Creating long Basslines on OT

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

dear all,

rather new to the OT, i’d love to be able to create longer melodies / basslines / progressions than 64 steps (in my case on a midi track.)

my initial thought (which i kind of enjoyed) was:

  1. create one (midi-)track of for instance 16 steps with a rhythmical pattern
  2. create a second very slow midi-track (running at 1/8th or so) that only sends out CCs to the first one (1.) (physically connecting OT’s midi in and out), controlling its transposition-parameter (via CC 22).

having researched it however turns out that the OT can only receive CCs on its currently active / selected track.

does anybody have a nifty hack, a workaround or another idea how to create longer melodic progressions? thanks!

#2

Most basic way is to chain patterns. If you want to remain in one pattern you could use a pattern chain of the midi track, sample it, and load that to your original pattern as an audio track… I’m sure there’s more ways because Octatrack…

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#3

Could also try arp at a very slow speed for longer melodies. Run the track at 1/8. Hit record. Twist knobs.
Octatrack

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#4

If you don’t need particularly high resolution between notes, then try changing the track scale to something like 1/2, 1/4 or even 1/8 to get the equivalent of 128-, 256- or even 512-step sequences :wink:

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#5

If its midi, combine slow track scale with the midi arp to get what ever bar length you want.
OT is totally capable of 16 (or more)bar patterns, you just gotta be sneaky about it.

If its samples, easiest way is to chain patterns resample then use slow track scale and or one shot trigs/ trig conditions.

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#6

Put all this on my to do list. I’m just getting into the MnM arp, which is simpler, but can also become a sequencer separate from the actual sequencer… Which can get really amazing unintended results… Or intended if you approach it in that way with the correct math.

#7

Also, recently @sezare56 demonstrated somewhere on this board that you can use an LFO to change the time signiture of the arp, which gives the LFO designer an amzing use.

#8

thanks @Open_Mike, @thoughtstarZ and @craig
all your suggestions are much appreciated , yet i’m not sure if they suite what i’m trying to do… resampling is not an option, and chaining patterns will switch the patterns on all tracks afaik, which wouldn’t come in handy, either. i’ve tried the arpeggiator- (and trig-count-)option, just it’s a bit to limiting rhythmically.

guess i’ll have to live with this restriction :slight_smile: thanks anyways!

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#9

Can you explain exactly what you want to do again and we may be able to help you? OT has myriad ways of doing things, so don’t give up. As I understand it, you want a 16-step pattern transposed multiple times to create a long sequence almost like changing chords over more than 64 steps. Is that correct so far? More explanation will always help people solve it

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#10

For the pattern chain method I’d just copy/paste the same pattern multiple times and then clear/manipulate only the desired midi track. Keeping the same part any parameter tweaks will carry through the chain, you can save the chain in the arranger… Not sure why sampling’s not an option, but if you do you can then use scenes, the crossfader, and utilize all OT’s audio warping techniques…

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#11

aw, i really appreciate your effort – and indeed i’m just scratching the surface of this crazy instrument.
so yes, basically i’d like a dedicated (midi?-)sequence to control a parameter (transpose) on another midi-sequence. this would allow for my notes (or triggers, so to speak) to play fully decoupled from their note-values; the later being controlled from the dedicated sequence.

if this was possible, it would allow for many many other options considering your “controller”-sequence could be running at a different step-rate or even step-count than your “trigger”-sequence – one could set up a repetitive 16/16 sequence that changes a(ny) parameter in some odd 7/4 rhythmical / trigger-sequence. i hope that makes sense?

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#12

thanks mike! i’d like to sequence some outboard-synths (live) and retain the possibility to tweak their knobs while perfoming, so i figure resampling won’t really work in that scenario.

because i’ll also want to dis- and enable steps on the fly, which afaik will be recalled the way they were saved with a pattern.

#13

Yep, this. Don’t forget:

  • You have control of micro timing, so you can definitely get those steps to hit on the off-beats.
  • You can use the arp and retriggers to crate rhythmic and melodic variations, even random ones.
  • Conditional trigs are your friend; you can use micro timing to play two different alternating notes on the same step, say Step 15, by placing a trig on step 15 with a condition of 1/2, then place a trig on Step 16, set the condition to 2/2, and set the micro timing so it’s as early as possible and ends up functionally playing on Step 15.
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#14

Why not use two midi tracks to the same synth? One sequences notes.
The other is your ‘controller’ sequence. Then you can have completely independent sequence lengths, resolutions, scales, conditonal trigs, plocks, etc.

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#15

Well, whatever you do, like all OT inquiries don’t give up on solutions until @sezare56 says there’s no more options… :smile:

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#16

do you mean to set up a second (controller-)sequence to control the synths pitch CC, for instance? if so, that’s actually a pretty obvious and great idea!

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#17

Much more options obviously! :content:

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#18

i will definitely investigate more deeply – wasn’t aware of the workaround for having two steps on the same position. very neat! still, i’m afraid that with setting up microtimings, arp-designer and the like, i wont have “enough” remote access to all single steps / triggers.

#19

Bingo. Have fun!

#21

Can confirm. This can lead to some wild results. I definitely recommend experimenting with it!

1 Like