Make a track
Follow these steps in order every session. Click any step to expand.
1
Power on — load or create a project
Load existing: SETTINGS → PROJECT → LOAD PROJECT → select → YES
Create new: same path → scroll to very bottom → CREATE NEW
Save anytime: FUNC + SETTINGS
⚠️ New projects load factory samples by default. To clear them: SETTINGS → PROJECT → MANAGE PROJECTS → highlight active project → RIGHT → PURGE ALL → YES
Create new: same path → scroll to very bottom → CREATE NEW
Save anytime: FUNC + SETTINGS
⚠️ New projects load factory samples by default. To clear them: SETTINGS → PROJECT → MANAGE PROJECTS → highlight active project → RIGHT → PURGE ALL → YES
2
Set your BPM
FUNC + TEMPO → turn LEVEL/DATA to set BPM
Tap tempo: FUNC + TAP
Nudge while playing: LEFT / RIGHT arrow keys
Tap tempo: FUNC + TAP
Nudge while playing: LEFT / RIGHT arrow keys
3
Load sounds onto tracks
Quick assign (one sound):
TRK + TRIG [1–16] → SRC → turn knob D → FUNC + YES to browse +Drive → YES to load
Batch load (many sounds at once):
FUNC + SAMPLING → +DRIVE → YES → tick samples with YES → RIGHT → LOAD TO PROJECT → YES
Then assign: TRK + TRIG → SRC → turn knob D to pick from RAM
Factory presets (no loading needed):
PRESET/KIT → browse → YES
TRK + TRIG [1–16] → SRC → turn knob D → FUNC + YES to browse +Drive → YES to load
Batch load (many sounds at once):
FUNC + SAMPLING → +DRIVE → YES → tick samples with YES → RIGHT → LOAD TO PROJECT → YES
Then assign: TRK + TRIG → SRC → turn knob D to pick from RAM
Factory presets (no loading needed):
PRESET/KIT → browse → YES
4
Build Pattern 1 (your first loop — e.g. intro)
Select a track: TRK + TRIG [1–16]
Enter grid recording: REC
Place a trig: press any step pad (1–16)
Remove a trig: press a lit pad again
Preview a trig: hold it + YES
Exit grid recording: press REC again
Set pattern length: FUNC + PAGE → adjust page count
1 page = 16 steps = 1 bar. Up to 8 pages (8 bars) per pattern.
Navigate between pages: tap PAGE then TRIG 1–8
Loop a page while building: PAGE + TRIG 9–16 — exit: PAGE + NO
Enter grid recording: REC
Place a trig: press any step pad (1–16)
Remove a trig: press a lit pad again
Preview a trig: hold it + YES
Exit grid recording: press REC again
Set pattern length: FUNC + PAGE → adjust page count
1 page = 16 steps = 1 bar. Up to 8 pages (8 bars) per pattern.
Navigate between pages: tap PAGE then TRIG 1–8
Loop a page while building: PAGE + TRIG 9–16 — exit: PAGE + NO
5
Listen and fix problems
Play/stop: PLAY / STOP (double-tap to return to start)
Quick mute a track: hold FUNC + press TRIG [1–16]
Track volume: LEVEL/DATA knob
Temp save (restore point): FUNC + YES
Reload to restore point: FUNC + NO
Common problems:
Sound rings too long → AMP → turn knob E (REL) down
Delay on a track → AMP → turn knob F (DEL) to 0
Pattern playing wrong length → FUNC + PAGE → check page count
Pattern chained accidentally → PTN + press a single TRIG
Quick mute a track: hold FUNC + press TRIG [1–16]
Track volume: LEVEL/DATA knob
Temp save (restore point): FUNC + YES
Reload to restore point: FUNC + NO
Common problems:
Sound rings too long → AMP → turn knob E (REL) down
Delay on a track → AMP → turn knob F (DEL) to 0
Pattern playing wrong length → FUNC + PAGE → check page count
Pattern chained accidentally → PTN + press a single TRIG
6
Build more patterns (each one is a different section)
Go to a new pattern: PTN + TRIG [1–16]
Change bank: PTN + LEFT / RIGHT
You have 128 patterns per project (8 banks × 16 patterns each).
Copy a pattern to start from: go to source pattern → FUNC + REC → go to new pattern → FUNC + STOP
Build one pattern per section:
Pattern 1 = intro → Pattern 2 = buildup → Pattern 3 = drop → etc.
Each pattern is completely independent — its own sounds, its own trigs, its own length.
Change bank: PTN + LEFT / RIGHT
You have 128 patterns per project (8 banks × 16 patterns each).
Copy a pattern to start from: go to source pattern → FUNC + REC → go to new pattern → FUNC + STOP
Build one pattern per section:
Pattern 1 = intro → Pattern 2 = buildup → Pattern 3 = drop → etc.
Each pattern is completely independent — its own sounds, its own trigs, its own length.
7
Chain patterns (quick test of your arrangement)
Create a chain: PTN → hold TRIG 1 → while holding press TRIG 2, TRIG 3, TRIG 4 → release → PLAY
Plays 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → loops back to 1.
Break the chain: PTN + press a single TRIG
Plays 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → loops back to 1.
Break the chain: PTN + press a single TRIG
8
Arrange in Song Mode (the full track, plays itself through)
Song Mode lines up your patterns in order and plays them automatically — like an arrangement in a DAW.
SONG + TRIG [1–16] → select a song slot
FUNC + SONG → opens Song Edit screen
FUNC + DOWN → adds a row
Highlight PTN column → turn LEVEL/DATA to pick which pattern
Set ROW PLAY COUNT → how many times that pattern loops before moving on
PLAY → runs the whole arrangement from top to bottom
See the Building a song section for a full walkthrough.
SONG + TRIG [1–16] → select a song slot
FUNC + SONG → opens Song Edit screen
FUNC + DOWN → adds a row
Highlight PTN column → turn LEVEL/DATA to pick which pattern
Set ROW PLAY COUNT → how many times that pattern loops before moving on
PLAY → runs the whole arrangement from top to bottom
See the Building a song section for a full walkthrough.
9
Save
FUNC + SETTINGS — do this constantly while working
Building a song
How patterns, pages, banks, and Song Mode fit together to make a full track.
The mental model — understand this first
Page
16
steps per page
= 1 bar (at default)
= 1 bar (at default)
Pattern
8
pages max per pattern
= up to 8 bars
= up to 8 bars
Project
128
patterns per project
(8 banks × 16 each)
(8 banks × 16 each)
A Page is 16 steps of one track. A Pattern holds all 16 tracks playing simultaneously, each up to 8 pages long. A Song is a playlist of patterns playing in order. You are not limited — you have 128 patterns, each up to 8 bars. That is more than enough for a full track.
What goes in a pattern
A pattern is one loop. Inside it you have 16 tracks playing at the same time — not one after another, but simultaneously. Think of it like one bar/loop of a DAW project where all your instruments are playing together.
Each track holds one sound. Track 1 might be your kick. Track 2 your snare. Track 3 your bass. Track 4 your amen loop. All 16 play at the same time when the pattern loops.
Different patterns = different sections of your track. Your drop pattern has the amen ripping and the bass heavy. Your breakdown pattern has most tracks muted or empty. Your outro pattern is the same sounds but with trigs dropping out.
Each track holds one sound. Track 1 might be your kick. Track 2 your snare. Track 3 your bass. Track 4 your amen loop. All 16 play at the same time when the pattern loops.
Different patterns = different sections of your track. Your drop pattern has the amen ripping and the bass heavy. Your breakdown pattern has most tracks muted or empty. Your outro pattern is the same sounds but with trigs dropping out.
Step-by-step: building from patterns to a full arrangement
Step 1 — Plan your sections▶
—Decide how many sections your track needs. A 6-minute track might be: Cold Open, Intro, Buildup, Drop, Second Drop, Breakdown, Final Drop, Outro.
—Each section = one pattern on the Digitakt. You'll need 8 patterns for the example above.
—Don't overthink it — you can always add patterns later. Start with 3–4 and build from there.
Step 2 — Build each pattern▶
1Go to Pattern 1: PTN + TRIG 1
2Build it out — load sounds, place trigs, set length. This is your intro.
3Go to Pattern 2: PTN + TRIG 2
4Tip: copy Pattern 1 as a starting point: on Pattern 1 press FUNC + REC, go to Pattern 2, press FUNC + STOP. Now modify it for the next section.
5Repeat for each section. Save often: FUNC + SETTINGS
Pro tip: your drop pattern and intro pattern might use the same sounds — just with different trigs placed and different tracks active. You don't need to reload all your samples each time.
Step 3 — Test with a chain▶
1Before Song Mode, test your patterns play together: PTN → hold TRIG 1 → while holding press TRIG 2, 3, 4 → release → PLAY
2This chains them: plays 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → loops back. Good for testing the flow.
3Break the chain when done: PTN + press a single TRIG
Step 4 — Set up Song Mode▶
1SONG + TRIG [1–16] — select a song slot (you have 16 per project)
2FUNC + SONG — opens the Song Edit screen
3FUNC + DOWN — adds a row. Each row = one section of your track.
4Highlight the PTN column → turn LEVEL/DATA to pick which pattern plays on that row
5Highlight the ROW PLAY COUNT column → turn LEVEL/DATA to set how many times that pattern loops before moving to the next row
6Add more rows: FUNC + DOWN. Delete a row: FUNC + UP. Copy row: FUNC + REC. Paste: FUNC + STOP.
7PLAY — the whole arrangement runs automatically from top to bottom
Song Mode plays patterns in sequence automatically. You can still tweak sounds, mute tracks, and use fill mode while it plays — great for live performance.
Example: what a 6-minute dark jungle track looks like in Song Mode
ROW
PATTERN
LOOPS
SECTION / WHAT'S HAPPENING
~TIME
1
PTN 1
×3
Cold Open — UVB-76 texture only, no drums, 2 pages
0:00
2
PTN 2
×3
Intro — drums enter, no amen yet, tension building
0:45
3
PTN 3
×3
Buildup — amen chops creep in, filter opens via plocks
1:30
4
PTN 4
×3
Drop — full amen, heavy bass, everything hits
2:15
5
PTN 5
×3
Second Drop — different chop pattern, darker variation
3:00
6
PTN 6
×2
Breakdown — drums out, texture only, listeners think it's ending
3:45
7
PTN 7
×3
Final Drop — hardest chops, everything at max
4:15
8
PTN 8
×2
Outro — elements drop out, ends on texture alone
5:00
How to make each pattern sound different without starting from scratch
Your drop and intro use the same sounds. The difference is:
• Which trigs are placed — intro has sparse kick, drop has rolling kick
• Which tracks are active — amen track is empty in intro, full in drop
• Parameter locks — filter opens automatically on specific steps
• Pattern length — drop might be 4 pages (64 steps), intro 2 pages (32 steps)
Workflow: copy your drop pattern → paste to a new pattern slot → remove trigs / mute tracks to create the breakdown version. You don't rebuild from scratch.
• Which trigs are placed — intro has sparse kick, drop has rolling kick
• Which tracks are active — amen track is empty in intro, full in drop
• Parameter locks — filter opens automatically on specific steps
• Pattern length — drop might be 4 pages (64 steps), intro 2 pages (32 steps)
Workflow: copy your drop pattern → paste to a new pattern slot → remove trigs / mute tracks to create the breakdown version. You don't rebuild from scratch.
Live song mode controls while it plays
Song Mode live controls▶
—Loop the current row: SONG + LEFT while playing
—Jump to a specific row: SONG + UP / DOWN
—Mute tracks live: hold FUNC + press TRIG [1–16]
—Activate fill: hold PAGE while playing
—Exit Song Mode: PTN + TRIG to jump to a pattern
Terminology
Every Digitakt II term translated into plain English.
How it all fits together — read this first
STEP — the smallest unit
One slot in a sequence where a sound can fire or be silent. Like a grid square. At 170BPM, 16 steps = 1 bar. You place steps (called trigs) by pressing the pads in grid rec mode.
●
●
●
●
= 16 steps = 1 PAGE = 1 bar
PAGE — 16 steps = 1 bar
One page = 16 steps = 1 bar at default settings. You can have up to 8 pages per track, making the maximum sequence length 128 steps = 8 bars. Navigate pages with PAGE + TRIG 1–8.
PG 1
PG 2
PG 3
PG 4
up to PG 8 = 128 steps max
TRACK — one instrument (NOT the same as a trig)
A track holds one sound (kick, snare, bass etc) and its own sequence of steps. There are 16 tracks per pattern, all playing simultaneously — like 16 rows in a DAW. When you press TRK + pad 1–16 you are selecting which track to edit. The 16 pads then show you the steps of that track.
TRK 1
KICK
TRK 2
SNARE
TRK 3
BASS
TRK 4–16
more sounds...
TRIG — a step where a sound fires
A trig is a placed step on a track. When the sequencer reaches that step, the sound plays. You place trigs by pressing the step pads 1–16 while in grid rec mode. The orange/lit pads = trigs. The dark pads = silence.
Trig ≠ Track. Track = the instrument. Trig = when it plays.
PATTERN — one complete loop (all tracks together)
A pattern is all 16 tracks playing at the same time, looping. Think of it as one section of your track — your drop, your breakdown, your intro. Each pattern is completely independent. You can have 128 patterns per project (8 banks × 16 patterns). Each pattern can be up to 8 pages / 128 steps long.
SONG — patterns arranged in order
Song Mode lines up your patterns into a full track arrangement. Pattern 1 plays, then Pattern 2, then Pattern 3 etc. Each pattern can repeat as many times as you want before moving to the next. This is how you go from individual loops to a full 6-minute track.
All terms A–Z
+Drive
The hard drive inside the machine. Permanent storage. Never loses data on power off. Factory samples live here permanently — cannot be deleted from the device.
Project RAM
What's currently loaded into your active project. Like your desktop vs filing cabinet. Max 400MB / 1016 slots. Samples in here show up in the knob D list on the SRC page.
Project
A complete session. Holds 128 patterns, 16 songs, up to 1016 samples in RAM. Everything saves inside here.
Pattern
One loop = all 16 tracks playing simultaneously. Think of it as one section of a track (drop, verse, breakdown). Up to 8 pages / 128 steps long. Max 128 patterns per project.
Track
One instrument slot. 16 per pattern, all playing at the same time. Each track holds one sound and its own sequence. Select with TRK + pad 1–16. NOT the same as a trig.
Trig
A placed step on a track where the sound fires. Press pads 1–16 in grid rec mode to place trigs. Lit pad = trig placed. Dark pad = silence. NOT the same as a track.
Step
One slot in the sequence grid. 16 steps per page. At default settings, 16 steps = 1 bar. Steps can be filled (trig) or empty (silence).
Page
16 steps = 1 bar at default settings. Each track can have up to 8 pages = 128 steps = 8 bars max. Navigate: PAGE + TRIG 1–8.
Bank
A group of 16 patterns. 8 banks (A–H) = 128 patterns per project. Change bank: PTN + LEFT/RIGHT.
Kit
All 16 sounds in a pattern saved together as one unit.
Preset
A saved sound — the sample + all its settings (filter, amp, FX, LFO etc).
Plock
Parameter Lock. A parameter that changes on one specific step only — e.g. the filter opens just on step 9. Hold TRIG + turn any knob in grid rec mode.
Sample Lock
A different sample playing on one specific trig only. Like a plock but for the sample itself.
Machine
The playback engine for a track. ONESHOT = standard. WERP = time-stretch to BPM (no pitch change). REPITCH = changes speed and pitch. SLICE = chop.
Song
An arrangement of patterns in sequence. Pattern 1 plays → Pattern 2 → Pattern 3 etc. Up to 99 rows, 16 songs per project.
Chain
Multiple patterns queued to play in sequence without Song Mode. Quick test of your arrangement. PTN → hold TRIG 1 → press TRIG 2, 3 → release → PLAY.
Fill
A temporary variation triggered on demand while playing. Hold PAGE to activate. Trigs with FILL condition only fire in fill mode.
FUNC
The shift key. Hold it + press another button to access its secondary function. Most shortcuts use FUNC.
SRC / FLTR / AMP / FX / MOD
The five parameter pages per track. SRC = sample source. FLTR = filter. AMP = volume envelope + send levels. FX = per-track effects. MOD = LFO.
Samples
Loading, assigning, and managing sounds.
Loading and assigning
Managing RAM
Sample settings (SRC page)
Sequencer
Programming steps, parameter locks, and timing.
Sound design
Shaping sounds with SRC, FLTR, AMP, FX, and MOD pages.
Performance
Live playing, mutes, and transitions.
Saves & undo
Never lose your work.
Copy / paste / clear
COPY = REC | PASTE = STOP | CLEAR = PLAY
| What | Copy | Paste | Clear | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern | FUNC + REC | FUNC + STOP | FUNC + PLAY | Works outside grid rec |
| Track sequence | FUNC + REC | FUNC + STOP | FUNC + PLAY | Must be in grid rec |
| Page | PAGE + REC | PAGE + STOP | PAGE + PLAY | Must be in grid rec |
| Preset (sound) | TRK + REC | TRK + STOP | TRK + PLAY | Copies sound not sequence |
| Trig + plocks | TRIG + REC | TRIG + STOP | TRIG + PLAY | Must be in grid rec |
| Parameter page | [PARAM] + REC | [PARAM] + STOP | [PARAM] + PLAY | e.g. FLTR + REC |
| Any pattern (cross-bank) | PTN + TRIG + REC | PTN + TRIG + STOP | PTN + TRIG + PLAY | Works across all banks |
| Song row | FUNC + REC | FUNC + STOP | FUNC + PLAY | In song edit screen |
Clipboard holds one item at a time. Undo any copy/paste/clear by repeating the exact same key combination.
Full track blueprint
Dark jungle / UVB-76 style — ~6 minutes @ 170BPM. Use this as a template for your own track structure.
How to read this
Each box = one Pattern on the Digitakt. Song Mode plays them in order automatically. Each pattern has 16 tracks playing simultaneously — tracks listed below are the sounds active in that section. Empty = nothing on that track.
PTN 1
Cold Open
~45 sec | 2 pages | no drums
TRK 1UVB-76 texture loop — WERP machine, 4 bars, sits in the background throughout
TRK 2Eerie pad — long release, single trig on step 1 only, reverb send cranked
TRK 3Sub rumble — very low, 1 trig every 2 bars
TRK 4–16(empty)
No drums. Pure texture. Let it breathe for 45 seconds. Listeners don't know what's coming.
PTN 2
Intro
~45 sec | 2 pages | drums enter
TRK 1UVB-76 texture (continues from PTN 1)
TRK 2KICK — steps 1, 5, 9, 13 (basic 4-on-floor feel, not too heavy)
TRK 3SNARE — step 5, 13 (half-time feel)
TRK 4BASS — sparse, steps 1, 7, 11
TRK 5Sub pad (same as PTN 1 — no amen yet)
TRK 6–16(empty)
Drums enter but no amen loop yet. Tension building. Sub bass very present. Keep it minimal.
PTN 3
Buildup
~45 sec | 4 pages | amen creeps in
TRK 1UVB-76 texture (still looping)
TRK 2KICK (same pattern as intro)
TRK 3SNARE — add ghost hits via retrigs on step 9
TRK 4AMEN CHOP — just 2–3 hits, not full yet. Steps 7, 15.
TRK 5BASS — busier, more steps
TRK 6STAB — 1–2 trigs, high tension, plock filter open on step 13
4 pages (4 bars). Amen hints appear. Use a plock on the filter to open it on the last step before the drop. Reverb send increases per step via more plocks.
PTN 4
Drop
~45 sec | 4 pages | full energy
TRK 1AMEN LOOP — full chops across all 4 pages (64 steps). WERP machine if syncing to BPM.
TRK 2KICK — hard, rolling, steps 1, 3, 9, 11
TRK 3SNARE — tight, steps 5, 13
TRK 4HI-HAT — 16th note pattern, some steps removed via conditional trigs for variation
TRK 5BASS — heavy, rolling, filter sweep via plocks across the 4 pages
TRK 6UVB-76 texture (lower in mix, still present)
TRK 7STAB — aggressive, pitch plock per hit (different note each trig)
TRK 8PERC — shaker/rim, fills gaps between amen hits
Full energy. Everything hits at once. 4 pages gives you 64 steps to vary the amen chops before it loops.
PTN 5
Second Drop
~45 sec | 4 pages | variation
TRK 1AMEN — different chop pattern, darker arrangement of same loop
TRK 2KICK (same)
TRK 3SNARE — ghost hits via retrigs, faster feel
TRK 4BASS — different variation, maybe lower notes via plock TUNE
TRK 5NEW SYNTH STAB — filter sweep via plock, different to drop
TRK 6–8Same percs, slightly different arrangement
Copy of PTN 4, modified. Same energy, new amen sequence. Keeps momentum without being repetitive.
PTN 6
Breakdown
~30 sec | 2 pages | strip back
TRK 1UVB-76 texture — back up in the mix
TRK 2KICK — muted (use FUNC + TRIG 2 to mute in Song Mode live)
TRK 3SNARE — muted
TRK 4PAD — long atmospheric wash, reverb maxed
TRK 5BASS — just 1–2 hits, very sparse
TRK 6AMEN ghost — very quiet, almost inaudible, heavily reverbed
Drums out or near silent. Texture and atmosphere only. Listeners think the track is ending. Then PTN 7 hits.
PTN 7
Final Drop
~45 sec | 4 pages | hardest moment
TRK 1AMEN — hardest chops yet, full 4 pages, maximum variation
TRK 2KICK — rolling hard, more trigs than the first drop
TRK 3SNARE — fastest retrigs, maximum snap
TRK 4BASS — heaviest variation, filter wide open
TRK 5ALL STABS back in, more aggressive than first drop
TRK 6UVB texture + delay send cranked up for chaos
Most intense moment. Everything at maximum. Use perform kit mode to do live filter sweeps on the amen without saving changes.
PTN 8
Outro
~30 sec | 2 pages | fade out
TRK 1AMEN — fading, reverb tail, only a couple of hits
TRK 2KICK — dropping trigs each loop (use song mode row play count + mute live)
TRK 3SNARE — gone
TRK 4UVB texture — back up, final element left standing
TRK 5BASS — 1 hit only, fading
TRK 6–16(empty / muted out)
Use mute mode live to drop elements one by one as Song Mode plays through. Ends on UVB texture alone — matches the cold open.
Learning path
Work through these stages in order to reach full track competency.