Benefit of a Cirklon with OT

waldemaR · 2013-10-20T21:56:13.000Z

Dear All,

i’m new hear and at the end of the year i will buy or maybe trade a Octatrack.
I’m tired to look after my work ( 8 our’s in front of a screen ) once again.
So i decide to buy Hardware,

Now to my question, what will be the benefit of a Cirklon with OT?

Thank you!

regards,

waldemaR

RyanElektric · 2013-10-20T22:15:25.000Z

Cirklon has 64 tracks, OT 8

Cirklon has 5 MIDI In/Outs (including a USB MIDI for syncing to software, OT has 1 and no USB MIDI

Cirklon lets you save an load up the syths you plan to sequence with all your CC control settings- OT does not.

The sequencer is more powerful, takes less time to program notes (especially chords) and allows way more hands on control of both the sequencer and the parameters you set it to modulate.

Basically, the Cirklon frees up the OT to do what it does best- audio composition through sampling, resampling, and loop mangling. If you plan to have a large hardware collection, you will appreciate having a single device that you turn on and is immediately ready to sequence all your synths like the Cirklon. Also, it will act as the perfect interface to connect a great MIDI keyboard controller to- it will send MIDIccs on 5 different channels to 4 different devices and your computer (but I don’t think the are controllers on the market that go above 3 channels in a single patch).

Don’t get me wrong, the OT sequencer is fantastic. It just isn’t anywhere near a Cirklon. If you can spare the finances to get one, and you plan on going hardcore with racks and modules and vintage stuff (unlike the OT, there is a CV In and Out expansion for the vintage stuff and Sequentix is producing a trigger expansion for analog drum machines), then just go for it. I can’t wait for mine!

waldemaR · 2013-10-20T23:46:15.000Z

Dear RyanElektric,

thank you very much for the fast reponse and helpful answer.
My intentsion is to get the OT. I like the sample idea. And i see great stuff.

Regarding Cirklon, this will be maybe the i-dot for the i?
I wouldn’t like to blow up Hardware stuff. Two are enough.

Can this be a right way?

regards,

waldemaR

RyanElektric · 2013-10-21T00:34:26.000Z

You can make complete songs on the OT alone, so yes =)

poonti · 2013-10-21T01:10:43.000Z

If I understand your question correctly: is a Cirklon of any use if your only other machine is the OT?

Answer: no, it’s next to useless in this scenario. Cirklon is worth it if you have a bunch of other gear to sequence, not only an OT. Go with OT solo for now.

waldemaR · 2013-10-21T12:20:36.000Z

Dear poonti,

thank you for your feedback.
Yes that’s the question i’m looking for.

I don’t won’t room full of Hardware.
I was thinking about one and two maschine.

The thinking was to buy Cirklon more tracks and easier to use sequencing + more routing option.

Maybe another suggestion or Idea?

regards,

waldemaR

secretmusic · 2013-10-21T13:54:29.000Z

I’m not sure you need another sequencer if you don’t have anything to sequence
The OT is certainly competent enough if you have “just” one or 2 hardware synths.

poonti · 2013-10-21T14:04:07.000Z

As secretmusic has mentioned, depending on the kind of music you want to make, I would put the money from the Cirklon into one or two other hardware synth/drum-machinse that can be sequenced from the OT.

A lot of people love the OT + A4 combo (check on youtube under dataline, secretmusic, and many more), for instance, and you can create a lot of sonic mayhem with those two.

Cirklon is great if you have a lot of synths/drum machines to sequence.

waldemaR · 2013-10-21T17:26:20.000Z

Dear secretmusic, dear poonti,

thank you for commimg back.

Yes indeed this make no sense with the Cirklon.

But i’m not really interested in Hardwaresynth like A4, then i would prefer an OT more.

Of course i will start first with One OT, it was only my question how expand the OT with another piece of Hardware.

Any further helpful feedback would be much appreciated.

regards,

waldemaR

jurek_przezdziecki · 2013-10-21T19:06:20.000Z

Ryan said everything about it. I use Cirklon with OT and it’s a bliss. I use this combo for my live sets where Cirklon controls everything via midi. I change banks, patterns, effect presets, synth patches. You can create 16 bar sequences with Cirklon - just 4 bar with OT which is not very convenient.

Magic comes with use of Auxes - internal midi buses where you can create very complex, random sequences, inter track modulation events etc. You could program simple bar loop that will play never the same again!

Cirklon is SUPER tight midi clocking machine. You can relay on it fully sequencing other hardware gear. But you have to get even one.

One more thing: Cirklon has separated USB channels so you can sequence computer softsynths as well.

Do you have OT and want to buy Cirklon or you want keep OT and add Cirklon to your studio?

waldemaR · 2013-10-21T20:42:14.000Z

Dear Jurek,

thank you very much to explain your setup and work.
But is this looking tat the price a good invest in this combination.
Once again i don’t won’t a tons of Hardware, limit is two.

i will buy or trade as soon as possible an OT.

The other think was to expand the OT with another gear of Hardware.
I would like to jam, later on do live performing, have fun!!!
Cirklon was for me the interested one of all the other’s.

Now i’m a little confused about what you say and what the other’s say’s against Cirklon.

It will not that i buy the second gear directly. i have to learn first the possiblities of OT and i’m shure it is only limited in your brain.
I’m looking only what kind of possiblities i have.
Of course the future will be offer same new stuff.

I have check the www but i don’t find in the moment good video’s about this combination.

For all, my style will be techno.

regards,

waldemaR

jurek_przezdziecki · 2013-10-21T21:23:25.000Z

Cirklon is the most complex and advanced sequencer ever produced. I have another one Octopus from company named genoqs… but it’s another story:) I love hardware sequencers because of creation process and hands on workflow. Hardware sequencers make you listen to the sound when you write it. You judge the sonic effect without looking to the computer screen. It change a lot. Moving a bricks left and right could kill spontaneous and instant musical ideas. Of course not always but it happens sometimes.

It’s like “what is better”. It’s more like playing a piano due a composing process. It helps and gives you a kind of organic touch, feeling that you really inside the music you make.

I find myself working faster, experimenting with easy.

I don’t think you should sell OT. Try to keep it.

Here you can find very simple 1 bar improvisation without any prepared material. Just fun:)

waldemaR · 2013-10-21T21:50:00.000Z

Dear Jurek,

thank you once again for your exponation.
I saw your video on youtube

We will see. At least it is a lot of money for Cirklon and really a like it but i don’t see for the moment something with Cirklon where i can say “boom that is it”, maybe in the fututre.
I created an account @ Sequentix, that i can look also their.

But everyone still free to give me more idea’s or video example, thank you.

regards,

waldemaR

jurek_przezdziecki · 2013-10-21T21:56:50.000Z

There is a video tutorial on Sequentix page. Check it as well.

malaventuras · 2014-02-19T20:56:59.000Z

[quote=““jurek przezdziecki””]
There is a video tutorial on Sequentix page. Check it as well.
[/quote]

Hi Jurek,
I have the Cirklon and the Octatrack, do you know if it is possible to control the Octatrack from the Cirklon? for example create a pattern on the Cirklon and send a message to execute a sampler from the OT?

RoyShade · 2014-02-19T22:04:31.000Z

It is possible but you lose some OT features in the process. The PLocks are not available remotely. On the other hand, you would be able to expose knobs from more than one channel on the Cirklon, but the scenes feature kind of takes care of that too.

Automux · 2014-02-19T22:58:19.000Z

If going for a minimal setup then I would say there is no point in getting a Cirklon. The Octatrack is more than enough machine packed with features for a two hardware setup. For all of the nice features the Cirklon has, they are useless without anything to control. There are also much cheaper MIDI controllers than can be used to control the OT if you need more knobs than what is immediately available on the OT.

bluewolfse7en · 2014-02-19T23:09:42.000Z

Controlling the OT from Cirklon is totally do-able & offers a whole host of possibilities not available on the OTs seq!
Yes you lose plocks, sort of, but you have Auxes where you can do the same thing.
Bare in mind that even tho you lose traditional plocks you can still implement trigless locks on the OT but send note data from the Cirklon. This gives you the best of both Worlds IMO.

On top of that, if you’re into absolute control, you can run a CK pattern as well that only contains control data, it’s an event list kind of like a tracker.
Also you can pack these with data & run in the back ground then briefly un mute to give a similar effect to the MD CTRL ALL function, the difference being, you can have one dedicated to each track!

I’m spending a lot of time with Cirklon & the Elektrons at the moment & getting everything one has to offer without losing the others strengths is difficult but I’m getting there

As big a fan as I am of the Cirklon I have to agree that in the circumstances above it’s not necessary, get to grips with the OT first would be my advice

dubathonic · 2014-02-20T21:09:07.000Z

""bluewolfse7en"":

As big a fan as I am of the Cirklon I have to agree that in the circumstances above it’s not necessary, get to grips with the OT first would be my advice

I’d fully agree. Learn the OT first, including its very capable onboard sequencer, then decide which other instrument you’d like to feed it. I use two pieces of sound-producing gear (OT + Elektron Machinedrum) as nearly my entire live setup, and for jamming that’s plenty

navarre · 2015-04-22T18:36:34.000Z

Great and useful thread !