Leaks seem to reveal Elektron’s new instrument Tonverk… but we have questions

Not for the first time this yearElektron fans are in a frenzy after photos of a new hardware instrument appeared on the Internet. Images of a device called Tonverk, possibly a Sampler or synthesizerfirst appeared on Elektron’s own Elektronauts forum before it was quickly deleted and back on Reddit.

Unlike the last Digitakt II leak, which was an update to an existing product line and seemed like a surefire guarantee, Tonverk – if it is real – seems to be something completely new for the Swedish brand.

There is little information beyond the images themselves, but we can draw some obvious conclusions from the interface depicted. Many of the labeled functions appear to be borrowed from existing Elektron devices. There is a 16-key sequencer labeled with both audio and MIDI tracks. The keyboard-style button layout on the left is similar to that of Analog Four, suggesting melodic capabilities, as are the buttons labeled Chord, Arp, and Scale. The “Drum/Ptn Bank” labeling also implies percussive capabilities.

(Image credit: Via Reddit)

The machine appears to be at least partly based on samples, as it includes a sample editing button in the top left similar to that of Digitakt. There’s a row of eight knobs – also classic Elektron creation – and one of the buttons below is labelled “Machines”, suggesting a variety of sound engine modes, possibly offering different modes of sample playback or a mix of sampling and synthesis.

Some Redditors conclude that Tonverk is a likely successor to Elektron’s popular performance sampler Octatrack, although it seems unlikely that it will be presented to us as such, as it lacks some of that device’s most popular features, such as the crossfader.

Elektron Tonverk leak

(Image credit: Via Reddit)

The leaked images also hint at some odd features that seem at odds with Elektron’s conventions. There’s no obvious power input on the back, suggesting that power will be provided by one of the two USB-C inputs – and perhaps even an internal battery? An SD card slot suggests expandable storage, in a more convenient format than the CompactFlash cards used by the Octatrack. All of this makes Tonverk seem like an answer to the DAW-in-a-box workflows offered by, say, Ableton Push or Akai’s MPC Live.

The labeled controls also suggest the existence of routable effects, a full mod matrix, and bus tracks, all of which would offer significant flexibility compared to existing Elektron designs.

So how much can we trust these leaked images? Electron did appears to have registered the name Tonverk as a trademark earlier this year, although that alone doesn’t confirm anything – it’s entirely possible that someone saw this news and took it upon themselves to put together their own DIY prototype.

The fact that Elektron has deleted the images from its forum seems to lend some credibility to the leak, although it could be that the company is working on something called Tonverk and does not want a fake to be circulating under this name.

The two leaked images – above and below – also have some discrepancies. The buttons in the top left are different colors, but several controls also appear to be labeled differently on the two devices: the button labeled “Machines” on one device says “Instruments” on the other, and the “Browse” button on one device appears to say “Samples” on the other. However, these could well be different prototype/pre-production versions.

So Tonverk could very well be real, but it also feels like it could have been put together by someone combining elements of previous Elektron machines with some wishlist features of their own. Whatever the case, we’ll find out in due course.

We asked Elektron for a comment.

Elektron Tonverk