I see this benefit and I want to move to this use case, but I’m not sure how to set up my Project. Do I just limit the use of patterns 1-4 to Part one and then just use 5-8 on Part 2? Or is there are setup involved?
What will change and what will stay the same between these 4 parts and their respective patterns?
I’m a little confused about Parts and Pattern’s relationship, I would benefit from any help on this matter greatly. And as always in advance thank you so much to this extremely helpful comminity!
Whatever you want/need. You can even change everything or nothing.
In general the use “1-4 with part 1 etc.pp.” is just a generic strategy to reduce what you’ll need to remember. When you stick to such strategies you can re-open a project many months later and still find your way around quickly.
I have been using this method for years.
It is extremely useful. It allows tweaking of a patch over the course of several patterns. (This cannot be done on digitone for example as each new pattern change is a reload of that pattern)
I set up the part to Pattern links first. Then when ever I am happy with the Part and want to keep my progress, I save that part.
As @tnussb mentioned, you can configure it however you like.
For writing long form Live sets ( I have played a few jungle/DnB and techno sets for gigs) its brilliant, and, easily repeatable, yet still Infinitely tweakable.
Change the word PART for KIT, and suddenly everything makes sense…
The only difference with other elektrons that use kits, is that each bank has 4 parts, or “kits” that are exclusive for this bank. Everything else is the same
Previously one of you said “Each part references a pattern”. How does this become so? Can’t multiple parts all play in the same pattern? Where is the link between pattern and part?
Thanks Peter(s) lol. So, if I understand this correctly, when you choose a PATTERN, whatever PART is currently active becomes linked to it, so when you switch to another pattern later in your jam session, whatever PART was originally linked to it, will also switch on with the new pattern selection? If this is the case, what breaks the link between a PATTERN and a PART? Can I change the patterns and parts connection in some way?
Okay I totally get it now, thank you so much. I’m not trying to solve a poblem, but rather just gain an understanding of how these things operate. I got an Octatrack about 4 weeks ago and I’m shifting my whole studio from hardware into Ableton to Hardware integrated with an Octatrack and Pyramid, live mixing on a small console. It’s a big change but it’s amazing, and so I’m starting new songs with each chunk of the manual I digest and parts and patterns really is the next place for me to explore in hthese next few songs. I’m super blown away by scenes and parts and how they interact. I honestly haven;t even gone past my first pattern because I’ve created so many loops and backing tracks and drum variations on all 4 parts. But when I changed patterns I noticed some weird things happening that I didn’t understand, so I figured I’d explore it for a while and go back to making music with what I’ve learned.
Yeah, it takes a little time for it to become intuitive. It’s very easy to tweak a lot of stuff, swap samples in and out, and forget that you’re altering a part that is also used in other patterns. Anything that makes it easier to keep track of what part you’re using is good.
Best way to look at it is whatever part you last used on that pattern is what it will be the next time you go into it. you can change it at any time while the pattern is playing. There’s a number of methods and ways of thinking about how to use parts. None is more valid or correct than the others its just about what works for you.
For example in my band both of us are playing instrument and the octatrack is more of an all in one box. we use parts as a way of setting up an entire song or section of a song. we use the Arranger to structure the backing track and will start with at least one pattern referencing one of the parts in the bank. if the songs are simple we can fit four songs in a bank of 16 patterns (roughly four patterns each song and four parts to define what main samples fx and scenes are available for that song). In this example the part is no different than a kit or a standard multi patch on any other synth. If you have two distinct sections of a song you could always build a part for each and Say use Pattern 01,02 as your intro scene that has nothing but ambient samples or something in it then in Pattern 03 you go into the verse where only one or two of those original ambient samples are still being used and the other tracks start being used as drum sample playback or stems on static slots etc. etc. very versatile.
Another, different use for Parts is for creating variations for performance of a song. Parts store your Sample assignments, FX and their settings, Cross fader scenes etc. all in them. you could set up a percussion section of drum hits and loops. put filters and reverbs on a lot of the tracks and make that part 1. Say you want to be able to have a drastic change of the vibe fo the song while staying in the same group of patterns. You could copy part 1 into part 2 and make some changes. maybe keep the samples all the same but change their loop modes from off to PIPO, replace the reverbs with comb filters and tighten up all the amp envelopes to make a karplus version of the kit. rework all the scenes in the new part to take advantage of the modifications. Parts also store where your sampling input sources are looking at. you could have a live sampling buffer in your pattern and have it recording the drum loop in part 1 and then switch to having the same buffer record a synth on input A on part 2.
This method is pretty much what I do in this video. I’m just on a single pattern the entire time changing through 4 parts that are modifications and variations of a central part.
Thanks for sharing your workflow, this kind of stuff is super helpful.
One qustion: What is PIPO? Does that stand for Punch In / Punch Out? I use this all the time for multitrack recording, if so. But I looked in the manua and only found one obscure reference. Is it for recording perfectly loopable stems?
I usually try to make use of one particular part as much as I can and only change to another one if I have to. Makes performing easier, because parts also store which scene is selected so when you’re jumping from part to part to part, it might happen that you’re transitioning into a wrongly put scene selection, because you left the part with a wrong scene selected.
Means only if I can’t achieve it with sample locks or p-locks, I’ll use another part.
On the midi side, parts store midi channel and also send program changes, but 8 midi tracks are plenty.
I just wanted to ask a follow up question now that I’ve put this all into practice. Here it is…
If I am using PART1 with Patterns 1-4, and PART 2 with 5-8, etc., what are the elements that are shared across these parts & patterns? Meaning … what can I or should I NOT change because it will mess up other patterns or parts unknowingly? Understanding this seems to be what needs to be learned to really master this device. Otherwise one good idea is destructive to another.
Here’s an answer from someone that makes music using the 1 part to 4 pattern thing:
If your song has distinct sections (verse chorus/ a section b section call it what you will) then you might want to avoid mixing up sample allocation to your tracks. (For example if T1 is kick drums and you want the same kick throughout the song)
Additionally, keep FX settings common accross parts if you want a smooth tail of reverb/delay whatever when you cross pattern/part junctions.
Or, you might want to keep more esoteric settings common across all parts, like pattern chain after 128 steps. ( thats a personal favourite, means I always have 8 bars before the next pattern, regardless of what twisted poly nonsense I have currently going on.
Also: depending on how you use your tracks, you might want common amp env settings, or LFO settings. Then again you might not.
Basically, the Octatrack is totally modular. You can confugure it however the hell you like and it will just say ’ yeah sure I can do that’.
So the ‘should’ and ‘should not’ of it, is totally up to you. Dont listen to anyone else, including me. Explore it yourself, find what works for you. Learn the rules, break the rules.
