Fill Mode on Octatrack needs two hands

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

With the new OS (1.30?) you can activate a fill mode, which is used with the newly implemented Trig Conditions - awesome.

BUT: On the AR you can momentarily enter fill mode by pressing the “page” button, only for locking it you need your second hand. On the Octatrack cannot just activate fill mode by holding down the “page” button, you have to reach across 2/3 of the device to reach the up/down arrow buttons.

That way you always need two hands to trigger fill mode - and thats all the hands that i have.

Am i the only one to find this a strange decision from Elektron?

1 Like
Quick OTmk1 question about REC 3
#2

Not strange but only because trig conditions were added late and were not initially going to happen on the ot. Which to me makes how the fill was implemented make sense.

#3

You can try to use one shot trigs instead of the fill condition, this way you have to just press and hold yes (or func+yes). But there’s no way to cue them up like you can with fills.

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#4

Redhibitory button combination.
I already suggested arrows without page, because it’s not used. :tongue:

I still prefer one shots.

2 Likes
#5

Would support that - or just “page” / “page + yes” like on the other boxes. Why make a difference?

3 Likes
#6

More sense than using the “page” button, like on the other boxes? Or using just the arrows, like sezare56 proposed?

I just ask out of interest - what is the advantage of using that button combination spread over the whole machine (at least on the MK1)?

#7

I’m not saying it’s advantages, but you asked why, that’s a reason I could think of.

1 Like
#8

Ah, ok. Thank you for clarifying.

1 Like
#9

Arrows are much more convenient for me.
While using the crossfader, I can’t imagine that page combinations.
Hold Yes, and you have FILL with one shot trigs and one finger. Very efficient.
Try with FILL TRC combinations. :sketchy:

Or a midi CC ! Midi update required !

2 Likes
#10

I’d like to see it activated just by using page button too, it is these kind of inconsistencies that I find a bit annoying, two handed operations are fine for some things but not for performance controls like fill. Even if the A/B buttons were used in combination with page it could still be easily done 1 handed, and could allow more fill types!

3 Likes
#11

A, B, both? Left handed with crossfader, Right, both? :slight_smile:

#12

Lets see…

  • Inconsistent between OT / AR (dont know about A4/AK)
  • Better ways to implement.
  • Should send/receive midi (more important things to fix though)
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#13

A4 and A4 behave the same apparently.

You think about something particular?
I know you’d like midi for parts !

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#14

:open_mouth:

I’ve got a list… but yes, that is the number one issue with the Octatrack.

2 Likes
#15

Can’t be wrong ! :smile:
“AR and A4” as correction.

2 Likes
#16

I would love for it to be just ‘PAGE’ or ‘PAGE+YES’ (to lock FILL to on like AR/AK/A4). Often thought the same @dobpoq

Currently it is less spare of the moment as requires two hands, I love that on the Rytm I can just hit PAGE without even properly looking at the machine.

Must be a reason they had to added the two button combo, rather than going with just PAGE?

2 Likes
#17

+1
I’m just starting to use the fill condition - wich, combined with the /FILL condition becomes more powerful than using OST… wish it could be activated with a single button

#18

i like including the occasional 8 bar melody or vocal part … using Trig Conditions i hope is going to awesomely make it possible to sequentially A/B trig two related melody or vocal part loops of 4 bars apiece on alternate passes.

this way, not necessary to use the Scale pattern length feature.
come to think of it, i’m not sure why that is of any great benefit.

other users will surely think of cooler things to do with Fill Mode conditional trig options.

#20

Page button has uses in every mode but track mode and quick mute mode…
Highest note for chromatic mode, page/row select for slice and slot mode, scale change for delay control…
Of course page for grid recording…

3 Likes
#21

Just found out about another annoying fact when using the page button - arrow buttons combination for triggering fill-mode: when you are using the arrangement mode, the arrows are put to use for navigating within the arrangement.

So when triggering the fill mode by holding down page and the up-arrow within a few seconds your arrangement navigator arrow will be at the top of the arrangement, when holding the down-arrow you will be at the bottom.

In my opinion this makes the fill mode pretty unusable whenever you plan to use the arranger. The page-button as trigger and the combination hold page-button/enter-yes release page-button first, then release enter-yes would not cause the same interference.

6 Likes