Advice and tips for a live?

Hiya,

I’m currently switching over to using Octatrack to trigger loops to songs live in the same sort of way ableton live does. Previously we’ve been using a Boss RC300 to play backing tracks and then doing bits of looping and playing bass on top. The Octa seems to offer more options to jam tracks out though and means carrying a lot less equipment around.

The way I figure it has to work is to have 1 song per bank, patterns for variations within sections of songs and parts for the different song sections. Does anyone have any experience of using an Octa live in this way? Are there better ways of doing it? Are there cool ways to transition between banks?

Thanks in advance

I switched over from using Ableton live and could not be happier, though it has taken some practice and planning things out. I use the Octatrack as the “brain” of my live rig as well as the Analog Four. I use the one bank per song method on the Octatrack and each pattern in that bank is linked to a different part which allows me to use a different set of samples (loops) for each section of the song. Just switch the pattern when you are ready to go into the next part of the song.

It helps me to put similar type loops on the same tracks for each song (say drum loops always on track 7 and so on) so as you move through each bank you kinda know what types of loops are where. Using scenes helps you transition into different patterns or changing banks. Something as simple adjusting to a new tempo as you switch banks can also sound cool.

You can set the Octatrack to send program changes to the A4 and it will switch it’s patterns when you switch patterns on the Octatrack.

Bottom line for me is getting comfortable with the Elektron workflow, but once you get the hang of it, it really feels like you are playing a instrument. And all instruments take time and practice to master as do the Elektron boxes!

Here is a little video I made of my first attempt running through a live song. Hope it helps!

Check out this one for some inspiration:

Awesome - thanks for your reply :slight_smile:

It seems I am on the right track with the 1 song per bank approach - I’ll just keep on practicing. I’ve noticed the Octatrack definitely sounds much better than Ableton Live 8 and is a lot more fluid.

Nice tune btw - really dig the synth & drum sounds you’ve chose.

Waw! That’s a BIG setup. They’ve even got a rhodes

No problem, thanks and good luck!

Hi there, all of you,

I am also a proud owner of a brand new Octatrack and also have a couple of questions regarding the live use of this wonderfull machine.

First of all, the 1 song per bank approach - ok, this makes sense, because I was kind of struggling trying to figure out how to assign different samples to the tracks in different patterns (within the same bank) and the only way how this could be done was by using sample trigs, as it seemed to me.

So, let’s say I’ll have to select a different bank when I want to use different set of samples - okay, no problem. But in this sense, I’m kind of losing the point of using “scenes” - what is the best use for them? Can anybody elaborate?

Thanks

you do not have to change banks to change samples.

each bank contains 4 parts which can each be assigned to any of the 16 patterns in the bank. each part stores the following:

[ul]
[li]Information about which machines are assigned to the tracks. [/li]
[li]Information about which Flex and Static samples are assigned to the machines. [/li]
[li]Track effects assignments. [/li]
[li]Track parameter settings. [/li]
[li]16 scenes. [/li]
[/ul]

That’s a total of 64 scenes per bank.

Added to this you can use sample locks to lock different samples from your flex or static lists on a per-step basis.

you can also use sample chains and slice them…then use p-locks to choose your slice for each step…or use the scenes and/or crossfader to do the same thing.

scenes (sets of locked parameter settings) can be used in many, many ways

[ul]
[li]to apply fx[/li]
[li]to apply p-locks (but not sample locks)[/li]
[li]to change slice assignments[/li]
[li]reversing samples by p-locking the rate parameter[/li]
[/ul]

…to name but a few.

If you haven’t already you should read Merlin’s truly excellent “Some Thoughts on Elektron’s Octatrack”.

http://www.elektron-users.com/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=611&Itemid=30