Digitone pattern change from Octatrack

When OT changes patterns of DT the CH.LEN setting of the DT is not respected. So the pattern on the DT keeps on playing based on the M.LEN setting.

To me that seems like a bug. Question is if that’s a bug on the OT or the DN/DT.

I think it’s not poor OT’s fault, just sending a Program change midi message. :neutral_face:

So is the short answer that basically Elektron has not addressed this issue for a couple years now?

there was a fix in some frimware which was supposed to fix stuff, but it didnt help. at least not for me. in my understanding there would be a pretty easy fix: make the octa send the damn prgm change cmd when i actually press the button to change it. not later in the pattern, a millisecond before the change. that should fix it. if i send prog changes from ableton it also works, because all machines receive it AT THE SAME TIME. i completely dont unterstand why this is not getting implemented. The current behaviour makes sense for machines which can do a direkt pattern change (like the A4). Unfortunately the A4 is the only elektron machine with this behaviour. So it makes no sense.

my auto pattern changes work fine? OT as the master, A4 and DN slaves, all work as they should. There was a time when my A4 was exibiting the latency of change described above, but that seems to have stopped in the last few rounds of firmware updates, and it only happened when I had a complex number of length per track permutations across all 3 devices.

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what setting do you have ch. ln on? do you have different lenghs of tracks on the different machines (eg the octa repeating after 16 steps but the a4 running at 64 or so). what i found it only worked if all machines and all tracks have the same lengh (64) but that limits my workflow completely.

I tend to stick my change channel as 16 out of habit more than anything else. I’ll try with some complex pattern length variations again next time I’m sat at my desk - Though obviously sticking to the same pattern lengths does reduce the risk of errors markedly.

This is a limitation I found also
pretty sure elektron are well aware of as it is the same on all Elektrons…
I sent ticket about it but didn’t get a reply, done some digging on here and think they always have been like that… maybe this is something that cannot change

You have to have the same master length or it won’t change in time…
it will only use the Chng setting if physically done on machine it doesn’t work via PC it changes late…

Best to just set master length the same and just decide when you want all the patterns to change… if you want the pattern to evolve for ages set longer master length like 512…

Also It does change in time and Chng length works when patterns changed from overbridge plugins channel 16 this is the only way I know to get it to work with inf pattern lengths and still change correctly

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but you tracks have different lenghs and it woks for you? i really dont understand why it works for some and for some not. believe me , ive tried everything, new project, new firmware, all kind of normal and weird midi setting, everything.

i will try with master lenght at the same value again

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It’s all you can do…
just decide how long you want each pattern by setting master length the same…
You can still use different scales 14/16 22/32 etc…

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Pattern change works to me aswell. But i had trouble with microtiming (or swing?).
After changing from A01 to A02 and then back to A01 the pattern was played in a different groove.
Stop/start on OT brought back the original timing. I used the same amount of swing on OT + DN and microtiming on DN.

Someone experienced the same?

Edit: Tested today again with a new project and its changing correctly

Was this ever sorted? I have an Octatrak as a master synced to Digitakt and Digitone.

When I hit play everything is in sync, all boxes play, I can change tempo etc. However when I change to pattern two on the Octatrak only the Digitakt changes and the Digitone is still on pattern 1.

All boxes are set the same. What’s going wrong?

Even midi channels? Check Auto Channel midi chanel setting on DN, it may differ. I always use a defined channel (16), not Auto.

And DON’T USE AUTO on OT. I doesn’t correspond to Auto Channel but to the lowest audio track channel.

So I have
Octatrack Midi out to Digitakt in
Digitakt out to Digitone In

Octa midi settings Transp-send, clock-send, prog change Ch 16

DIGITAKT clock recive, clock send and prog change recieve enabled. Programme change in 16
DIGITONE clock recive, clock send and prog change recieve enabled. Programme change in 16

This all works but the Digitone wont change tp pattern to whereas the digitakt does.

Must be doing something wrong

Culprit. Use midi Thru, or check Prog Change send from DT.

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THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Settings correct, cabling needs to be midi thru from digitakt to midi in Digitone.

Now i Can make some music.

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Could you try same settings with midi out, adding Prog Change send. I’m curious about it…(Control of DN by DT midi tracks possible in that case).

Doesn’t work. Digitone stays on the same pattern

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A tip if someone spends hours like me without knowing what’s going on: the DN was answering to PC changes very weirdly, going to a pattern for one bar then coming back to wrong number of pattern…

I set the PC change on 16 and the MIDI channel for it on the OT on MIDI Track 8. It took me a while before checking the other Midi channels and discover that the MIDI Track 3 was on Channel 16 as well.
Although the track was inactive, the PC change was still sent, having the priority since it’s a smallest number in the track order.