Midi footswitch for start/stopping a loop, even change patterns?

[ahkok]

Hey community, I just ordered the Octatrack and it’s arriving on Monday!!!

I’m a guitarist and new to hardware programming, but I will take couple days off with Cuckoo’s guide on how to setup basic loops and stuff. I’m at a point where my band needs to have some professional beats and backing track in odd time signature, and I think Octatrack is more than capable of doing so.

Can anyone recommend me a midi footswitch though? Just for simple playback while my hands are busy with guitar playing. And is it possible to change pattern with the footswitch?

Nice one guys, I literally sold a guitar for funding the Octatrack. I’m ready to explore the sonic possibilities by having a kick ass sampler. Very excited!

[sezare56]

Hi. I’m a guitarist too.

You need to send midi Notes or Control Change for track mutes play / record, Program Changes to change pattern.
Check manual Annexe C for details.

I have a Roland FC200. Work well with OT.

Midi Foot Controller Question

For Octatrack, can midi foot controller (such as Boss GFC-50)that only sends out program change - not cc - data be assigned or midi learned to apply to recording buttons on the pick-up machines?

Octatrack and Guitar

Any other guitar + OT users here? I was on the brink to setup a new pedal board… After watching a lot of pedal demos, I found this channel (where many awesome pedals are demonstrated) and finally saw this video I use the OT for years, but only for electonic music stuff. This video is awesome, using the OT as a guitar looper/fx box. In a band scenario - how would you route this? Obviously using a midi pedal for the pickup machines (can you recommend one?). Then going from a mic’d amp into t…

[Augenadler]

Welcome!

I have a similar footswitch as @sezare56, a FC-300. Sturdy as rock. A lot of ways to use it, as you will get sucked into the OT it’s good to be prepared

Definitely an item that can be bought 2nd hand, it will survive human kind.

[ahkok]

Wicked guys, will search for a second hand Roland FC-200/300!

@sezare56 have you seen Knobs demonstrating the OT with ambient stuff? It’s really cool!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFanh2PT4Ew&t=261s

[dhoinjo]

I’ve used a behringer FCB1010 and a Keith McMillen Softstep. Both work flawlessly. Behringer is the cheapest option. But I did heavy touring with it and it stil works perfectly. Even replaced the “indestructible” SoftStep for a while because it broke down.

[sezare56]

I always like Knobs demos, but there are so much possibilities with OT ! Don’t forget everything can be plocked, and recordings can be played real time with those plocks, lfos, while you are playing !

@dhoinjo as I have an usb to midi thing now I thinking about a Soft Step 2…
I didn’t like Fcb 1010 while I was using RC505, because it needed Control Changes / Prog Changes only. Fcb is bad if you need more CCs, unless you change the Eprom with Eureka Prom. I even didn’t like it with UNO. As you can use notes for OT, maybe it’s a cheap / huge good choice !

[dhoinjo]

indeed. Also, programming the Behringer can be a bit of a pain. It’s easy but it just takes very long and you need to stay focused not to press the wrong pedal. The software editor for the SoftStep is ace. You can program up to 5 messages (PC/CC/notes/…) per pedal. Great for OT (and RYTM). What is absolutely super is that every pedal is pressure sensitive. If you program a cc to that pedal you can manipulate performance pads in RYTM and scene-like cc actions in OT.

[Waves]

That’s the video that forced my hand and ‘made’ me buy the Octatrack! Welcome.

[ahkok]

My Octatrack MKII arrived! Goodbye real world…

[WeirdFishes]

I just found Soleman interesting option for foot controlling. Never mentioned here before.
PCs, CCs, Notes, macros, 2x5din midiOUT…

[sezare56]

Pretty one.

[PeterHanes]

I just found Soleman interesting option for foot controlling. Never mentioned here before.

It’s been mentioned a few times here. In case you want to check what other people have been using it for:
https://www.elektronauts.com/search?q=soleman

[Eb82]

Hi, did you send start and play messages to the sequencer with the FCB101? Because I tried to understand if it could be the right choice for my purposes, but I’m not sure if it can do that.

[dhoinjo]

Yes start is just a matter of sending a midi note. Dont have the manual here right now but its somewhere in the chapter about setting up pick up machines.

[dhoinjo]

The Keith McMillen and the soleman mentioned above are much more versatile options though…

[Eb82]

hey thank you… yes I red about something about those but they’re really too expensive. At the end I only need to start the sequencer, to stop it and to change patterns… that’s all… I’m going to the read the manual again… With what gear do you use it?

[sezare56]

Midi notes works to start/stop Octatrack, among several other functionalities. These notes are specific to OT. Not a midi standard, nor common to all Elektrons.

I don’t think Digitakt have those functionalities.