Octatrack midi loop and note feedback

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hi,

I’ve been reading many times here about using midi loop with the OT (usually to use the midi tracks to do more stuff internally: more LFOs, automating the crossfader, etc.)

So I’ve been experimenting with it in my setup which I won’t go in detail on, but basically, my goal is to have the OT sequencing midi notes toward Device A and simultaneously receive external CC controls from Device B, who are both being plugged in a midi usb host going in the OT’s midi in/out.

Everything works perfectly when using the chromatic mode (I can play midi notes on Device A). However, as soon as I start sequencing notes, I get what I assume to be an infinite midi feedback of that first note toward Device A (only way to make it stop is to change the midi channel on the track).

I first thought the midi merge going on the midi usb host was the issue, but I get the same problem using that simplified setup using only the OT and AR to reproduce the same logic:

OT midi out -> AR midi in
AR midi thru -> OT midi in

OT midi track chan = 1
AR kick track = chan 1

Playing the OT’s chromatic mode is triggering notes perfectly on AR, but as soon as I’m sequencing them instead (and hitting play), I start getting midi feedback again.

It’s kind of expected, but also weird since playing notes in chromatic mode is not doing it? I’ve tried disabling all midi channels on OT, audio midi note/cc in, etc, to no result.

Am I missing something here? Or is this indeed unavoidable?

(I’m aware that I can probably solve this using a midi filter in the chain but I’m trying to see if I can have a simpler solution)

#2

I guess you meant OT midi in.

To avoid feedback in your AR example, I’d set an audio track to channel 1. This will prevent the midi track from receiving midi data (and send it again > feedback).

Ch 15.2

If an audio track and a MIDI track share the same MIDI channel, the MIDI track will block the audio track from sending out data while the audio track will block the MIDI track from receiving data.

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#3

Thanks so much again, it solved everything. I knew I had came across something like that in the doc but could not find it back, you are a walking OT encyclopedia :wink:

(Edited the mistake in the original post to help potential future readers)

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#4

:wink:
Forgot to mention, but I guess you disabled audio track notes / cc in if you don’t want to midi control any audio track. If so I think you’d need to sacrifice a track with same channel. :thinking:

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#5

All good, they were enabled as I’m controlling them from some other midi device so I did not hit the problem. Thanks for the tip on it though!

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