AG-KW Oktacontrol

I just saw Elektron post this on Facebook.

http://ag-kw.de/oktakontrol/

It’s a dedicated MIDI controller for the Octatrack with 8 faders and controls for mute, solo, etc. per track.

So excited - I gotta get one of these. Are the guys from AG-KW on this forum, or does anyone else know more about the project?

Bumping this so it doesn’t get lost

Yeah, it looks real handy. I hope it sees the light of day!


well… but it does not react on the internal 8 midi tracks or?

Yeah I was wondering the same thing… (if it can use the sequencer/midi tracks too)

Nice!!

I hope the “track level” faders can be configured to “amp level”

;otherwise,

it is a deal breaker.

I needs my effects spill over damn nit!!!

edit: I can definitely be done if you want to hack the code (open source arduino). I’m hoping for something a bit easier.

I feel rather underwhelmed by the initial spec.

Couldnt you do EXACTLY the same with one of those nano korgs?

yup. i’m sure these faders are much nicer than a nanokontrol, and you don’t need to convert usb–>midi, but it will need some smart software to compete for me. nanokontrol has a knob and two buttons for each fader, and transport buttons, all of which are highly configurable…

Seems pretty cool to me. If the price is right, I might get one. :slight_smile:

Hej,

I am Bruce of AG-KW. First of all we are happy our Oktakontrol raises some attention. Also thanks for the reposting (to whom it may concern :slight_smile: ).

Regarding this project we are currently on the state that the electrical part for the prototype is ready, the basic functions are programmed and tested - everything works fine. A trial now is to finalize the case, but we are on a good way for that too.

StinkyBeat
I hope the “track level” faders can be configured to “amp level”

edit: I can definitely be done if you want to hack the code (open source arduino). I’m hoping for something a bit easier.

Yes, the faders and buttons can be configured to any of the midi control parameters (which are shown under “CTRL CHANGE MAPPINGS” in the Octatrack Manual), but on the current state only by modifying the Arduino code. BUT we plan to have a configuration program for Windows/Mac where you can easily assign controllers and update to the Oktakontrol via Midi.

nedavine
Couldnt you do EXACTLY the same with one of those nano korgs?

Simple answer: Yes. :slight_smile: We do not have a problem to admit that the Oktakontrol is basically a conventional midi controller box, but with some nice details. Our basic approach here was (and is): “The Octatrack is great for our livejams, Elektron please build a MK2 only with the addition of 8faders.” They didn’t do this and no other available controller did not fit perfect (for us!). So we began to do it by ourselves, combined that with a will to learn new things and so on …

Regards,
Bruce (AG-KW)

To be honest, This thing looks quite simple.
so you get 8 faders and a button per track?!

Nice design, nice advertisement but what extra features / functionality does this piece of gear have, specifically aimed at the octatrack?
Or is it just a box with faders and buttons pre-programmed for the octa?

there’s very little info on the website.

could you give us some more info?

As I already said, we do not have problem to admit that it is just a conventional midi box. The design is the keyfeature here - our personal approach was to add the missing (missed by us) feature “a fader per track”. Yes, cou can do that with a lot of other boxes, but none of them fits well. We don’t like midi cable at the backside which impede to put the boxes close together, we don’t like small & light boxes which are not nice to operate, we don’t like plastic cases … We have the need for this box, so we do it. When we talked to other people about it, we noticed an interest for it, so we showed it some more people and now we plan to sell it to the ones who wants it …

all the best,
Bruce (AG-KW)

Allright :slight_smile:

At least you make the effort in building such a box :-).
I’m very happy with my novation zero sl. Yes it’s plastic and yes when you’re rocking your gear a bit enthousiastic is might move around the table :wink:

Ah well, everybody started out small I guess… Let’s see what you build in a couple of years :wink:

i would prolly get one as long as I don’t have to involve a computer like i would with NanoKontrol

I am interested as well… ALPS faders are the bomb, and like AG-KW, I do not like plastic controllers. If anything, this box helps preserve the lifespan of the top left knob in the array… which on my OctaTrack, has worn out from over-use and the body-english involved with live performances.

The ideal long-term road would involve individual track outputs as well, such that we can multi-track our live musical takes in the studio…but that is something that we’ll have to wait for Elektron to give us if it ever happens, and would involve a daughter-board or separate unit with break-out parallel cable or similar. Or just the Octatrack 2.0…

I am going to support this AG-KW project… i support real hardware, metal chassis’, and the appreciation they have from the live performance artist, as they are live artists themselves and they ‘get it’ when it comes to these nuances.

Nice one, I also like robust hardware.

Unfortunately, it seems to only control 8 parameters at a time (e.g., volumes), so most of the OT knobs still get over-used during live performances. What about adding some page buttons as on the Elektrons?

Approximate price?