A couple quick examples of using an external controller (Linnstrument in this case) to manipulate OT params via MIDI CCs and note info.
Since this is literally the first time I set up this combo, I’m probably using about 2% of the Linnstrument’s capabilities and maybe 10% of what can be done on the OT with an external controller. If you’re looking for pretty melodies, don’t watch these two.
FWIW, I find having the external controller easier/better than trying to flip all the params on the OT directly. Not the least of which is that on the Linnstrument, I can jump from min to max and back with a quick touch. I also have note on + 3 MIDI variables (pressure, y-axis movement (up and down), and pitch bend) all under the control of a single finger.
Plus the Linnstrument is open source and I was able to make some mods to send custom CCs rather than the hardcoded defaults.
I sold some other gear to fund the Linnstrument purchase. The idea was to find a controller I could ‘play’. The tendency is to sit back and listen to your gear rather than play it. Modern DAWs and sequencers are powerful and I tend to program changes and modulations and then sit back and listen to them run. It ends up being too static for me, so finding some type of controller where I can interact with the sequence and the gear seems to make it feel more alive.
I have to get some video of the Notron sequencer - yet another device that is more fun to play.
The Octatrack is one of those devices that makes me bust out laughing. I’ll take some random sample I made and start changing the parameters on the OT and on more than one occasion I’ll just start laughing at the absolute craziness coming out of that box.
Sure you can use it for more traditional sampler tasks and the samples plus sequencer can be used to make great tracks (cf. tons of videos out there from lots of folks on this list), but I find much joy in using it as an incredible sound design tool.
