Crazy feedback loop technique (video)

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hello! I “discovered” this technique one day, on a long airport layover. It consists on using a flex machine as if it were a pickup machine, but with the ability to feedback-loop and re-sequence on real time. I have used this technique an awful lot, it’s a great way to get unexpected and complex results. You can create breaks that disrespect the time grid, create feedback delay with sidechain effects (including external gear!), apply the infamous beat stretch algorithm to your sequenced beats (and still be able to change the sequence) create textures, live-loop, etc. I say “discovered” between quotes because I bet there is a crowd who already know about it.

I am sharing this now because I created my first tutorial form youtube video, here the link: Creative prompt: Octatrack Self-sampling - YouTube

For those who get understandably frustrated by youtube, here how to reprody with sidechain effects (including external gear!), apply the infamous beat stretch algorithm to your sequenced beats (and still be able to change the sequence) create textures, live-loop, etc.uce the technique in it’s basic form:

  1. Start with a blank project
  2. Set the track 6 to flex, assign it to flex recording slot number 6
  3. Go to rec setup of track 6, and create a record trigger on the first step.
  4. Set the T6 record input to CUE
  5. Press CUE + T6 so that track 6 sends to cue (in studio mode, elevate the cue send
  6. Exit rec setup and add a sample trigger on track 6, step 3 or 4
  7. Go to track 1 and sequence something, whatever.
  8. Send track 1 to cue aswell.
  9. Press play. It should play the normal triggers, but it should also cause a sort of delay effect, with feedback
  10. Try modifying the volume levels, the triggers, and so on - this is where you come in and make it go crazy :slight_smile:

If there is interest, I can share more examples where I’ve used this technique, or perhaps a followup tutorial expanding on the idea

17 Likes
#2

i discovered this technique myself a few weeks ago too, it’s awesome!
indeed there’s a whole bunch of variation you can get with various cue levels sending into the flex or the feedback cue level on the flex itself, and completely mashing up the flex track trigs and parameters. track of mine recorded straight from the OT that uses this technique in a subtle way (low synth thingie is a feedback flex pitched down a fifth, tapping from one of the comb filter tracks):

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#3

Didn’t know that one ! The OT is really a never ending story !

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#4

awesome! that’s a win already :grinning:

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#5

I went ahead and heard the whole album. Nice uses of the re-pitching of the loop, reminds me of that Reckonwrong album… (Whities 005 | Reckonwrong)

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#6
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#7

thanks for checking! :pray: feedback is not really obvious in this track but it does some slight saturation on that pitched flex. that’s what i like about the technique, you can go from really subtle saturation/movement to wild feedback. it also highly depends on the combination of rec/playback trig placement and cue levels.

ps interesting stuff, the Reckonwrong album!

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#8

aah, that one is a lot like the ‘no input mixer’ technique. another cool approach. thanks for sharing!

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#9

THERE IS INTEREST !!
very good technique indeed

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#10

Love it ! Very excited to try this

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#11

nice! now my following weeks have a purpose :grinning: haha

#12

Indeed there is interest ! It can be hard to tame I must say. I wanted to record and a make a video with it because the beat I had made with this technique was awesome. The problem was that by the time I decided to do so, I had lost that awesomess and had arrived straight into super weird hard feedback glitchy kind of territory and I couldn’t get out of time.

I love weird stuff as long as I found it musical. It was really not but it was still cool :joy:

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#13

Comb filters in the feedback loop !

Using 2 recorders is also interesting…

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#14

omg sounds awesome!! I love the stereo field that your recording has

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#15

The thing with feedback loops is that they are an infinite response, meaning that everything that has happened from the beginning counts (in theory), so if you start over, chances are that you won’t get the same.
Anyways, I have played with this a lot, and nowadays I can get a consistent behavior. It’s possible! :slight_smile:

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#16

yesterday i nearly blew up stuff with comb in the feedback path :smile:
it’s really cool but can be quite nasty in the lowend if rate on the feedback flex is lower.

also a neat trick is dark verb in the fb path with flex pitch slightly modulated. the cue feedback trick is really nice to get more out of the OT FX!

edit: yes 2 recorders crossfeeding is awesome too <3

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#17
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#18

Guess has to use studio mode for this cool tip

#19

Not necessarily but it could be interesting too. In studio mode you could have the « dry » sound at same time not going in feedback loop while it is sent continuously at the level you want to the feedback whereas in normal mode, you would sent snippet or part of it only when you decide to send the track to cue.

So it’s basically two different usages which can both of them be nice depending on the sound material and the end goal.

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#20

Once again, you can do EXACTLY the same things with Normal or Studio mode.

Studio mode just change mute behavior (Main and Cue mute are linked). It also change display. But audio wise, exactly the same.

I don’t know why people oftenly say Studio mode is required for this or that. Just more convenient for muting both MAIN and CUE. Maybe because Studio sounds more professional, but in fact it is less practical if you want to mute MAIN or CUE independently for tests.

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