRIG key to mute that track.
- Press the same key again to unmute it.
- Press FUNC + TRK again to leave MUTE mode.
Key combinations
- FUNC + TRK
- Enters or leaves MUTE mode.
- TRIG
- Mutes or unmutes the matching track.MUTE mode
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.
Tempo, swing and metronome
The TEMPO menu is where you set how fast the sequencer runs, how much swing it has and how the metronome behaves. You can also nudge or tap the tempo on the fly — handy when you’re matching another source by ear.
Set the tempo
- Press TEMPO to open the TEMPO menu.
- Turn A or LEVEL/DATA to change the BPM. Press the knob while turning to move 4 BPM at a time.
- Turn B, or press UP or DOWN, to fine-tune the tempo in decimal steps.
- Turn D to set the pattern’s swing.
TEMPO menu controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| A or LEVEL/DATA | Changes the tempo (BPM). Press and turn to change it 4 BPM at a time. |
| B or UP/DOWN | Changes the tempo in decimal steps. |
| D | Sets the pattern’s swing. The default, 50%, spaces the steps evenly; settings of 51–80% give a propulsive, swung groove. |
| FUNC + E | Switches between one tempo for the whole project and a separate tempo for each pattern. |
Key combinations
- TEMPO
- Opens the TEMPO menu.
- TEMPO + YES
- Toggles the metronome on or off (added in OS 1.10).
- Hold FUNC + tap TEMPO
- Sets the tempo from your taps — the average is calculated after four taps and keeps updating as you carry on.
- Hold LEFT or RIGHT
- Nudges the tempo by 10% for as long as you hold it; it returns to the set tempo when you let go.Main screen while the sequencer plays — no need to open the TEMPO menu
- UP/DOWN
- Changes the tempo in decimal steps.TEMPO menu
- Hold FUNC + turn E
- Switches between project tempo and per-pattern tempo.TEMPO menu
- Hold FUNC + turn A
- Prepares a new tempo that only takes effect when you release FUNC;
PREP.flashes in the bottom-left corner meanwhile.TEMPO menu, PROJECT tempo mode
Metronome settings
- METROMetronome
- Turns the metronome click on or off. The TEMPO + YES shortcut does the same.
- SIG.Time signature
- Sets the note value and number of beats in the metronome’s time signature.
- PREROLLPre-roll
- How many bars the click counts in before the sequencer starts. Only matters in LIVE RECORDING mode — see LIVE RECORDING mode.
- VOLVolume
- Sets how loud the click is.
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.
Tweak a sound
Each track’s sound is shaped on six parameter page groups, each opened by one of the PARAMETER keys. Turning knobs on these pages while a pattern plays is how you make the factory sounds your own — and a filter sweep is the classic first move.
- Start a pattern playing.
- Hold TRK and press one of TRIG 1–16 to choose a track.
- Press FLTR to open the FILTER page.
- Turn E — the
FREQparameter, the filter’s cutoff — and listen to the sound open up or close down. - Try the other knobs on the page, then press the other PARAMETER keys to explore their pages.
Key combinations
- PARAMETER
- Opens that parameter page group for the active track.
- UP/DOWN
- Moves between the pages in the open group.Parameter pages
The six parameter page groups
| Key | What you’ll find | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| TRIG PARAMETERS | NOTE, VELOCITY and the other settings for the notes the track plays. | The TRIG pages |
| SYN | Audio tracks: the settings of the track’s synth machine. MIDI tracks: CHANNEL, PROGRAM, AFTERTOUCH and more. | The SYN pages |
| FLTR | Audio tracks: the filter or EQ machine and the base-width filter. MIDI tracks: value and select settings for CCs 1–8. | The FLTR pages |
| AMP | Audio tracks: the amplitude envelope, panning and volume. MIDI tracks: value and select settings for CCs 9–16. | The AMP page |
| FX | Bit reduction, overdrive, sample rate reduction, and the send levels for the delay, reverb and chorus. Empty on MIDI tracks. | The FX page |
| MOD | The track’s LFOs — three on audio tracks, two on MIDI tracks. | The MOD pages (LFOs) |
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.
Technical specifications
The numbers you need when you plan a rig, choose cables or find a place for it on a stand. Everything here comes from the manual’s technical information page.
Audio and power
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Main outputs | Impedance balanced, +18 dBu peak, 440 Ω output impedance (unbalanced) |
| Headphones output | +18 dBu peak, 36 Ω output impedance |
| Audio inputs | +18 dBu peak, 21 kΩ input impedance |
| Converters | 48 kHz, 24-bit D/A and A/D |
| Power consumption | 7 W typical |
| Power inlet | Centre-positive 5.5 × 2.5 mm barrel jack, 12 V DC, 1 A |
| Recommended power supply | PSU-3c (12 V DC, 2 A) |
Hardware
| Part | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen | 128 × 64 pixel OLED |
| MIDI | In, Out and Thru, with DIN sync out |
| Audio outputs | 2 × ¼-inch impedance balanced jacks |
| Audio inputs | 2 × ¼-inch balanced jacks |
| Headphones | 1 × ¼-inch stereo jack |
| USB | Hi-speed USB 2.0 port |
Physical
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Casing | Sturdy steel |
| Dimensions | W 215 × D 176 × H 63 mm (8.5 × 6.9 × 2.5 in), including knobs and feet |
| Weight | About 1.48 kg (3.25 lb) |
| Mounting | 100 × 100 mm VESA holes; use M4 screws no longer than 7 mm |
| Maximum recommended operating temperature | +40 °C (+104 °F) |