Best controller for OT for live?

Can the MIDI out on the OT go into a MIDI interface so that some MIDI channels can still send data (i.e. clock) to other gear? Or would using the EC4 render the OT as a standalone unit?

So in this video Surgeon is using a FaderFox (canā€™t tell which one) but thereā€™s no syncing going on between it and the OT?

The Art Of Production: Surgeonā€™s techno live setup

EC4 can merge Midi data received on USB or Midi in with its own messages and send the merged data via USB or Midi out.

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Thats because the controller has no encoders, just potentiometers. It could not sync its values to OT. Just one way control.

Thatā€™s the Faderfox PC-4 btw.

Hmmmā€¦ ok. I wonder why heā€™s using that one rather than EC4 unless he wants some randomness and lack of control. Inability to sync have always rendered every controller Iā€™ve had before useless. Iā€™d rather use a mouse than have tons of knobs / sliders that donā€™t sync.

EC4 wasnā€™t on the market when he had that setup and there are some advantages over encoders. With potentiometers, you can feel the parameters start/end point, better for live performance imho.

If you listen to his explanations how he uses the pc4, I see no problem with OT.
Also 24 pots on such a small controller which perfectly fits next to OT is a lot of control.

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Thatā€™s exactly my opinion, too. Pots and faders are okay when there are no presets involved. But as soon as a value can change independently from the pot/fader itā€™s a no go in my book. Even if the parameters wonā€™t jump due to ā€œhalf-syncingā€ (aka snap mode) its too much hassle for me to move the pots/faders around until they snap to their values.

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Thanks! That makes me look at it differently as Iā€™ve mostly used the OT live. Surely I thought Surgeon must have a good reason for doing it that way!

If I would bring a midi controller on stage it would be a controller with potentiometers, definitely.
You can see how the parameters are set, you can just grab a knob and twist it etc.

You can grab a knob, twist it and delay feedback is set to 50%, zap. Filter in, filter out, turn the delay send all the way up, zap.

With a controller like the EC4, you have to check the display, always.
Your hands donā€™t know where the parameter actually is, encoder acceleration is another thing.

Takes some pratice and preparation, though, you have to map the parameters in a way that makes sense, the generic layout of midi controllers sometimes makes it hard to grasp how itā€™s set up.
Thinking in blocks and labelling the controller with colors helps, though.
Definitely an advantage performance-wise.

Iā€™ve seen that Surgeon video some time ago, IIRC he controls the filter, fx parameters and eq(?) with the PC4.
You can zero out the filters so that they are set to have no effect, same with fx sends and eq gain, all set to zero and then use the controller.

If you donā€™t touch those parameters on the OT, there wonā€™t be no parameter jumps.
You just have to prepare those ā€˜performance parametersā€™ on the OT, so that you can switch banks/parts.

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Excellent advice! Thanks!!

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Aaand no LED feedback for the buttons at the bottom [mute/solo].

I use this one, as it has two midi outs, in and thruā€¦
Can run clock, but mainly all knobs and faders can be assigned to all combination of midi outs(+usb ports)

each knob and fader can be 0-127 or -64_0_64.
buttons also can be configured to any midi outsā€¦ and have 3 states - 1st press custom min value, 2nd press custom value, 3rd press custom max valueā€¦

pickup / direct (no scaling more) for faders encodersā€¦
and you can name each parametterā€¦

i have my octa set as 2x track + 2x resample/loop player, with buttons configured to trigger tracks and loops and recording triggers too (activate deactivate trigger)

edit: also can send nrpn

I am thinking about getting a Launchpad Pro MK3 as a controller. This video has nearly sold meā€¦

Anyone else using it?

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Nice. Checked the video and seems like a great fit.

Hello all!

I just developed a mapping for the OT with Midifighter Twister for external control.
Find the mapping https://www.elektronauts.com/files/524
The mapping tries to bring most important functions together.
Two home base pagesā€¦

  • One to control basic active track param and all Volumes
  • One for other Gear (Deluge here)
    Two more pages to control OT Triggers and track params
    Documentation is included!
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IĀ“m going to try the 16n Faderbank, I wish there were a project like this with motorised faders and a button to send CC61. If anyone can do it, we would love it.

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Helo all!

Here is an updated documentation for the midifighter mapping. Iā€™m still working on it.
link removed find below post with valid link
Would be interested in some discussion :slight_smile:

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@qlamerand?

I still have my Launchpad mk2 and started to work on something a while ago but Iā€™d say the best OT controller is an iPad, with the Manifold app from @mekohler or Lemur with an OT template.
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/manifold-for-the-octatrack-ios-app/52874/53

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I have an 500 internal server error when using your link.
Would like to try your mapping :wink: