DigiChain is a web app made to make the creation of sample chains as easy as possible for use on the Digitakt (and any other sampler that can slice up samples).

https://digichain.brianbar.net/

While originally created as a tool to help make evenly spaced sample chains to use on the Elektron Digitakt’s slice grid machine introduced in the 1.5 firmware update, DigiChain has grown to incorporate other features, many of which were suggested by the good folks over on the Elektronauts forum.

Features

• Import .wav/.syx audio files and converts them to the chosen audio context (e.g. 48k/16bit, 44.1k/24bit etc) – if the chosen context is mono, stereo samples can be processed as the Left, Right, or a Sum of both channels to mono when exporting, the playback preview of the sample will reflect this choice. In a stereo context, mono files stay as mono (unless the sample has been resampled in this context). The audio context can be changed, but sample rate changes require the list to be discarded.
• Batch conversion – importing multiple files, or dropping folders containing files into the list and using the Download All button will output a zip file with the dropped folder structure reflected, but the contained samples will be output in the chosen audio context.
• Master pitch selection allows all exports to be pitched up 1, 2, or 3 octaves – so save precious sample memory space on limited storage devices such as the Digitakt/Model:Samples, or simply to get longer sample lengths loaded into memory by pitching them back down on the device.
• Using the Slice Grid option allows you to create sample chains of the files selected in the list, download with the joined button to get all the files joined together into file(s), each with up to the slice grid amounts number of samples in each file.
• The joined spaced button will pad each sample in the chain to the length of the longest per group of files being joined, so if you choose 16 on the slice grid, you will get 16 per file, with each file padded to that length.
• Holding the Shift key while clicking the joined buttons will add the chain files to the top of the samples list instead of outputting inside a zip file.
• Use the per sample edit panel; to make basic edits to the samples in the list, normalize, trim silence from the end, reverse, half the playback speed, or double the playback speed – all sample edit operations are destructive! If you want to keep the original audio intact, create a duplicate with the sample duplicate icon.
• Use the per sample slice tool to split files into slices, use the even grid options or the transient detection.
• If you drop a .ot file in along with a sample, the slice grid will read this to slice up files prepared in the Octatrack AED, so you quickly convert Octatrack sample chains for use on the Digitakt.
• Split loops into slices, then sort by slice# to quickly create “megabreak” sample chains.
• Use the 120 slices grid option to create chains perfect for the Model:Samples or Analog Rytm.
• Get off-grid by Ctrl+Clicking on the slice grid values to set your own numbers.
• Shift+G to enter the grid view – good for those who don’t like tables (same key combo to toggle back to the list).
• Drop URL links to .wav files to be fetched directly to the list (only works with sites that are open to Cross Origin Resource sharing – a great example is https://citizen-dj.labs.loc.gov/ ).
• Works offline and can be installed as a desktop/mobile app on most operating systems from the browser (install as app / add to home screen).
• All processing is done on your device, and no data is sent anywhere – open source on GitHub under the GPLv3 license.

The primary function is being able to drop samples into the list, these can be folders containing samples (as all dropped folders are recursively parsed for sample data) – PCM wav files are what will be looked for, with the addition of support for .syx SysEx SDS audio midi dumps which are used in MachineDrum sample packs – these can be consumed and converted to standard wav files.

Once the files are in the list, they are ready to be ordered into chains, choose the chain length on the slice grid in the top left buttons group (shift+click to keep the selections already in the list) – the list will show a green line to indicate when a chain ends and a new one begins below.

Each sample can also be sliced into new samples, or edited with a selection of basic destructive sample edits – if you want to keep the original around, duplicate a sample before making edits.

Shift+clicking on either of the join buttons will resample back into the list rather than out to a file.

By default, the app will open in the 48k/16bit mono context – great for the Digitakt! – but if you want to create chains for other samplers, switch up the context, the 44.1k/24bit stereo is perfect for the Octatrack, if you have a bunch of samples and want to just convert them to what the OT expects, set the context, drop them in the list, hit the download button – you will get out a zip file containing all the processed files with their folder structure intact ready to drop on the OT’s CF card.

If you want to move a sample around before exporting, change its folder path value in the sample edit panel.

While it is a web app, once loaded, there is no connection required, and can be installed as an app on most OSs.

There is a full complement of keyboard shortcuts to help navigate through things quickly.

Updated Keyboard Shortcuts

• Up / Down Arrow Keys: when a sample row is highlighted, this changes the highlighted sample.
• P : plays the currently highlighted sample in the list.
• I : inverts the selected items in the list.
• Escape : closes any open dialog windows and stops all sample playback.
• Enter / Return : toggles the selection of the currently highlighted sample in the list.
• L / S / R : changes the channel for stereo files being processed to mono.

Shift + Click / Shift + Key

• Up / Down Keys : moves the highlighted sample up or down in the list.
• P : plays the currently highlighted sample looped.
• Waveform View : plays the sample looped, click again to go back to one-shot.
• Slice Grid Number & Off Buttons : changes the slice grid size, but keeps the selected samples in the list.
• Duplicate Icon : puts the duplicated file at the end of the sample list.
• Move Up Icon : moves directly to the top of the sample list.
• Move Down Icon : moved directly to the end of the sample list.
• L S R Options : sets all stereo samples method for mono conversion (take left, right, or sum to mono).
• Download All : processed files will be have the imported folder structure flattened into their file names (all files will be at the root level of the zip file).
• Joined / Joined Spaced : audio will be resampled internally back to the list instead of prompting to save as a file (clicking the filename in the list will still allow the wav download).
• H : Toggles showing/hiding the top buttons panel, to give more space for the grid.
• Slice Sample Options: Will put the slices in the list directly below the source sample.
• G : Toggles grid-view/list-view (grid-view is now the default for narrow screen width devices like phones).

Ctrl + Click

• Slice Grid Number Buttons : prompts to enter a custom value for the slice grid.
• Slice Grid Off Button : restores the default slice grid options.