Generative Music - Octatrack + Machinedrum

Hi -

Wondering if anyone can figure out how this guy is creating this generative music with these two machines.

He has a little description under the video but I can’t figure how he is doing this - its driving me crazy!

12 Likes

same here! was hoping he would elaborate more in the comments but he never bit, really cool stuff

My guess is midi notes or CCs from the OT are sending the program changes to the MD, perhaps using an arp or lfo or both to vary the program changes, and notes are also being sent from the OT to the MD to trigger its tracks, with the MD continually recording the triggers into the patterns so things build up over time. Probably also some CCs from the OT changing various parameters on the MD tracks. Then for the OT’s audio tracks I can see a thru track and neighbor track, providing changes to the effects likely with lfos, and flex tracks constantly recording and playing back variations of the incoming audio.

6 Likes

Huh! I hadn’t thought to midi record incoming midi notes sent! On, like, a really slow track speed! Different track lengths. Pretty brilliant if I do say so myself!

On the MD I see:

MD is in record mode - Maybe recording incoming Midi note data

Patterns and kits are changing randomly but they are quantized


On the OT I see:

Midi
Track 1 - Chan 16 / Active
Track 2 - Chan 10
Track 3 - Chan 10
Track 4 - Chan 10
Track 5 - Chan 13
Track 6 - Chan 13
Track 7 - Chan 13 / Active
Track 8 - Chan 13 / Active

Audio
Track 1 - Thru / Active
Track 2 - Neighbor / Active
Track 3 - Flex
Track 4 - Thru
Track 5 - Flex / Active
Track 6 - Flex / Active
Track 7 - Flex / Active
Track 8 - Master / Active


1 Like

@bunq is the culprit for this lovely little piece !
Mind sharing a few tricks, Stéphane?

As a side note : it’s not the first time he shares such a beautiful moment ! Remember…

5 Likes

Tis fantastic! :raised_hands:

Nice ! Love it.

Hello all, thank you for the nice words!
You guessed right, midi data is sent from OT to MD. MD is empty at the beginning, and in live record mode.
One OT midi track send midi notes, and another midi track send pattern changes (midi notes also, you have to check the configuration on your MD).
On the audio side there are three flex tracks in trig record mode on OT, with special combination of lfo/playback speeds to auto record/playback the MD and create sound layers:)

22 Likes

Beautiful work, sir!

Thank you for offering more information on this! Such a great video

1 Like

Im aware that this is an old thread,but i was triing to search for a solution to figure out the same question,and there was this thread…
wondering if this(or something like this) could be done with a MD and a MnM?i dont have an OT…
which part of the manual should i read million times to understand the (i think superprecise)description of LaughingAnimal and bunq of whats going on here?and what could i do from this with my MnM
would someone be kind enough to send me the right direction?
i have the manual in my hand,and my guess was the page 108 MIDI SEQ SETTINGS,but its like 5 sentences,and it doesnt explain my primitive aboriginal brain a thing of whats going on here…
i dont want to take anyones time here,you are ALL more than generous with the info on this forum,but this is a time when i have to show that i dont understand to be able to understand
because i really want to…
:slight_smile:

1 Like

i doubt i understand everything @bunq is doing here myself, but here are a couple of thoughts.

a lot of what is happening here depends on OT flex machines. i assume you have a Machinedrum UW, because you’ll need its RAM machines to do the (roughly) equivalent job.

you can set up to 4 RAM machines to record either the MD’s internal output or what it hears through its inputs. consider assigning one or more for each option.

the RAM machines can be trigged to record at various moments. you can record something to one of them, then play it back while another records the output. so they can record each other. i’ve gotten some great jams going just by iterating this idea a few times.

the MnM can send program changes to the MD. start with the MIDI sequencer info in the MnM manual. you can plock prog ch on trigs to make the MD change patterns at unusual moments.

i have never explored the CC chart on p. 108 that you mention and i have no idea if it would be useful here, as i’ve never sequenced the MD from the MnM. (i do know this kind of sequencing is possible, just haven’t tried it.) however one option you have is the MnM’s arp, which you can aim at its own BBOX percussion (among other things) to generate percussive randomness.

you can also run MnM sounds into MnM THRU machines and then use LFOs to gate their output so they are only audible some of the time. the bus system will probably be helpful.

…i’m just riffing here, but those are some things i’d start with. hope you get something interesting going and in the process discover some new approaches you can share!

3 Likes

Thanks to take the time here to answer Dub!i appreciate this a LOT!also other posts of yours where i learned from here…Thank You! :wink:
im mostly a silent reader here(and on Elektron-users),bought my MD(UW+) half a year ago,and got a chance to buy a MnM 3 days ago for an offer i couldnt refuse.
coming from circuit bending,and to tell you the truth i enjoy a LOT this Elektron boxes!in a way i feel its the same thing(at least to me…)exploring…and unexpected cool things happen…and i have waaay more control over it…CTR machines 16 assignable LFOs,P-locks…etc…i simply love it since the first moment…Autechre was the reason i bought my MD,(and the pix video,of course)hearing what AE did with them makes me want to learn more about it,cause im nowhere near…
what i see here,reminds me a bit at self oscillatiing stuff,what i experienced before with circuit bending,that i LOVE,thats the reason i really wanted to understand whats going on here.
is what you say bit the same like the Allerian video he did on chinese record sampling?just with more RAM R-P machines?tried it,and will experiment with it more for sure,its some good stuff there;)but its not like this “self oscillating thing” i see here…this is some next level shit,i willing to learn…maybe i overglorify this here:smiley:
i could always try and build something to self oscilate :slight_smile: but since i saw this,i would be interested to UNDERSTAND this.
MnM into MnM THRU machines and LFO to gate output i never tried,will get on it in a bit,and combine with things
MnM ARP i did try,and practice it for some extend…interesting results come out sometimes
MIDI is the keyword here i guess…but im soo far from understanding this that makes me jump at the MANUAL again
i would be the happiest person in the world if once i could show some of my discoveries here,but at the moment im glad if i understand what other people show here:slight_smile:
Thanks for the help!
Great Community here btw…glad to be a part

There’s not much that the MnM can’t do that the Octatrack can in terms of midi sequencing. The OT can (now) have conditional trigs, and can have patterns of different lengths running at the same time. And it has two extra tracks, of course.

But the MnM can’t record and layer incoming audio. It can process/filter/effect it though.

1 Like

So the MIDI data sending part wouldnt be a problem with the MnM,and i could live record it with my MD UW

but the

part i would miss…sorry for the stupid question,but does it play a big role in the self oscilating thing im triing to archieve here?the FLEX machines on the OT i mean…
im really sorry for the obvious loss of knowledge i show here Ladies and Gentleman!
Thanks Everyone!

i think what you’re referring to w/r/t Allerian’s work on that language video was making samples play back and forth, forward and then in reverse endlessly … i think he described it as being like swimming laps in a pool. if that’s what you mean, it would be a good technique for making short samples on your MD RAM or ROM machines play in long-lasting and interesting ways.

i bring this up because iirc, ‘self-oscillation’ can also refer to something filters do when you overdrive them … just want to be clear what you mean.

anyway in general, Allerian’s videos on compelling and unorthodox techniques for the MD are justifiably legendary. i recommend studying every one you can find, whether it relates to your generative music goals or not :wink:

regarding MIDI, i’m hoping someone who has done more extensive sequencing of the MD with the MnM or vice versa will chime in here, as i say i’m only aware of the potential to do so in theory. but if i were starting out with your goals, i’d start with the MnM manual section on its MIDI sequencer. see how far you can get with that before diving deeper. i expect there are plenty of pleasant discoveries awaiting you even doing that much.

1 Like

indeed its the how to speak Chinese record He turns inside out…its really useful and has a near endless palette of possibilities(its one of the reasons i bought the UW)
checked all the videos from the Man… :wink:

thats exactly what i did…made my machinedrum nosebleed(Thanks to Finalform)and after a 30 min session i started to read the MnM manual regarding MIDI.the manual,not the book for tomorrows exam…oh well… :slight_smile:
…babysteps but i will get where i want…and like you say,on the way i will find million other things i can use;)
but i still hope that someone would chime in here to shed some light on our poor soul ;D

is it possible to do it with a digitakt/Octatrack ? @bunq

superb music ! Went on your website, realllllll nice :sunglasses:

Thank you! I don’t own a digitackt so I can’t be sure, but it may sound more static with digitakt than with MD