Any tips for recording 'real-time' drum patterns?

[robotron]

I get the feeling that this isn’t something the Octrack is ideally suited to so I thought I’d see if I could pick up any tips here.

I’m currently using it as a combination drum machine and loop sampler, using tracks 1-4 for rhythm parts (one shot samples on each track for bass drum, snare, etc.) and tracks 5-8 for loops, effects, etc. I’m using the 16 step triggers to program the drums but I’m feeling a bit limited by the strict grid/quantize and using so many tracks for drums so was looking for alternatives.

I fancied trying to do some realtime recording of the drum parts (tapping the buttons in time with quantize off to get some more feel to it) and resampling rhythms to use less tracks (and do more fun stuff with chopping up those loops).

My thought was to use dedicated patterns just for drums and then resampling those to a single track, which I’d then use in my main ‘song’ patterns, chop it up and effect it there and then go back to the dedicated drum patterns if I wanted to record/resample new variations.

Does that make sense or does anyone have any better suggestions for using the Octatrack as a drum machine without using so many tracks? I wanted to avoid using p-locks to change samples/slices too much as I’d like to do more playing than parameter tweaking when trying to create beats.

[Analogic]

Why not get a set of midi pads? I’m the same way but I mostly use Rytm for tapping stuff out.

[robotron]

I’ve got some pads on my keyboard I could use. Can I set them to trigger the samples on different channels and record the velocity as well? I think I can program the pads to send different channels/ccs/etc. but wasn’t sure if you could record velocity like that.

I was less concerned with how to get the notes in at the moment, I was more thinking of the best way to use the channels/patterns/programming to get a good balance between recording different rhythms and loops. Almost all of the stuff I’ve seen on YouTube are of people using for loop mangling, retriggering, etc. so I haven’t seen anyone really using it like this.

[Analogic]

I’ve got some pads on my keyboard I could use. Can I set them to trigger the samples on different channels and record the velocity as well?

Probably! Live velocity is key for me too.

I was more thinking of the best way to use the channels/patterns/programming to get a good balance between recording different rhythms and loops.

I don’t quite understand what you mean here, but it sounds like you’re uncertain about workflow. I can’t give much advice on that other than to focus on the tasks you want to accomplish and then work through them methodically. A good worflow should emerge. Another piece of advice I like to dole out is to focus on one specific task at a time and to ignore the million other things the OT can do while you’re on task.

[robotron]

Yes I’m with you there. My question was to see if anyone else was using the Octatrack like this or if there were any videos of people using different patterns for drum programming/resampling (instead of the usual loop slicing/effecting).

Ideally I be able to switch between different percussion/hihat patterns on the fly but that doesn’t seem to be practical (as the patterns change all tracks at once) so I was wondering how/if other people achieved this kind of thing.

[Analogic]

Right, ok well trig mutes and conditional trigs (especially fill) may be helpful for creating variation without changing patterns. Otherwise I’m sure others will chime in with ideas! Sezare just posted some super cool crossfader ideas. I’m not sure I have the brain capacity to undertake that level of sorcery! But it’s always rad to see how far this tool can take you.

[PlumWrinkles]

if you slice a drum loop in the AED you can play in new patterns using Slices mode on the OT.

you can then basically finger drum (simplistically) this way and live record your new ideas.

[Schnork]

With a midi processor you could map velocity to amp volume, play samples with velocity from your midi controller and record live into OT.

[sezare56]

With a midi processor

You can also play slices, record length (mapping Hold to notes off),…

[Clancy]

Can I set them to trigger the samples on different channels

Trigger yes, but record only on currently focused track

Which sucks

[darenager]

Load up a bunch of drums into slots, set trig mode to slots, manually play some beats, resample into track recorder?

[Clancy]

switch between different percussion/hihat patterns on the fly but that doesn’t seem to be practical (as the patterns change all tracks at once)

You can do it quite nicely with this workaround…

Separate track patterns. Is it possible?

Okay so I just tried another workaround. It’s semi satisfactory. Not got midi set up right now so just using audio but in theory should be same. Set the scale mode to ‘per track’ Set the bassline track scale to 64/64 but master to 0016 All other tracks to 16/16 Consider the first page of your bass track to be the ‘active’ loop, the next 3 pages each have your variations. Copy and paste from your 3 variations (pages 2-4) into page 1 as required. The bassline pattern changes while the rest o…

Copy paste patterns without stopping the sequence

Just to make it brief - if the link seemed convoluted: Set master length to 16 but track lengths to 64, then there are three pages on each track that you can work on without affecting audio. Paste them into page 1 when you want to hear them. It’s one track at a time just because you can’t paste on all tracks - but ‘develop’, sure further: “Paste” again at any point to perform an instant undo - i.e… back to original page 1 pattern - good for fills dropped in anywhere ie. this is also the on…

[robotron]

Thanks! I tried out playing with slices and I think I’m getting close (I didn’t realise it automatically added sample locks with real time playing so that’s really useful). Haven’t had a chance to have a proper play this week but I’ll have a go at the weekend.