Elektron Syntakt Update: 4 New Machines, Euclidean Sequencer & more!
3,6 / 5,0 | 
[16 October 2024] Elektron has released the Syntakt OS 1.3 update! As expected, the update adds four new machines and an Euclidean sequencer mode, alongside many other improvements and bugfixes.
All about Syntakt
Elektron Syntakt OS 1.3
A couple of days ago, YouTuber Cuckoo revealed in a video that an Elektron Syntakt update was “kinda imminent”. Today, the manufacturer released the new firmware for the hybrid drum machine, largely confirming the rumors.
As expected, the update includes four new machines: SY Chip, BD Acoustic, SD Acoustic, and HH Lab. In addition to this, there’s a new analog square waveform for the BD Sharp machine.
Another new feature we already knew about is the Euclidean sequencer mode. It is accessed via the second page of Trig parameters. Moreover, it is now possible to loop selected pattern pages.
In addition to these main new features, the update includes many other new functions and workflow improvements. For example, you can now save a sound directly from a specific sequencer trig, including all its sound and parameter locks. There’s also a handy new feature that instantly displays which parameter pages contain parameters with locks.
Other new features include a new slew parameter for the random LFO waveform, quick sequencer page selection in grid recording mode, and the ability to generate random names when naming sounds and patterns. You’ll find the complete list of new features on the Elektron website.
The Elektron Syntakt OS 1.3 update is now available for download from the manufacturer’s website.
The Syntakt is available at Thomann*.
Elektron Syntakt Update 2.0?
[14 October 2024 / Adam Douglas] Cuckoo dropped a quick video over the weekend titled “Syntakt Software Update Peak!!” In the video thumbnail, you can see some of the new features listed on the screen. Elektronaut users went wild trying to guess what all might be it, with many decided on a Euclidean mode for the sequencer.
That’s when someone posted in the Elektronauts (Elektron Users) group on Facebook, saying, “BD Acoustic, SD Acoustic, SY Chip, HH Lab and Euclid is the new features I found when playing with it.” Elektron power users will recognize some of those as machines from a November 2023 update to the Analog Rytm.
Elektron usually releases firmware updates for multiple devices at the same time. With a rumored release of Overbridge for Digitakt II imminent, can we expect the Syntakt update to drop soon as well?
Cuckoo confirms this. In the thumbnail to his video, he writes, “Update kinda imminent. Info will drop through Elektron’s official news channels when the time is right. Very very soon. Wohoo!”
There’s been no confirmation from Elektron about any of this.
New 1.2 firmware
[24 November 2022 / Robin Vincent] A new update adds two new machines.
Update: Elektron has added two new Machines to the sound engine of the Syntakt. They are called SY RAW and SY SWARM and form part of the 1.20 OS update. SY RAW is all about classic analogue waveforms, whereas SY SWARM dives into supersaw vibes. You’ll also find support for a sustain pedal over MIDI, a rejig of the project and song saving and a bunch of bug fixes.
More Than a Drummachine
The Syntakt is your quintessential drum machine and groovebox. With 35 different sound-generating “machines”, you can build drum tracks, basslines, synth movements and construct your ultimate beats. It’s a hybrid machine of analogue and digital technology meshing together in something highly performable.
You get 8 digital tracks using 10 machines with overdrive, filters and two LFOs per track. You’ll also find 3 analogue drum tracks tied to 15 machines with overdrive filters and LFOs. A separate dedicated analogue Cymbal track has 12 machines and all the other bits. All of the tracks can be used as MIDI for running other gear directly from Syntakt.
For messing your music about, you get 4 expressive modifiers and track effects that include delay, reverb and distortion. It’s heavily button and beat-based, but you can scale the Syntakt’s pads into a keyboard mode or add a MIDI controller for a more melody-focused experience.
Finally, the sequencer offers 64 steps per pattern and track, with individual pattern lengths and an adjustable clock divider.
Syntakt is much more than a drum machine and more performable than a sequencer, and it’s yours for a limited time for $919.00 / £849.00 / 999.00€ at Thomann.
Elektron Syntakt is official: 3x the A4 at half the size?
[21 April 2022] The new Elektron Syntakt is official! The 12-track hybrid digital / analog groovebox is available now, priced EUR 949. It appears incredibly capable – like about 3 times the Analog Four’s synth and sequencing power inside a box the size of the Digitakt. But let’s give my enthusiasm some space for the time being and stick to the facts. If you read the leaked infos, you know most of them already. Here is everything else we have at the time of launch…
A New Elektron Synth
The Syntakt is a hybrid groovebox with 8 digital synthesis tracks, 4 analog drum synth tracks, integrated sequencing and effects. There is no sampling involved. I assume Elektron has carefully thought out the omission of sample playback and recording from an instrument which lends itself to such functionality. So I don’t feel like questioning their choices.
The Syntakt architecture has 8 digital synthesis tracks presenting a choice of 10 machines (Elektron parlance for sound generators). The 4 analog drum machine tracks are laid out as follows: 3 analog drum tracks with a choice of 15 machines and 1 analog cymbal track with a choice of 12 machines. That aside, any of the 12 tracks can be used for MIDI sequencing in place of synthesis. There is also a dedicated FX track which exists separately from the 12 synthesis/MIDI tracks.
Each of the 8 digital synth tracks offers digital overdrive, digital multimode filter, digital base-widthfilter and dual LFOs for sound shaping. For each of the 3 analog drum tracks and the 1 cymbal track, there are analog overdrive, analog multimode filter, and 2 LFOs. The additional FX track has delay, reverb, analog overdrive, and other options which may or may not be similar to what’s available in the rest of the -takt machines.
The sequencer supports 64 steps per track and pattern, complete with individual pattern lengths and time scale multipliers per track. Parameter locks and trig manipulations are par for the course, too. A keyboard mode with a choice of 36 scales to play around with is also present.
Connectivity-wise, the Syntakt is equipped with MIDI In/Out/Thru connections, L/R inputs, L/R outputs, and a headphone output – all on 6.3mm jacks. There is also a USB Type-B port for computer connection. The unit measures 215 x 176 x 63 mm and weighs 1.53kg.
I’d love to be able to offer deeper insight into the Syntakt, but it’s honestly been a while since I kept a close eye on Elektron developments and I’m fairly out of the loop compared to all the passionate elektronauts out there. I’ll be taking a seat back and watching the buzz in the days and weeks ahead with sincere interest.
Is this the sound of the Elektron SYNTAKT?
[20 April 2022] Last year we reported how Elektron had registered the SYNTAKT name and now we have some sounds from a mysterious new thing. Could they be related?
Update: Unverified photo found on Reddit:
It’s the spitting image of the Digitakt almost to the point that makes you wonder if it’s a photoshop job. The text is a different colour but otherwise, almost all the words and the layout are the same. It’s called a “12 Track Drum Computer & Synthesizer” whereas the Digitakt is an “8 Voice Drum Computer & Sampler”. It could be 8 tracks of digital plus 4 analogue going by the Mute labelling plus what looks like modulation tracks. All very interesting, although it could be completely fake.
As soon as we get any official confirmation we’ll let you know. But meanwhile here were our thoughts from earlier and a link to the sound demos.
New Sounds from a new place – SYNTAKT?
In a bubbly new video from Elektron we are asked to lend them our ears and experience new sounds from a new place. The comments are alive with shouts of SYNTAKT! Except for one bloke who replies to each SYNTAKT comment that the sounds are coming from a Model:Cycles and he should know because he has one.
Otherwise, what do we get? Something a bit wavetably, a bit FM-y, with some groove and possible sampling (they said “slice”) capability? I’m not sure if the neon reflections in the visuals are any kind of clue. If I was going to be creative I’d suggest that it’s a West Coast Sampler, a sort of Buchla inspired source of uncertainty coupled with Elektron’s fetishisation of the digital.
Anyway, this afternoon sounds from the new device will be hosted on Dublab Radio broadcasting locally in L.A. at 8 am and streamable in the UK from 4 pm. It will feature tracks from Arkajo, Jimmy Myhrman, Joel Lundberg, Lady Starlight, Elin Piel, Yann Tiersen, Baseck and The Album Leaf. All of the tracks are produced exclusively on Elektron’s new mystery machine. Will Elektron tell us what it is during the broadcast? Who knows, but do tune in to find out.
Update: Nope, they told us nothing on the radio show but there were some fabulous tunes. You can listen to it now through the link below.
- Dublab radio website.
Superbooth 2021: Elektron registers SYNTAKT name as a trademark
[09 September 2021] It’s come to light that Elektron has applied to trademark the name SYNTAKT in Sweden. From there we can invent all sorts of possibilities.
SYNTAKT
It’s a very Elektron-esque kind of work that references the Digitakt and the word synthesizer. Although, according to Google Translate Syn means “sight”, “view” or “vision” and Takt means “rate”, “pace” or “beat” in Swedish. So it could be a pacey vision, a view of beats or sighting rates or something. Hmm, mysterious.
This first came to light on Reddit and then found its way on the Elektronauts forum where much fun and discussion has been had over what on earth it could mean. It could be a synth expansion for the Digitakt drum machine and sampler, or it could be a sandwich maker marking a new and unexpected direction for Elektron. I guess you’d put your money down on a synthesizer version of the Digitakt – a drum machine with a synthesizer core rather than a sample-based one. They don’t have anything wavetable based in their current product line. Or maybe Elektron is just speculating on an idea and thought it would be a good word to nab in Sweden.
It’s probably nothing and with no presence at Superbooth this year we won’t be able to pin them down with constant face-to-face questioning. Please share your thoughts in the comments below while I try to find something more concrete to talk about.
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4 responses to “Elektron Syntakt Update: 4 New Machines, Euclidean Sequencer & more!”
Realistischerer Preis. Kaum einer verstand, wie elektron so hoch pokern konnte. Die Bäume wachsen auch in Schweden nicht in den Himmel …
Yes, retail price. Thomann’s price was 915€ for a long time, so less than 200€
That’s right, that’s why i said retail price.
Isn’t it a permanent price decrease now? Both Thomann and Elektron’s site mention €799 without any mention of a temporary sale/discount.