Hi,
I am discovering arp functionality in OT. So far I am missing “hold” lock like I used to have within Komplete Kontrol MIDI keyboard however, I am wondering if you can use OT arp in the same fashion like the guy from this video is using his SQ-1?
I think he has locked arp sequences and he’s transposing or adding notes in between with SQ-1 buttons. Can this be achieved with OT MK2?
Yes
Correct me if im wrong but the SQ-1 doesnt have an arp, I think he is just step sequencing his modular on the right so he can add notes. You can also do this with the OT, no need to use the arp but if you wanted to stick with the arp you can also do it. In the arp menu you can shift notes around while playing live.
Alternatively you could also create multiple patterns with different sequences.
Lfo designer can be used in realtime too, with trig sync.
Lfo on notes with scale (arp setup), real-time plocks, lfos on arp mode, note LEN, arp NLEN, arp speed etc…
@sezare56 But this cannot be saved to the pattern so I can trigger different parts of the melody? What I noticed is when I make changes to arp, its settings are linked to the arp instead of a pattern. Unless I misunderstanding something… or looking at other technique, can I play arp in chromatic mode and record pattern trigger notes while I am playing on the fly, building up multiple patterns?
Arp settings are linked to parts.
If you change parts, arp settings change.
If you change pattern with same part, arp setting don’t change.
Yes, but you may loose some notes of chords or overlapping notes…
Just try…
One thing to watch out for when you’re using the arp this way - if you mute a step in an arp pattern the value of that step isn’t retained, which can be a bit of an issue for live jamming (or really useful, depending on how you approach it).
Is there a way to record arp notes? I figured it out how to record live when playing OT pads in chromatic mode (rec+play) however, if I play arp section, the arp notes are not recorded, only single notes. Is there a way to record the exact midi notes when using arp?
I don’t think so but correct me if I’m wrong.
2 things you can do: 1. If you want to keep playing and stop the arp you can easily switch it off, it keeps the notes. 2. When you’re in arp notes mode you can press func+copy two copy the whole notes. May be not the best solutions so far but could be helpful.
You cannot record the arp notes on the OT itself. The reason is quite simple: during the duration of a single step of the step sequencer the arp plays (normally) many different notes. So where should the step sequencer record these notes?
You can record the notes of course externally. Either within a computer or with a hardware sequencer running on a much higher BPM rate (or supporting linear recording).
@tnussb I see. So maybe I can I record the arp notes on the OT but on a separate track? Let’s say T1 plays the arp and T2 is recording all notes that arp is making?
Please see the below video of the “problem” where notes are not recorded. If I could record the whole arp sequence on a separate track, that would be enough for my needs.
Does this also happen if I want to record some arp sequence from an external controller/synth? For eg. I can play arp sequence using Arturia Keystep or Beatstep pro and can every midi note be recorded within OT?
@charliebay i am not sure if this might solve that issue, but i think that you need to “loop” the MIDI-messages back inside the OT by connecting the MIDI-OUT to its own MIDI-IN and assigning the altered MIDI-ARP’s to a certain track to trigger the MIDI-record-function.
/edit: i’ve never tried this before, so no guarantee that it will work 
Should work if you play the arp with a track with auto channel as midi channel, and record notes with another track (active of course).
Thank you @sezare56 can you explain step-by step what and where to setup please? I am new to Octa so it’s hard to guess for me where are these options you’re referring too. Or if you can point me to a specific video tutorial or manual page that would be helpful, thank you. In any case, do I need to still connect MIDI OUT with MIDI IN in Octa? I hope not, because I am sending MIDI Out from Octa as it’s my master device. I appreciate your help guys, thanks!
I’ve also seen your mention here: Live recording midi arpeggiator
“It’s not realtime but you can record your arp chords, play the track and record notes on another track.” Could you explain how I can set this up please?
Again: Until you run the track where you try to record the notes quite a bit faster than the track with the ARP you won’t be able to record all the ARP notes, because the OT cannot record multiple notes between each of his steps.
How much faster depends on the speed of the ARP.
In general I don’t see any benefit from using the ARP + record it in comparison to just use the step sequencer by itself.
When recording the ARP you are still bound to max. 64 steps. So you cannot jam with the arp “endlessly” and record that. So why complicate it at all?
@tnussb when using arp itself you cannot use different arp settings for each pattern. If I input something into pattern 1, and another sequence into pattern 2, I can only rely on the arp that is locked to the (T) machine, so I cannot manipulate and save arp settings per pattern
My point is: why use the arp at all? Why not just program the sequences as you want them?
There is no benefit from using the arp this way (or I cannot see the benefit). You cannot just jam with the arp and everything appears magically as stream of midi notes on a track.
It will be a pain-in-the-a** slow process where you need to set up everything quite carefully for each variation and arp speed (so you don’t loose notes and it fits to the track length) and the end result is just some midi notes on a track which you could have inserted there without the hassle. IMHO there is nothing to win here, besides a blank head from tearing your hairs
… or I’m just too stupid to see it.
Just my 2-cents.
@tnussb I’m after random spontaneous results so for me it is much faster working with arp rather than programming each trigger with its own note. I can use LFO with pitch for randomization too, but this doesn’t get saved into a pattern as well… so I’ve just found a workaround by working with PARTS instead of patterns. I’ve recorded an example here:
Using this method, I can have 4 variations to play around with arp and if I mess something up I can always return to the saved part. And it also allows me to copy-paste parts and improvises on the fly which is not possible with patterns because you need to stop pattern in order to copy-past it (unless you’re using crossfader transition trick)
You can partially work around this by setting two or more tracks to the same channel and using each track to store a different arp pattern, but that doesn’t really work if you need to use all 8 tracks at once since you can’t plock a track’s channel (although you can change it per pattern using parts). How practical it is really depends on how many external instruments you use. I rarely sequence more than two or three things from the OT at any given time, so I typically have at least 2-3 tracks available per instrument for things like different arp patterns, polyphonic sequencing, simultaneous arp patterns controlling a single instrument, etc. The more external hardware you are using the less practical this stuff becomes.
Not a problem, because you can use Thru, it will reflect what’s In, so it will send what is sent by Out.
I’m tired and sick, I’ll try to answer later…
