Getting Started

We’re delighted to present to you Digitone II. It’s the latest creature in Elektron’s history of digital products with an FM synthesis heart. But for this one, FM is only half the story. Let’s rewind a touch. Of course, it is a successor to the wonderful original Digitone, itself a descent into deciphering and modernizing FM synthesis. Digitone left us pondering. Could we go bigger while maintaining the streamlined approach that fits these boxes so well? Could we go deeper while ensuring the joy of sound design only got stronger? These were reflections that opened up all manner of exciting avenues, and was an easier idea to posit than it was to actualize. But it unlatched a door that we couldn’t and frankly didn’t want to shut. To be honest, the prospect excited the heck out of us. With Digitone II, we dove into the FM rabbit hole and dug up new ways to access that contrary combination of metallic, organic, punchy bliss. But this Device doesn’t stop there. We tuned into multiple additional forms of digital synthesis and brought them into proceedings, meaning there is a huge variety of melodic and percussive options at your disposal. It is a multi-machine, many-realm-reaching behemoth. Our goal was to have something ripe for exploration - capable of impressive sound sculpting but that just demands to be played and enjoyed. And if that sounds up your alley we think you’re in for a proper adventure. Every single time you dive in. If you haven’t done so already, flick the power switch and get set to pull your sound through the prism and into a spectrum of dazzling tones and timbres. Sincerely, The Elektron Team Digitone II User Manual. This manual is copyright © 2025 Elektron Music Machines MAV AB. All reproduction, digital or printed, without written authorization is strictly prohibited. The information in this manual may change without notice. Elektron’s product names, logotypes, titles, words or phrases may be registered and protected by Swedish and international law. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. This manual for Digitone II OS version 1.10D was last updated October 22, 2025.

Make sure you place the Digitone II on a stable support, such as a sturdy table, with sufficient space for the cables. Make sure to switch off all devices before you connect the Digitone II to other devices. 1. Plug the supplied DC adapter into a power outlet and connect the small plug to the 12 V DC In on the Digitone II. 2. Connect OUTPUT L/R from the Digitone II to your mixer or amplifier. or use headphones plugged in to the HEADPHONES jack. 3. To control the Digitone II from a computer, connect a USB cable between the computer and the USB connector of the Digitone II. 4. If you want to use MIDI to control the Digitone II, connect the MIDI OUT port of the device you wish to send data from to the MIDI IN port of the Digitone II. The MIDI THRU port duplicates the data arriving at the MIDI IN port so that it can forward data to other MIDI units. If you want to use Digitone II to control other devices, connect the MIDI OUT port of the Digitone II to the MIDI IN port of the of the device you want to control. 5. Connect an audio source to INPUT L/R or via USB if you want to process audio from external sources. 6. Switch on all units. Press the POWER switch located at the back of the Digitone II to switch it on.

There are a large number of presets in the Digitone II that you can use in your music-making or as starting points for your own sound design. 1. Press [PRESET/KIT] to open the PRESET/KIT menu. 2. Select LOAD (PRESET) to open the LOAD PRESET MENU 3. Use the [UP]/[DOWN] keys or LEVEL/DATA to highlight a preset. 4. Press [KEYBOARD] and then use the [TRIG] keys to play and listen the highlighted preset. 5. Press [YES] to load the preset to the active track.

You can find a number of factory preset patterns in the Digitone II. Follow the instructions below to get started exploring your new instrument. 1. Press [PTN] and then use the [LEFT]/[RIGHT] keys to select bank A. Then press [TRIG 1] to select pattern A01. 2. Press [PLAY] to listen to pattern A01. 3. Press [PTN], and then press [TRIG 2] to cue pattern A02. It will start once pattern A01 has reached its end. Select pattern A03 by pressing [PTN], and then press [TRIG 3], and so on. 4. Press [STOP] to stop playback.

You can use the [TRIG] keys to play any track chromatically. 1. Select the track to play chromatically by pressing [TRK] + one of the [TRIG 1–16] keys. 2. Press [KEYBOARD] to enter KEYBOARD mode. The [TRIG] keys will light up in a pattern that resembles an octave of a piano keyboard. Only lit keys are playable. 3. Play the [TRIG] keys. The preset will be pitched differently for each of the playable keys. Press [+]/[-] to transpose the virtual keyboard up or down one octave. For more information, please see “8.5.1 KEYBOARD MODE” on page 24. KEYBOARD mode is an effective way to add musical variety to your tracks. The timbre, tonality and impact of playing a preset chromatically depends on the character of the source preset.

You can mute any of the sequencer tracks in this mode. Unlike the KEYBOARD mode, it makes no difference which track is active when this mode is activated. You can access all tracks simultaneously. 1. Make sure a pattern is playing. 2. Press the [FUNC] + [TRK] key to enter MUTE mode. 3. Press any of the [TRIG] keys to mute the corresponding track. Press again to unmute. The light of the [TRIG] keys indicates the mute status. Unlit keys are muted tracks. Lit keys are active tracks. For more information, please see “8.5.3 MUTE MODE” on page 27.

Press the [TEMPO] key to open the TEMPO menu. 7.5.1 TEMPO To change the BPM setting, open the TEMPO menu by pressing the [TEMPO] key. Use DATA ENTRY knob A or LEVEL/DATA to change tempo. Pressing the knob while turning it changes the tempo four BPM at a time. Use DATA ENTRY knob B or [UP] or [DOWN] to change the tempo in decimal steps. You can chose between a tempo for the whole project or use a separate tempo every pattern. Press and hold [FUNC], and then use DATA ENTRY knob E to switch between these modes. On the main interface screen, you can also press and hold the [ARROW] keys [LEFT] or [RIGHT] to nudge the tempo 10% up or down temporarily. Release the key to revert to the original tempo. To tap a tempo setting, hold [FUNC] and tap the [TEMPO] key in a steady rhythm. After four consecutive taps the average tempo of the taps will be calculated. By continuing tapping, the average tempo will keep on updating. You can also use an extrnal MIDI controller to tap the tempo by sending note C0 on the selected FX CONTROL MIDI channel. When in the TEMPO menu (and with PROJECT tempo mode selected), holding [FUNC] while turning DATA ENTRY knob A will not change the tempo to the selected value until [FUNC] is released. While doing this, “PREP.” flash in the bottom left corner of the screen. Nudging the tempo is very handy when manually syncing Digitone II to a turntable or an external sound source. Note that you do not need to be in the TEMPO menu to nudge the tempo. Use DATA ENTRY knob D to adjust the SWING setting of the pattern, to employ a propulsive, rhythmic groove. The swing ratio can be set to 51-80%. The default setting is equal spacing, 50%. 7.5.2 METRONOME The metronome settings controls the internal metronome of the Digitone II. Use the DATA ENTRY knobs to change the settings. METRO activates/deactivates the metronome. You can also press [TEMPO] + [YES] to toggle the metronome on/off. SIG. controls the note and beat measure of the metronome time signature. PREROLL controls for how many bars the metronome will sound before the sequencer starts playing. This setting is only relevant when you are in LIVE RECORDING mode. VOL controls the volume of the metronome click.

Each track has six PARAMETER page groups that each contain a number of pages. Press [PARAMETER] keys TRIG, SYN, FLTR, AMP, FX, and MOD to access the different PARAMETER page groups. These parameters affect the sound and signal in various ways. 1. Make sure a pattern is playing. 2. Press [TRK] + [TRIG] keys 1–16 to select a track. 3. To change, for example, the cutoff of the filter, press the [FLTR] key to open the FILTER page. The parameter labeled FREQ changes the cutoff of the filter. Turn DATA ENTRY knob E to change the parameter value, and hear how the sound is affected. Try out the rest of the PARAMETER page parameters to explore a variety of sound shaping possibilities.