I’ve a question about randomisation and generative-type patterns on the Octatrack. I’ve dug into using single-cycle waveforms to make some nice synthy plinks and plonks but all my patterns are just that; patterns. Pre-programmed affairs that - even with conditional trigs - don’t sound as ‘random’ as I’d like them to.
What can I do to make my patterns and sequences more random yet remain ‘in key’? Is it even possible with SCWfs?
FWIW, this is the kinda thing I want to aim for… I know this guy is using a modular rig so it’s not going to be entirely possible - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOqCXuUtsbg
Indeed - I was thinking about how I could get this structured (in key) randomisation and it struck me (after you said it… rubber ducking I guess) that I could use a custom LFO to trigger fixed pitches, having it running constantly so that it changes the pitch whenever a sample trig is played.
(Edit: Whoops, I thought we were talking about midi tracks… I guess you could do the following with loopback if your adventurous…)
The arp scale setting affects note trigs without the arp turned on…
The OT has all of the scales the Digitone has just without a nice UI to select them…
Here’s a chart that will get you seven different scales, once set you can send lfos to all parameters that affect notes and they’ll stay in the scale…
I imagine you can make other scales out of custom arps and lfo’s, but I haven’t tried yet…
Thanks, Mike. I’ve not played with the MIDI loopback option yet but it’s going to be the next thing on my list. Trying to achieve in-key-yet-random notes with the LFO designer was somewhat hit and miss. It was just a bit…not so good!
A MakeNoise 0-Coast is on the horizon so that’s going to help with this somewhat. At least there’ll be no MIDI hackery!
Cheers, Mike. I got the Octa MIDI triggering the track (#C1 on Ch 1… before it crashed; twice) but couldn’t get it changing the sample’s pitch. I know different note values control different things.
How do I get the MIDI to control the pitch of the sample on Track 1? Having no luck finding that bit out… I’m still thinking I might just settle for a hardware synth and get that controlled - random not lengths and values - from the Octatrack.
Two ways that I do it:
Create a sample chain from two octaves worth of notes from whatever sound you want. Slice and use a random lfo on slice number.
Use a lfo designer to create your scale. Set it to a high rate and use sample on trigger mode. Use a second random lfo to modulate rate of the first.
If you wanted to use the arp key scale from OT midi tracks to work on OT audio tracks, you’d want to leave the audio track sequence blank and send the notes from the midi track. The scale setting only affects the note trigs on the midi track, so you’d have to use those…
I kind of like @knobgoblin’s sample chain + random lfo idea, and I want to add that if you make a sample chain of notes that only has notes in it conforming to the scale you want, you get your random “in key” notes…
