Overbridge 2.0 With The Elektron Digitakt & Analog Heat

In this video, Dave Mech continues his series of sneak previews of Elektron’s long-anticipated Overbridge 2.0.

In the latest video, embedded above, Mech tests using Overbridge 2.0 with the Analog Heat, as well as a new audio routing option on the Digitakt.

He also looks at how you can now mute tracks from being streamed over the main output. This makes it possible to record the send FX separately on the main output.

Overbridge 2.0 is currently in beta testing. The release date is still to be announced.

36 thoughts on “Overbridge 2.0 With The Elektron Digitakt & Analog Heat”

  1. Thank god for this guy or we would have literally know idea what was happening with Overbridge as its years late and Elektron tell people nothing at all. Horribly late, horrible official communication….funny videos!

      1. Youi are wrong I am afraid, here is no ‘public’ beta, their is only a closed beta which has been going on for the last 6 months and there is still not even an estimate as to when it will be released to the public or any comment on if they have started on the MK1 equipment or the Digitone etc

  2. Sold my Elektron gear a year ago and haven’t looked back. Overpriced overhyped with quality control issues. Oh, and don’t get me started on Overbridge. Not saying they don’t have some good gear, just that I’d rather spend my money somewhere else.

    1. ‘Sold my Elektron gear a year ago and haven’t looked back. Overpriced overhyped with quality control issues.’

      I have yet to see a comment like that from somebody that has actually take the time to learn how to use their Elektron gear.

      It’s definitely not gear for noobs or people that don’t want to dig in and learn deep pieces of gear. But, for people that want lots of options and power, Elektron gear is hard to beat.

      For me the biggest downside to Elektron gear is usability – they haven’t made it as easy to learn as they could.

      1. It’s actually the worst part. I wish i could ditch them but i’m too used and i like some part of them.
        But fuck elektron marketing and strategy. I will avoid them if i can the next times.
        I prefer to have the best reliable thing in the long term if 2 competitors are really close

      2. ‘I have yet to see a comment like that from somebody that has actually take the time to learn how to use their Elektron gear.’

        Well I have an octa mk2 and love it. It’s not the most intuitive unit to use, but it is ultimately powerful. I DO however have to say that their quality control is sub par. I had to return mine for the known ‘input noise’ fix that apparently a lot of units suffered from. It was resolved for free.. but still.

  4. Elektron had made unforced massive advertising for Overbrdige to be available in February 2018, and completely misled customers trusting their misinformation. I have bought an expensive Analog Rytm MK II back then, trusting I would be able to integrate it into comfortable home studio recording soon, and regard the whole thing simply as a form of betraying customers, like a scam from a third class backyard garage hole, run by shady characters, taking your money without delivering what was on offer.

    Now we are NINE MONTHS after what they promised and my trust into this company is ZERO. I can still use the MkII, but not remotely in the way I had bought it for. I for one will NEVER EVER buy anything from Elektron again, and I think it is simply ridiculous, that up to now they still can’t offer what they promised. It will probably be a year or more, until I get, what I paid for, a thus completely overpriced piece of gear, having lost a lot of market value meanhwile.

    1. I think they’ve got the wrong design for over bridge. They combine all software for all products into the same package so it can’t be released until they’re all completed. I’d prefer it if Elektron would have a library with the common code then different software packages for each device so they can be released as they’re completed. As it is, with each new product they release the software project becomes larger with a longer development time. I remember back when Elektron announced over bridge. They said it would be a paid add-on. Then customers demanded it for free. To a certain extent I wish it was a paid add-on so they could use that money to speed development and increase quality. I’d pay $100 for over bridge if it allowed them to release often and with very good quality.

      1. As a software developer, I have to agree. They are biting off way, way more work by trying to release everything for all devices is one go. They should have picked the most popular device over X months in regards to sales and focused on that and only that as an initial release and work backwards.

        But this is just me sitting on the fence, I have no idea as I don’t work there, and it’s probable that there’s something I’m missing.

        I’d be happy to pay for it on a per-device basis also, perhaps a sliding discount if you have more than one device so it gets a lot cheaper the more you have.

        When it’s done (and I am sure it will be done eventually!) it looks like it’s going to be amazing.

    2. I do have to say here that if you buy a product only because you want to use it with a feature that is not yet available.. why then buy it at that time? Why not wait until that feature is ready? Isn’t this your own fault?

  5. Elektron make fun instruments and have a loyal following from the dark trinity days. However, anyone who has only experienced Elektron since the MK2s or later instruments like the Digitakt or Digitone has experienced an utte shambles and been very badly let down. There are no winners, it’s a real shame seeing Elektron fall from grace.

    2. Pffft! Speak for your self!

      I just got into this Elektron business with the Digitone, and I am blown away how amazing it and Elektrons sequencers are. I had great expectations and I am still impressed.

      Theres no coming back for me.

  6. they could just offer a vst editor like everybody does. Who cares about audio via usb. WE NEED AN EDITOR. That’s what’s interesting in the Overbridge. I mean they invented nothing with it. If you can’t figure out the usb, just make an editor bloody please and stop the nonsense.

    1. Lots of people care, some only bought the units for that advertised function. Take robe HEAT for example, sending a VST to the unit to be processed over usb means you don’t need a desk (or taking 2 in 2 out from your desk). If you have an A4 then you need OB to get individual outs.

      1. I do have the Analog Heat. I’d rather use true hq converters to pass the signals in & out really. The USB, it’s nonsense. You use great hardware distortion, then your blur everything with unknown AD & DA converters ? Nonsense. What i personnaly need is a strong and slick editor to open in my Daw, that make recall easy. That’s it. All I need. And if you think about it, this is all you need really. Rely on your RME for the conversion. Each cbrand has its strenght. Elektron, they make kicks, bleeps & bloops. Then you have Lynx, RME, Focusrite, they convert the analog farts into digital. Anyway who cares. Surely not Elektron. They don’t listen.

        1. Unknown AD/DA ?
          You could always just open your Elektron and you know… check?
          Or ask at the forum. It’s not a mystery. If you really wanted to know you could easily find out

          1. You don’t get what I’m saying. I’d rather use my 3000$ Lynx Aurora(n) converter than the random chip inside the Elektron boxes. The serious people out there, the guy that release stuff you know, they need the editor. We don’t give a bat f*** about audio via USB. It’s plain bad. Audio travels with good old jack, that’s it (sorry Apple btw) and that’s how you ensure a certain level of quality.

            1. I’m sorry but that’s rubbish. Random chip? Again you could check for yourself and find out exact details about the quality of Elektron chips but you don’t seem to be bothered. If you can’t make relatively good quality recordings on semi pro gear than having a Lynx Aurora isn’t going to make you a “serious producer”. I’ll wager 99% of Elektron users don’t use anything close to a Lynx. Most have cheaper mid range. Or no interface at all. This is the market they are after. Not the market of a handful of limited needs “pro producers”. Extending the functionality of Elektron devices by making them multi I/O audio interfaces adds tremendous value to the machines. Maybe not for you “pro guys”. But for most everybody else. And if you can’t be bothered to either map your own editor using MIDI or use just the instrument directly hands on (as is mostly intended I would think), then that would seem to be down to you not wanting to bother. You get out what you put in

                1. Haha this is great 😀
                  Im so with you lowlou. The heat is a sound processor box (on the cheap) …thats its purpose…next people are gonna start moaning that an la-2a or a 1176 don’t have d/a a/d converters built in.. use a bloody soundcard and get over it people.

                  I have a heat mk2. Love it. But I would NEVER use its converters to run back into my computer. What for? The point of analog gear in a the digital world is to get “that” sound back.Why would you ruin it again with a cheap a/d?
                  As you say mate….each to their own.

                  1. Even if you’re going to record with better converters (which definitely makes sense to me), there’s still a lot of value in being able to treat the unit as a VST a lot of the time. I think it’d be great for writing and creating, to just be able to load up the VST, not mess around with routing, patchbay, etc. Also really great if you’re travelling and producing — analog four + laptop, with no need for a second interface, is a lot more portable.

                    1. Also worth mentioning that Digitakt and Digitone are digital instruments to begin with … so I would think/hope that in that case Overbridge is going to give you better quality recording overall by avoiding any A/D and D/A conversion,

  8. Hi to all. Here what i thinK: elektron have to do a complete new harware and call it OVERBRIDGE.
    This hardware would be a mix between a midi sequencer and digital mixer. And , very important: with lot of midi track. And With this new instrument control every machine they have build. Evereything without a computer. They can do.

  9. Its interesting, I agree with both sides. They have amazing stuff that is pretty quirky and creates unique music. The workflow design is brilliant, but its really hard to understand sometimes. In the end, I love the music they make. And im a huge fan of happy accidents and working through things and to “see what happens”….if you dont like that kind of workflow, then Electron is not for you.

    Their first set of equipment really broke the mold in a good way. And it was ROCK SOLID. Those black boxes were unique, even cool. On the other hand, lots of really tricky double presses and the sequencer pads were not great

    The MKII’s are better and I totally support the changes. But they are not as well built. I have two friends that had hardware RYTM issues, and as I use them, I worry about it. They crash more than my MKi’s.

    And then to Overbridge… wow.. what a terrific companion to my RYTM….but the over promise is totally completely unacceptable. The idea that its free software that makes your hardware so much better is wonderful.
    But I spent over a thousand dollars thinking I’d enjoy the benefits. We have no guarantee it will ever come…
    Wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing fails or is horribly buggy….. its taking way to long for something that’s gonna work.

    So for me its not black and white…its like I had a great friend, who is great person, and im totally disappointed in them…. I dont want to lose them, I want to give them benefit of the doubt, but Im really mad at them..

      1. I think it is..

        I didnt think so at first……. Once it clicked, it clicked. just like my calculator…maybe im just a math brain, who knows…

  10. Man…. There are so many people commenting on here angry about the “software” not being ready for their “hardware.” Why exactly did you buy hardware in the first place, if the software is so important to you?

    1. Many other hardware samplers have multiple outs. The digitakt only has stereo out, however, was advertised to stream all 8 tracks live into overbridge. My workaround is to pan my drums left and my “sounds” right then split the stereo track to 2 mono ITB, but this really doesn’t cut it. Don’t you want to apply bass drum specific eq and compression ITB without having to also effect your hi hat and snare?

      Also, the marketing is a bit vague about the organizational aspect of the digitakt and I didn’t really know what I was getting into in terms of how much of a mess it is to organize samples and projects.

      One of the main functions I would kill for right now is “delete all samples not used in a project” since my workflow consists of dumping 1gb of samples into the thing and using maybe 150mb of them to make a group of songs then I’m done with the rest, but have to manually cross reference every sample in a project to all the samples on the +drive to keep my projects intact and still make room for new samples. That’s ridiculous.

      All that said, I really do enjoy making beats on the digitakt and the trig conditions and p locks do a great job of allowing you to get creative with samples in a way no other sampler in my past has. It really comes down to streaming all 8 tracks via USB and a badass editor/librarian. We’ve been really patient and the time for them is overdue.

      1. I didn’t realize the Digitakt only had one stereo output. That alone would stop be from buying it. Gotta have individual outputs on a drum machine/sampler, especially with modern workflows. In that case, I can see why people are frustrated.

    2. I use hardware for the sound, then I control it via a screen (for more precise control), a patchbay (for complex routings) and a little notebook (for recall). Here you have my workflow summarized in a sentence :). It’s not good or bad, but it’s been this way for years now. Some people need editors with the hardware, that’s how it is :). And if Elektron could sell balck boxes without interface, I’d rather buy it ^^. I only care about the sound. Hope you understand better the paradox.

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