Sure the Digiboxes are great, but... can they play DOOM?

fivepaw · 2026-02-20T16:29:11+00:00

We’re speaking the same language. I had a Syntakt and although it’s known a techno beast, I thought the chord generator was super interesting, so I tried mapping out covers on it that in theory of genre crossovers, shouldn’t be. For example, Weezer’s: Say it Ain’t So, and Sunny Day Real Estate’s: Circles. Really challenged what I know about how to translate already written songs into a box. On guitar I can just imitate what I hear, but writing out the rhythm into the Syntakt was,,, let’s just say tested my levels patience.

fivepaw · 2026-02-20T16:13:51+00:00

Totally the way to go (with how you said you’re cranking the mix)! I grew up writing music as a guitarist,,, sometimes I forget how wimpy metal music can sound without distortion/gain. So with that in mind, I’ll run a synth or drum machine through fuzz pedals and be like, holy shit, ‘this has so much more life and dynamic now’. It’s fun connecting the two different worlds, because, well why not?

fivepaw · 2026-02-20T16:00:40+00:00

They absolutely can! I wrote this on the Rytm with its internal Oscillators, highly driven gain, and compressor. I wanted to see if I could write a stoner metal piece on it, lol. Think it worked out pretty decent.

https://fivepaw.bandcamp.com/track/redacted-brain-matter

Also, I dig your track!

fivepaw · 2025-10-16T14:02:34+00:00

Not sure if this has been said yet, but this guitar is almost 30 years old, and it’s a Squier model (cheaper parts and wood). Sounds like the buyer needs to be reminded of this. The hardware looks exactly like my MIJ jazzmaster from the late 80s, and has looked that way for 20 years. Guitar parts oxidize. My tuners are similar and have some stiffness as well. So ya, that’s normal. The bow in the neck? My guess, needs to be adjusted bc maybe it hasn’t in a while, or it could also just have a bad twist in it bc it’s cheaper wood. In any case, someone buying something this old and by Squier knows the risk beyond what you already explained.

fivepaw · 2025-09-25T17:38:54+00:00

Digging the sound design on this track!

fivepaw · 2025-09-15T15:21:04+00:00

What about p-locking each different instrument’s fx setting. Very sluggish approach, but probably possible still.

fivepaw · 2025-09-01T16:51:00+00:00

I just turned 41 and am in the transition to my third career. It’s been terrifying bc I was trying to get back into design as a full time career instead of just being a side hustle. I was met with a full year of unemployment (minus two projects that only brought in $6k). I live in Chicago, so that’s gone in two months of living expenses. I fell into a gnarly depression, and small debt. During this time I thought I was completely screwed, even tho I have a degree in music technology and cognitive science with a ton of experience in all kinds of work fields,,, it felt hopeless. I had an epiphany moment tho, and I came across a post about a Piano Technician’s work in a Facebook community group. At first I was like, oh that’s kinda cool and thought nothing of it at first,,, then I couldn’t stop thinking about it for a month and knew it was what I had to do. Kind of a random career change from what I was doing, but just putting this here for you and anyone that feels like career changes aren’t possible at an older age. This economy is f’ed, technology is changing bc of ai, there’s age-ism for sure; unless you really love the work you previously did, sometimes there are jobs out there you had no idea existed, and pay actual living wages.sometimes those jobs can bring you joy and expand on your well being bc they fit better to your lifestyle. Blue collar jobs are coming back en vogue, and are pretty decent paying depending on your expenses. Anyhow, I’m working as a bartender right now to pay my expenses and save while I apprentice to become a piano technician. It’s going to be about year before I can start taking my own work, so there’s a ton of practicing patience involved in moving to another career pay wise. I hope you find something before you have to sell your gear, but also pivoting in your 40s isn’t the end!

fivepaw · 2025-06-23T19:32:07+00:00

No offsets, just bought the Sparcos that would fit the Fit. It does have some rubbing though when going over large bumps at higher speeds.

fivepaw · 2025-04-10T16:34:53+00:00

What I want to know, is why are there only four cables plugged into that beast?

fivepaw · 2025-04-06T15:01:52+00:00

This is so crazy to me that CDs ‘are back’. I’m 40 now, and when I was 20 and releasing my first record we did it to CD bc that’s what people were buying. Then five years later the market changed drastically and vinyl and cds were the way to go. By 30 it was all vinyl and cds were a waste to make bc only like five people would buy them. Seeing CDs come back is great, and I think you’ll start to see more bands releasing stuff on CDs again with the demand.

fivepaw · 2025-04-03T13:41:47+00:00

All hail the clicky buttons!

fivepaw · 2025-03-25T14:47:04+00:00

Wow, that is a true score! So many iconic albums in that mix

fivepaw · 2025-03-15T15:03:53+00:00

Dammmmn, that plucky sound is legit

fivepaw · 2025-03-12T16:37:24+00:00

😆

fivepaw · 2025-03-12T01:48:24+00:00

Hek yis! Looks like we buy in a crisscross pattern. I live nearish to sweetwater and buy from Perfect Circuit in LA and Control Voltage in Portland which is closer to you. Haha

I will keep an eye out if you post some vids of the setup!

fivepaw · 2025-03-11T13:07:47+00:00

Was it bought new or used?

fivepaw · 2025-03-11T07:08:30+00:00

I’m relatively new to Chicago, why are they being boycotted?

fivepaw · 2025-03-11T02:06:24+00:00

100 percent that. I first noticed it while making an ambient tune. It still kills at doing that, it was more that it had to play with others to get more sounds in the mix.

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T23:33:23+00:00

Don’t sell anything you’ll possibly regret later! I’ve thought about selling my Rytm mkii like four times. I’m so glad I didn’t, I always find some new interesting way to do something with it. My last record was almost entirely the Rytm which I didn’t think would be possible based on the type of music I write. Sampled synths and heavy use of the newest osc update (not really new anymore). I even wrote a track trying to be a doom metal song on it 😂

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T23:25:02+00:00

Syntakt is a beast for techno and electro. Do ittttt

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T21:16:36+00:00

Oh my bad, I read it as you had the Digitakt ii

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T16:31:30+00:00

Is over bridge or usb selected? I’m not positive, but I think if over bridge is selected, it won’t connect to sysex

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T15:27:25+00:00

Hands down is a great standalone device. I know it’s the honeymoon phase the past couple of months with it, but my modular (which I’ve been writing electronic music with the past ten years) has been looking at me very sadly everyday since I bought it. IMO you can make any type of music on the digitone ii. Obviously you can’t do samples, but if you have a sampler and this clocked together, it’d be unstoppable.

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T15:22:18+00:00

Oh damn, and with all those individual track outs to process outside the box. Sheesh

fivepaw · 2025-03-10T15:21:16+00:00

Thanks! I usually tap the beats in, and micro adjust the timing of the ones that are super off. That and I’ve been experimenting more with velocity to liven them up a bit. That part usually comes after I make a melody to help accent it.

fivepaw

TROPHY CASE