Auto- sliced recorder buffers?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

I’m watching the tutorial from the (in)famous Cenk video in which he lives remixes a TB03 and TR09 combo with the Octa -

The workflow here is pretty eye popping (to me) -

  • starts with thru machines
  • plays with the delay engine
  • captures loops via recorder triggs
  • switches from thru machines to flex machines by switching parts
  • plays with slices
  • switches back to thru machines

I think I have most of this down, but there’s one bit of unexplained magic at around 19:22 where he blithely declares “the captured flex buffers are sliced” … but he doesn’t appear to do any slicing!

I’m familiar with manually slicing; I’m also sure that the parts contain slice settings.

But how do you set things up so a captured recording buffer in a flex machine is automatically sliced and ready to remix?

(or maybe I misunderstand what Cenk is doing?)

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#2

ah - am guessing that if the recording buffer had been pre- setup with slices, from a prior sample, then the slice settings persist, they just get populated with the newly captured sample ?

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#3

Yes, that’s it, probably pre-sliced.
It has to be sliced at the same tempo (corresponding sample length) if you want to stay synced. Slices length remain the same.
If the recording is shorter than slice area, slices are messed up.

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#4

I‘ve been experimenting with pre-sliced rec buffers and getting eratic results, so I‘m happy you started this thread. Now we just have to lean back and wait for @sezare56 to enlighten us all :slight_smile:

EDIT: lol!!! As I was typing…

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#5

If you had slices pre-mapped on the record buffer and then changed a parameter, like the tempo or buffer length, would the slices get messed up? I could see that being a problem but I could also see that leading to some cool results.

#6

This should answer that…

2 Likes
#7

Other method : use Start points, Slice mode off.
Ex : One bar recording sliced in 8 :
Plock trig with these start values :
0 - 16 - 32 - 48 - 64 - 80 - 96 - 112

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#8

More info:

Start points allow you to target playback from 128 different positions, 128 slices…

For the equivalent of a 64 slice grid you use the even number start points:
0=slice1
2=slice2
4=slice3
6=slice4, etc…

If your source is a 64 step pattern you can target points in the recording that are specific steps using the equation:

(Step# x 2)-2 = start point

So for example:
step 33=start point 64 (33x2)-2=64
step 57=start point 112 (57x2)-2=112

Key start points are:
0: beginning of bar 1
32: beginning of bar 2
64: beginning of bar 3
96: beginning of bar 4

:monkey::sparkles:

8 Likes
#9

@Open_Mike is it possible to set explicit numerical start points ? If so how ? And given the regular pattern you describe above, why wouldn’t you just use Create Slice Grid ?

#10

Only allows 64 slices.

#11

Personally I still use sliced record buffers. Yes, if you change tempo then the slices will be out of sync - but only as expected, i.e they will be the same length as they used to be. Any time I record to the buffer at a new tempo i’m aware that it will turn out wonky, which can sound interesting, otherwise once you’ve got the shortcuts down it doesn’t take long to [TRK + BANK] -> slice menu -> create slice grid while playing.

Remember to save and assign a sample to the record buffer slot to keep your slices in place through power cycles.

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Octatrack OS 1.40A: bug reports
#12

Yep. That way you can also reload the slices if they are messed up with a stopped recording for example.

1 Like
#13

Not sure what you mean by set explicit numerical start points? It’s a parameter that can be locked from 0 to 127, seems explicit to me :thinking:

The advantage over slice grid is that if you are playing a start point remix, change tempo, and re-record, the “slice” length changes dynamically with the new tempo… If you use a slice grid you have to re-slice every time you change tempo before recording again…

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#14

I’ve found that targeting start points in 1/16 note divisions but rearranging the order usually works as a generic slice remix template for then feeding different audio to the buffer. Using even numbers will always land you on a 16th note, or one particular step of the recording. Making specific length slices on buffers won’t work well for then rerecording different material into the buffer…

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#15

sorry dumb question re start points. I forgot the dials have numerical values!

#16

@justinw, what to you want to achieve?
Live mangling of incoming source or sample something pre mangled or mangled after recording?

It is possible to use an lfo to play the sliced recording, speed it up, down, upside down…

1 Like
#17

go on… I’m listening

#18

@sezare56 just trying to follow what cenk does in the vid. So

  • thru machines
  • live capture sample with one shot trigs
  • flip to flex machines by switching parts
  • mangle samples with slices, delay engine
  • fade thru machines back in and repeat

All seamlessly :slight_smile:

Bit I was struggling with was how the flex buffers were “pre sliced”, but think I understand now. Off to practice!

#19

Have a read at words from the past…